What followed upon opening six of the seals.
6:1. And I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seven seals: and I
heard one of the four living creatures, as it were the voice of thunder,
saying: Come and see.
6:2. And I saw: and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a
bow, and there was a crown given him, and he went forth conquering that
he might conquer.
White horse... He that sitteth on the white horse is Christ, going forth
to subdue the world by his gospel. The other horses that follow
represent the judgments and punishment that were to fall on the enemies
of Christ and his church. The red horse signifies war; the black horse,
famine; and the pale horse (which has Death for its rider), plagues or
pestilence.
6:3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living
creature saying: Come and see.
6:4. And there went out another horse that was red. And to him that sat
thereon, it was given that he should take peace from the earth: and that
they should kill one another. And a great sword was given to him.
6:5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living
creature saying: Come and see. And behold a black horse. And he that
sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand.
6:6. And I heard, as it were a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures, saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two
pounds of barley for a penny: and see thou hurt not the wine and the
oil.
6:7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the
fourth living creature saying: Come and see.
6:8. And behold a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was
Death. And hell followed him. And power was given to him over the four
parts of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine and with death and
with the beasts of the earth.
6:9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony
which they held.
Under the altar... Christ, as man, is this altar, under which the souls
of the martyrs live in heaven, as their bodies are here deposited under
our altars.
6:10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord (Holy
and True), dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell
on the earth?
Revenge our blood... They ask not this out of hatred to their enemies,
but out of zeal for the glory of God, and a desire that the Lord would
accelerate the general judgment, and the complete beatitude of all his
elect.
6:11. And white robes were given to every one of them one; And it was
said to them that they should rest for a little time till their fellow
servants and their brethren, who are to be slain even as they, should be
filled up.
6:12. And I saw, when he had opened the sixth seal: and behold there was
a great earthquake. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair: and
the whole moon became as blood.
6:13. And the stars from heaven fell upon the earth, as the fig tree
casteth its green figs when it is shaken by a great wind.
6:14. And the heaven departed as a book folded up. And every mountain,
and the islands, were moved out of their places.
6:15. And the kings of the earth and the princes and tribunes and the
rich and the strong and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves
in the dens and in the rocks of mountains:
6:16. And they say to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us and hide
us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath
of the Lamb.
6:17. For the great day of their wrath is come. And who shall be able to
stand?