Revelation: Chapter 6
Setting
As seen in the chronology of Revelation, John continues to view these events in this chapter from the perspective of heaven. Still, now he also sees the impacts of the seal openings upon those on Earth. This chapter shows the beginning of the seven years of tribulation by the opening of the first seal by the Lord Jesus Christ. Before beginning, it is essential to fully comprehend that Satan does not initiate the seven years of tribulation; it is God. God has set the times and seasons, Acts 1:7, 1Thessalonians 5:1, Genesis 1:14, and Daniel 2:21. Satan is only a created being, and he does not control time as God does, Ezekiel 28:13-15. Satan and his man, THE Antichrist, are waiting for Christ to open that first seal so they can commence their worldwide conquest. Until that time, they can do nothing to initiate their vile intent. John wrote that there were many Antichrists today, but they were not "The" Antichrist of the seven years of tribulation. Who are these antichrists in the world today? John points to three essential points that identify these people, 1John 2:18. An antichrist today can have any or all of these following beliefs, and it is sad to say that these three points are prominent in the world today:
- They deny Jesus is the Christ of Messiah, 1John 2:22
- They do not acknowledge Christ is from God (Deity), 1John 4:3
- They do not accept that Jesus has come in the flesh (God and man), 2John 1:7
There will only be one, "Antichrist" to arrive on the world’s stage, 2Thessalonians 2:3-10, where:
- The Antichrist will be revealed at the proper time, 2Thessalonians 2:6
- Today, before the snatching away (rapture), the gates of hell cannot withstand the church, Matthew 16:18
- The Holy Spirit working through the church is restraining Satan from having full control until He, the Holy Spirit, steps aside, 2Thessalonians 2:6-8
The Lord is the one to begin the tribulation when He opens the first seal to reveal "the Antichrist", and allows him to commence his activities to rule the world eventually, Revelation 6:1-2. It is an event witnessed by all around the throne of God, the 24 elders, the four beasts, and the angelic host. Immediately afterwards, Satan will bring his man forward, the Antichrist, who will then confirm the seven-year covenant with Israel, and thus will be the sign on Earth of the beginning of the Tribulation, Daniel 9:26-27, and the start of the seven-year countdown to his destruction, Daniel 7:9-11.
It is also instructive to see the parallels of the seven-sealed scroll and all its details, with each point the Lord made when answering the questions of His four apostles on the Mount of Olives, Mark 13:3, Matthew 24:1-51. The following table provides a comparative analysis of the two times this period was revealed in Matthew during the Lord’s Olivet Discourse and Revelation. The two accounts are very complementary to each other.
| Comparison of the first six seals with the Olivet Discourse | Seal | Writing on scroll, (Revelation 6) | The Lord’s Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conqueror and conquest, white horse, Revelation 6:1 | Deceptions and false-Christ’s, Matthew 24:5 |
| 2 | No peace on earth, red horse, Revelation 6:3 | Wars and rumors of wars, Matthew 24:6 |
| 3 | Famine and economic collapse, black horse, Revelation 6:5 | Famines and earthquakes, Matthew 24:7 (second half of the verse) |
| 4 | Horrific numbers of deaths, pale horse, Revelation 6:7 | Nation against nation, Matthew 24:7 (first half of the verse) |
| 5 | Slain tribulation saints, Revelation 6:9 | Persecution of the saints, Matthew 24:9-14 |
| 6 | Planetary and celestial catastrophes, the wrath of the Lamb, Revelation 6:12 | Planetary and celestial catastrophes and the appearance of the Lord, Matthew 24:29-30 |
In short, these times during the seven years of tribulation will be the worst this world has ever seen, or will ever see again. And if these days of tribulation had not been shortened, no flesh would have survived the tribulation, Jeremiah 30:4-7, Matthew 24:21-24; this is not a hyperbole, but a future fulfillment of fact of God’s Word, Isaiah 55:11.
