Observation
Setting. In chapter 5 the Lamb took the sealed book from the hand of the One on the throne. Now He begins to break the seals. Heaven has been singing; now the earth begins to shake. Every judgment in this chapter starts with the Lamb’s hand: “I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals” (v1).
Structure:
- vv1–2 — first seal, the white horse: one of the living creatures says, “as with a voice of thunder, 'Come.'” (v1). “Behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer” (v2).
- vv3–4 — second seal, the red horse: “to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him” (v4).
- vv5–6 — third seal, the black horse: the rider has “a pair of scales in his hand” (v5). A voice from among the living creatures: “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine” (v6).
- vv7–8 — fourth seal, the ashen horse: “he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth” (v8).
- vv9–11 — fifth seal, the martyrs: “underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained” (v9). They cry, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (v10). Each is given a white robe and told “that they should rest for a little while longer,” until their fellow servants and brethren are completed (v11).
- vv12–17 — sixth seal, the great day: “a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood” (v12). Stars fall “as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind” (v13). “The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places” (v14). Kings, great men, commanders, the rich, the strong, slave and free — all “hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains” (v15), crying, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (vv16–17).
Repeated words: seal (vv1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12); Come (vv1, 3, 5, 7); horse (vv2, 4, 5, 8); he who sat on it (vv2, 4, 5, 8); was given / was granted (vv2, 4, 8, 11); earth (vv4, 8, 10, 13, 15); wrath (vv16, 17); the Lamb (vv1, 16).
Contrasts: the Lamb in heaven, worshiped (ch. 5) ⟷ the wrath of the Lamb on earth (v16). A rider who conquers with a bow and a crown (v2) ⟷ the Lamb who conquered by being slain (5:5–6). The martyrs crying “How long?” (v10) ⟷ given white robes and told to rest (v11). The saints slain on earth (v9) ⟷ the persecutors hiding from the throne (vv15–16). Kings and great men ⟷ slaves — all equally hiding (v15). Men who wanted no God ⟷ men begging the rocks to hide them from God (v16).
Chapter theme (my words): The Lamb who was slain is the One who opens the judgments. Conquest, war, famine and death ride out — but only as far as they are permitted. The martyrs are heard, the proud are humbled, and the chapter ends with the only question that matters: who is able to stand?
Interpretation
How to read the seals. Guzik holds a futurist view: the seals begin the judgments of Daniel’s seventieth week (Dan 9:24–27), the Great Tribulation, and he speaks of the antichrist’s rise coming “after He takes His church from this earth” (2 Thess 2:6–7). He does not read the seals, trumpets and bowls as strictly chronological; Bullinger, in Guzik, calls the seals a “Summary of the judgments distributed over the whole book.” Other Christians read them differently: historicists see the course of church and Roman history, preterists see judgment on first-century Jerusalem and Rome, and idealists see conditions true of every age between Christ’s comings. Guzik grants that these conditions — conquest, war, famine, death — have always been with us; in the Tribulation they are intensified. Many readers also notice how closely the order follows Jesus' words on the Mount of Olives: false christs, wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, and signs in the sun and moon (Matt 24:4–29).
”Come” (vv1, 3, 5, 7). The KJV reads “Come and see,” as if John were being invited closer; the NASB follows manuscripts that read simply “Come.” Guzik notes it could be translated “go forth” — each living creature summons a rider onto the stage.
The white horse (vv1–2). Who is this rider? Some have seen Christ, since Jesus rides a white horse in 19:11; others see the triumph of the gospel. Guzik rejects the identification with Christ. This rider carries a bow, not the sword of the Word (19:15); his crown is given to him; and he heads a parade of war, famine and death. Guzik calls him “a satanic dictator who imitates Jesus” — the antichrist, conquering at first without war. Jennings, in Guzik: “His reign shall not bring war, famine, and strife in its train.” Yet war, famine and death follow right behind him.
The red horse (vv3–4). Peace is taken from the earth, “and that men would slay one another.” Guzik: peace is God’s gift, not the natural state of the world. Take His restraining hand away, and men turn on each other. This authority is “directly or indirectly, the judgment of God.”
The black horse (vv5–6). Scales mean rationing. A denarius was a day’s wage (Matt 20:2). Guzik: the prices are about twelve times normal — a whole day’s work buys bread for one person. Walvoord: “a time of famine when life will be reduced to the barest necessities.” Yet the oil and wine are not touched. Luxury remains for those who can afford it, while the poor go hungry.
The ashen horse (vv7–8). The color is chlōros — the sickly green-gray of a corpse. Death rides, and Hades, the grave, follows to collect. A fourth of the earth dies by sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts — the same four judgments named in Ezek 14:21. Walvoord, in Guzik: a judgment that takes a fourth of the earth’s population has not been seen since the days of Noah. Yet even here “authority was given to them.” Guzik: God “still holds the scroll and opens the seals.”
The martyrs (vv9–11). Under the altar is where the blood of sacrifices was poured (Lev 4:7). These lives were poured out for God. Guzik reads them as all who have died for the word of God. Their cry for justice is not bitterness; God Himself promised to avenge innocent blood (Gen 4:10; Deut 32:43). Guzik notes that “the number of” in some translations is supplied, and the text may speak of their fellow servants being made complete in character: “It is character – the way that one lives – that makes a martyr, not the way that one dies.” God’s answer is not “never,” but “a little while longer” — and a white robe in the meantime.
