New Testament: Rev 6.7–8

To read the Bible in a year, read Revelation 6 on December 15, In the year of our Lord Christ 2022

By Don Ruhl 

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal on the scroll that he had taken from God, John heard the fourth living creature inviting, “Come and see.” 

Then John saw a pale horse and the rider’s name was Death, and Hades was right there following Death. With the power given to him, he took one fourth of the earth by various means of death: 

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

– Revelation 6.7–8 

Death was with the second horse, when peace was taken from the earth and people would kill each other. Why the special mention here? 

With the second horse, death was the result of another problem, but here Death is the problem itself. 

Hades follows death, eager to collect the dead, because Hades never cries “Enough!” 

Death and Hades received power over a fourth of the earth to kill in four different ways, so that Christians sometimes suffer fatally for their faith, and this leads to the next seal. This could also be judgment on the world for its stand against Christians. 

Questions: 

• Does the Book of Revelation frighten you? 
• Are you ready to endure anything to show your love for the Lord? 

To subscribe go to EmailDevotionals.com and click “Follow” 

Don preaches with the Savage Street Church of Christ in Grants Pass, Oregon. 

Listen to his sermons here: GrantsPassChurchOfChrist.com