Sermon Text: Revelation 6:1-8
Below is a sermon manuscript from July 27, 2025. Watch the sermon here.
Introduction
Do you ever have those moments where you think to yourself, “What was I thinking?” We are in Revelation 6, this is when Revelation starts to get Revelationy. It’s when thinks get complicated. I remember why after teaching this to teenagers I vowed never to teach it again. Yet, here we are, and I know that God will work through His Word to give us exactly what we need.
When Are The Seals?
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind is “When will this take place?” This question has dominated much reflection and thought on Revelation. Saying “we don’t know exactly, because not even Jesus knows the time or hour.” It is a Biblical reflection, but it also carries an assumption about these judgments. It assumes they are future and that these events relate to Christ’s second coming in some sense. But really, the way that we interpret the seals is often related to our understanding of the end times more generally.
I might get in the weeds a little bit here; my goal is not to confuse, but to share how faithful Christians have interpreted this throughout the centuries.
Ways to Interpret Revelation
Futurist – Sees many of the events in Revelation happening in the future, often the events after the seven churches.
Partial Preterist View – Sees many of the judgments as past events, often concentrating on the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70AD.
The Historcist View – Sees the details of Revelation as a chronological depiction of world history, often leaving only a small portion unfulfilled.
Idealist View – Sees the symbols in Revelation not relating to historical events but to timeless spiritual truths.
As it relates to the millennium
The seal judgments in Revelation 6—depicting conquest, war, famine, death, martyrdom, and cosmic upheaval—are interpreted differently depending on one’s millennial view, which influences how Revelation is read overall.
Dispensational premillennialism sees the seal judgments as literal, future events that occur during a seven-year tribulation following the rapture of the Church. Revelation is viewed as a strictly chronological roadmap: the seals, trumpets, and bowls unfold sequentially, leading to Christ’s return and a literal 1,000-year reign. The first seal introduces the Antichrist, with the others describing escalating judgments on the earth.
Historic premillennialism, while also expecting a future tribulation before Christ’s return and a literal millennium, is often more flexible in reading Revelation. Many asee the seals as literal judgments, but not necessarily in a rigid chronological order. Influenced by biblical theology and scholars like George Eldon Ladd, some historic premillennialists recognize cyclical patterns or recapitulation in Revelation—where the seals, trumpets, and bowls depict repeating themes of judgment and suffering from different angles within the Church Age and tribulation.
Amillennialism interprets the seal judgments symbolically, portraying the general conditions of the entire Church Age rather than a future sequence of events. The four horsemen represent recurring realities—conquest, conflict, scarcity, and death—that characterize life between Christ’s first and second comings. The suffering of believers (fifth seal) and the cosmic shaking (sixth seal) culminate in a symbolic portrayal of final judgment, not a literal timeline. Revelation is seen as a series of visionary cycles, not a linear prophecy.
Postmillennialism also views the seals symbolically or historically, often interpreting them as struggles that occur before the gospel gradually transforms the world. These judgments may represent the early Church’s trials or symbolic descriptions of recurring turmoil prior to a golden age of Christian influence. Like amillennialism, it often embraces a cyclical structure in Revelation.
Partial preterism, which overlaps with postmillennial and amillennial views, understands the seal judgments as events tied to the first century, especially the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The horsemen and martyrs reflect Roman conquest and Jewish suffering, and the cosmic signs signal the end of the old covenant.
Freedom within our church and association
The ECFA, our association, took a survey of pastors and church leaders in 2023, here are the results that relate to this question.
Article 9, Christ’s Return (Q 36)
Assessments
- A strong majority remain premillennial in their eschatological beliefs (76%), with 28% identifying as Dispensational Premillennial and 48% identifying as Historic Premillennial. With our broadened view, 13% affirmed the Amillennial view while 2% affirmed the Postmillennial view, with 9% responding Other.
- There are 121 comments to this question. Comments
- With the adoption of a revised Statement of Faith in 2019, this is the one Article that was revised, broadening our eschatological position. Premillennialism is no longer the exclusive view articulated in our Statement of Faith. Thus, this is a different question than was asked in the 2018 survey.
