6 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and 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 say, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a quarter of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.
With chapter 6 we come to the main heart of the book of Revelation, which deals with the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials of wrath. Our study will show that these are linked together, the seventh seal containing and opening up the seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet leading to the vials of wrath. This linking is integral to the whole thought of the book, for while each section, as we have already seen, purports to cover the entire age between the two comings of our Lord, the progression of thought is plain. The seals refer to the woes and persecutions and tribulations that come upon the earth and which are shared by Christ's people. As one commentator has put it, 'Wherever and whenever Christ enters upon the scene of history in the fullness of His saving power, there and then the sword is bound to appear. Christ's disciples become cross-bearers, peace is taken from the earth. The earth is drenched with the blood of the followers of the Lamb'. But God hears the cries of His oppressed people, and in answer to their prayers come the trumpets of judgment. These how ever are warning judgments, not final. It is only when they are ignored, when God's initial, warning plagues do not result in penitence and obedience, that the final vials of wrath are poured out. Such is the pattern of the main section of Revelation.