Revelation 6 commentary


       1: 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 Living Ones saying Come and see 2: And I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow[1] not crowned as yet and [then] a crown was given to him[2] and [after he received power] he went forth conquering and to conquer[3] 3: And when he had opened the second seal I heard the second Living One say Come and see 4: And there went out another horse fiery and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another The fruition of wars and rumors of wars and there was given to him a GREAT sword[4] 5: And when he had opened the third seal I heard the third Living One say Come and see And I beheld and lo a black horse[5] and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand 6: And I heard a voice in the midst of the four Living Ones 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”[6] 7: And when he had opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth Living One say Come and see 8: And I looked and behold a green horse and his name that sat on him was Death… And Hades followed with him And authority was given to them [the released inhabitants of Hades] over the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger and with death[7] and by the [wild] beasts of the earth[8] 9: 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[9] 10: And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood Vengeance is mine…  on them that dwell on the earth 11: And white robes were given to every one of them and it was said to 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[10] 12: 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 13: And the stars falling stars/asteroids/angels??? of heaven fell to the earth  even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind 14: And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain and island were moved out of their places 15: And the kings of the earth and the great and the rich and the chief captains, and the mighty and every slave and every free hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains 16: And said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb 17: For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand[11]





[1] This rider (future king/leader) is seen with a *bow [as opposed to a sword]. What is the difference? Is there a difference? Though later in his career, the Man of Sin will expand his domain through the fiercest and most destructive means might ever witnessed in the annals of history, he will not come to power through military might. We know from Daniel, that he will rise to the top of the political food-chain and come into his kingdom through peaceful means, through flatteries and deceit. He will be a Pied Piper of sorts, whose following and acolytes will span the globe. 

We know from **Zechariah five, that the Man of Sin will come to power through an illusion [possibly a real but temporary period] of peace and financial prosperity. The ephah Zechariah saw, was a symbol of commerce. It represented commercial prosperity. The world-wide curse he saw going forth relates to the time of the end. During The Great Tribulation, nations will be struggling and desperate for a deliverer (Messiah). When the Man of Sin appears, he will appear to be a savior. 

He will rise to prominence through diplomacy and brilliant solutions to world problems. Unstable nuclear powers are already threatening the the planet. Israel has a neighbor that has a goal of developing nuclear power with the declared intent of annihilating Israel. We know from, Isaiah 28, that even Israel will treat with the Man of Sin during the time he is still pretending to be a deliverer and friend of the Jews. But it will be a treaty with Hell and death. Israel will be sold out to the antichrist by traitorous leadership Daniel 11:24,30.  
*The symbolism of a bow for diplomacy and covenant is significant. Although a bow can be a weapon of war it can also be a weapon of peace used to confirm a covenant. Jonathan, political heir to the throne of Israel, used his bow to aim an arrow of peace into the field as a warning to David that it was no longer safe for him to remain close to King Saul. Jonathan’s bow had the possibility of being a threat to David but was not. Rather, it was used to send a personal and political/diplomatic message of friendship and peace between the opposing factions of the House of Saul and the House of David. Jonathan’s bow shot an arrow that politically acknowledged David’s future sovereignty and sealed a personal covenant of friendship and recognition of David’s (Tribe of Judah) right to sit on Israel’s throne as King after the death of Saul (Tribe of Benjamin). And indeed that is what happened. When David ascended the Throne, all the tribes eventually acknowledged his right to the Throne and followed him. But later, after his son Solomon’s death, a split occurred among the tribes of Israel. Ten of the tribes tribes refused to acknowledge the House of Judah as the Kingly tribe, and only the Tribe of Benjamin (Jonathan’s tribe) remained joined with the Tribe of Judah. This loyalty can be traced back to Jonathan and the covenant of peace between himself and David, to the covenant of friendship and diplomacy sealed when Jonathan (Tribe of Benjamin) used his bow to shoot the Arrow of Peace between the Houses of Jonathan [Benjamin] and David [Judah

**Free download of, REDEMPTION: Bible Prophecy Simplified by Jocelyn Andersen, which devotes a chapter to unlocking the symbolism in Zechariah chapter five: http://www.lulu.com/shop/jocelyn-andersen/redemption-bible-prophecy-simplified/ebook/product-23466494.html


[2] A crown was given to him. In Revelation Thirteen, we read about the Man of Sin, that “ the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.” This is terrifying knowledge, but we must remember that the times and the seasons, even the terrible season of The Great Tribulation, are in God’s hands and are part of his over-arching plan in the cosmic war between good and evil, to bring in an everlasting peace. 


