6
I watched as the Lamb broke open the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice that sounded like thunder, ‘Come!’ 2 I looked, and there in front of me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow in his hands. He was given a crown. He rode out like a hero on his way to victory. 3 The Lamb broke open the second seal. Then I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come!’ 4 Another horse came out. It was red like fire. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth. He was given power to make people kill each other. He was given a large sword.
5 The Lamb broke open the third seal. Then I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there in front of me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Next, I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living creatures. It said, ‘A kilogram of wheat for a day's pay. And 3 kilograms of barley for a day's pay. And leave the olive oil and the wine alone!’
7 The Lamb broke open the fourth seal. Then I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, ‘Come!’ 8 I looked, and there in front of me was a pale horse! Its rider's name was Death. Following close behind him was Hell. They were given power over a quarter of the earth. They were given power to kill people by swords. They could also use hunger, disease and the earth's wild animals to kill.
6:1–8 Seven seals kept the scroll shut. They had to be opened to show God's plan for heaven and earth. This was the first set of seven things that prepared the world for God's plan. What John saw in the vision in heaven led to things that happened on earth. When the Lamb opened the first four seals, John saw horses with their riders. These were signs of evil things that happen and that human beings do to one another. Humans seek to have victory over one another like the rider on the white horse. Like the rider on the red horse, they destroy peace. Like the rider on the black horse, they deal with money unfairly. Like the rider on the pale horse, they destroy and murder one another. The Lamb didn't send these troubles to the earth. The opened seals revealed or uncovered how evil things already were on earth. Yet the Lamb and the four living creatures made something clear. God has authority over the world no matter how evil it is.
9 The Lamb broke open the fifth seal. I saw souls under the altar. They were the souls of people who had been killed. They had been killed because of God's word and their faithful witness. 10 They called out in a loud voice. ‘How long, Lord and King, holy and true?’ they asked. ‘How long will you wait to judge those who live on the earth? How long will it be until you pay them back for killing us?’ 11 Then each of them was given a white robe. ‘Wait a little longer,’ they were told. ‘There are still more of your believing brothers and sisters who will be killed. They will be killed just as you were.’
12 I watched as the Lamb broke open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned black like the clothes people wear when they're sad. Those clothes are made out of goat's hair. The whole moon turned as red as blood. 13 The stars in the sky fell to earth. They dropped like figs from a tree shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky rolled back like a scroll. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15 Everyone hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. This included the kings of the earth, the princes and the generals. It included rich people and powerful people. It also included everyone else, both slaves and people who were free. 16 They called out to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us! Hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne! Hide us from the anger of the Lamb! 17 The great day of their anger has come. Who can live through it?’
6:9–17 When the fifth seal was opened, John saw souls who were begging God for justice. The soul is the spiritual part of a human being. These were people who had been killed for following Jesus. They waited under the golden altar. They were waiting for God to bring judgement against the people who had killed them. When the sixth seal was opened, things happened on earth that scared people. The things that John described were common signs in apocalyptic writings. They were signs of important events that brought about big changes in people's lives. Everyone on earth was afraid and trying to hide. They realised that God's anger isn't like the anger of human beings. The Lamb's anger is against everything that opposes God. His anger doesn't harm people who trust in him.