In Revelation 6:1, the Lamb opened the first seal (the true beginning of the seven years of tribulation, Daniel 9:26-27). Like a lion, the living creature thundered to John to “come and see”. The phrase “come and see” is only in the KJV and NKJV. Other newer translations only say “come,” which has led many to conclude that this command is directed to the rider on the horse and not to John. However, the KJV and NKJV are consistent with the context of this section and with John's mission: to write down everything he sees, Revelation 1:11, 19. This phrase “come and see” is from the Greek word, erchomai, Strong’s G2064, and its uses can be seen on Blue Letter Bible. As John responds to the living creature, he sees a white horse, symbolizing conquest. John noted that:
- The rider of the horse held a bow with no arrows
- The rider was given a crown
- The rider rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest
A fundamental note for the reader is to discriminate this rider and white horse from that revealed in Revelation 19:11, which describes the Lord's return to this world as King of kings. At that time, the Lord will destroy His enemies and establish His kingdom. The rider on the white horse in this chapter is not the Lord, but the Antichrist. The little horn in Daniel 7:7-8, 20-22, 24-25 is the type of the Antichrist, Daniel 8:23-25, fulfilled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in history, and has a future fulfillment in the Antichrist. Just as Antiochus IV Epiphanes is known for, so will the Antichrist be a master of intrigue; he will be strong but not of his own accord, cause deceit to prosper, and consider himself superior to everyone else in the world. The rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 has no arrows with his bow.
There are two other important points to draw upon that relate to this event. First, a rapid sequence of two nearly simultaneous events will begin in heaven with the opening of the first seal, followed by the Antichrist confirming a seven-year covenant with Israel, which will be broken by the Antichrist midway through that period, Daniel 9:27. With the first seal being broken, and the covenant between the country the Antichrist represents (at that time he will not have ascended to sole rulership over the world, he will be part of an existing governmental entity, see Revelation 13:1) with Israel being confirmed, restarts the prophetic calendar in Daniel, which was paused by the rejection by Israel of Jesus Christ as their Messiah. These two nearly simultaneous events begin the final week of the 70 weeks described in Daniel 9:24-27 and start the seven years of tribulation.
Second, there is a correlation to be drawn between this rider and the little horn of Daniel 8:23-25, which is the type of the Antichrist. The little horn described in Daniel 8 has been fulfilled in ancient history by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a type of the Antichrist revealed in Revelation 6 through Revelation 19. This rider on the white horse has no arrows with his bow, indicating his initial power gained through political means. He also causes deceit to prosper and considers himself superior in all respects. Antichrist's ascension to power is similar to how Antiochus IV Epiphanes achieved his reign through subtleties and deceit; he is a master of intrigue. Daniel had written of Antiochus IV Epiphanes that though bent on conquest, his power shall be mighty, but not by his power, Daniel 8:24. This is the same characteristic as the Antichrist. The heavenly Father did not give the crown to the rider on the white horse. Rather, Satan, the prince of this world, gives his power and authority to the Antichrist, which is revealed to John later in this book in Revelation 13:1-2. Recall that it was Satan who offered to the Lord all the kingdoms of the world and their glory if Jesus would only worship him, Matthew 4:8-11. These were things that Satan could offer, and now we see that he has assembled it all behind his man, THE Antichrist.
The following chart compares Antiochus IV Epiphanes with the Antichrist as written in the Bible.
| Related Verses in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation | Characteristics of the little horn in the book of Daniel | Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Daniel 8 | Antichrist in Revelation |
|---|---|---|
| Satanic influence | Daniel 8:10 | Revelation 12:3-4, Revelation 13:2, 4-8 (Isaiah 14:12-15) |
| He magnified himself | Daniel 8:11 | Revelation 13:4 |
| The daily sacrifice as taken away | Daniel 8:11 | Revelation 13:6 |
| He prospered | Daniel 8:12 | Revelation 13:5 |
| A set time for the desolation of the temple | Daniel 8:13-14 | Revelation 13:5 |
| He will have a fierce countenance, and dark understanding, dark sentences | Daniel 8:23 | Revelation 13:13-14 (the false prophet) |
| His power shall be mighty, but not by his power | Daniel 8:24 | Revelation 13:2, 4 |
| He shall destroy the mighty and the holy people | Daniel 8:24 | Revelation 13:7 |
| He shall stand up against the Prince of princes, but he shall be broken without hand | Daniel 8:25 | Revelation 19:19-21 |
In Revelation 6:3-4, John observes the Lamb open the second seal. There appears to be no real-time delay in opening the first six seals. Any delay is to allow John to observe and write what he saw. The second living creature that appeared as a calf thundered out to John to come and see (the assignment of living creatures to the opening of a seal is based on the order they were presented in Revelation 4:7). John looked, and before him was a fiery red horse, symbolic of war. The rider of the horse had the power to:
- Take peace from the earth
- To make men slay each other
- To him was given a large sword to impact the whole world
In Revelation 6:5-6, John sees the Lamb open the third seal. The third living creature before the throne of God, the one with the face of a man, Revelation 4:7, called John to come and see. John looked, and before him was a black horse, symbolizing famine. The rider of the horse held a pair of scales in his hand. Then John heard a voice from among the four creatures before the throne saying:
- A quart of wheat for a day's wages
- Three quarts of barley for a day's wages
- Do not damage the oil and the wine
The implication is that there will be great devastation among the world's population's food supply, with the middle and lower economic classes being hurt significantly. The cost of food for just one man’s nourishment needs for one day will cost a whole day’s wage. Still, the very rich will not be harmed. The preservation of the rich throughout the tribulation period can be seen in Revelation 18:1-24. At the time God judges commercial Babylon, those whose riches are invested in that city's bustling economy will cry when all their riches are destroyed in just one hour and be helpless to scavenge any portion of their wealth; all the wealth in Babylon will have evaporated, never to be recovered.
