Rev. 6:1-8 “Mystery of the seals of the scroll of the Lord: Four horses with their riders”
Starting with chapter six we are going to see various aspects of God’ judgement revealed through many symbolic imageries, such as beings, events, numbers or concepts. We should carefully examine what are recorded, rather than be tempted to be preoccupied with existent interpretations. The subject matter in these chapters corresponds to the eschatological discourse of Jesus in the synoptic gospels.
The apostle John witnesses first the white horse and its rider (1, 2). The color “white” may symbolize conquest, while “bow” and “crown”, being a symbol respectively of military power and victory.
There have been various interpretations concerning the imagery of the white horse and the rider; Christ Himself, Christ’s Kingdom or the advancement of the Gospel. It was identified even with scientific and technological development. But all of these are not in accord with the overall purpose of God’s judgment with the four horses. Others claim the imagery to be the spirit of Conquest or militarism, or Antichrist or Satan. As we meditate on all the four different horses together, war and its disasters could be a possible understanding of the first imagery. More specifically invasions of Parthians to Rome in the 60’s AD could be meant as they were the most famous archers of antiquity who successfully defeated the Roman army in AD 62.
The second vison John saw was the red horse and its rider (3,4). The red color symbolizes slaughter and bloodshed. the second could refer to internal strife rather than wars from without as they “killed each other”. During the period AD 68-69, Rome was ruled by four different emperors. There were also the Jewish revolts against Rome. There were, furthermore, bitter contests between those Jews for war and those anti-war against Rome.
When its rider was given power to take peace from the earth, “the peace” could be the famed “Pax Romana” rather than peace in general. This disruption of peace really camw when the Emperor Nero committed suicide in AD 68. “The earth” here cannot mean the globe, but the Roman Empire, particularly the land of the 12 tribes, as Josephus, the Jewish historian, records the calamities that befell the Jews in Palestine in those years until AD 70. The large sword was characteristic for the Roman army.
The third imagery was the black horse and its rider (5,6). The most common understanding of the black horse and the rider is that they symbolize famine which is also implied by a pair of scales and unusual prices of grain of wheat and barley. It was a time of scarcity when the basic commodities of life are measured out at greatly inflated prices. For a day’s work a man could buy only enough wheat for himself or enough of the less nutritious barley for three. God told Ezekiel that its inhabitants would eat bread of weight and drink water by measure (Cf. Ezek. 4:16) One significant factor in the Jewish revolt against Rome was the horrible gravity of the famine that ravished Jerusalem’s beleaguered people. Josephus writes, “But the famine was too hard for all other passions, …insomuch children pulled the very morsels that the fathers were eating, out of their mouths, …”
But what does “Do not damage the oil and the wine” mean? There have been interpretations such as social inequity existing in a time of scarcity, or a promise that believers will not suffer from famine. But a better understanding would be that this shows God’s gracious patience and endurance waiting for the repentance of sinners, as the roots of the olive and the vine go deeper, they would not be affected by a limited drought which would all but destroy the grain.
Lastly John saw the pale horse and its rider (7,8). The rider is Death, and following along behind is his inseparable companion Hades. “Death” in this context will signify “pestilence.”
The four agents of death, sword, famine and plague, and the wild beasts are the same as those sent by God in Ezekiel 14:21.
Again “the earth” in “a fourth of the earth” could mean the earth, Roman Empire, the land of Judah, or Jerusalem. If judgement signs of these four horses could be identified with part of signs spoken by Jesus for the coming destruction of Jerusalem, the land of Judah or Jerusalem could be meant.
Conclusion: How should we apply the passage for our lives today?
- Christians should not predict when the end will come. The Lord Jesus did not answer to the disciples’ question about it.
- The prophecies concerning the four horses must have first been fulfilled during the first century. But there will be the perfect fulfillment at the end.
- The book of Revelation by John is equivalent to the Olivet Discourse (Concerning the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem and the Second Coming of Christ) in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke
- God always controls His judgment under His sovereignty. God sits on the throne in heaven and reigns. Praise and joy in chapter 5 is closely related to suffering and fear in chapter 6. They are both aspects of birth pains.
- Christians should not be disturbed whatever judgements might happen. Repent from your sin and remain in His sovereignty.
- For Christians God’s judgement is for their chastisement, sanctification and for their glorification. It is for their opportunity to experience God’s grace and mercy. There is no free pass of judgment for Christians.
