Revelation 6:1-17 (July 11, 2025)

The Seven Seals

6:1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart[a] of wheat for a denarius,[b] and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”

7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers[c] should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Footnotes

Revelation 6:6 Greek choinix, a dry measure equal to about a quart

Revelation 6:6 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer

Revelation 6:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters.

Revelation 6

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Summary

In Revelation 6, the Lamb begins to open the seven-sealed scroll. Each seal reveals a vision that reflects God's sovereign rule over history, even as judgment is poured out on the earth.

The first four seals unleash the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:

White horse – conquest or false peace (v. 2)

Red horse – war and bloodshed (v. 4)

Black horse – economic imbalance and famine (vv. 5–6)

Pale horse – death and Hades (v. 8)

These horsemen represent the turmoil and tragedy that mark the fallen world—conflict, injustice, and mortality—all under God's sovereign permission.

The fifth seal (vv. 9–11) reveals the souls of the martyrs under the altar. They cry out, “How long?" They long for justice. But they are told to rest a little longer until the full number of fellow servants are also martyred. This shows that God’s justice is not forgotten, only delayed.

The sixth seal (vv. 12–17) brings cosmic chaos: a great earthquake, the sun turns black, the moon like blood, stars fall, the sky vanishes, and mountains and islands are moved. Kings and slaves alike hide, crying out, “Fall on us… for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

The question at the end of this chapter—“Who can stand?”—sets up the answer that will come in chapter 7.

Who is God

God is the sovereign Lord over history. This is a repeated theme in Revelation. Though the scroll is filled with trials and judgment, it is the Lamb who opens each seal. This means nothing happens apart from His will. The horrors of conquest, war, famine, and death are not random—they are under divine control.

Even the martyrs are told to “rest a little longer,” not because justice is denied, but because God’s redemptive timeline is still unfolding. He is both just and patient, not willing that any should perish (cf. 2 Peter 3:9).

When the sixth seal is opened, the whole cosmos responds. God is not only Lord of nations and history—He is Lord of creation itself.

What is our Guilt

We often live as if judgment will never come. The Four Horsemen remind us of the realities of sin’s consequence—and yet we act as if this broken world can still save us.

The martyrs under the altar are those who remained faithful. Their presence exposes our fear of sacrifice and our love of comfort. Are we willing to suffer for Christ? Or do we blend in with the world to avoid trouble?

And when the world shakes—through disasters, conflicts, or personal crises—we panic instead of repent. The people in Revelation 6 hide from the face of the Lamb, calling on rocks to fall on them rather than crying out for mercy. Our guilt is not only in sin, but in refusing grace.

How does Grace Shine

Even in this dark chapter, grace shines through.

It is the Lamb who opens the seals, not a tyrant. This means judgment flows through pierced hands—hands that died to save.

The martyrs are seen and heard. Their suffering is not forgotten; their blood is precious in God's sight.

The question “Who can stand?” is not rhetorical. It prepares us for Chapter 7, where the answer is clear. Those sealed by God’s grace, clothed in white, and washed in the blood of the Lamb (Rev 7:14).

Grace shines in the warning itself. These judgments are not final—they are preliminary wake-up calls, divine megaphones of mercy calling the world to repentance before the final day arrives.

Prayer

Sovereign Lord and righteous Lamb,

you hold history in your hands, and nothing escapes your sight.

You are holy in judgment and patient in mercy.

We confess that we often live without urgency or reverence.

We take comfort in a world that is passing away,

and we silence our conscience instead of seeking your grace.

Thank you that the Lamb who opens the seals

is also the Lamb who was slain for us.

Grant us the courage to be faithful witnesses,

to stand firm in trials, and to long for your kingdom.

Prepare us, O Lord,

that we may stand on that great day—not in fear, but in faith.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Reflection Questions

• What does it mean to you that the Lamb opens the seals?

• How do you respond to suffering and global crisis? Do you react in fear, denial, or repentance?

• Are you living with urgency and faithful witness as the end approaches?