Chapter 6:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Revelation 6
The seven seals are not distinguished from each other by
specifying the time of them. They swiftly follow the letters to the
seven churches, and all begin almost at the same time. By the four
former is shown, that all the public occurrences of all ages and
nations, as empire, war, provision, calamities, are made subject to
Christ. And instances are intimated of the first in the east, the
second in the west, the third in the south, the fourth in the north
and the whole world. The contents, as of the phials and trumpets,
so of the seals, are shown by the songs of praise and thanksgiving
annexed to them. They contain therefore "the power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing,"
which the Lamb received. The four former have a peculiar
connection with each other; and so have the three latter seals. The
former relate to visible things, toward the four quarters to which
the four living creatures look. Before we proceed, it may be
observed,
1. No man should constrain either himself or another to explain
everything in this book. It is sufficient for every one to speak just
so far as he understands.
2. We should remember that, although the ancient prophets wrote
the occurrences of those kingdoms only with which Israel had to
do, yet the Revelation contains what relates to the whole world,
through which the Christian church is extended. Yet,
3. We should not prescribe to this prophecy, as if it must needs
admit or exclude this or that history, according as we judge one or
the other to be of great or small importance. "God seeth not as a
man seeth;" therefore what we think great is often omitted, what
we think little inserted, in scripture history or prophecy.
4. We must take care not to overlook what is already fulfilled; and
not to describe as fulfilled what is still to come. We are to look in
history for the fulfilling of the four first seals, quickly after the
date of the prophecy. In each of these appears a different
horseman. In each we are to consider, first, the horseman himself;
secondly, what he does. The horseman himself, by an
emblematical prosopopoeia, represents a swift power, bringing
with it either,
1. A flourishing state; or,
2. Bloodshed; or,
3. Scarcity of provisions; or,
4. Public calamities. With the quality of each of these riders the
colour of his horse agrees. The fourth horseman is expressly
termed "death;" the first, with his bow and crown, "a conqueror;"
the second, with his great sword, is a warrior, or, as the Roman
termed him, Mars; the third, with the scales, has power over the
produce of the land. Particular incidents under this or that Roman
emperor are not extensive enough to answer any of these
horsemen. The action of every horseman intimates farther,
(1.) Toward the east, wide spread empire, and victory upon victory:
(2.) Toward the west, much bloodshed:
(3.) Toward the south, scarcity of provisions:
(4.) Toward the north, the plague and various calamities.
Verse 1. I heard one-That is, the first. Of the living creatures - Who
looks forward toward the east.
Verse
2. And I saw, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had
a bow - This colour, and the bow shooting arrows afar off,
betoken victory, triumph, prosperity, enlargement of empire, and
dominion over many people. Another horseman, indeed, and of
quite another kind, appears on a white horse, chap. xix, 11. But he
that is spoken of under the first seal must be so understood as to
bear a proportion to the horsemen in the second, third, and fourth
seal. Nerva succeeded the emperor Domitian at the very time
when the Revelation was written, in the year of our Lord 96. He
reigned scarce a year alone; and three months before his death he
named Trajan for his colleague and successor, and died in the year
98. Trajan's accession to the empire seems to be the dawning of
the seven seals. And a crown was given him - This, considering
his descent, Trajan could have no hope of attaining. But God gave
it him by the hand of Nerva; and then the east soon felt his power.
And he went forth conquering and to conquer - That is, from one
victory to another. In the year 108 the already victorious Trajan
went forth toward the east, to conquer not only Armenia, Assyria,
and Mesopotamia, but also the countries beyond the Tigris,
carrying the bounds of the Roman empire to a far greater extent
than ever. We find no emperor like him for making conquests. He
aimed at nothing else; he lived only to conquer. Meantime, in him
was eminently fulfilled what had been prophesied of the fourth
empire, Dan. ii, 40, vii, 23, that he should "devour, tread down,
and break in pieces the whole earth."
Verse
3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second
living creature - Who looked toward the west. Saying, Come - At
each seal it was necessary to turn toward that quarter of the world
which it more immediately concerned.