- Most are premillennial in their understanding of eschatology, some are in process, meaning they have a position, but they are rethinking their view, there are a several Amillennialists and only a few Postmillennialists. A few are undecided, likely some of those in process.
- Many stated that one’s millennial view is not a matter of first importance.
- Responses to the question reveal we are still predominantly premillennial, though there are a
rising number of those who embrace Amillennialism, with only a few affirming Postmillennialism.
How Should We Approach This?
Humbly
We should approach the timing of these events and the way they are interpreted humbly. I have seen too many accusations from one person to the next that are tragic. It’s good to wrestle with the text, to strive to understand it better, we should all be doing that. But there can be unfair criticism of one another they we must avoid when it comes to these conversations.
You can change views on this and still remain within our church’s doctrinal statement. I love that. There are some things that if you change your view, then you no longer should be a part of the church. This might sound harsh, but it is part of what it means to belong to a local church. We are a confessional community meaning that we are united around a confession of faith. You don’t need to believe this to attend, but it is part of membership and I think for a good reason. There is a view of Revelation that we didn’t mention, it’s full preterism. This is the view that all of the book of revelation has been fulfilled in the past and we are now in the new heavens and new earth. This view is contrary to Biblical teaching and is warned about in 2 Timothy 2:18 by those who claim the future resurrection has already happened. This is not merely a difference of view, but this is a rejection of the Christian faith and can properly be called heresy. I mention this because, while we can and should be gracious in our views, we also need to recognize that this does not mean a free-for-all type approach to this book or the Bible as a whole. We must submit to the text and to its teaching, having Scripture interpret Scripture while remaining within the bounds of orthodoxy.
Expectantly
Second, we should be careful not to allow speculation to be the dominating force when we come to Scripture, especially when it gives us reasons why the end times are addressed. We will see in our passage this morning an overlap between Revelation 6 and Matthew 24, and Dennis Johnson is helpful to situate us when he writes on Matthew 24,
The disciples’ questions “When?” and “What will be the sign of your coming?” are inappropriate attempts to probe off-limits secrets. What Jesus reveals about events to come serves practical purposes: to fortify us to endure (v. 13), to embolden us to evangelize (v. 14), and to awaken us for faithful vigilance (vv. 42–51).[1]
This sounds a lot like our statement of faith on Christ’s return.
We believe in the personal bodily and glorious return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
What Are the Four Seals
If there is a lack of clarity or consensus on the “when” of the seals, there is much more consensus on the what of the seals. This is not entirely true in a specific sense, but rather in a general sense of the ideas being discussed. The four seals find an overlap in the book of Zechariah and in the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 and other parallel passages.
The seals are sometimes seen as preceding the trumpets and bowls and giving rise to the future judgment. Even those who see everything as future, see the seals as marking the time between the ascension and Christ’s return. But others see them as spanning the course of time alongside the trumpets and bowls. Others see them in the future. But even those who see them completely in the future see them foreshadowed in history. One commentator from this perspective quoted Billy Graham who said, “The shadows of all four horsemen can already be seen galloping throughout the world at this moment.”[2]
| Matt. 24:4, 5 (Mark 13:5, 6; Luke 21:8): warning not to be led astray by impostors who come in Jesus’ name saying “I am the Christ.” | Rev. 6:1, 2: at the opening of the first seal, a rider on a white horse goes out conquering and to conquer, similar to the way that Jesus comes in Revelation 19. | |
| Matt. 24:6 (Mark 13:7; Luke 21:9): wars and rumors of wars, “for this must take place, but the end is not yet” (cf. Rev, 4:1). | Rev. 6:3, 4: at the opening of the second seal, a rider on a red horse goes out to take peace from the earth, being given a great sword. | |
| Matt. 24:7 (Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11): famine, “the beginning of the birth pains” | Rev. 6:5, 6: at the opening of the third seal, a rider on a black horse goes out with scales, and the price of wheat and barley is greatly inflated. | |
| Matt. 24:7, 9–12: famine, tribulation, believers put to death, hated, falling away, betrayal, false prophets, lawlessness, lovelessness. | Rev. 6:7, 8: at the opening of the fourth seal, a rider named Death rides on a pale horse, and Hades follows, and they kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.[3] |
The White Horse – Conquest
The white horse is one whose meaning is contested. The early church and much of church history have viewed this as a symbol of Jesus and the triumph of the gospel. In Revelation 19:11, we see Jesus riding a white horse, accompanied by a crown. Additionally, throughout the book of Revelation, the color white holds positive connotations.
