iona's Bible Study Notes - Revelation Chapter 6

Chapters 6-19 deal with the Great Tribulation. They are partly chronological, and partly details or fill-in like a conversation where the speakers go back and fill in important details in the midst of telling a sequential story. Below is a list of the Chronological chapters and those adding detail which are not always chronological.
                            Chronological                 Detail (Fill-In)
                                       6                                    7
                                    8 - 9                             10 - 15
                                      16                               17 - 19

The Four Horsemen
Before beginning Chapter 6, read Rev 19:11-16. Clearly, the rider is Jesus Christ. Not a doubt! Now, consider the four horses and riders of Chapter 6.

Who Rides the White Horse?

There are two main schools of thought here; one that Jesus is the rider; the other that the rider is the antichrist. Very few believe the rider is neither.

I believe the confusion comes because there are TWO white horse riders in Revelation. The one in Rev 6:2 is associated with the first of the judgments; the One in Rev 19:11-16 who brings the Tribulation to a close by conquering every enemy can be no other than CHRIST JESUS. So lets compare them:

Both have crowns. A stephanos crown "was given" to the first rider. This is a crown of victory, it is a less valuable crown than the many royal crowns of glory (diadems) worn by the second rider, Jesus.

One of the "living creatures" orders the first horse and rider to "Come!" after Jesus has broken the first seal. No one orders Jesus to do anything. Also, Jesus is still breaking seals, not riding off TO CONQUER. That will come in Chapter 19. Some believe the "Come!" is an invitation to John to "Come see!" but that seems out of place since John is already right there observing all, plus the wording would have to be pushed a bit for that meaning. Again, it is always best to lay hold of the most obvious and sensible meaning lest we try to construe something that is not there.

The first rider has a bow but no arrows. He will come as a peacemaker and take over the world by deceit without firing a shot. (See below) It is the second rider (on the Red Horse) who brings war.

Also, this white horse is one of a set of four, all with "marching orders" escalating to the Tribulation judgments. The white horse in Chapter 19 is leading a huge army from heaven all on white horses. Again, use the most obvious interpretation.

It would seem the only real similarity is that both riders are on white horses, symbols of victory in ancient times ridden by conquering kings parading before their subjects to receive honor, and both riders wear crowns although of different kinds and origins (the antichrist receives his crown from men).

So, this first rider is almost certainly the Antichrist, the false Christ who comes as a peacemaker. Later, he will show his true colors and will then be called the beast. This is undoubtedly the prince who is to come and who will find a solution to the Arab-Israeli dispute by a peace treaty with Israel according to Dan 9:26-27. This evidently begins Daniel’s 70th week, the unprecedented time of Jacob’s distress. Jer 30:7

In Daniel 2:36 - 43 four world governments are foretold: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. All are now past. There will be yet another world ruler called the Antichrist, and he will become a world ruler under the power of Satan. The Lord Jesus Christ must return to the earth in order to put down this ruler. Daniel 2:44 - 45 was fulfilled at the First Coming of Christ.

At least sixty-nine of the weeks (of years) mentioned in Daniel 9:24 - 27 have been completed (586 B. C. to the crucifixion of Jesus). There is only one of the weeks (seven years) left and it takes place during the Great Tribulation. Recall, Daniel's prophecy related to Israel and their rejection of the Messiah. God's time clock ceases to run, as far as the Jews are concerned, during the the church age, the Age of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25) the time from the crucifixion until the Antichrist begins to rule (Revelation 6).
We cannot proceed without a look at Matthew 24. Now back to Revelation.

The Red Horse (Seal 2)

The rider of the red horse takes peace from the earth, ushers in a time of war, not perhaps in every nation, but many will be at war. The great sword is machaira - a large, curved knife used to cut the throat of an animal or human - indicating death will be brutal.

Many have implicated Russia as a major agent of war here because of their "Red" army, they are from the North,  etc., however, this horse and rider do not a focus on who, but press on the prevalence of war. Russia may well be a participant, or China the Dragon, but that isn't the focus of this scripture. Note the “the red dragon,” 12:3; and the “scarlet beast,” 17:3.

The Black Horse (Seal 3)

The black horse and rider denote famine, the aftermath of war. As scales (zugon from zugos - scales that weigh merchandise) and the voice make it clear, bread is weighed. Leviticus 26:26 and Ezekiel 4:16-17 both indicate that bread is weighed in conditions of severe famine.

Wheat and barley comprise one of two main harvests in the Middle East. Wheat is necessary for bread and barley for porridge and the stalk for feeding animals.
The Denarius, a Roman coin, was a day’s wage. The amount of grain mentioned would be barely enough food to sustain a person one day.

"Do not harm..." the Greek suggests that no harm has come to the earth itself prior to this command.

Wine and oil make up the second of two harvests in the Middle East. Olives and grapes, luxury items, are spared destruction. There is scarcity in the midst of plenty. This will be exaggerated in the time of the Antichrist, especially in the last half of the Tribulation because of his buying and selling policies.

The Pale Horse (Seal 4)

The pale or ashen horse. Ashen - chloros or clwros- a sickly green; ashen; pallid; the color of a corpse or leprosy - our words chlorophyll and chlorine come from this word. This horse carries Death and Hades. "Death and Hades" is referred to here as a person and is a figure of speech. This occurs four times in Revelation (1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14). The term death is always followed by the term Hades. Since Hades is a result of death (there would be no Hades if there was no death); death is primary.