In Revelation 6:7-8, John observes the Lamb open the fourth seal. The living creature, like a flying eagle, called John to come. John looked, and before him was a pale horse, which is symbolic of death, and John continues to report that Hades followed after him. The deaths of one-fourth of the world's population are reported to occur following the revealing of the red, black, and pale horses, and can be attributed to the actions of the white horse rider, the Antichrist. The accumulation of all mankind's history of mass killings will pale in comparison to the numbers of deaths that the Antichrist will be directly responsible for:
- By the sword (red horse)
- By Famine and plague (black horse)
- By the wild beasts of the earth
With the opening of this seal, John sees a terrible death toll upon the world’s population. The sources are the sword or war, starvation from worldwide famines, a dramatic overall death rate of mankind, and the animal kingdom. People have been attacked by animals in isolated events, but during the tribulation, the fear of man will be gone, and the attacks will be fearless and far more aggressive and frequent than today. According to the “Worldometer”, the approximate world population today is over 8 billion people. Attributed to the activities of the Antichrist and the resultant famines, plagues, and wars, over 2 billion people will be killed through the tribulation. Applying these percentages of deaths to the world population statistics will further dramatize the full impact on the world’s population at the end of the seven years of tribulation from both the Antichrist's actions and God’s wrath being poured out. The following chart illustrates how the world population will crash in just seven years, bringing to bear the words of Jesus, that if those days had not been shortened (to just seven years), no flesh would survive, Matthew 24:22. When the Lord Jesus ascended to sit at the right side of the Father around 30-33 A.D., the world’s population is estimated to be about 250 million people. When He returns, the population may be nearly the same.
Since Hades will follow the pale horse, which symbolizes the terrible death rate upon the world, the inference is that the individuals numbered in these verses are only those who have rejected Christ. During the first half of the tribulation, the tribulation saints are not shown in hell awaiting the final judgment before the great white throne judgment, so they are not part of this number of deaths. Their source of destruction is from the “Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth” as seen in Revelation 17. Instead, the tribulation saints are before the altar of God, evidenced by the opening of the next seal. Revelation 7:9-17 shows a separation between those who believe and confess the name of Jesus Christ and the rest of the world. Many of the tribulation saints will be killed, but not by the judgments of God, but by Satan, the Antichrist, and/or the false prophet, Revelation 12:17, Revelation 13:1-18.
It was revealed to Ezekiel the types of judgment in store for Jerusalem during King Nebuchadnezzar's 3rd and final conquest, similar to seals 2, 3, and 4, Ezekiel 14:21-23. However, in Ezekiel's day, these were limited to the children of Israel in the land of Israel.
In Revelation 6:9, John observed the Lamb open the fifth seal. None of the four living creatures called to John to come and see this time. This may indicate another role of the four living creatures: observing the events on earth. Here, with the opening of the fifth seal, the slain saints cry out loudly for their blood to be avenged upon those living on Earth. Dissimilar to previous events associated with the seal openings, John observes the souls of the tribulation saints under the altar. They were there because:
- They were slain because of the Word of God
- They were also slain for the testimony they maintained
Why are the souls of the tribulation saints under the altar? It may be that the amount of blood shed would be the measure of what will be required at the pouring of the third bowl when all water will be turned to blood, Revelation 16:4-7. The altar they are under is the brazen altar, which is the place where people were cleansed for the service of God, and where the tribulation saints will be performing their service to God, Revelation 7:14-17
Then why wait a little longer until the number of their brethren to be killed has been reached, which will be at the battle of Armageddon? In the covenant with Abraham, the Lord gave 400 years for the sins of the Amorites to be filled up, Genesis 15:13-19, so conversely, this is the amount of blood of the saints to be shed that God will avenge. This is the generation of people who did not accept the Good News during the age of grace, and so they were not looking for the great appearing of our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13-14. During the dispensation of grace, the gates of hell would not withstand the church, Matthew 16:18, but after the snatching away (rapture), these new believing saints on earth who will go through the tribulation, will have war waged upon them, Daniel 7:21-22, Revelation 12:17. What will happen, is that what the Lord had made Israel drink from the cup of God’s fury, Isaiah 51:17-20, He will take the cup out of their hands, and deliver all those who afflicted them into their hands, Isaiah 51:21-23, and the cup of God’s fury is then given to the nations, Jeremiah 25:15.
