by Rev Bassey Ekong
30 April, 2021
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Rev. 6:3-4): Once this peace – God’s gift to man – was taken, men quickly rushed in with war and destruction.
Peace between men and among nations is a gift from God. It is not the natural state of relations between men. God wants humans to have peace but it’s man’s choices that give him war and destruction. This authority was granted to the horseman. This is, directly or indirectly, the judgment of God. That people should kill one another: Our modern age is marked by war and conflict.
Since World War II, there have been more than 150 wars of some kind in the world, and at any given time there may be some three dozen armed conflicts taking thousands of lives yearly. The nations of the world often spend more than $1 trillion on military expenditures per year. The earth is drunk with human blood shed through wars, tribal, religious, political and family conflicts. This is a direct punishment to mankind for disobedience.
The black horse brings scarcity and inequity: When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard 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 the wine.” (Rev. 5-6). The scales symbolized the need to carefully measure and ration food.
This speaks of a time of famine and scarcity. A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius: These prices are about twelve times higher than normal. It means that it would cost a day’s wage to buy the ingredients for a loaf of bread describing “a time of famine when life will be reduced to the barest necessities.” If the church does not heed this warning and advise the people on how to escape it, then scarcity will likely overtake the world while people are still awake but “asleep’ Do not harm the oil and the wine: meaning there will still be the oil and the wine hence they should not be harmed.
The pale horse brings 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: This last rider shows that there will be a tremendous death toll from dictatorships, wars, famine and other calamities described by the previous three horsemen.
Our modern age has seen hundreds of millions killed by dictators, war, and famine. Yet all that will not compare with the death toll coming in the wake of this ultimate dictator. Jesus said of this time” For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matt. 24:21). Power was given to the horseman, by God to kill and destroy a fourth of the earth. Though all hell breaks loose on the earth, God is very much in control. He still holds the scroll and opens the seals. May God help the church remain faithful to the end.
Let’s pray: Dear Lord, deliver us Your Church, from evil. Help us to remain ever faithful unto you so that we will not be affected by the great tribulation according to Your prophecy. Help us to remain steadfast and faithful, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today’s reading: 2 Samuel 2-5; Luke 14: 25-35
Rev Bassey Ekong, Dip Ed, BSc. Ed, B. Ed, M. Ed is an educator/teacher of science on the high school panel of the local board of education in the Ottawa-Carleton region. He’s a psychology of learning specialist. A scholar, always learning, a writer, teacher and trainer, adviser board of directors and pastor of the Light of the Nations ministry international, a non-denominational ministry with its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.