God Speaks
As I watched, the Lamb broke the first seal and began to unroll the scroll. Then one of the four Living Beings, with a voice that sounded like thunder, said, “Come!”
2 I looked, and there in front of me was a white horse. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed upon his head; he rode out to conquer in many battles and win the war.
3 Then he unrolled the scroll to the second seal and broke it open, too. And I heard the second Living Being say, “Come!”
4 This time a red horse rode out. Its rider was given a long sword and the authority to banish peace and bring anarchy to the earth; war and killing broke out everywhere.
5 When he had broken the third seal, I heard the third Living Being say, “Come!” And I saw a black horse, with its rider holding a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And a voice from among the four Living Beings said, “A loaf of bread for $20, or three pounds of barley flour,A loaf of bread for $20, or three pounds of barley flour, literally, “A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius” there is no olive oil or wine, literally, “do not damage the oil and wine.” but there is no olive oil or wine.”*
7 And when the fourth seal was broken, I heard the fourth Living Being say, “Come!” 8 And now I saw a pale horse, and its rider’s name was Death. And there followed after him another horse whose rider’s name was Hell. They were given control of one-fourth of the earth, to kill with war and famine and disease and wild animals.
9 And when he broke open the fifth seal, I saw an altar, and underneath it all the souls of those who had been martyred for preaching the Word of God and for being faithful in their witnessing. 10 They called loudly to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people of the earth for what they’ve done to us? When will you avenge our blood against those living on the earth?” 11 White robes were given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer until their other brothers, fellow servants of Jesus, had been martyred on the earth and joined them.
12 I watched as he broke the sixth seal, and there was a vast earthquake; and the sun became dark like black cloth, and the moon was blood-red. 13 Then the stars of heaven appeared to be falling to earth—like green fruit from fig trees buffeted by mighty winds. 14 And the starry heavens disappeared as though rolled up like a scroll and taken away; and every mountain and island shook and shifted. 15 The kings of the earth, and world leaders, and rich men, and high-ranking military officers, and all men great and small, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and rocks of the mountains, 16 and cried to the mountains to crush them. “Fall on us,” they pleaded, “and hide us from the face of the one sitting on the throne, and from the anger of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their anger has come, and who can survive it?”
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Revelation six covers the breaking of the seven seals. At the breaking of the first seal, a rider carrying a bow, wearing a crown, and riding on a white horse is summoned. This symbolizes battle, sovereignty, and strength. There is disagreement among bible commentators whether this is Christ or the antichrist. If it is the antichrist, he will at first bring peace and then declare war on Israel, and anarchy will occur in the rest of the world. This fulfills what the breaking of the second seal with its red horse foretold. Then the third seal was broken, summoning the rider of a black horse holding balance scales. This foretells that a person will have to spend a whole day working just to have barely enough to feed himself with nothing left for his or her family. The opening of the fourth seal releases the pale horse of death and hell to kill one quarter of the whole population by war, famine, disease, and wild animals. The opening of the fifth seal brought the cries of the martyrs for God to take vengeance on their killers; they were told to wait a little longer. The breaking of the sixth seal brought the devastation of a vast earthquake, the darkening of the sun, and the moon turned blood-red. The final calamity is that great numbers of stars fall from the sky like fruit from a tree shaken by a hurricane as well as other disasters. Whatever their status in life, people will be so fearful they will seek holes in the ground to escape the fierce wrath of God.
Prayer: Dear Lord God who is sovereign over all, thank You that Jesus, who is the Lion and the Lamb, is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. At the breaking of the first seal, a rider on a white horse goes forth. I ask You to conquer and win the war against sin in my own life. Jesus, You are the King who both brings peace and conquers. Help me along with others to stand against anarchy and rampant lawlessness. Lord, please help me to manage my finances well so that I have enough for myself, my family, and even strangers for the sake of honoring You. Unless You have already taken Your holy people out in the rapture, use us to pray and work against the ravages of war, famine, disease, and wild animals, turning people to You and eternal life. Lord, when will You take vengeance on the killers of Your holy ones and the defenseless including the unborn? I yield to Your great love exhibited in Christ. I am being changed by Your great grace applied by the Holy Spirit. I no longer have to fear and will escape Your great wrath, O God. All because of Jesus. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will rely on and obey the Holy Spirit to conquer and put to death specific sins in my life.
- I will do whatever I can to stand up against anarchy and lawlessness.
- I will seek to manage the resources God gives me so that I have something to share with those in greater need.
- I will resolve not to fear anything in this world but offending my loving heavenly Father.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.