The sixth seal (vv12–17). Earthquake, black sun, blood moon, falling stars, a sky rolled up like a scroll — the language of the prophets for the Day of the Lord (Isa 34:4; Joel 2:10, 31; Zeph 1:14–16). Guzik: the images are “real, but poetic.” The most striking thing is human: from kings to slaves, everyone hides — like Adam among the trees (Gen 3:8) — and they know exactly whom they are hiding from (Hos 10:8; Luke 23:30). Torrance, in Guzik, calls it “the wrath of sacrificial love.” Swete: sinners dread “the revealed presence of God” more than death. “The wrath of the Lamb” — the gentlest of images joined to the most terrifying word. The One who was slain for sinners is the One who will judge those who refuse Him (John 5:22).
”Who is able to stand?” (v17). Guzik’s answer: only the one who is justified — who stands in grace by faith (Rom 5:1–2; 1 Cor 15:1; 1 Pet 5:12). Chapter 7 answers the same question with a sealed and countless multitude standing before the throne (7:9).
Word study (Greek):
- seal — sphragis (G4973): a wax seal; each one broken releases the next judgment.
- horse — hippos (G2462): a horse — a picture of war and swift conquest.
- bow — toxon (G5115): an archer’s bow.
- crown — stephanos (G4735): a victor’s wreath, here given to him.
- conquering — nikaō (G3528): to conquer, overcome — the same verb used of the Lamb in 5:5.
- red — pyrros (G4450): fiery red, the color of blood and fire.
- sword — machaira (G3162): a large knife or short sword, for slaughter.
- pair of scales — zygos (G2218): a yoke, or the balance beam of a scale.
- quart — choinix (G5518): about a quart of grain — one man’s daily ration.
- denarius — dēnarion (G1220): a silver coin, a laborer’s daily wage.
- ashen — chlōros (G5515): pale green; the color of a corpse.
- Hades — hadēs (G86): the realm of the dead, the grave.
- altar — thysiastērion (G2379): the altar of sacrifice.
- testimony — martyria (G3141): witness; the root of our word “martyr.”
- avenge — ekdikeō (G1556): to vindicate, to carry out justice.
- wrath — orgē (G3709): settled, righteous anger.
- stand — histēmi (G2476): to stand, hold one’s ground.
Cross-references: Gen 3:8; Gen 4:10; Lev 4:7; Lev 26:21–26; Deut 32:43; Ps 2:12; Ps 76:7; Isa 2:19–21; Isa 13:9–10; Isa 34:4; Ezek 14:21; Hos 10:8; Joel 2:10–11, 31; Nah 1:6; Zeph 1:14–16; Zech 6:1–8; Mal 3:2; Matt 24:4–29; Luke 18:7–8; Luke 23:30; Rom 5:1–2, 9; 2 Thess 1:6–10; 2 Thess 2:3–8; 1 Thess 1:10; 1 Thess 5:9; Rev 7:9–14; Rev 19:11–15.
Application
Command to obey — keep the testimony. The souls under the altar were slain “because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained” (v9). Maintained — held on to. I’m not asked to die today, but I am asked to keep holding on to what I know is true when it costs me something. For a man inside, that may mean keeping his Bible open on a tier where it gets him mocked. For a man in recovery, it means saying “Jesus” out loud in rooms where people would rather he said “higher power.”
Sin to confess — hiding from God. The kings and slaves of v15 are doing what every sinner has done since Eden: hiding. I hide too — behind busyness, behind excuses, behind a good reputation. I confess that I would rather run to the rocks than to the Lamb. But the Lamb is the only safe place to run.
Warning to heed — the wrath of the Lamb is real. I like the Lamb who is meek and was slain. But the same Lamb will judge (v16). If I soften that, I make the cross small. The men I disciple need to hear both: He will take your judgment on Himself, or you will face it from Him.
Promise to trust — “a little while longer.” The martyrs' cry was heard. God did not say “no”; He said “rest a little while longer,” and gave them white robes (v11). To the man who has been wronged — abused, betrayed, falsely accused — God has not forgotten your blood or your tears. Justice is coming, and you do not have to take it into your own hands (Rom 12:19).
Example to follow — the martyrs who left vengeance to God. They didn’t take revenge; they took their cry to the throne (v10). That is where I take mine. A man who learns to pray “How long, O Lord?” instead of plotting payback is a free man, even behind bars.
Worship. The Lamb holds the seals. War, famine and death ride only as far as they are permitted. Nothing in this chapter is out of control. I worship the Lord, “holy and true” (v10), who will judge the world in righteousness.
Prayer. Lord, holy and true, You hold the book and You break the seals. When the world is shaking, let me stand in You and not in myself. Keep me from hiding from You — I run to You instead. Give me courage to maintain my testimony, patience to leave vengeance to You, and urgency for every man I know who isn’t ready to stand. Thank You that the Lamb who will judge is the Lamb who was slain for me. Amen.