Revelation 6:4
Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword.
Then another horse went forth
The phrase "another horse" indicates a continuation of the vision of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The Greek word for "another" (ἄλλος, allos) suggests a sequence or series, emphasizing that this horse is part of a larger divine plan. The imagery of horses in biblical prophecy often symbolizes swift action and power, drawing from ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman contexts where horses were associated with war and conquest.

It was bright red
The color "bright red" (πυρρός, pyrrhos) is significant, symbolizing bloodshed and war. In the ancient world, red was often associated with Mars, the Roman god of war, and it evokes the imagery of blood and fire. This vivid color sets the tone for the destructive mission of the rider, aligning with the biblical theme of divine judgment.

and its rider was granted permission
The phrase "granted permission" (ἐδόθη, edothē) underscores the sovereignty of God in the unfolding events. The passive voice indicates that the rider's authority is not inherent but bestowed, reflecting the biblical principle that all power is ultimately subject to God's will. This aligns with the broader scriptural narrative that God allows certain events to occur for the fulfillment of His divine purposes.

to take peace from the earth
The removal of "peace" (εἰρήνη, eirēnē) signifies a divinely sanctioned disruption of harmony. In the biblical context, peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a state of wholeness and well-being. The loss of peace suggests a period of chaos and turmoil, reminiscent of the prophetic warnings in the Old Testament about the consequences of turning away from God.

and to make men slay one another
The phrase "make men slay one another" (σφάξουσιν ἀλλήλους, sphaxousin allēlous) highlights the internal strife and violence that will characterize this period. The Greek verb "slay" (σφάζω, sphazō) conveys a sense of slaughter or butchery, indicating widespread and brutal conflict. This reflects the biblical theme of human depravity and the consequences of sin, as seen in the narratives of Cain and Abel and other scriptural accounts of fratricide.

And he was given a great sword
The "great sword" (μάχαιρα μεγάλη, machaira megalē) symbolizes the authority and means to execute judgment. In the ancient world, the sword was a symbol of power and authority, often associated with military might. The adjective "great" emphasizes the magnitude of the destruction that will ensue. This imagery resonates with the biblical portrayal of divine judgment as both righteous and inevitable, serving as a call to repentance and faithfulness.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Red Horse
Symbolizes war and bloodshed. The color red often represents blood and violence in biblical symbolism.

2. The Rider
Represents the force or spirit of war. He is given authority to remove peace from the earth, leading to conflict and violence.

3. The Earth
The stage upon which these events unfold, representing the world and its inhabitants.

4. The Great Sword
Symbolizes the power and authority to cause widespread destruction and conflict.
Teaching Points
Understanding Divine Sovereignty
The rider is "granted permission," indicating that God remains sovereign even over chaotic events like war. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God’s ultimate plan is in control.

The Reality of Spiritual Warfare
The removal of peace is not just physical but also spiritual. Christians should be vigilant in prayer and spiritual readiness, recognizing the ongoing spiritual battle.

The Consequences of Sin
War and conflict are often the result of human sinfulness and rebellion against God. This passage serves as a reminder of the destructive nature of sin.

Hope in Christ’s Return
While Revelation describes troubling events, it ultimately points to the hope of Christ’s return and the establishment of His eternal peace.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the red horse and its rider help us understand the nature of war and conflict in the world today?

2. In what ways can believers find peace and assurance in God’s sovereignty amidst global unrest and violence?

3. How does the concept of spiritual warfare influence your daily walk with Christ, and what practical steps can you take to be prepared?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced conflict. How did your faith influence your response, and what biblical principles guided you?

5. How can the hope of Christ’s return and the promise of eternal peace impact the way you live your life now, especially in times of uncertainty?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 24:6-7
Jesus speaks of wars and rumors of wars as signs of the end times, paralleling the events described in Revelation 6:4.

Zechariah 1:8-10
The vision of horses of different colors, which also symbolize different divine actions and judgments.

Ezekiel 38:21
God calls for a sword against Gog, symbolizing divine judgment through warfare.
The ConquerorW. M. Punshon, D. D.Revelation 6:1-17
The Development of Good and Evil in Human History D. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 6:1-17
The Future Triumph of Our KingJ. Clayton, M. A.Revelation 6:1-17
The Going Forth of the GospelJames Durham.Revelation 6:1-17
The Opening of the SealsS. Conway Revelation 6:1-17
The Redeemer's ConquestsJ. Parsons.Revelation 6:1-17
The Seven Seals; Or, the Development of Good and Evil in Human HistoryD. Thomas Revelation 6:1-17
The Cry of the World in SelfishnessA. H. Simms, M. A.Revelation 6:3-4
The Spirit of WarM. F. Sadler, M. A.Revelation 6:3-4
Scenes of SufferingR. Green Revelation 6:3-11
People
John
Places
Patmos
Topics
Bright, Cause, Death, Fiery, Fiery-red, Forth, Granted, Horse, Kill, Large, Peace, Permitted, Power, Red, Rider, Sat, Seated, Sitting, Slay, Sword, Thereon
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 6:4