[3] “He went forth conquering and to conquer….” Everywhere this king/leader goes, he will conquer. He will want to nothing more than to conquer and continue conquering. His ultimate goal will be to utterly destroy the human race—and most especially the Jews. At first he will conquer by diplomacy, charisma, and political genius. But make no mistake, even then his obsession will be with the complete overthrow of humanity. 

Though this rider is on a white horse, he is not Jesus. When the true Messiah comes, and all his righteous ones with him, he will certainly conquer his enemies. But his goal in doing so, is not the destruction of humanity but rather to save the race from annihilation Matthew 24:22. His war with the enemies of God will be to usher in everlasting PEACE Isaiah 9:6-7. Conversely, the White Horse Rider of Revelation six is likely the antichrist posing as the Christ while at the same time opposing everything the one true Christ stands for. 

Later in The Revelation, we read of the one true Christ, Jesus, will sweep onto the scene riding a white horse. He came the first time as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; he will come the second time as a conquering king. The White Horse Rider of Revelation six will become indwelled by Satan himself. He will bring world-wide war and almost total destruction [approximately 85% of the world population of his time will die or be killed, and that will be his ultimate goal]. While, on the other hand, Jesus will usher in restoration and everlasting peace.  

Is it possible the last days Fourth Kingdom [that Daniel saw emerge from the nations] is already beginning to make its presence known? 

Daniel said the Fourth Kingdom was different from any kingdom that had ever come before. He wrote that the Fourth Kingdom was powerfully destructive. In fact, its only feature was its great destructiveness. We read that the Fourth Kingdom will be “dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly,” that it will have “great iron teeth,” that it will devour and break in pieces,” and it attempts to commit genocide by “stamping the residue [of the Jews] with its feet.” In other words, this king will be obsessed with controlling some populations while completely wiping out others. 

Are the White Horse Rider in the Revelation and the little horn Daniel saw in his vision one and the same Daniel 7:7-9?  We believe so.


[4] The horse John saw [when the second seal was broken] was not simply red [as virtually every translation reads], but it will be pyyrosfiery. Pyyros is the Greek word our English word “pyromania” comes from. A pyromaniac is someone who is obsessed with burning things down and sometimes killing by fire. Translating the Greek word pyyros simply as “red” skews the interpretation. But, because all English translations say the horse is red, most commentators teach the red horse represents bloodshed, and that dangerously dilutes and distorts the perception of who the rider of the pyyros horse is. There certainly will be bloodshed when the rider of the pyyros horse reveals himself—and a lot of it—but the horse is not “red,” it is pyyros—"like fire”—fiery

Fire can represent passion. It can be a passion to do good or a passion to do evil. The rider of the fiery horse is burning with desire to do evil. He is carrying a sword [not a bow like the White Horse Rider]. And he is carrying not just any sword; he carries a GREAT sword. Daniel wrote, that the Man of Sin would destroy “wonderfullykjv.” 

This man’s capacity for destruction exceeded anything the prophet had ever seen, and the prophet had seen a lot. As a young man, Daniel had witnessed Nebuchadnezzar’s army destroy Jerusalem. He had witnessed the violent deaths of many, if not most, of his friends and loved ones. He had been carried off with the princes of Judah to the palace of the King of Babylon where he had been castrated and placed under the care of the prince of the eunuchs. Daniel understood from first-hand experience the meaning of “destruction.” Yet he wrote that “A King of Fierce Countenance” would rise to the world stage whose greatest talent would be his ability to destroy

John saw the same thing in the rider of the fiery horse, who also had a remarkable propensity for destruction. The rider John saw was able to take peace from the earth. This writer believes the deceitful rider of the white horse and the warmongering rider of fiery horse be one and same, simply portrayed in The Revelation at different stages of his career. The very one the world looks to for peace (the rider of the white horse), will be the one who makes peace an impossibility and who indeed has no interest in peace whatsoever [beyond the false peace compliance and submission to his headship brings]. 

