The Book of Revelation describes three waves of God’s judgment of earth’s inhabitants, each wave progressively worsening. The judgments begin with the seven seal judgments, continue to the trumpet judgments, and end with the bowl judgments. Here we will discuss the first six seal judgments: 

First seal (Rev 6:1-2) white horse, antichrist comes to conquer 

Second Seal (Rev 6:3-4) red horse, open warfare breaks out 

Third Seal (Rev 6:5-6) black horse, world famine 

Fourth Seal (Rev 6:7-8) death to ¼ of earth 

Fifth Seal (Rev 6:9-11) martyrdom, believer call for vengeance 

Sixth Seal (Rev 6:12-17) physical disturbances, earthquake, sun blacked out, etc. 

The first four seals occur in the first half of the Tribulation, the fifth seal stretches from the first into the second half, and the sixth occurs during the second half. 

But before we plunge in, let’s get a little background:

We see in Revelation 5 that Jesus, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David is the only one who has overcome and is worthy to open the book of judgment and break its seals.

Before we move to Revelation 6, let’s jump back a bit to Matthew 24 where Jesus, in one of the most important prophetic passages in the Bible, the Olivet Discourse, outlines the general course of end times and specifically the Tribulation.  While many of the characteristics in this prophecy describe the whole of the present age, we see in Revelation 6 that these characteristics escalate the closer we get to the end.

Interestingly, the Olivet discourse generally follows the order of Revelation 6. This book detail Jesus breaking the first six seals of God’s book of judgment, and unleashing God’s wrath and judgment on sinful mankind. The purpose of this judgment is to prepare the earth for the establishment of the Lord’s kingdom which will be explained later in Revelation.

Finally, we will examine Chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation which  is like a parenthesis between the sixth and seventh seal.

Let’s dive in!

First Seal

When Jesus breaks the first seal, the first horseman of the apocalypse is released. This horseman rides a white horse, carries a bow, and is given a crown. His purpose is conquest. The white horse represents peace, but we know through other prophetic scriptures that this will be a false peace.

Many confuse the first horseman with Christ because later, we see Christ riding a white horse.  But the first horsemen is not Christ; he is a counterfeit Jesus. In Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus warns His disciples of counterfeits such as these. He says not to be misled because many will come in His name, saying that they are the Christ.

Observe this about the first horseman: he has a bow, but no arrows are mentioned, and he is given a crown; he does not forcefully take the crown. These facts imply a bloodless peace through diplomacy or some other means and, like the white horse, support Daniel’s prophecy of a covenant of peace with Israel. ­­­

Second Seal

When Jesus breaks the second seal, the second horseman of the apocalypse is released. This horseman rides a red horse, and the rider is granted the power to take peace from the earth. The red horse represents war.

The rider is given a great sword. Violence and slaughter will be common during this time.  Jesus warned His disciples, saying that there will be wars and rumors of wars, nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matthew 24:6-7). Although the horseman will take power peacefully, this is not a lasting peace. Once nations begin to understand the deception and control, they will rise up against the antichrist and each other. 

Third Seal

When Jesus breaks the third seal, the third horseman on a black horse is released. The rider has a pair of scales, and John hears a voice saying, “a quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not damage the oil and the wine.” The scales imply that food will need to be measured and rationed; there just won’t be enough for everyone. One day’s wages will only be able to buy enough wheat for one person or enough barley for a small family for a day. There will be no money left over for necessities like oil and wine (considered necessary for cooking and purifying). Again, Jesus warns of famine in Matthew 24:7. This famine will undoubtedly be a result of the continuous wars the second seal unleashes.

Fourth Seal

When Jesus breaks the fourth seal, the fourth horseman on an ashen horse with a rider named Death is released. Hades follows him. The ashen color is pale like death. This rider is given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill with sword and with famine and pestilence. Twenty-five percent of the earth’s population will die. Let’s put that in perspective. The current world population is 7.8 million. This number would be reduced by the Rapture, of course, but that still means that possibly 100,000,000 people die when the fourth seal is broken. Jesus tells us all of this is merely the beginning of birth pangs (Matthew 24:8).

Fifth Seal

When Jesus breaks the fifth seal, John sees the souls of martyrs who have been slain because of the Word and their testimony. They cry out for justice, wondering how much longer they must wait before God avenges them. They are each given a white robe and told that they should rest a bit longer until the number of their fellow martyrs reaches completion. In the prophetic Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns the disciples that as the Tribulation unfolds, believers will be hated and killed.  This corresponds with the opening of the fifth seal.

 Sixth Seal

­­­The sixth seal is different from the first five. God will not use man to accomplish His judgments but will directly intervene by initiating cataclysmic earthquakes, which cause volcanic eruptions that make the sun black and the moon like blood. He will cause comets to fall from the sky, and the sky as we know it will disappear. This will be the first time that all on earth will recognize the source of their trouble: the wrath of God. No one will be immune. Even the kings and great men will hide in caves and among rocks and beg them to fall on them and hide them from the presence of God. The Chapter ends with these people asking, “who is able to stand?”

144,000 and the Multitude

Chapter 7 of the Book of Revelation is like a parenthesis between the sixth and seventh seal and answers the question at the end of the previous Chapter: “Who is able to stand?” Two groups stand during the Tribulation: the 144,000 Jewish missionaries who will preach the Gospel throughout the nations and those who are converted to Christ during the Tribulation.

We are told that God will seal 144,000 Jewish bondservants on their forehead, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel.  God will protect these Jewish missionaries during the Tribulation. We learn more about the 144,000 by turning to Revelation 14:1-4 where John tells us that he sees them standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion with the name of the Father written on their forehead. These 144,000 can resist the evils of the Tribulation and stay pure. They remain loyal to Jesus throughout it all, and they faithfully preached the Gospel (v. 5).

We also see in Revelation 7 that an uncountable multitude from every nation and tribe will be saved during the Tribulation. The Rapture of the Church alone will stoke the curiosity of those left behind; combine that with the faithful preaching of the 144,000, and there will be the ultimate end-time revival: “a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes..” to be exact! These converts will serve God, never to hunger or thirst again or endure any of the elements because Jesus is their shepherd and will guide them to the spring of the water of life.

Even in unparalleled times of tribulation and distress, God’s mercy still reigns. He does not want anyone to perish but all to come to repentance.  Amen.