Revelation 6: The Seals Are Opened
The Lamb opens six seals, releasing conquest, war, famine, and death, the cry of the martyrs, and the shaking of the cosmos.
Revelation 6 (WEB)
1 I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, “Come and see!”
2 And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”
4 Another came out, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come and see!” And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand.
6 I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don’t damage the oil and the wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see!”
8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of God, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had.
10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
12 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood.
13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind.
14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains.
16 They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,
17 for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”
Revelation 6 (KJV)
1 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.
2 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.
3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4 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.
5 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.
6 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.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 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.
9 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:
10 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?
11 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.
12 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;
13 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.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 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;
16 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:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Revelation 6 (ASV)
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come.
2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.
3 And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.
4 And anotherhorsecame forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5 And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand.
6 And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not.
7 And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come.
8 And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course.
12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood;
13 and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind.
14 And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?
Summary
The Lamb begins to open the seven seals, and history unfolds under his hand. The first four release four horsemen: a white horse going out to conquer, a red horse taking peace from the earth, a black horse bringing scarcity and economic distress, and a pale horse named Death, with Hades following, given authority over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague, and beast. The fifth seal reveals beneath the altar the souls of those slain for the word of God, crying out, how long until God judges and avenges their blood; they are given white robes and told to rest a little longer until the full number of martyrs is complete. The sixth seal brings cosmic upheaval—a great earthquake, the sun darkened, the moon turned to blood, stars falling, the sky rolled back, mountains and islands moved. The powerful and the lowly alike flee to caves, begging the rocks to hide them from the face of the One on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come and no one can stand. Even amid terror, the chapter insists that judgment proceeds from the throne and the Lamb, never out of his control.
Key Figures
- The Lamb — Jesus Christ, who opens each seal and thereby governs the unfolding of history, including its judgments, war, and the vindication of the martyrs.
- The four horsemen — The riders released by the first four seals—conquest, war, famine, and death—bringing tribulation upon the earth under permitted authority.
- The martyrs under the altar — The souls of those slain for the word of God, who cry out for justice and are given white robes and told to wait a little longer.
Key Verse
Revelation 6:10 (WEB)
They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Lessons Learned
- History's upheavals unfold under the Lamb's authority, not outside his control.
- The cries of suffering and martyred saints are heard and held by God.
- God's justice is certain, even when its full timing is not yet revealed.
- No earthly power can stand before the wrath of the Lamb on the great day.
- The Lamb governs history. It is the Lamb who “opened one of the seven seals” (Revelation 6:1, WEB). Even the world's chaos serves his sovereign purpose.
- God hears the martyrs' cry. They cry, “How long, Master… until you judge and avenge our blood” (Revelation 6:10, WEB). Suffering for Christ is never overlooked by him.
- Justice is sure but patient. The martyrs are told “to rest yet for a while” (Revelation 6:11, WEB). God's delay is not denial but the gathering of his full harvest.
- No one can stand before wrath. On the great day, kings and slaves alike ask, “who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17, WEB). Apart from the Lamb, none can endure that day.
- What does it mean that it is the Lamb himself who opens the seals that release judgment?
- How would the four horsemen have spoken to a church experiencing war, scarcity, and death?
- Why do you think the martyrs cry out “How long?” and how does God respond to them?
- What is the significance of the powerful and the powerless alike fleeing from the wrath of the Lamb?
- When you face suffering or injustice, how does it help to know that God hears the cry of “How long?”
- Though the seals release terrible things, the Lamb is the one opening them, signaling that history's turmoil is not random but unfolds within God's purpose. Help the group hold both truths: the world is dark, yet the Lamb reigns.
- For a church living through conquest, violence, hunger, and death, the horsemen named the very realities they endured. The vision does not deny their suffering but places it under the Lamb's authority and within God's larger story.
- The martyrs' cry voices the longing for justice that the suffering church shares. God's answer—white robes and a call to wait until the full number is complete—assures them their blood is precious and their vindication certain.
- When wrath comes, status offers no shelter; the mighty hide alongside the lowly (6:15-17). The scene warns that all human security collapses before God, and points implicitly to the only safe refuge: the Lamb himself.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to bring their own cries of “How long?” to God, trusting that he hears. As leader, hold space for honest lament while pointing to the certainty of his justice and the comfort of the white robe.