The Second, Third & Fourth Seals – War, Famine & Death
I. PURPOSE OF 7 SEALS IS TO RELEASE GOD’S END-TIME JUDGMENTS ON THE EARTH
A. The Book of Revelation is the most offensive document in history to the natural mind. It is a very politically incorrect book.
We must not yield to the pressure to explain it away symbolically or as being totally fulfilled in history. Revelation describes
the 3 numbered judgment series (Revelation 6-19). They are literal (actual events not merely symbolic), future (not yet
fulfilled in fullness), and progressive (unfolding in a clear chronological sequence i.e., one following the other).
B. Jesus releases the 7 seals (Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12; 8:1) as judgment against rebellion.
C. These seals flow progressively as each seal leads naturally to the next one. The Antichrist leads us to a World War,
which leads to famine and economic crisis, which leads to pestilence and disease, which leads to the strength of the
prayer movement, which releases more judgment as seen in the sixth and seventh seals.
D. Come and see (Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7) – invitation to John to draw closer to be filled with awe and wonder at the
coming manifestations of God’s power and fierce zeal. The Church is to imitate this and not draw back from the Book of
Revelation, but go deep in it.
II. REVIEWING THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE FIRST FOUR SEALS
A. These 3 series of 7 judgment events are each further divided into 3 parts (i.e., the first 4 belong together, the next 2 are
related, and the final one stands separate). The horsemen form a group of 4 that is distinct from the remaining 3 seals, in
the same way the first 4 trumpets and bowls are distinct from the remaining 3 trumpets and bowls.
1. There is a recognizable relationship of the first 4 seals in that each one has an essential likeness in releasing God’s
judgment on the human race in an indirect way through man’s unrestrained sin that results in violence (physical, social,
political, financial, spiritual).
2. The opening of these seals causes devastation to multitudes worldwide (believers and unbelievers). The first 4 seals
have other common characteristics (i.e., a horse with a distinct color (white, red, black, pale) with a rider released by a
prophetic decree of one of the living creatures). These four colored horses here are parallel to the horses (red, black,
white, dappled) seen by Zechariah (Zechariah 1:8-11; 6:1-8). Divine authorization (“was given to him”) is used of 3 of the
4 horsemen (Revelation 6:2, 4, 8).
B. Some see a relationship between the living creatures and the nature of the seal judgment they are associated with. The
first living creature, being like a lion who releases the Antichrist to conquer with aggression. The next three seals are hard
to link to a living creature.
III. FIRST SEAL: ANTICHRIST'S POLITICAL AGGRESSION – 7 DESCRIPTIONS (REVELATION 6:2)
A. The first horseman releases God’s judgment in allowing the full expression of man’s sin through the reign of terror of
the Antichrist who is approved of and celebrated by multitudes. He seeks to seize control over the whole earth (Dan. 7:23;
Rev. 13:7) at the beginning of Great Tribulation.
B. The first seal gives us 7 descriptions of the Antichrist – a man on a white horse with a bow and crown given him who will
go forth conquering and to conquer (Revelation 6:2).
1. The horse speaks of speed, strength, and agility in war under the deceptive guise of white (counterfeit righteousness).
2. The bow is a symbol of war. The rider is pictured as ready to go to war (with a bow in hand on a horse). Since the bow
does not have arrows, it is understood as a threat of war and economic penalties without actual war breaking out. The
crown is a symbol of victory and authority. In other words, it points to his initial bloodless victories or peaceful conquest
before military conflict begins.
3. The Antichrist will go forth conquering politically and economically with successful conquests. He will cause things to
progress as he goes forth with his plans to conquer people beyond political and economic issues. Given to him speaks of
the permission, aid or cooperation he receives from God, Satan and sinful men that allows evil powers to act against the
human race.
IV. SECOND SEAL: BLOODSHED AND THE FINAL WORLD WAR (REVELATION 6:3-4)
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red,
went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another;
and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)
A. Come and see – drink deeply of the spirit of revelation and understanding in these truths.
B. Fiery red – worldwide bloodshed.
C. Granted to take peace from the earth – ending worldwide peace (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
D. Given to him a great sword – extreme forms of warfare leading to death by violence.
E. That people should kill one another – demonic stronghold of murder.
V. THIRD SEAL: FAMINE AND ECONOMIC CRISIS (REVELATION 6:5-6)
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black
horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures
saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
(Revelation 6:5-6)
A. Come and see –
B. Black horse – sorrow, pain, sadness and mourning.
C. Pair of scales in his hand – symbol of scarcity of provision. Unprecedented global economic crisis leading to famine.
D. Quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius –
1. A denarius was equivalent to wages for one day of work. The economic crisis results in earning power reduced to
working all day and affording food for one day. This represents about 10 times less buying power than in the world today.
2. Wheat and barley were the common foods in John’s day in the Roman Empire. A quart of wheat is the amount for one
person to eat for one day. Wheat is superior in taste and nutrition to barley. One could purchase three times the amount
of barley (inferior grain) for the same price. In other words, barley is cheaper but less nutritious.
E. Do not harm the oil and the wine – people cannot survive on olive oil and wine.
1. They are luxuries enjoyed by the wealthy who will prosper during this coming famine.
2. The social inequity and wide gap between the rich and poor will result in much strife that the Antichrist will exploit.
3. The theft emphasized in Revelation 9:21 will escalate in this context.
F. I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of
barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
VI. FOURTH SEAL: DEATH TO 1/4 OF THE EARTH’S PEOPLE (REVELATION 6:7-8)
Behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given
to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
(Revelation 6:8)
A. Pale horse (literally, pale green, ashen) – color of death and decay (i.e., a corpse). The faces of the peoples of the
whole earth will show the terror they experience.
B. Power was given to them over a fourth of the earth – in 2025 it is estimated that 10 billion will live on earth. One fourth
of them is 2.5 billion people, which is 50 times the death total of World War II (50 million people died from 1939-45).
C. Name of him who sat on it was Death and Hades followed with him. The spirit of death with his demonic cohort is
pictured as being in hot pursuit of the unsuspecting victims on the earth. Hades is a place – the prison for unbelievers
(Luke 16:19-31) until the Lake of Fire. The leadership of this prison is pictured here as hungry and anxious to follow death
to chain its victims to the place of torment – to find another subject feeds their cruel lust to torment. In
Revelation 20:13-14, this prison and its leadership is cast into Lake of Fire.
D. Kill with sword, hunger, death, and beasts – same OT judgments (Ezekiel 5:17; 14:21)
For thus says the Lord GOD: “How much more it shall be when I send MY FOUR SEVERE JUDGMENTS on Jerusalem--
the sword and famine and wild beasts and pestilence--to cut off man and beast from it?” (Ezekiel 14:21)
I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood shall pass through you,
and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken. (Ezekiel 5:17)
1. Sword – death by violence.
2. Famine – increases beyond third seal.
3. Pestilence – fatal diseases increase beyond any time in history.
4. Wild beasts – roaming and devouring their prey ( Numbers 1:6; Deuteronomy 32:24; Joshua 4:12; 2 Kings 2:24; 17:25;
Isaiah 30:6; Jeremiah 5:6; Ezekiel 14:21; 33:27).
E. Note that war is followed by famine, which is followed by pestilence and death, which makes room for more beasts to
multiply in number.