Take Another Look at Revelation: Study and Commentary (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781469160467)

The Breaking of the Scroll's Seals

Scene 4 -- Four Horsemen Rev 6:1-8

All eyes are now focussed on the Lamb. No one but the Lamb can open the scroll by breaking its seals. It is up to Him to reveal to us His Majesty's heart and mind, contained in the scroll.

The Lamb breaks open the first seal, and a command like thunder rumbles through the air: "Come!" That was the voice of one of the living creatures. Our eyes are diverted to the side, and we look upon the world. From the left a white horse appears, its rider a warrior, bow in hand. He is galloping ahead like a general leading his army to victory.

We see the Lamb break the second seal, accompanied by the second living creature's command: "Come!" On earth, a red horse appears. Its rider holds a huge sword. He moves about more slowly. Where he passes through, people come to blows with one another. People are being murdered.

The third seal is broken, and the voice of the third living creature calls, "Come!" A black horse rides into the scene. Its rider holds the weigh-scales of a grain trader. A voice from the direction of the 4 living creatures is calling out grain prices. The prices of wheat and barley are staggering. However, there does not seem to be a shortage of oil and wine.

The Lamb breaks the fourth seal. The fourth living creature calls, "Come!" Into our vision comes a pale green horse. The rider wears a nametag: 'Death.' He gives us the feeling that hell and the grave are all around him. The colour reminds us of pestilence.

They report that the whole world is at peace; Babylon is not made to pay for her destruction of Jerusalem. Similarly, in this scene the four horsemen on the earth show us the regular state of the world, not God's acts of retribution.

The 4 colours of the horses have been taken from Zechariah's 8th vision (Zech 6:1-8) in which 4 chariots go out into the world. In this scene in Revelation specific meanings are given to 4 single horsemen on horses having the same 4 colours as the chariot-horses.