Revelation 6:3-6 - The rider was given power to take peace from the earth

6:3,4

The second seal is opened, again it is opened by the Lamb. And again we have one of the living creatures saying “Come!”, this time the second one. So presumably it was the first one who proclaimed the first seal. This time the horse is a fiery red, and its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill one another. He was given a large sword. If we look at the world there are many times when we see strife and we wonder why on earth people cannot just get on, why do they think it is a good idea to kill one another over this or that political fact. We no doubt find it hard to come to terms with the Lamb opening these seals, but we cannot deny that the things that the seals unleash happen on the earth, and happen again and again.

6:5,6

The Lamb then opens the third seal, and the third living creature calls “Come” to John. John is to see what is happening. This time it is a black horse and he has a set of scales. This one signifies very tight conditions on the earth, famine but not quite starvation. The amounts mentioned would be subsistence levels, people just about able to survive, but only just.  “And do not damage the oil and the wine”. The wheat and barley were the basic necessities of life, oil and wine were luxuries. The luxuries were not to be touched by this rider. Again, this is something we see in times of difficulty. The poor and the ordinary people would suffer, but the rich and the elite will seem to be able to carry on as normal.