“Death” refers to physical death, not annihilation - only the physical body is claimed. “Hades” refers to the underworld, the prison and temporary quarters of the souls of unbelievers between their death and the time of the Great White Throne Judgment. This is the compartment called torments in Luke 16:23.

One Fourth of the Earth, Revelation Commentary Organization writers say this:
The focus is clearly on the people of this "fourth of the earth." The beast will be given "a fourth of the earth," but he will attempt to take control of the whole earth. Based on Daniel 2 and Ezekiel 38 the final Beast Empire will consist of peoples from modern day Iraq, Iran, Syria, Ethiopia, Libya, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and Germany. These nations at present combine populations equal to about one-tenth the total population of the earth. However, geographically, these nations equal one-fourth the earth’s total landmass. (9 million square miles)


Wild Beasts (v. 8) (tharion which can be beast or wild beast depending on context). It is used 39 times in Revelation, 38 refer either to the beast, the false prophet (the second beast) or the image of the beast, and it is correctly translated beast. Since beast (Antichrist) (Rev 13:7), the false prophet (Rev 13:15), and the image of the beast (Rev 13:15) all have power to put to death; and since both the beast (Rev.13:1) and the false prophet (Rev 13:11) are of the earth, they are better pointers to "beasts" in Revelation 6:8.

Martyred Saints Cry for Justice (Seal 5)

The souls... this term is used twice in the Revelation (Rev 6:9 and 20:4). In both cases, those represented have not been resurrected. These are almost certainly martyred Tribulation saints.

Slain... sfrazw, a sacrificial term used for the slaughtering of the animals for sacrifice.. The intent, sacrifice, or result, death, is the issue rather than the means. This cannot be said for the martyrs mentioned in Revelation 20:4. There, the specific cause of death, beheading, is the issue. The martyrs of Revelation 6:9 are only those recently killed. Note they seek vengeance on "those who dwell on the earth." Note present tense. That term is used 9 times in Revelation, always of those either for the Antichrist or against God, basically the same thing!

There are two possibilities for the altar, the altar of incense or that of sacrifice. Theologians differ on which is intended. There is insufficient information to even make a guess, so I take no stand on that.

White Robes represent the righteousness of Christ but do not indicate that these martyrs are yet resurrected. Tribulation saints along with all OT saints are not resurrected until after the Tribulation described by Daniel as “a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time” ( Dan. 12:1-2 with Rev. 20:4).

Rest (anapausontai from ana + pauo - to pause; relax)... be at peace, trusting God to keep His promises.

Completed - I like the comment by J. Hampton Keathley, III:
“Completed” is the verb plerow which means “to fill, or fulfill, or complete, bring to fruition.” This stresses the divine providence and purpose of God in the deaths of the martyrs. They are not without God’s knowledge or without God’s control or concern. The exact numbers are known to God and allowed by Him according to His own eternal purpose. For “precious” in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15).

Side Note: Where do the righteous go following their death? Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43) After Christ's resurrection, the righteous dead go immediately into the presence of God. Paul said, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (II Corinthians 5:8) Purgatory, soul-sleeping, second chances and spirit prison are not concepts found in the Word of God. At death, the saved person is conscious in the presence of the Lord.

Great Earthquake (Seal 6)

Now, earthly and cosmic disturbances unlike any before are brought to the fore.
Great earthquake... the Greek says “and a shaking, a great one came to be.” The Greek word here is seismos from seiw which means “to shake, agitate, cause to quake.” Our word seismology comes from this Greek word. “Great” is megas and means “large, great.” This will be a severe, intense, shaking reaching out in all directions so that the whole universe is shaken!

The sun... “became black as sackcloth” is literally “as sackcloth of hair.” This was a very rough cloth made of the hair of a black goat and worn in times of intense mourning and despair.

The stars... The word “star” (asthr) is used of any heavenly body seen at night, i.e., stars, planets, asteroids, meteors, etc. These are not stars as in other "suns" far out in space. These are meteorites or asteroids which are small by comparison to the earth. John compares them to unripe figs falling to earth from a fig tree when shaken by a great wind.

The sky splitting apart like a scroll. The word is actually heaven. Some think of it as the atmosphere and feel that as a released scroll rolls up quickly, there will be so much volcanic ash and other debris in the air that the sky will seem to disappear quickly, like the rolling up up a scroll. It is a difficult analogy. Zephaniah and Joel both picture the Tribulation as a day of darkness and gloom, of clouds and thick darkness.

There may be a different splitting apart of the sky, for v.16 might mean people have a glimpse of God and the Lamb.

Every mountain and island will be moved out of its original place! Don't confuse this with the seventh and final bowl judgment of Revelation 16:20. There, John indicates that no mountain shall be found and every island will flee away. Here, they are all moved. It's beyond my imagination!

Clearly, even in the midst of judgment, God hopes to get man's attention. He is yet unwilling that any should perish. Repentant sinners will still find mercy at the foot of the cross.

But who can fathom the stubborn unrepentant heart that would still reject the Savior and cry, "Fall on us..." The wicked beg the mountains to fall on them and hide them from God. They want to be dead and hidden from the holiness of God, from the wrath of the Lamb. They obviously don't fear death as a punishment from God, but rather standing in His presence on the Day of Judgment. Job 13:11 records, "Will not His majesty terrify you, and the dread of Him fall on you?"

A pause...

The sixth seal is now over on earth and there is silence in heaven for about a half an hour. Suddenly a new wave of judgments will begin, the seven trumpet judgments (8:1).

Chapter seven is parenthetic, it is not chronological, but adds important details.

Chapter 5 | Revelation Home | Chapter 7

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Revised: Friday August 29, 2008