
The black horse brought with it famine and diseases, the results of wars.
Food being weighed means food has become scarce.
The Greek word gnophos means: blackness, darkness or gloom.
The food had become eight times as expensive as normal. The basics were very dear and the luxuries were relatively cheap.
Background Reading:
The Vision of the Third Seal Opened – The Black Horse
The third Seal: famines caused by the first two seals – Matthew 24:7
5 When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was aa black horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand. 6 I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “bOne day’s ration of wheat for a cday’s wage, or dthree days’ ration of barley for a day’s wage! But edon’t damage the olive oil or the wine!”
Revelation 6:5-6
a. This is a symbol of famine which is the result of the conquest and wars of the first two seals. Cf Lamentations 4:4-8; Matthew 24:7
b. Bread by measure and weight signifies scarcity of food (Ezekiel 4:10-17)
c. 17c. the daily wage (Matthew 20:1-16)
d. A measure was about 1 liter, a slave’s daily ration, an amount usually purchased for about two cents.
One could usually buy 8 measures of wheat or 24 measures of barley for two cents, but during this future famine only 1 measure of wheat or 3 measures of barley can be purchased for two cents.
This will make food 8 times higher than in normal times.
e. The olives and grapes need no cultivation; hence their ruthless destruction is forbidden.
Other modules in this unit:
- The Book of Revelation, Revelation 1:1-6
- Jesus coming back with the clouds, Revelation 1:4-8
- John on the Island of Patmos, Revelation 1:9-11
- Seven Churches, Revelation 1:9-11 and 1:4
- The Eightfold characteristics of the Son of Man, Revelation 1:12-20
- Jesus holds the keys, Revelation 1:17-18
- First Church, Ephesus; The Tree of Life, Revelation 2:1-7
- Second Church, Smyrna; Satan, Revelation 2:8-11
- Third Church, Pergamum; Manna, Revelation 2:12-17
- Fourth Church, Thyatira; Morning Star, Revelation 2:18-29
- Fifth Church, Sardis; White robes, Revelation 3:1-6
- 6th Church, Philadelphia; Holy City, Revelation 3:7-13
- 7th Church, Laodicea; Door to your Heart, Revelation 3:14-22
- The Throne of God in Heaven, Revelation 4:1-11
- The Scroll and the Lamb, Revelation 5:1-14
- 1st seal – the white horse and rider, Revelation 6:1-2
- The Second Seal – the Red Horse, Revelation 6:3-4
- 3rd Seal – The black horse, Revelation 6:5-6
- The Fourth Seal: the pale or green horse, Revelation 6:7-8
- 5th Seal – White Robes, Revelation 6:9-11
- The 6th Seal, Blackness, Revelation 6:12-17
- 1444,000 Jewish emissaries, Revelation 7:1-8
- Believers in white Robes holding palm branches, Revelation 7:9-17
- Jesus opens the Seventh Seal, Revelation 8:1
- Angel with the Golden Censer, Revelation 8:3-6
- 1st Trumpet – Hail and fire mixed with blood, Revelation 8:7
- The second Trumpet or second Shofar, Revelation 8:8-9
- The Judgment of the Third trumpet or Shofar, Revelation 8:10-11
- The Judgment of the Fourth Trumpet or 4th Shofar, Revelation 8:12
- The first Horror, Revelation 8:13
- The Fifth Trumpet or fifth Shofar, Revelation 9:1-12
- The Second Horror, horrors, calamity, terror, Revelation 9:13 to 11:14
- The Sixth Trumpet or sixth Shofar released 200 million soldiers for war, Revelation 9:13-21
- The Angel, Revelation 10:1-7
- The Little Scroll, Revelation 10:8-11
- 1260 Days of the Gentiles, Revelation 11:1-2
- 1260 Days of the Two Witnesses, Revelation 11:3-6
- The Two Witnesses of God, Revelation 11:1-14
- Earthquake, Revelation 11:13-14
- The Seventh Trumpet or shofar sounds, Revelation 11:15-18
- Announcement of the third horror, Revelation 12:10-12
- The Ark of God, Revelation 11:19
- Questions and Answers to questions 1 to 44 inclusive
- The book of Revelation Part Two » »
- Background Information – Revelation Part One
- Resources – Revelation Part One