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Revelation 6

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Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Revelation 6 Overview

The Lamb opens the first six seals. Four horsemen bring conquest, war, famine, and death; martyrs beneath the altar cry for justice; and the sixth seal brings cosmic upheaval so terrifying that kings and common people alike hide from the wrath of the One on the throne and the Lamb.

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6Chapter

17Verses

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Before you read Revelation 6

Coming from

A sealed book lies in the right hand of the One on the throne, and no creature can open it until the Lion of Judah appears as a Lamb that had been slain. The Lamb takes the book, heaven erupts in worship, and Christ is praised as worthy because He was slain and redeemed people to God by His blood from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation.

In this chapter

Leads into

Before further judgment, four angels are restrained while 144,000 servants of God are sealed from the tribes of Israel. John then sees an innumerable multitude from all nations standing before the throne and Lamb in white robes, praising salvation. They have come out of great tribulation, and God shelters, feeds, guides, and wipes away every tear.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The horsemen should be interpreted primarily from the effects the text itself names rather than speculative identification with current leaders.

The martyrs’ prayer for justice shows that longing for God’s righteous judgment differs from personal revenge.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Christ controls the opening of judgment

The Lamb opens every seal.

Human status offers no shelter from divine wrath

Kings, rich, mighty, bond, and free all face the same terror.

God remembers martyrs

They are given white robes and told to rest until the appointed number is fulfilled.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Zechariah 1:8–11; 6:1–8

Colored horse imagery appears in Zechariah’s prophetic visions.

Matthew 24:6–9

War, famine, persecution, and tribulation appear in Jesus’ Olivet discourse.

Joel 2:30–31

Cosmic signs precede the great day of the LORD.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not identify individual horsemen with contemporary figures without textual warrant

The chapter gives symbolic judgments, not modern names.

Do not call the martyrs’ prayer sinful vengeance

They appeal to the holy and true Judge.

Do not miss the Lamb’s role in wrath

The chapter explicitly speaks of the wrath of both the enthroned One and the Lamb, so judgment belongs within Christ’s own royal authority.

Read Revelation 6 watching for…

Who opens the seals.

What each horseman brings.

The martyrs beneath the altar.

The cosmic changes in the sixth seal.

The universal fear of wrath.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-8The first four seals are opened and four riders go forth with conquest, war, scarcity, and death 9-11The fifth seal reveals slain souls crying for judgment and being told to rest a little season 12-17The sixth seal brings a great earthquake and signs in heaven as people hide from the wrath of the Lamb

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.

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.

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.

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.

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

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Revelation 6:11

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