When the rider first appears [at the opening of the first seal] he is riding a white horse, portraying the image of a hero, a deliverer, a good guy, riding in to save the day through brilliant political diplomacy. He will propose a peace plan that will appear to solve the Middle East Israeli/Palestinian/world crisis. His deceptive image of being a savior will work, and he will rise to a throne [be given a crown]. But beneath his serene charismatic exterior, a killer will rage.

This man will be inspired from the pits of hell. He will likely have been demonically oppressed from his youth. All demonized individuals do not behave as the demoniac of Gadarene, many exhibit great beauty, charm, charisma and giftedness, as we know the Man of Sin will do. He will become possessed by Satan himself, and through his false prophet, he will be a miracle working man, devilishly clever, and his thirst for total and utter destructive power will unquenchable 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9, Revelation 13:11-15

This leader will hate all humanity. And, when he is finally possessed by Satan himself, he will no longer find it necessary to carry on the deceptive appearance of Peace-Maker, he will trade his white horse of peace for the fiery horse of war. By the time the second seal is broken, evil will have made such strides in the earth, that the rider is finally free to show his true colors. 

When the second seal is broken, we see “deliverer,” the one the world “wonders after” changes both horses [tactics], and weapons [tactics]. He is no longer interested in diplomacy. His power is established. It is fully and completely his hour. When it comes to the Nation of Israel, the rider of the white Horse, the future leader of the world [most especially of the Middle East, OPEC, the E.U., and the United Nations] will be no Jonathan. He will trade his white horse for the fiery horse. He will toss away the bow of diplomacy and trade it for the great sword of war.  


[5] The scriptures often use the color black to describe misery, death, and destruction. Evil is described as darkness. We understand this from the many references to times of evil and distress called, darkness, blackness, and night John 9:4. We see this in the demon army seen by the prophet Joel, before whom all faces gather blackness. “Joel’s Army” [as it has come to be known], is not a righteous army. It is called God’s army because God uses it to perform his purposes in doing its destructive work during the time of his great wrath Psalm 2:12—the time Jesus referred as, THE GREAT TRIBULATION Matthew 24:21

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[6] A day’s wages [for the common people at the time and by extrapolation, for the working classes of the latter time] will buy only one measure of wheat or three measures of barely. The common people will work every hour of daylight for just enough food to sustain life (every able-bodied member of every family of the working classes). Contrasted to this, the ruling classes will continue to enjoy luxuries and sumptuous food, as illustrated by the oil and wine.


[7] Thankfully the Hordes from Hades will have limited territory—only one quarter of the earth (though perhaps not all in a single location)—but their destructive power will be on a massive scale. They will kill through war, disease, wild animals, and also by “Death.” What can this mean, to kill by death? How can a person be killed by death? Will being killed by death make some people “deader than other people? 

The answer is yes. Jesus alluded to such when he said, “Do not fear them who can kill only the body.” He warned all people to fear the one who is able to destroy both the body and the soul in Hades. When the angelic/demonic inhabitants of Hades are turned loose to wreak havoc upon a quarter of the earth, it will be through following the rider of the Green Horse. It will be through deceiving the inhabitants of the earth and fooling them into believing THE LIE, which will doom them for all eternity. 

Some who die during The Great Tribulation will only die physically. After they die from starvation, war, wild animals or having their heads hacked off with knives (nothing so merciful as a guillotine), their lives will continue on—without interruption—in eternity. At the end of THE GREAT TRIBULATION, their bodies will be raised from the dead, never to die again. All followers of Jesus have the hope of a physical resurrection. But those who are killed with “Death,” will have no hope of a resurrection that includes joy unspeakable and full of glory—only the Second Death, which Jesus said includes the Lake of Fire Matthew 25:41

Just as believers today, have assurance that they have [Everlasting] “Life,” even before they physically die and stand before The Judge of All the Earth, people who live during The Great Tribulation and Time of Jacob’s Trouble, are have been told that they can eternally “DIE” before their physical lives are taken. 