The objections to this are that it doesn’t seem to fit with the other three horses, which are about judgment. It is also argued that it doesn’t make sense for the creature to command Jesus. Because of the similarities to Christ later on, many see this as a deceiver who leads people astray – perhaps promising victory but ironically leading them from true victory. Because of this, dispensational thinkers often associate this rider with the Antichrist and Beast that is later mentioned in the book of Revelation.
I admit I am sympathetic to the view that this is Jesus and the gospel going forth. Part of the reason is the consensus of the church, and if these are characteristic of the time leading up to Christ’s return, it provides gospel hope in the midst of the judgment. But I recognize the challenges of this view. It is likely that this is related to the conquering through deception. We know in 1 John 2:18 that a characteristic of this time is that there are many deceivers leading up to the last day. John writes in that verse, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour.”
Judgment often comes through deception, as God allows people to embrace false Christs. This is true both in terms of individuals and in terms of all kinds of idols that we create. We can have hope in humanity in general, believing in endless progress that leads to utopia.
The Red Horse – War and Persecution
The second judgment is the red horse. Again, unlike in Zechariah, here the colors correspond. The color reflects bloodshed. War, and many also indicate that it may include persecution as well. But notice how this judgment is dealt. It is not by giving people a hunger for bloodshed, but by removing peace. Peace is a gift of God. It’s true that peace can be counterfeited, but true peace is a because of God’s grace. When God removes this, people charge ahead. Akin writes,
“But while he takes peace from the earth, the people slaughter one another. The idea seems to convey civil strife within and between peoples and nations. Assassination and civil unrest, riots in the streets, and rebellion against authority will run rampant. No one will be safe. One will live in constant fear of life not knowing whom to trust.[4]”
World War II General Omar N. Bradley once delivered “An Armistice Day Address” in Boston. He said,
With the monstrous weapons man already has, humanity is in danger of being trapped in this world by its moral adolescents. Our knowledge of science has clearly outstripped our capacity to control it. We have many men of science; too few men of God. We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. Man is stumbling blindly through a spiritual darkness while toying with the precarious secrets of life and death. The world has achieved brilliance without wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more about killing than we know about living. This is our 20th century’s claim to distinction and to progress. (Collected Writings, 1:588–89, emphasis in original)[5]
Think about this even in a relational dynamic. How many relationships are ruined because people can’t keep their mouths shut? People play their preferences about their relationships, elevating things that don’t matter to the place of preeminence because of their pride.
The Black Horse – Famine
The Black Horse represents famine, perhaps coming at the heels of war or on its own accord. It speaks of a dire situation in which a person’s daily wages are barely enough to feed just them, let alone their family. Instead, they have three quarts of barley, a grain that is typically reserved for livestock. Beale says that this would have been an 800 to 1600 percent increase in prices.[6]
But the idea that the oil and wine are not to be harmed may indicate that only the poor are afflicted.
The cry may also reflect a famine that struck Asia in a.d 92, during which the emperor Domitian ordered that olive groves and vineyards be torn down to provide more land for grain. When landowners banded together to protest, the emperor revoked his order. This is at least the kind of situation that John’s vision presents, with dire economic hardship producing civil strife and class conflict. Douglas Kelly reminds us of Christ’s sovereignty over this woe, commenting that “a disobedient culture that rejects God’s truth ultimately loses its economy.”[7]
In the letter to Pergamum, Jesus instructed the church not to eat food sacrificed to idols or practice sexual immorality. It is likely that both related to the kind of idolatry associated with the trade guild. Those who refusing to embrace this could not have high-paying jobs of their neighbors.
