Revelation Part 23

In the throne room of heaven, seals are being opened. The second seal is announced and opened by the Lion and the Lamb, and a fiery red horse rides forth. Its rider is granted power to “take peace from the earth” so that people should kill one another, and a great sword is given to him (Revelation 6:4). The fiery red color of the horse may remind us of fire, blood, anger, war and death—all which will ensue from this next seal. Here is the embodiment of war. History bears witness to humanity’s endless bloodshed—from primitive clubs and swords to muskets, tanks, fighter jets and nuclear bombs that we have today with even more weapons and strategies constantly under development. Throughout the evolution of war we also see that people get increasingly creative in the ways that they kill each other, primitive methods that require no technology yet show man’s ability to inflict pain and death on one another such as drownings with the ocean tide, hangings, or even dragging behind horses, all show how sick and twisted mankind can be. 

Today, wars and rumors of wars dominate headlines, whether in the South China Sea, Europe, or countless conflicts in Africa and the Middle East. Peace has always been fragile and fleeting in human history, and every advance in technology has only increased the destructive power of warfare. Jesus foretold this reality: 

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:7). 

The second horseman reminds us that under Satan’s sway, mankind cannot achieve lasting peace, and war will escalate until it culminates in the final global conflicts of the end time and leads us into the third seal.

The third seal reveals a black horse, and its rider holds a pair of scales in his hand. A voice declares, 

“A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5–6). 

A quart of wheat was about the daily amount of wheat needed to feed one person. A denarius was a common day’s wage for a laborer in the first century (see Matthew 20:2). The verse is saying a person would have to spend their entire day’s wage just to buy enough wheat to feed themselves. There would be nothing left over for a family, housing or other needs. Barley was considered a cheaper, lower-quality grain, sometimes animal fodder or food for the very poor. The fact that three quarts of barley could be bought for the same denarius shows that people could stretch their wages further only by eating poorer-quality food. The black horse of this seal represents famine and scarcity, the natural result of war and disruption. 

Food supplies will be destroyed, distribution channels interrupted, and economies destabilized. What once cost an ordinary wage will skyrocket beyond reach, with inflation and scarcity devastating ordinary families while the wealthy continue to live in comfort. The picture of oil and wine remaining untouched shows that the rich will continue to dine while the masses suffer, showing severe economic imbalance. This seal shows how God’s judgment often works through both natural consequences and His direct hand—placing His finger on the scales of supply and demand to bring about scarcity and hardship. From ancient sieges to modern disruptions in shipping and fuel, humanity has seen glimpses of this reality. Yet the black horse points to a time of worldwide imbalance and economic collapse greater than the world has ever known.

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org 
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.