The people who live on the earth during THE DAY OF THE LORD, will be given a choice, a choice that once made, will bring Eternal Life to some, as they voluntarily lose their physical lives . And though it will appear to be just the opposite, immediate and eternal death to others. This choice will be irrevocable. Like Judas, who bitterly regretted his part in betraying his Messiah, they will find their choice cannot be undone. It is FOREVER. The only other option is getting beheaded Revelation 20:4

During this horrendous time, by choosing physical death, some will go on living forever; and by choosing physical life, others will lose their souls. Killing with DEATH means stealing souls and any hope of Eternal Life. That is what we believe is meant by the phrase, “…to kill with sword and with hunger and “with DEATH” and with the beasts of the earth.” Matthew 9:32-39, Revelation 14:9-11.


[8] Hordes of demonized officials, citizens, and soldiers will worship and do the bidding of the rider of the Green Horse [who this writer believes to be the same person as the rider of the White, Fiery, and Black horses, revealing his agenda and showing different aspects and chronological stages of his career. 

When the Man of Sin rides the Green Horse, the inhabitants of Hades will be released into the earth, and because of what John sees in the next verse, this writer also believes this to be the mid-point of THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and the beginning of THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE. 

With the opening of the fourth seal, The Rider of the Green Horse will usher in a time of death and destruction, on a scale never before witnessed. Demonized by the Hordes from Hades, millions of people will follow the Son of Perdition and do his bidding. These Hordes will demonize and destroy in many ways, including through demonized humans, inciting war, violence, rape, and murder. These evil spirits will influence animal behavior, and adversely effect the environment which will result in starvation. The King of Fierce Countenance will promise to care for his followers, but he will not be able, nor will he care, to keep this promise. Many of his followers will die as a result of the Hordes released from Hades


[9] The fifth seal unleashes the full fury of the Man of Sin who will make genocide of Jews and Christians (many of whom will be Jews) a matter of official public policy. The souls under the altar, are dead because of the Hordes from Hades, who have been loosed on a quarter of the earth to steal souls, kill, and destroy by bringing people into submission to their leader who will be indwelled by The Father of THE Lie (submit to me and you will live), Satan himself. The Souls Under the Altar will not receive their resurrected bodies until The Great Tribulation and Time of Jacob’s Trouble has ended. The First Resurrection will see its completion when the bodies of martyrs from the The Great Tribulation are raised from the dead. With the opening of the fifth seal, The Man of Sin, is now indwelled and completely controlled by Satan himself. He has now become—through the stealing of souls—THE SON OF PERDITION Revelation 13:3-5


[10] From this verse, it appears there is a predetermined number of martyrs that are part of God’s plan for humanity and the earth. Though this is a fearful thought, there is no doubt a special grace bestowed on these chosen ones, else why would so many [down through the ages] have given their bodies to the horrors the Enemy of our Souls inflicts on whoever he can, and most especially those who belong to the Mighty One of Israel?

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Christian martyrs from the Age of Harvest which began with the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost is the same as the Hebrew “Shavuot” which is a harvest feast symbolizing the great harvest of soul winning it inaugurates with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Shavuot is culminated in the the Resurrection/Harpazo (Catching Up/Rapture) of those raised from the dead and given their resurrection bodies without dying 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 2 Thessalonians 4:16-18

The Souls Under the Altar are not part of the main harvest. The group John sees are part of the “gleanings.” The gleanings of a harvest are always gathered later. Who are the Souls Under the Altar that John saw? They are those who come to Christ after the Resurrection/Rapture symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashana and seal their faith during The Great Tribulation/Time of Jacob’s Trouble with their lives Daniel 7:25, Revelation 11:2, 13:15.



[11] Revelation chapter six and the breaking of the seals, is an overview of the first 3 1/2 years of THE GREAT TRIBULATION. It includes things the prophet Daniel saw and more (because THE REVELATION is the unveiling—THE REVEALING). So much of what Daniel saw is now established history, that the book bearing his name has been accused of being written after the fact. But the Bible itself proves those accusations wrong, and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls have confirmed the Biblical testimony. Though some of the events described in The Revelation overlap, The Revelation is chronological book. As of this writing, aside from the first three chapters, it is all future and not a book of history (No, not even chapter twelve). 

Daniel was commanded to seal up the things he saw concerning the latter days. But through the opening of the seals, those things were revealed to John. Everything in The Revelation, from chapters four through nineteen, takes place during the seven years of THE GREAT TRIBULATION [the final three and one half years of which are called, THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE].