Revelation 6: The Unveiling of Tribulation
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 6 unveils a series of cataclysmic events triggered by the Lamb, Jesus, opening the first six seals of a scroll containing God's judgment. This chapter marks the beginning of the tribulation period, a seven-year span of intense judgment on the earth following the rapture of the church (Revelation 1:19, Tony Evans). As the church is in heaven worshiping around God’s throne, divinely wrought calamities will come upon the earth. It's a period where God reclaims the earth, addressing sin in preparation for His ultimate reign.
The Four Horsemen (Revelation 6:1-8)
The first four seals unleash the infamous Four Horsemen, each symbolizing a different facet of tribulation. These are not literal horses, but rather represent the cascading consequences of humanity's rejection of God.
The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2)
The opening of the first seal reveals a rider on a white horse. He holds a bow and is given a crown, and he rides out as a conqueror. The rider on the white horse is often associated with the Antichrist (1 John 2:18; 4:3), a geopolitical leader who will rise to power after the rapture, bringing a false sense of order out of chaos. He achieves power not through initial violence (note the absence of arrows in his bow), but through strength, recognition, and charisma, masking his true intentions. This initial period of "peace" will be deceptive and short-lived.
The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4)
The second seal unleashes a fiery red horse, symbolizing war and bloodshed. The rider is given power to take peace from the earth, causing people to slaughter one another. This represents the chaos and violence that erupt after the false peace established by the first horseman. The Antichrist will transition from appearing peaceful to wielding immense power, symbolized by a large sword, capable of inflicting great suffering.
The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6)
The third seal brings forth a black horse, whose rider holds a pair of scales. This symbolizes economic hardship and famine. A voice announces that a quart of wheat and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s wages. This illustrates severe inflation and scarcity, where basic necessities become unaffordable for many. While staples are scarce, the passage notes that oil and wine are spared, perhaps indicating that the wealthy will be somewhat insulated from the worst effects of this economic crisis. Whether this economic instability paves the way for the Antichrist's control or is a consequence of it remains unclear.
The Pale Horse (Revelation 6:7-8)
The fourth seal unleashes a pale horse, and its rider is named Death, followed by Hades. This horseman brings widespread death through war, famine, plague, and wild animals, killing a fourth of the earth's population. The Greek word for "pale" (chlōros) is also used to describe the color of sickly plants. This represents the devastating consequences of the previous three seals, leading to immense suffering and loss of life. The combined effect of these calamities would result in the death of approximately two billion people if it occurred in our time!
The Cry of the Martyrs (Revelation 6:9-11)
The opening of the fifth seal presents a stark contrast. Instead of earthly events, John sees the souls of martyrs under the altar in heaven. These are believers who were killed for their faith during the tribulation. This reveals that even after the rapture, people will come to faith in Jesus, despite the intense persecution. They cry out to God for justice, asking when He will avenge their blood. God tells them to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants who are to be killed is completed. This assures them that justice will eventually come, but also acknowledges that more believers will face martyrdom before God's final judgment. God's response has two components, one explicit and the other implicit. They are told to rest a little while longer until God finishes unleashing his temporal judgments on the earth and until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been. Second, they are reminded that even though God’s justice is delayed at times, it always comes.
Cosmic Upheaval (Revelation 6:12-17)
The sixth seal unleashes a series of catastrophic natural disasters. A great earthquake occurs, the sun turns black, the moon turns blood red, and the stars fall from the sky. The sky recedes like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island is removed from its place. These events signify a complete disruption of the natural order, as if God is undoing creation itself. The sun’s turning black is likely because of volcanoes erupting and spewing ash that blocks sunlight.
In the face of this cosmic upheaval, people from every social class—kings, nobles, the rich, the powerful, slaves, and free people—hide in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They cry out to the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb. Though they recognize that these events are the result of God's wrath, their hearts are so hardened that they prefer death to repentance. They know God’s identity precisely: he is God the Father and God the Son. Nevertheless, they want nothing to do with him.
The chapter concludes with the chilling question: "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:17). This marks a critical transition in the tribulation period, approximately three and a half years into the seven-year period. The world will experience what Jesus called the "great tribulation" (Matthew 24:21), a time of unprecedented distress. Jeremiah speaks of the great tribulation in stark terms: “How awful that day will be! There will be no other like it! It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7). While it is a time of intense judgment for those who reject God, it is also a time of salvation for many who turn to Him.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 6 unveils a series of cataclysmic events triggered by the Lamb, Jesus, opening the first six seals of a scroll containing God's judgment. This chapter marks the beginning of the tribulation period, a seven-year span of intense judgment on the earth following the rapture of the church (Revelation 1:19, Tony Evans). As the church is in heaven worshiping around God’s throne, divinely wrought calamities will come upon the earth. It's a period where God reclaims the earth, addressing sin in preparation for His ultimate reign.