     4807   colours
     5561   suffering, nature of
     5568   suffering, causes

Revelation 6:1-8

     4150   cherubim
     4657   horse
     5127   back

Revelation 6:1-12

     5518   seal

Revelation 6:3-8

     6702   peace, destruction

Library
"For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die, but if Ye through the Spirit do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live. "
Rom. viii. 13.--"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Though the Lord, out of his absolute sovereignty, might deal with man in such a way, as nothing should appear but his supreme will and almighty power, he might simply command obedience, and without any more persuasions either leave men to the frowardness of their own natures, or else powerfully constrain them to their duty, yet he hath chosen that way that
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Departed Saints Fellowservants with those yet on Earth.
"I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets." The revelation made to St. John in the isle of Patmos, was a comfort to the suffering apostle, and a blessing to the church. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the word, of this prophecy." The beginning indeed was dark; the prophetic sketch, was for sometime, gloomy: It unfolded a strange scene of declensions and abominations, which were to disgrace the church of Christ and mar its beauty; and dismal series of woes on woes,
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
The interval of time which separates the removal of the Church from the earth to the return of Christ to it, is variously designated in the Word of God. It is spoken of as "the day of vengeance" (Is. 61:2). It is called "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7). It is the "hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world" (Rev. 3:10). It is denominated "the great day of the Lord" (Zeph. 1:14). It is termed "the great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21). It is the time of God's "controversy with the
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

An Advance Step in the Royal Programme
(Revelation, Chapters iv. and v.) "We are watching, we are waiting, For the bright prophetic day; When the shadows, weary shadows, From the world shall roll away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the star that brings the day; When the night of sin shall vanish, And the shadows melt away. "We are watching, we are waiting, For the beauteous King of day; For the chiefest of ten thousand, For the Light, the Truth, the Way. "We are waiting for the morning, When the beauteous day is dawning, We are
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

"So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
Rom. viii. 8.--"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." It is a kind of happiness to men, to please them upon whom they depend, and upon whose favour their well-being hangs. It is the servant's happiness to please his master, the courtier's to please his prince; and so generally, whosoever they be that are joined in mutual relations, and depend one upon another; that which makes all pleasant, is this, to please one another. Now, certainly, all the dependencies of creatures one upon
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

From the Supplement to the Summa --Question Lxxii of the Prayers of the Saints who are in Heaven
I. Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? II. Ought we to appeal to the Saints to intercede for us? III. Are the Saints' Prayers to God for us always heard? I Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? On those words of Job,[267] Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand, S. Gregory says: "This is not to be understood of the souls of the Saints, for they see from within the glory of Almighty God, it is in nowise credible that there should be anything without of
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

Christ's Kingly Office
Q-26: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A KING? A: In subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies. Let us consider now Christ's regal office. And he has on his vesture, and on his thigh, a name written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords", Rev 19:16. Jesus Christ is of mighty renown, he is a king; (1.) he has a kingly title. High and Lofty.' Isa 57:15. (2.) He has his insignia regalia, his ensigns of royalty; corona est insigne
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

"There is Therefore Now no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who Walk not after the Flesh, but after the Spirit. "
Rom. viii. 1.--"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There are three things which concur to make man miserable,--sin, condemnation, and affliction. Every one may observe that "man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward," that his days here are few and evil. He possesses "months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed" for him. Job v. 6, 7, vii. 3. He "is of few days and full of trouble," Job xiv.
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Consolations against Impatience in Sickness.
If in thy sickness by extremity of pain thou be driven to impatience, meditate-- 1. That thy sins have deserved the pains of hell; therefore thou mayest with greater patience endure these fatherly corrections. 2. That these are the scourges of thy heavenly Father, and the rod is in his hand. If thou didst suffer with reverence, being a child, the corrections of thy earthly parents, how much rather shouldst thou now subject thyself, being the child of God, to the chastisement of thy heavenly Father,
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Meditations of the Blessed State of a Regenerate Man in his Death.
When God sends death as his messenger for the regenerate man, he meets him half-way to heaven, for his conversation and affection is there before him (Phil. iii. 20; Col. iii. 2.) Death is never strange nor fearful to him: not strange, because he died daily--not fearful, because whilst he lived, he was dead, and his life was hid with Christ in God (1 Cor. i. 31; Col. iii. 3;) to die, therefore, is to him nothing else in effect, but to rest from his labour in this world, to go home to his Father's
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Messiah Worshipped by Angels
Let all the angels of God worship Him. M any of the Lord's true servants, have been in a situation so nearly similar to that of Elijah, that like him they have been tempted to think they were left to serve the Lord alone (I Kings 19:10) . But God had then a faithful people, and He has so in every age. The preaching of the Gospel may be compared to a standard erected, to which they repair, and thereby become known to each other, and more exposed to the notice and observation of the world. But we hope
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

In Reply to the Questions as to his Authority, Jesus Gives the Third Great Group of Parables.
(in the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, a.d. 30.) Subdivision C. Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. ^A Matt. XXI. 33-46; ^B Mark XII. 1-12; ^C Luke XX. 9-19. ^b 1 And he began to speak unto them ^c the people [not the rulers] ^b in parables. { ^c this parable:} ^a 33 Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder [this party represents God], who planted a vineyard [this represents the Hebrew nationality], and set a hedge about it, and digged a ^b pit for the ^a winepress in it
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Death by Adam, Life by Christ
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. F rom Mr. Handel's acknowledged abilities as a composer, and particularly from what I have heard of his great taste and success in adapting the style of his music to the subject, I judge, that this passage afforded him a fair occasion of displaying his genius and powers. Two ideas, vastly important in themselves, are here represented in the strongest light,
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down.
[Sidenote: 1129] 19. (12). Meanwhile[365] it happened that Archbishop Cellach[366] fell sick: he it was who ordained Malachy deacon, presbyter and bishop: and knowing that he was dying he made a sort of testament[367] to the effect that Malachy ought to succeed him,[368] because none seemed worthier to be bishop of the first see. This he gave in charge to those who were present, this he commanded to the absent, this to the two kings of Munster[369] and to the magnates of the land he specially enjoined
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

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