The Third Seal—FAMINE

The third seal opens and a black horse, a symbol of famine, appears: “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 you hurt not the oil and the wine” (Rev. 6:5-6).

This pictures extreme worldwide famine, beyond anything civilization has ever seen. This devouring condition is seizing the entire world in an extraordinary way. Famine is now far worse than most imagine. (Read our extensive free booklet The Black Horse – “There Shall Be Famines…”.)

The Fourth Seal—DISEASE

The opening of the fourth seal reveals a pale horse, which represents pestilence or disease: “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” (vs. 7-8).

This horse is depicted as pale because it is sickly. It obviously represents disease—pestilence! Invariably, war leads to famine—and resulting malnutrition leads to disease. New diseases, or old ones grown worse, seem to be appearing almost daily. The death toll from disease around the world is staggering—now over a quarter million die every day! As with the fulfilment of the other seals, there is far more information available about disease than could begin to fit in this booklet. (Read our well-researched free booklet The Pale Horse – “There Shall Be Pestilences…”to understand more about the growing worldwide suffering in the wake of the pale horse.)

The Fifth Seal—THE GREAT TRIBULATION

The opening of the fifth seal does not reveal a horse. Instead, it briefly overviews the soon-to-come worst time of world trouble in history (Matt. 24:21)—the Great Tribulation!

Again, many prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments explain and describe this period. This series of world events will be truly colossal in nature—and thoroughly explaining it involves far more than space available in this booklet. Of course, the most terrible wars, famines and diseases still lie ahead. These will greatly intensify before the Great Tribulation begins. Even so, remember that, after Christ had described the first four seals, plus earthquakes, He concluded, “All these are the BEGINNING of sorrows [travail or tribulation]” (Matt. 24:8). They are far from the end of matters.

The next thing to follow these beginning events and conditions is the Tribulation. We will shortly prove this. But first we need to explain another important aspect of what the Tribulation means. Here is what Christ told His disciples would occur next: “Then shall they deliver YOU up to be afflicted, and shall kill YOU: and YOU shall be hated of all nations for My Name’s sake” (Matt. 24:9).

Now understand something. Two different pronouns appear in this passage—“they” and “you.” Christ did this for a very specific reason. Whenever He was describing true Christians, He spoke of “you.” Those who were deceivers and not of the truth—the many who are falsely converted—are often referred to as “they” or other similar pronouns.

Sometimes the term “you” can also refer to national Israel or Judah, or to them and to true Christians. Whenever the passage is speaking nationally, it is either referring to Israel, or Judah, or both. When coupled with Mark 13 and Luke 21, it is quite obvious that Christ is referring to both.

Final Martyrdom of Saints

Before continuing with more of Christ’s explanation in Matthew 24 about the Tribulation, we need to read John’s description of the fifth seal: “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, do You 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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Rev. 6:9-11). The fifth seal portrays the martyrdom of true saints (along with vast numbers from national Israel and Judah). This occurs during the Tribulation. Verse 11 is a symbolic instruction to the martyrs of the Middle Ages to await this latter martyrdom of the end time.

The context develops with the souls asking God a question.

Some cite these verses to validate both the immortal soul doctrine and that the saved go to heaven—and thereby miss the whole point of what Christ is revealing. They obviously also do not put this verse with Christ’s Matthew 24:9 explanation.

This description is not literal, but rather is symbolic, as is much of Revelation. No one believes that the four horses are literal. It is obvious that they are symbolic and part of a vision. A consistent standard must be used, without randomly picking and choosing which passages are literal and which are part of the vision.

In vision, John was shown a preview of a future event (“hereafter,” 4:1). Since John was “in the spirit” as the seals were opened (vs. 2), the events he witnessed were not actually occurring when he saw them. They were heavenly previews of things that would happen later on earth.

Upon the opening of the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9), John “saw under [at the base of] the altar the souls of them that were slain.”

Remember, in the vision, John was shown the future. A long period of martyrdom had taken place (up to and through the Middle Ages). A later one (the Great Tribulation) is yet to happen in our time. The souls who were already “slain” were martyred Christians throughout the ages. These earlier martyrs were told to “rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (vs. 11).

Many of God’s people in the end time have partially drifted away from being as close to Him, or as on fire for His truth and His Work as they should be. They have not been praying, studying, fasting, meditating and seeking Him on a daily basis as they should. This has allowed many to be deceived, and to fall into various false doctrines. Only the Tribulation will awaken these brethren—and even then only about half (Matt. 25:1-12)!

During the Tribulation, there will be a great religious persecution. Christ was very specific about this in Matthew 24: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity [lawlessness—occurring worldwide] shall abound, the love [Rom. 13:10; I John 5:3] of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved...For then shall be GREAT TRIBULATION, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be...For there shall arise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (vs. 10-13, 21, 24). The elect must remain on guard!

This is a very specific prophecy about great deception that seduces “many.” The “souls under the altar” await God’s punishment of the great governmental power that persecuted them, when God “avenges [their] blood.” All true but lukewarm Christians will have to suffer this final martyrdom (Rev. 3:14-22). Those faithful Christians who were previously killed must continue to “rest” (remain “asleep” in their graves—Eph. 5:14; I Cor. 11:30) until others join them in this final martyrdom.

The “souls” (dead saints) crying “avenge our blood” (Rev. 6:10) is akin to Abel’s blood (his life—note Lev. 17:14) crying to God from the earth (Gen. 4:10). Since neither blood nor the dead talk (Psa. 115:17; Ecc. 9:5, 10), the meaning is symbolic, not literal.

In Matthew 24:9-10, Christ was actually describing a final martyrdom yet to occur among His people. Therefore, the “souls under the altar” represent those awaiting a future martyrdom of lukewarm saints. They are those of the seventh and last era (Laodicea) referenced earlier, and described in Revelation 3:14-22.

Next Part Invasion and Captivity