'Left Behind' Bible Study: Week 4, 'Soul Harvest'

(Bible study by John Myers)

Review Rev. 6:1-2. The rider on the white horse is the Antichrist: The First Seal Judgment

The other three horses of the Apocalypse, the five remaining Seal Judgments on the earth

The Second Seal: Conflict on Earth

Rev. 6:3-4

³ When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." ⁴ 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.

(Some nations revolt against the Antichrist's takeover, and the last great world war begins.)

The Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth

Rev. 6:5-6

⁵ 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. ⁶ 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."

(A "denarius" or "penny" in the KJV was a day's wages in Bible days. So it will take an entire day's wages during the time of famine to buy enough food to last a family for just one day, a literal hand-to-mouth existence. But the rich will remain rich, "do not harm the oil and wine," so only the ordinary man suffers during this judgment.)

The Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth

Rev. 6:7-8

⁷ When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." ⁸ 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.

(A fourth of the earth today would be about 1.5 billion people, who will die during this judgment.)

The Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

Rev. 6:9-11

⁹ When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" ¹¹Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

(Martyrs are those who are saved during the Tribulation who have to pay their lives for their faith.)

The Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

Rev. 6:12-17

¹² I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. ¹³ And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. ¹⁴ Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. ¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

Commentary from "Revelation Unveiled" by Tim LaHaye, pages 144-147

Go to Left Behind Bible Study Week 5, The 144,000

Submit Bible questions by email to writeme@johnwmyers.com

(John Myers has been a Christian speaker, Sunday School teacher and Bible study author since 1977.)