Revelation
The Lamb of God: On His Throne and Among His People
Opening the Seals
Revelation 6:1-8

• Before reading Revelation 6:1-8, recall highlights from the first five chapters of Revelation.

• What examples from history or from recent days seem very much like the disasters prophesied in Revelation?

 The following two questions come from the Core Christianity workbook on Revelation, authored by Dennis Johnson:

• Is it hard for you to believe that the atrocities of war, the horrors of famine and disease, and the destruction and death wreaked by hurricanes and wildfires are all under the control of Christ’s sovereign rein and that Christ is still “Faithful and True” (Rev 19:11) despite the world’s injustices and disasters? Do you find this reality reassuring or troubling? Why? Is there any other explanation of the world’s evils that make better sense and offers more comfort?

• Later sets of seven in Revelation will imply that the troubles that befall both believers and unbelievers in this fallen world are mild previews of the end of history, when God’s wrath against human sin will be displayed full force, without restraint. How, then, should we respond to the world’s present pain and heartbreak in light of the coming judgment?

• If you have time, review the application points and read Romans 8:31-39.
  • God is sovereign and God is good
  • While it is a privilege to be citizens of a nation that has much influence in the world, our first allegiance is to the kingdom of God
  • You can always trust God

Extra Notes

Two Ways of Interpreting Revelation

* Note – there are four primary schools of interpretation for Revelation, and there are four major millennial views (i.e., how do you interpret Revelation 20:1-5?) that influence the way we interpret the whole of Revelation. It is much more complex than the following points seem to indicate, but to help explain how we will approach Revelation, I will narrow it down to two starting point from on which people usually stand. We will follow the second approach.

• 1) Revelation prophesies events that mostly occur in the future, shortly before Jesus’ Second Advent. Revelation 6 marks the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation that will precede Jesus’ Second Coming. While there is much agreement on the big picture, there is much disagreement on the details among those who see Revelation as mostly describing future events.
• 2) Revelation is largely symbolic, describing philosophies, scenes, persecution, calamities, and experiences that are true at any point of human history between Jesus’ ascension back to heaven (Acts 1) and his return to earth. Many of those who hold this view believe that there will be a period of intense troubles and persecution for believers just before Christ comes, but mostly this view thinks that Revelation covers all NT ages. From this viewpoint, you could say that Revelation describes the human condition and experience since Cain murdered Abel. The seals, trumpets, and bowls are all describing the condition of the world at any given time in different ways. The meaning behind numbers, cities, and witnesses is not limited to the seven-year period before Jesus returns. When Peter preached at Pentecost, he referenced the OT book of Joel to make his point that since the time when Jesus rose from the dead and ascending to heaven, we are now living in the last days.

Is it possible that there is not only value, but truth in both approaches? Let me answer that question with another question. Did OT prophecy point to the Messiah as a conquering king or a suffering servant? It might not be possible for Revelation to be both – but that is what they thought about Jesus’ First Advent.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse 

1. The first (white) horse – political intimidation and dominance (Revelation 6:1-2)
2. The second (red) horse – war and destruction (6:3-4)
3. The third (black) horse – substantial, but limited, famine
4. The fourth (pale – greenish) horse – death by famine, wild beasts, and pestilence (pandemics)

From the Sermon

The first rider (on a white horse) is given a crown. This likely represents nations constantly seeking to expand their territory. Germany, in the 1930’s just before WWII, was a perfect example of a nation that intimidated and controlled the nations around it to “protect its security.” German troops did not wage war on another country until they invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, but Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Lithuania all came under German dominion before the war began. 

The Nazi regime under Hitler was evil. No one disputes that. But what about Donald Trump wanting to bring Greenland under American control because of its strategic location in the North Atlantic Ocean? You could say, and I would agree, it is likely that in the not-too-distant future, Greenland, which is now under Danish control, will be controlled by Russia, China, or the U.S. So, wouldn’t it be a good thing for Greenland to agree to be under American protection? Whatever your opinion, that is not the point, here. The point is that there will always be nations seeking to conquer other nations and if you can gain the crown of another nation without waging war, all the better. That is focus of the first rider.

The second rider is on a bright red horse, representing war and bloodshed. Intimidation through words is over and military dominance now brings horror and death. This is Germany invading European countries in WWII. This is Russia taking over much of Eastern Europe in the last century. This is Russia invading Ukraine in this century. We need not wait for the Tribulation to see these prophesies fulfilled. You might recall from Matthew 24 that when Jesus said there will be wars and rumors of wars and that nations will rise against nations, he was referring to the signs that would occur before the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70. It is not wars and rumors of wars that will alert us that the Tribulation is about to begin. These activities are, unfortunately, characteristic of all ages. Do not be fooled by the relative calm in the world since WWII.

The rider of the third horse (black) brings famine. To give you an idea of how bad the famine spoken of here was, a quart of wheat sold for 1/8 of a denarius. The average worker earned one denarius a day in the late 1st Century. The price of wheat was prophesied to jump by 800%. What can cause famine? Drought, floods, and other natural disasters. Also crop disease and climate changes. War often leads to disruption of farming and supply chains, which can cause famine. Since so much of the world’s wheat and the best fertilizers come from Russia and Ukraine, I expected more agricultural consequences than we have seen so far. Do you recall the supply chain issues we had during COVID? Life is far, far more fragile than we realize.

The fourth rider comes on a pale, sickly-greenish colored horse. This horse represents death and the grave. People will die from war, from famine, from pandemics, and from wild beasts attacking humans. All this because of the fall. A fourth of the earth’s inhabitants die in this scenario. In the mid 14th century, between 40-50% of Europe’s population died from 1347-1352 because of the Bubonic Plague. Just imagine that! We don’t have to imagine. It was prophesied, and difficulties such as the four horsemen released on the world will continue until Jesus returns. Is there hope? Yes! Remember from Revelation 1:17 that Jesus lives forevermore, and he holds the keys to Death and Hades. The victory that Jesus brings in the end is more than enough reason for us to rejoice, regardless of our present circumstances, which, I think you would agree, are not as bad as they could be.

I have a friend who says, “When we comfort ourselves by saying, ‘this life will all make sense in the end,’ we should remember that it is not as if God will give an account of himself to us for our difficult lives. The blessing will be that we will not be required to give an account of ourselves to him – because of Jesus!” Amen!

Scripture associated with Revelation 6:1-8

Zechariah 6:1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong. 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.”

Ezekiel 14:12 And the word of the Lord came to me: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast, 14 even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness, declares the Lord God.

15 “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they ravage it, and it be made desolate, so that no one may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even if these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.

17 “Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, Let a sword pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast, 18 though these three men were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be delivered.

19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off from it man and beast, 20 even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness 

21 “For thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! 22 But behold, some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; behold, when they come out to you, and you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. 23 They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord God.”

See Revelation 4 and 5

Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 

Revelation 1:17 . . .  (Jesus said), Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

    we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.