Revelation Chapter 6 — Opening the Six Seals
The Lamb opens the first six seals of the scroll, revealing the Four Horsemen, the pleas of the martyrs, and massive cosmic disturbances.
1I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, “Come and see!”
2Then a white horse appeared, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”
4Another came out, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.
5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!” And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.
6I heard a voice in the middle of the four living creatures saying, “A choenix*A choenix is a dry volume measure that is a little more than a liter (a little more than a quart). of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don’t damage the oil and the wine!”
7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see!”
8And behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades†or, Hell followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.
9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.
10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers,‡The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.” who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
12I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.
13The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.
14The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
16They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
17for the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Revelation 6:2
“Then a white horse appeared, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.”
This verse introduces the first of the four horsemen, symbolizing the beginning of conquest.
Revelation 6:8
“And behold, a pale horse, and the name of he who sat on it was Death. Hades followed with him.”
This marks the appearance of the final horseman, representing widespread mortality.
Revelation 6:17
“for the great day of his wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
This concludes the chapter with a rhetorical question regarding the magnitude of divine judgment.
Chapter Summary
In Revelation 6, Jesus Christ, the Lamb, begins opening the seven seals of the scroll he received in the previous vision. The first four seals release symbolic horsemen: a conqueror on a white horse, a bringer of war on a red horse, a bringer of famine on a black horse, and Death on a pale horse. These figures represent significant global upheaval, including conquest, conflict, scarcity, and mortality. When the fifth seal is opened, John sees the souls of martyrs under the altar, crying out for justice and receiving white robes. They are told to wait until the number of their fellow servants is complete. The opening of the sixth seal triggers dramatic cosmic events: a massive earthquake, the darkening of the sun, and the moon turning to blood. The sky recedes like a scroll, and people of every social status, from kings to slaves, hide in caves to escape the coming judgment, questioning who can survive the great day of wrath.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Four Horsemen appear as the first four seals are opened. They include a conqueror on a white horse, a bringer of war on a red horse, a merchant representing famine on a black horse, and Death on a pale horse.
The fifth seal reveals the souls of those who were killed for their faith and the Word of God. They are found under an altar, asking how long until their blood is avenged, and are given white robes to wear while they rest.
The sixth seal brings a great earthquake, the sun turning black, the moon turning to blood, and stars falling from the sky. These events cause all people, from kings to slaves, to hide in fear from the presence of God.
Study Note
The 'choenix' mentioned in verse 6 was a daily ration of grain, and its price for a denarius (a day's wage) indicates extreme economic scarcity or famine.
Related Chapters
Revelation 5
This chapter describes the Lamb receiving the scroll that He begins to open in chapter 6.
Matthew 24
Jesus speaks of similar signs of the end times, including wars, famines, and cosmic disturbances.
Zechariah 6
The Old Testament prophet Zechariah also sees a vision of four chariots with different colored horses.
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