What is the 3rd Seal? – FAQ EndTimes.com

The 3rd Seal

⁵When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!” (Revelation 6: 5-6) NIV

Most Bible scholars assert that the rider on the black horse represents the spirit of famine. If this assumption is accurate, the 3rd Seal foretells of extreme famine that will take place at the end of this age. It is possible, however, that the rider on the black horse represents the spirit of economic power.

The Rider Holds a Pair of Scales in His Hands

When this prophesy was written, a pair of scales commonly represented commerce. This rider appears to be involved in the buying and/or selling of commodities.

The use of a scale implies that the transactions would be done fairly yet the prices are excessive. In other areas of the Bible where scales are mentioned, it says that God detests dishonest scales. Perhaps these scales do not use honest weights. The rider of this horse appears to be fair but he might actually be deceitful and profits from people’s suffering.

2 lbs of Wheat for a Day’s Wage

During the end times, some people will work an entire day to earn enough money to buy enough wheat for 2 loaves of bread. This scripture describes a super-inflated cost of basic necessities (such as food).

Is this prophesy describing a famine due to a devastating war? Is it describing the abject poverty of people who can barely afford to buy food compared with the affluence of people who can buy the oil and wine? Is it perhaps describing an entity that wields unbridled economic power?

Do Not Damage the Oil & the Wine

If this scripture was simply about famine, why does it make a point of saying not to damage the oil and wine? The mention of the oil and wine provides significant clues to understanding this prophesy.

The word “oil” may refer to olive oil which was an essential commodity in that day. It was used for cooking, heating, and lighting. Today, the word “oil” tends to refer to petroleum oil which is used for cooking, heating, manufacturing, and transportation. Either way, most of the world’s olive oil and petroleum oil come from the nations that surround Jerusalem.

Poverty & Luxury

Based on this prophesy, there will be a food crisis. Some people will be barely able to afford to feed their families while others can afford to buy oil and wine.

The economic power that this rider wields controls how much things cost. Once that economic power is fully in place, it will prepare the way for the “mark of the beast” without which, people will not be able to buy or sell. Those who abandon God and pledge allegiance to the end times beast will be rewarded.

Excessive Luxury

Revelation 17 provides an end times prophesy that describes excessive riches and opulent indulgences. It describes a place that will exist during the end times:

⁴The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. ⁵The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. ⁶I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. (Revelation 17: 4-6) NIV

¹⁶The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. ¹⁷For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority, until God’s words are fulfilled. ¹⁸The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17: 16-18) NIV

In Biblical prophesies, the term “virgin” generally refers to someone who is faithful to God. The term “prostitute” generally refers to someone who has been unfaithful to God and committed adultery with other gods. In the end times, the city of Babylon is described as the mother of adulteries and abominations against God.

According to Revelation 17, the great city that will rule over the kings of the earth is Babylon. The Antichrist and the terrifying beast will hate the ruler of Babylon. The ruler of Babylon will be someone who causes the people of the world to commit adultery against God.

Significance

The first 4 riders described in Revelation 6 work together to prepare the way for the Great Tribulation. Each rider plays a special role in events that take place before and during the Great Tribulation.

The 3rd rider appears to be a spirit of famine & economic power. It appears to prepare the way for the 6th Trumpet War (hungry people do desperate things), the Mark of the Beast (which will be required to buy/sell during the Great Tribulation), and Babylon (a city of excessive luxury during the Great Tribulation).

What has this Rider already Accomplished?

It appears that the 3rd horseman of the Apocalypse was revealed in 2008 (a Shemitah year) when the Wall Street Stock Market experienced the worst loss in history. It fell 777.7 points and lost 7% of the market share in a single day (September 29). According to the Hebrew calendar, it happened on the 29th of Elul.

The 2008 stock market crash was a catalyst for the 2008 World Financial Crisis and caused a global recession. That event continues to impact nations throughout the world – several of which are on the brink of bankruptcy.

Droughts in 2006 to 2008 caused the world’s food storage to have been depleated. Between 2006 and 2008, food prices dramatically increased: corn 125%, wheat 136%, and rice 217%. Due to the global food crisis, prices soared and food became scarce. Food riots broke out throughout the world.

Although the entire world was impacted by the food crisis, those who live in poverty were most affected. Most of the people in Islamic-controlled nations live in poverty. As such, the global food crisis had a very significant impact on the people in those countries.

Since 2008:

Food has become increasingly expensive.

Nations are on the verge of economic collapse.

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References:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/stocks-take-record-tumble-down-777-points/