Revelation 6:5-6 meaning

The third seal is broken in Revelation 6:5-6. This seal is attached to the scroll that was revealed in Revelation 5. The Lamb, Jesus, is the only one in all of heaven, earth, and under the earth, who was found worthy to break the seals and open the scroll (Revelation 5:3-5). There are seven seals progressively unfurled. Each time the Lamb breaks open a seal, the contents of the revealed section of the scroll come to life. John watches the scene from the throne room of God, the center of all authority. 

Now, the Lamb broke the third seal, and John heard the third living creature saying, “Come” (v. 5). This is the third of the four living creatures to speak. We met the four living creatures in Revelation 4:6-8 as attendants to God’s throne. This third living creature now commands the third horseman to come. 

Taken together, the horsemen revealed after the breaking of the first four seals are commonly referred to as the “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” The word apocalypse comes from the Greek “apokalyptica,” which means “uncovering” or “revealed.” The word “Revelation” translates the Greek word “apokalypsis” (Revelation 1:1) from which this book derives its name.

The third horse is a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand (v. 5). We saw first a white horse with a crown to conquer (Revelation 6:2), then a second red horse with the sword to bring war (Revelation 6:4), and now the third black horse with a pair of scales to bring famine (v. 5). 

In the ancient world, scales were used to weigh goods to determine the price, and were also used to weigh currency. They were often manipulated with weights on one side to overcharge customers (Hosea 12:7). 

The horseman now weighs wheat and barley:

And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine” (v. 6). 

A denarius is equivalent to a day’s wage. A quart of wheat has roughly enough calories to sustain one adult for one day. Wheat would be considered a tastier, higher quality alternative to barley. Barley has about the same number of calories as wheat, so three quarts of barley might be enough for three people, or a family of two adults and two small children for one day. But there is only enough to survive, a bread-and-water diet so to speak. 

The point seems to be that there is great scarcity of supplies on the earth. No one can get enough food to last them until the next day or to provide for anyone else. They can only get barely enough to feed themselves. There would be nothing left to focus on pleasure, just enough to seek survival. 

The phrase and do not damage the oil and the wine might indicate that oil and wine are no longer in every day use, but are now saved for special occasions. This would again suggest a scarcity of food supplies.

The voice that says these words does not come from the horseman. The horsemen are granted authority. Their authority is prescribed and limited. The voice that grants authority comes from the center of the four living creatures. John doesn’t even describe it as a voice, but as something like a voice (v. 6). The voice was said to be like “thunder” in Revelation 6:1. These living creatures in the throne room are a part of God’s orchestrated and integrated plan. All actions of judgment are being authorized, and only those things God authorizes will be allowed.

This is similar to what we see in the book of Job. There, God authorized Satan to ruin Job (Job 1:12). God later took responsibility for Job’s ruin even though it was Satan who struck Job (Job 1:3). All God is doing is intentional. At the same time all that takes place on the earth will occur due to choices being made by humans. 

Judgement is being pronounced upon the earth. The earth will be conquered by a tyrannical ruler through war and the earth will be devastated, with people having barely enough to eat.