The Four Horsemen (Revelation 6:1-8)
The first four seals unleash the infamous Four Horsemen, each symbolizing a different facet of tribulation. These are not literal horses, but rather represent the cascading consequences of humanity's rejection of God.
The White Horse (Revelation 6:1-2)
The opening of the first seal reveals a rider on a white horse. He holds a bow and is given a crown, and he rides out as a conqueror. The rider on the white horse is often associated with the Antichrist (1 John 2:18; 4:3), a geopolitical leader who will rise to power after the rapture, bringing a false sense of order out of chaos. He achieves power not through initial violence (note the absence of arrows in his bow), but through strength, recognition, and charisma, masking his true intentions. This initial period of "peace" will be deceptive and short-lived.
The Red Horse (Revelation 6:3-4)
The second seal unleashes a fiery red horse, symbolizing war and bloodshed. The rider is given power to take peace from the earth, causing people to slaughter one another. This represents the chaos and violence that erupt after the false peace established by the first horseman. The Antichrist will transition from appearing peaceful to wielding immense power, symbolized by a large sword, capable of inflicting great suffering.
The Black Horse (Revelation 6:5-6)
The third seal brings forth a black horse, whose rider holds a pair of scales. This symbolizes economic hardship and famine. A voice announces that a quart of wheat and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s wages. This illustrates severe inflation and scarcity, where basic necessities become unaffordable for many. While staples are scarce, the passage notes that oil and wine are spared, perhaps indicating that the wealthy will be somewhat insulated from the worst effects of this economic crisis. Whether this economic instability paves the way for the Antichrist's control or is a consequence of it remains unclear.
The Pale Horse (Revelation 6:7-8)
The fourth seal unleashes a pale horse, and its rider is named Death, followed by Hades. This horseman brings widespread death through war, famine, plague, and wild animals, killing a fourth of the earth's population. The Greek word for "pale" (chlōros) is also used to describe the color of sickly plants. This represents the devastating consequences of the previous three seals, leading to immense suffering and loss of life. The combined effect of these calamities would result in the death of approximately two billion people if it occurred in our time!
The Cry of the Martyrs (Revelation 6:9-11)
The opening of the fifth seal presents a stark contrast. Instead of earthly events, John sees the souls of martyrs under the altar in heaven. These are believers who were killed for their faith during the tribulation. This reveals that even after the rapture, people will come to faith in Jesus, despite the intense persecution. They cry out to God for justice, asking when He will avenge their blood. God tells them to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants who are to be killed is completed. This assures them that justice will eventually come, but also acknowledges that more believers will face martyrdom before God's final judgment. God's response has two components, one explicit and the other implicit. They are told to rest a little while longer until God finishes unleashing his temporal judgments on the earth and until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been. Second, they are reminded that even though God’s justice is delayed at times, it always comes.
Cosmic Upheaval (Revelation 6:12-17)
The sixth seal unleashes a series of catastrophic natural disasters. A great earthquake occurs, the sun turns black, the moon turns blood red, and the stars fall from the sky. The sky recedes like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island is removed from its place. These events signify a complete disruption of the natural order, as if God is undoing creation itself. The sun’s turning black is likely because of volcanoes erupting and spewing ash that blocks sunlight.
In the face of this cosmic upheaval, people from every social class—kings, nobles, the rich, the powerful, slaves, and free people—hide in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They cry out to the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb. Though they recognize that these events are the result of God's wrath, their hearts are so hardened that they prefer death to repentance. They know God’s identity precisely: he is God the Father and God the Son. Nevertheless, they want nothing to do with him.
The chapter concludes with the chilling question: "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Revelation 6:17). This marks a critical transition in the tribulation period, approximately three and a half years into the seven-year period. The world will experience what Jesus called the "great tribulation" (Matthew 24:21), a time of unprecedented distress. Jeremiah speaks of the great tribulation in stark terms: “How awful that day will be! There will be no other like it! It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7). While it is a time of intense judgment for those who reject God, it is also a time of salvation for many who turn to Him.