As mentioned earlier, this group of saints has been separated from the judgments of God. This forces some questions, such as who these saints are, who killed them, and whether there are other groups. On earlier versions of this website, it was taught that they were killed at the hands of Satan, the Antichrist, and the false prophet. Further studies on this subject have shown that this was not entirely accurate.
Three Groups of Saints before the Throne of God during the Tribulation
Three groups of saints were identified during the seven years of tribulation. First is the raptured church, which is before the throne of God, Revelation 4:4. The second group of saints appears before the altar of God with the opening of the 5th seal, Revelation 6:9. The third group is identified as those coming out of the Great Tribulation, or the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, Revelation 15:2. These are three distinct groups of saints that have been killed after the snatching away (rapture), and who are identified in God’s throne room since the pre-tribulation period through the seven years of tribulation. The following table provides further contrasts between the three groups.
| Identification of the Saints before the Throne of God During the Tribulation | appearance of the saints | Church | Pre-tribulation and Tribulation saints | Great Tribulation saints |
|---|---|---|---|
| How they appear | White linen with crowns, Revelation 4:4 | White linen, Revelation 6:9 | White linen, Revelation 7:9-17 |
| Why they appear | raptured | Martyred | Martyred |
| Where they appear | On thrones before the Lord | Under the altar | Before the Lord |
| When did they appear | Before the tribulation | After the rapture of the church through mid-tribulation | Through the 2nd half of the Tribulation |
| What they do | Serve as priests and kings, and sing songs to the Lord | Ask when their blood will be avenged | Sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb |
To aid in visualizing the locations of these groups, the circular graphic provides a simplistic idea of where each of the three groups of saints is located in the throne room of God. The true heavenly sanctuary, which Moses patterned the earthly tabernacle with, Exodus 25:9, Hebrews 8:5. The location of the heavenly sanctuary is in the area of God’s throne room, on the sea of glass that John saw, Revelation 15:2. Besides the foregoing table, many other factors separate these groups.
The church, Revelation 4:4
There are many promises given to the church in 1Thessalonians 1:10, 1Corinthians 15:51-58, and 2Timothy 4:8. The church is promised crowns of gold, 1Corinthians 9:25, as rewards for the work done for the kingdom of God, which are given at the judgment seat of Christ, 2Corinthians 5:10:
- A crown of glory at the appearance of the Lord, 1Peter 5:4
- A crown of life for being faithful even to the point of death, James 1:12, Revelation 2:11
- A crown of righteousness for those who longed for His appearing, 2Timothy 4:8
- An everlasting crown, 1Corinthians 9:25
- A crown of glory and joy, 1Thessalonians 2:19
Of the three groups, only the church is seen with crowns, but with all three groups, the saints are dressed in white linen and are in the presence of God on His throne, which is the greatest gift of all.
The martyred saints, Revelation 6:9
Though not stated explicitly, the martyred saints appear almost immediately after the snatching away (rapture) of the church for several reasons. The first reason is that once the church is snatched away (raptured), they are removed from this world to be taken into the presence of God, and where they are seen before the opening of the seals. Second, since they exist following the snatching away (rapture) of the church, and at the opening of the 5th seal there are already many killed for the word of God and their testimony they maintained; there must be a reason for their unwarranted deaths that began before the beginning of the seven years of tribulation. The tribulation does not begin with the snatching away (rapture), but when the Lord opens the 1st seal to reveal the Antichrist. The saints shown with the opening of the 5th seal are there because of the persecution found in Revelation 17:1-18. This is the great harlot who sits on many waters, and she is drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus, Revelation 17:1-6.
As soon as the snatching away (rapture) occurs, there will be an immediate vacancy in the world of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, of His grace and any spiritual discernment of scripture, 1Corinthians 2:14, since all of the saints of Jesus were taken away in the twinkling of an eye, 1Corinthians 15:51-52. With the removal of the church, He (the Holy Spirit) who inhibited Satan and his plans before, will then allow Satan to perform his will. Then the Antichrist (the lawlessness one) will come, with power, being revealed at the appropriate time, 2Thessalonians 2:5-7. Afterward, God will send those left behind a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, so that there will be no excuse for those who delight in wickedness, 2Thessalonians 2:11-12. The entity responsible for the number of saints killed before mid-tribulation is the ecumenical church, a false religion, which will quickly fill the void in biblical knowledge and understanding, promote a lie, and kill a great many newly converted saints of God who understood what the snatching away (rapture)was and what it means to those left behind.
