Opening The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:1-8

“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.  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.” (Revelation 6:1-2)

When the Lord opened the first of the seals, one of the beasts told John to come and look in a voice like thunder.  What John saw was a leader on a white horse going out to conquer and establish an empire, ostensibly to bring peace to the world.  Daniel 11:13-17 describes this event in greater detail.  “For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.   And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.

So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.  But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.”

The king of the north will conquer the Middle East, signing a treaty with Israel and probably using it as a base for their operations.  The surrounding countries will be unable to withstand the forces aligned against them and will be forced to accept terms of peace. 

“And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.  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.” (Revelation 6:3-4)

The second seal reveals a red horse of war.  The focus is no longer on producing peace.  Daniel 11:18-19 describes what happens.  “After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.   Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.”  In an attempt to expand his empire, the northern king seizes a number of islands.  Finally an unallied country defeats him, wiping out his army and resulting in the loss of his power. 

“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.  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.” (Revelation 6:5-6)

When the Lord opens the third seal, it reveals a black horse of famine.  Inflation becomes so bad that it takes a full day’s pay to buy enough food for the day, and people cannot afford even the smallest luxuries.  Daniel 11:20 tells us, “Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.”  The destruction of the king of the north leads to economic collapse, and a new government is set up to deal with the problems.  Attempts to solve the problems using socialistic methods results in extreme inflation and people become desperate, causing the collapse of the government. 

“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.  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.” (Revelation 6:7-8)

The fourth seal reveals a pale horse of anarchy, ridden by death.  The failure of the government to resolve the economic problems and its ultimate collapse results in complete anarchy.  People and animals end up fighting over food, and disease becomes rampant.  About a fourth of the world’s population will die.

According to Daniel 11:21-23, It is at this point the antichrist will come to power.  “And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.  And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.  And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.”

Desperate to end the chaos, people will accept a man they would not normally consider for a ruler, in hopes he will be strong enough to end it.  He agrees to some terms to gain office but once he is in, ignores the treaties and agreements, seizing as much power as possible.  One of the treaties he will break is the treaty with Israel, offering a sacrifice of abomination on the altar.