Revelation 6

(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 beasts saying, Come and see.
(2)  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.
(3)  And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
(4)  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.
(5)  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.
(6)  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.
(7)  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
(8)  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.
(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:
(10)  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?
(11)  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.
(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 of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth 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 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;
(16)  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:
(17)  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

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Study Questions

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1. If the sealed book contains God’s eternal purpose for man’s redemption, what does it mean when the Lamb begins to open the seals? Verse 1.

2. Most modern translations leave off the words “and see,” so to whom was the command “Come” addressed? Verse 1.

3. Consistently with the tenor of the book so far, what do the symbols of a rider on a white horse, a bow, and a crown represent? Verse 2.

4. What would be suggested by the rider on the red horse? Verses 3-4.

5. Can you think of an interpretation of the picture of a rider on a red horse who is given power to take peace from the earth that is consistent with the theme of the sealed book? Verses 3-4.

6. What do you think a rider on a black horse would represent? Verse 5.

7. The balances or scales in the hand of the rider on the black horse represent what? Verse 5.

8. What would be suggested by wheat, barley, oil, and wine? Verse 6.

9. What or who is the rider on the pale horse and what or who is with him? Verse 7.

10. If they were given power, who, do you suppose, gave that power? Verse 7.

11. What are the four ways the rider kills? Verse 8.

12. Do you think Hailey’s summary of the four seals (given below) is consistent with the theme of the sealed book?
(1) Going forth of Christ in the gospel.
(2) Persecution of saints following the preaching.
(3) Discrimination adding to the suffering of Christians.
(4) Judgment on society because of pagan rejection of the gospel.

13. Why were the souls under the fifth seal slain? Verse 9.

14. How can we reconcile the demand for vengeance with the Christian spirit? Verse 10.

15. Why were the saints to rest for a little while? Verse 11.

16. From similar pictures in the Old Testament, what do you think the opening of the sixth seal indicates? Verses 12-13. (See Isaiah 13:10-13 and Isaiah 29:6)

17. How do we know this picture does not represent the final judgment? Verses 12-13.

18. If the crashing world, earth-shaking events, and darkness enveloping wicked people depicts judgment and destruction of the power responsible for the death of the saints, what power would that be? Verses 12-14.

19. To what does the description of men seeking refuge in caves and rocks and calling for mountains to fall on them in other passages refer? Verses 15-16. (See Hosea 10:8, Isaiah 2:19, and Luke 23:30)

20. Do you think the wrath of God and the Lamb is the personal attitude of God toward sinners or an impersonal process of retribution working itself out in the course of history? Verse 17.

21. Do you think the early saints may have needed some assurance that they would not be overwhelmed with the rest?