REVELATION 6:5-6

I have read some popular commentators who state that the Book of Revelation is one of the easiest books in the Bible to understand. I beg to differ with that opinion, and have attempted to demonstrate in a series of posts how diverse the interpretations are even from knowledgeable evangelical scholars. (See “Book of Revelation: A Topical Study Guide” for a list of these posts) These verses describing the third of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are by no means the most obscure ones in the Book of Revelation, but they serve as a good example of how difficult it is for even Bible scholars to agree on their meaning. I would like to show the diversity of opinions in terms of eight key questions.

What is the immediate context?

Ruiz notes that famine usually follows war, “the second horseman.”

Chapters 4-5 demonstrate God's control over the universe and set the stage for the disasters of Chapter 6. (Hendricksen)

Is there an Old Testament context?

Leviticus 26 is quoted by several scholars as a good parallel since a time is described when bread is so scarce, pieces of it will be sold by weight – note the pair of scales in the rider's hand.

Passages in Ezekiel (4:10,16) describe the same conditions following a predicted siege of Jerusalem.

“The most obvious background for the four horsemen is Zech. 6:1-8 (cf. 1:8-15).” (Beale and McDonough)

Both Ezekiel 4:16 and Leviticus 26:26 form the background of this woe. (Mounce)

Morris cites Ezekiel 4:9ff and Leviticus 26:26.

Ford says that one OT text influencing this passage is Ezekiel 5:12-17, but only in the form of the Greek Septuagint which has four woes, not just three as in the Hebrew text. However, a more prominent precursor to Revelation 6:5-6 is Habakkuk 3:4-15.

What is the historical context?

“It is likely that the four judgments of Rev. 6:2-8 also refer in part to contemporary historical events, although it is difficult to know which events are in mind.” (Beale)

There is “no specific historical background in 6:5-6.” (Beale and McDonough)

“A few years before the writing of this book (AD 92), an acute shortage of cereals, together with an abundance of wine in the Empire, caused Domitian to order the restriction of vine cultivation and an increase of corn [the European word for wheat]; the order created such a furor it had to be abandoned.” (Beasley-Murray) Reasoner feels that these verses may have been related to that event, but “it is equally possible that the author imagined how the persecution related to the imperial cult might progress.”

Various famines in the Mediterranean between AD 42-51 form the historical background of these verses. (Ford)

Ford cites the Qumran Temple Scroll which records two previously unknown Jewish feasts: a Feast of Oil and a Feast of New Wine. Only the priests could handle these elements, but Josephus records the plundering of the temple by someone named John who distributed them to the crowds, thus, in Josephus' mind, warranting the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.”

What is the nature of the affliction?

A limited famine (Ruiz)

F.F. Bruce argues against those who feel that famine characterizes this woe. Instead, it refers to “scarcity, high prices and rationing.”

Famine will be the major cause of death during the Tribulation. (Walvoord)

Phillips states that “this rider represents the blighted prosperity of the last days; he represents famine and economic disaster.”

A limited drought” (Mounce)

“It is generally said that this horseman represents famine, which is both true and false...This horseman appears to me to represent at the same time the power (exousia) of the economy (and especially money), the economic system (economic life and organization, whether it be liberal or controlled), and the economic scourge (scarcity, poverty, famine).” (Ellul)

Morris concludes that it is “a famine which is not yet a disaster. It is in the nature of a warning. Things are difficult, but the end is not yet.”

What does the color of the horse represent?

It stands for famine. (Morris)

The color of the horse is not significant. (Bruce)

“The black color of the horse speaks of famine and death.” (Walvoord)

Black is metaphorical for plague. (Beale and McDonough)

“This color is symbolic of mourning or affliction.” (Ford)

When did or will these afflictions happen?

Bruce sets the opening of the seven seals during and after the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

“Revelation is primarily a theodicy of persecution, not a definitive time line of the future...” (Reasoner)

Payne categorizes these happenings as “general matters continuing today,” part of which constitute “the great tribulation.” All occur prior to God's wrath accompanied by Christ's Second Coming.

Mounce: “As each seal is removed we are introduced to a series of preliminary judgments representing forces operative throughout history by means of which the redemptive and judicial purposes of God are being carried out prior to the end.”

Walvoord places the time of these events during the last half of the Great Tribulation.

Phillips appears to place these events toward the first half of a seven-year tribulation period.

Concerning the seven seals, Ellul says that “it is the book of the secrets of the meaning of human history, both accomplished, assured, but incomprehensibly illegible, which on the other hand is disclosed as a succession of time, which is in fact to fill all time...this secret is inevitably the disclosure of the profound forces of this history and, much more, of the action of God in the history of men.”

Who will be affected by these plagues?

“As with the previous two woes, this plague affects all people, but, again, Christians more specifically may be in mind.” (Beale)

Since Beagley treats the warnings in Ezekiel 4 as the background for these verses, he feels that it refers to punishments in store for the Jews if they forsake him.

Beale and McDonough state that “the horses in Rev. 6:1-8 may signify that the natural and political disasters throughout the world are caused by Christ in order to judge unbelievers who persecute Christians and to vindicate his people.”

Phillips: “Events recorded under the seals are extensions of things which are very evident in today's world. The chief difference is that the church will be gone, and to a great extent, restraint will be removed.”

Hendricksen agrees with many who state that the rich will have enough food during this time but the poor (including the Christians) will not. However, “believers need not fear in times of tribulation, persecution, and anguish. Let the trials begin.”

However, Mounce doubts that it has anything to do with the inequality between the rich and poor since oil and wine “were not luxuries, but part of the basic commodities of life.”

Ford feels that “the third seal refers to the temple area rather than the whole country.”

How high are these prices for grain?

There is a unanimity among commentators that a worker could either afford enough wheat to feed himself for one day or enough to purchase the cheaper barley to feed a family of three. But there is some disagreement as to how much these prices are inflated. The price for grain is higher than that in normal times by a factor of 8-16 (Beale), 10 (Bruce), 11-15 (France), 10-12 (Mounce), or 5-12 (Ford).

Why are olive oil and wine not harmed?

Lilje sees a reference to the sacraments in the oil and wine (see James 5:14). Thus, it is “a promise that believers will not suffer from the famine.”

By contrast, Beale says that a sacramental meaning is “improbable.”

Morris notes that “Hurt is a curious verb to be used of the oil and the wine.” It means short supply of food for the poor but luxuries for the rich.

Since olive trees and grape vines are not planted each year, they are not harmed. (Ruiz)

Although the olive trees and grape vines are not destroyed at this time, they will be in Revelation 7-8.

Because the three standard biblical crops were wheat, wine, and oil, this means that one-third of the earth will be affected, in the same manner that one-quarter of the earth is affected by the plague in v. 8. (France)

“Since the roots of the olive and vine go deeper, they would not be affected by a limited drought which would all but destroy grain.” (Mounce)

Several commentators point out that during the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, he gave an order that the olive groves and vineyards were not to be touched.

See Ford's comments under “Historical Context” for yet another view.

The phrase do not touch “means that the power of the horseman [representing the economic system] is limited (that which is limited is of little importance): he cannot dominate all and master all.” (Ellul)

So “You pay your money and take your choice.”