The martyred saints from the great tribulation, Revelation 7:9, Revelation 15:2
The third group of saints is viewed by John after seeing the 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel. Unlike the group revealed to John with the opening of the 5th seal, John does not know who this group of people is. He recognizes that many of them are from every nation, tribe, people, and language before the throne and in front of the Lamb. Here they are holding palm branches and singing to the Lord. They are identified by the elder, who points John's attention to them as coming out of the great tribulation. This is the time that the Lord warned would be the worst ever in mankind's history and will never be repeated, Matthew 24:15-22. As recorded in Matthew, the timeframe the Lord is speaking of occurs from the mid-tribulation when the false prophet sets up an image in honor of the Antichrist that can both hear and talk, Revelation 13:14-15, through the end of Armageddon. John sees many tribulation saints because the Antichrist was given power to make war on and conquer them for 42 months, Revelation 13:5-7, Daniel 7:21-22.
The elder showed John the great tribulation saints, indicating they will always be before the Lord. The Lord will always shepherd them, and they will serve God, day and night in His temple, Revelation 7:15-17. Because of their position with the Lord, it is thought that the group identified in Revelation 15:2 is the same as the martyred saints from the great tribulation. The group's description in Revelation 15:2 follows the events that unfolded at the mid-tribulation point and just before the bowls of judgment were handed to the seven angels who were to pour them out on the world. At that time, they had harps given to them by God to sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb in addition to the palm branches they were seen with in Revelation 7:9.
In Revelation 6:10-11, John hears the martyred saints under the altar cry out to God to avenge their blood on those who dwell on the earth, or upon those responsible for this great slaughter of the tribulation saints.
John further observes in Revelation 6:11 that each person was given a white robe. Many believe that the resurrection of the saints who die after the snatching away (rapture) of the church will not occur until the end of the tribulation period with the return of Christ. Again, the thought on this website has changed, in that the imputed righteousness of Christ clothes the souls and spirits of the righteous saints, James 2:23. Similar to Moses and Elijah when they spoke with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, Luke 9:28-31, they appeared to Peter, John, and James to be dressed in glory, so the they will appear the same way until their resurrection when the Lord returns literally, physically, visibly, on Earth to sit on David’s throne. These slain tribulation saints were told to wait a little longer until the number of their brethren to be killed has been reached, which will not be until the battle of Armageddon with Christ's return to establish His kingdom and destroy His enemies. It is the enemies of Christ whom the tribulation saints had pleaded vengeance upon. The number of saints slain during this period cannot be understated. As seen in the next chapter, the total number of all the saints killed following the snatching away (rapture) of the church, through the tribulation, will swell to an innumerable multitude, Revelation 7:9-17.
In Revelation 6:12-14, the Lamb opens the sixth seal. Again, none of the four living creatures called to John to come. Upon the opening of this seal, John observed many simultaneous actions on earth:
- A great worldwide earthquake, not a local one, but one that includes heaven, Hebrews 12:25-28
- The sun turned a transparent black
- The whole moon turned blood red
- The stars fell to earth
- The sky receded like a scroll
- Every mountain and island were removed; the world's topography is changed
In Revelation 6:15-17, the wrath of the Lamb is revealed and manifested at the end of the tribulation. All mankind not belonging to Christ will seek to hide from the face of God and the wrath of the Lamb. This resembles Adam and Eve when the Lord appeared in the garden, Genesis 3:8-10. During this time in the tribulation period, they recognize that as rebellious people, no one could stand against the Lord. All these events are revealed at the beginning of the tribulation. However, the completion of the events may not be until the end of the tribulation. These are the times that God warned all mankind about: Jeremiah 30:4-7, Matthew 24:21-22.
As the Lord (seen by John as the slain Lamb) opens each seal, He reveals the horrors in this world due to sin and its consequences. This is when the Lord takes dominion over the world, and the worldly man responds to revealing the Lamb’s wrath, regardless of their life station. They will try to find some place to hide, asking the mountains and rocks to fall on them, and they ask, “Who can stand in the great day of the Lamb’s wrath?”. At that time, the Lord is not seen as the Lion of Judah, but as the slain Lamb who settled the sin question; a firm foundation to those who trusted and followed Him, but of great fear to those who do not.