The Third Seal

The third seal is opened in revelation 6:5-6 and is made distinct by the black colour of the horse. It is the third in the group of four seals to be connected with the 'four horses of the apocalypse'.

5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, come and see and I beheld, and lo, a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

The colour BLACK in the Bible is always connected with death and disease, a particular reference in lamentations 5:10 illustrates the present context very well.

10. Our skin was BLACK like an oven because of the terrible famine.

In prophecy and with life scarcity and famines always follow wars. In the wake of the second seal where Satan is alowed to take peace from the earth the result is a shortage of basic food to sustain the population and armies of the world. Global and urban unrest will mean people will hoard food and civil control will appear to break down. This will be one of the reasons people will turn to the Anti-Christ who will apparently have the answer to their problems. A saviour if you like for the common man.

The BALANCES indicate the veracity of the famine and the weighing out of the food is very close to instance in Ezekiel 4:16-17. In the end of verse 6 we are told that one-penny will but one measure of wheat and three of barley.

To put this in terms we can understand we have to look the time it was written to understand values and food needs. ONE PENNY was the equivalent of one day's pay for a Roman soldier and a labourer. We know this from history as a penny or 'denarius' was the going rate at that time. We also have a confirmation of this from Mathew 20:2 in the parable of the 'vineyard labourers'.

2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them to his vineyard.

Secondly we must look at the word MEASURE, to see how much one day's pay will actually buy. The word is actually CHOINIX and appears twice in Revelation 6. It's definition from Vine's dictionary states;

CHOINIX - A dry measure of rather less than a quart, about as much as would support a person of moderate appetite for a day.

In that particular period a 'penny' would have actually bought 8 measures of wheat and even more of the lesser grain, barley. Some figures even say up to 12 measures of wheat and up to 30 measures of barley. This prophecy in Revelation tells us of a time where food has taken on the value once given to luxuries.

The actual reality of the famine could be much worse, this as we have to realise is a picture of what will be an illustration of a famine. There has been many famines in the world throughout history but this one will be a world wide famine under the control and implementation of the Anti-Christ, powered by Satan. Following on to the end of verse 6 we have the strange request by the beast, who says;

And see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

Why had this request been made and what does it mean. It would seem strange that God would be picky in what was affected by the famine or shortage. The reason for this apparent lax in judgement are two fold, firstly we have the Jewish race, the chosen, who Christ will be returning for in the Second Coming, part of their religious duties involve oil and wine for anointing and for offering.

It is imperative that the devout Jew keep up the traditions and Law of God until His return (Exodus 29:40). Secondly there is the worldly view of oil and wine. They represent and are the escape for man the means whereby mankind can blindly go on into adversity as long as they have a fallback, like alcohol. Oil used to be put on the skin to make it look healthy and shiny. It gave the appearance of health and wealth even though you may be poor, people would go without essentials just to look good.

This will be the way of the people in the times of tribulation. They will be to preoccupied with wanting to look good and feel good to be bothered with God and what is happening around them. They will be in a state of denial, so long as they can get through each day as it comes. There are three good verses that tell us this fact, two can be found in Proverbs 20:1 and 21:17;

1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man, he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

And also in Psalms 104:15 which says;

15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shine and bread which strengthen man's heart.

It is interesting to note in this last verse that there is only bread which strengthens, the others are non-essential.