Pale Horse – Rampant Death
The fourth horse is pale. Likely a greenish-pale color, the color of death. The name Thanatos is where the Marvel villain Thanos gets his name. Writer Jim Starlin chose the name because it sounded good and was derived from the concept of Thanatos, humanity’s drive for death. Then see that Hades followed him. Many relate this to perhaps disease and pestilence. Widespread death that comes to many at once.
The following statement about a fourth may relate to the horses together. This is as far as the authority allows. What is important is that it is a significant judgment that spreads widely.
What does that mean for us?
The book of Revelation often alludes to Old Testament passages without explicit quotation. But here we have one. In the second half of verse 8, we have a direct reference to Ezekiel 14:21. In that passage, God is judging his people for their idolatry. The purpose of the judgment is both punishment but also refinement. It purifies the righteous by testing their faith.
The same dual purpose is likely in mind in Revelation 6, except now the church community is the focus of the judgments. The faithful will be purified, but those who compromise through idolatry and become disloyal to Christ will be judged by the same tribulations…Believers need to understand the dual role of these calamities so that they can accept them in a positive manner as tools of sanctification, yet also realize that these same trials are punishments upon unbelievers.[8]
Who Is Sovereign Over the Four Seals?
The slain lamb is worthy to open the seals
So we surveyed the when, discussed the what, but the most important question and the one that is highlighted in this passage over and over is “who.” Remember this section is coming on the heels of the great throne room scene in heaven. It is coming after the search for heaven and earth for the one who is worthy. It is coming after this worthy one is worshipped by all of creation. And now this worthy one is opening the seals. And he is giving commands through the creatures who are around the throne. They are subject to him as are the horsemen. Think about the language that we have in this passage; each is commanded. We see “was permitted” in verse 4 and “were given authority” in verse 8. These horsemen are limited by the lamb. He is the one who has authority.
From Christ, the horsemen are commanded, and from him they are limited.
Focal point. A couple of weeks ago, the twins attended a class to learn how to face paint. Emily is a member here who is a professional face painter in town. She gave the kids both basic information on face painting and insider tips on what differentiates a layperson from a professional. One of the tips was on the importance of focal points. Here in the book of Revelation, there is a danger of failing to recognize the focal point. But when we do, not only does it bring some clarity, it also helps us when we come to different conclusions. If we can agree on the focal point, the rest we can rightly recognize as supporting details.
Dogmatism is unwarranted on these kinds of details. What is clear beyond question is those who “deny that God will judge anybody for anything” are dead wrong[9]
I want us to think about this focal point for a second. Here we have the lamb who is slain, who is holding the scroll, and punishments are being dealt out. Think about that for a second. The one who was touched by the horrors and evils of this world to pay the price for sins is dealing out punishment. What does this mean? Greg Beale sees another parallel to Leviticus 26:18-28, which Ezekiel, the verse that is quoted, is alluding to. Within the Leviticus passage, several punishments are levied in groups of seven. But the punishments are conditioned upon repentance; Though there is punishment, blessing will come through repentance. Perhaps that is a description of the slain lamb who releases the seals. Though there is punishment, blessing will come through repentance. How can we be assured of this, because the lamb has been slain? He has provided a way out of the ultimate punishment to come. But we are not guaranteed tomorrow. The troubles in this life both help us long for peace and remind us of our own contribution to the rebellion against God. What about you? Have you turned to the one who holds the scroll? Turn now and find him a sufficient savior.
[1] Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2001), 116.
[2] Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, ed. Daniel L. Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 131.
[3] This chart is from James M. Hamilton Jr., Preaching the Word: Revelation—The Spirit Speaks to the Churches, ed. R. Kent Hughes (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012), 167.
[4] Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, ed. Daniel L. Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 135.
[5] Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, ed. Daniel L. Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 135.
[6] Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2017), 212.
[7] Richard D. Phillips, Revelation, ed. Richard D. Phillips, Philip Graham Ryken, and Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2017), 213.
[8] G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press, 1999), 372–373.
[9] Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in Revelation, ed. Daniel L. Akin, David Platt, and Tony Merida, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2016), 132.
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