Verse
4. There went forth another horse that was red - A colour suitable
to bloodshed. And to him that sat thereon it was given to take
peace from the earth - Vespasian, in the year 75, had dedicated a
temple to Peace; but after a time we hear little more of peace. All
is full of war and bloodshed, chiefly in the western world, where
the main business of men seemed to be, to kill one another. To
this horseman there was given a great sword; and he had much to
do with it; for as soon as Trajan ascended the throne, peace was
taken from the earth. Decebalus, king of Dacia, which lies
westward from Patmos, put the Roman to no small trouble. The
war lasted five years, and consumed abundance of men on both
sides; yet was only a prelude to much other bloodshed, which
followed for a long season. All this was signified by the great
sword, which strikes those who are near, as the bow does those
who are at a distance.
Verse
5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living
creature - Toward the south. Saying, Come. And behold a black
horse - A fit emblem of mourning and distress; particularly of
black famine, as the ancient poets term it. And he that sat on him
had a pair of scales in his hand - When there is great plenty, men
scarce think it worth their while to weigh and measure everything,
Gen. xli, 49. But when there is scarcity, they are obliged to deliver
them out by measure and weight, Ezek. iv, 16. Accordingly, these
scales signify scarcity. They serve also for a token, that all the
fruits of the earth, and consequently the whole heavens, with their
courses and influences; that all the seasons of the year, with
whatsoever they produce, in nature or states, are subject to Christ.
Accordingly his hand is wonderful, not only in wars and victories,
but likewise in the whole course of nature.
Verse
6. And I heard a voice - It seems, from God himself. Saying - To
the horseman, "Hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther." Let
there be a measure of wheat for a penny - The word translated
measure, was a Grecian measure, nearly equal to our quart. This
was the daily allowance of a slave. The Roman penny, as much as
a labourer then earned in a day, was about sevenpence halfpenny
English. According to this, wheat would be near twenty shillings
per bushel. This must have been fulfilled while the Grecian
measure and the Roman money were still in use; as also where
that measure was the common measure, and this money the
current coin. It was so in Egypt under Trajan. And three measures
of barley for a penny - Either barley was, in common, far cheaper
among the ancients than wheat, or the prophecy mentions this as
something peculiar. And hurt not the oil and the wine - Let there
not be a scarcity of everything. Let there he some provision left to
supply the want of the rest This was also fulfilled in the reign of
Trajan, especially in Egypt, which lay southward from Patmos. In
this country, which used to be the granary of the empire, there
was an uncommon dearth at the very beginning of his reign; so
that he was obliged to supply Egypt itself with corn from other
countries. The same scarcity there was in the thirteenth year of his
reign, the harvest failing for want of the rising of the Nile: and
that not only in Egypt, but in all those other parts of Afric, where
the Nile uses to overflow.
Verse
7. I heard the voice of the fourth living creature - Toward the
north.
Verse
8. And I saw, and behold a pale horse - Suitable to pale death, his
rider. And hades - The representative of the state of separate
souls. Followeth even with him - The four first seals concern
living men. Death therefore is properly introduced. Hades is only
occasionally mentioned as a companion of death. So the fourth
seal reaches to the borders of things invisible, which are
comprised in the three last seals. And power was given to him
over the fourth part of the earth - What came single and in a lower
degree before, comes now together, and much more severely. The
first seal brought victory with it: in the second was "a great
sword;" but here a scimitar. In the third was moderate dearth; here
famine, and plague, and wild beasts beside. And it may well be,
that from the time of Trajan downwards, the fourth part of men
upon the earth, that is, within the Roman empire, died by sword,
famine, pestilence, and wild beasts. "At that time," says Aurelius
Victor, "the Tyber overflowed much more fatally than under
Nerva, with a great destruction of houses and there was a dreadful
earthquake through many provinces, and a terrible plague and
famine, and many places consumed by fire." By death - That is,
by pestilence wild beasts have, at several times, destroyed
abundance of men; and undoubtedly there was given them, at this
time, an uncommon fierceness and strength. It is observable that
war brings on scarcity, and scarcity pestilence, through want of
wholesome sustenance; and pestilence, by depopulating the
country, leaves the few survivors an easier prey to the wild beasts.
And thus these judgments make way for one another in the order
wherein they are here represented. What has been already
observed may be a fourfold proof that the four horsemen, as with
their first entrance in the reign of Trajan, (which does by no
means exhaust the contents of the four first seals,) so with all their
entrances in succeeding ages, and with the whole course of the
world and of visible nature, are in all ages subject to Christ,
subsisting by his power, and serving his will, against the wicked,
and in defense of the righteous. Herewith, likewise, a way is
paved for the trumpets which regularly succeed each other; and
the whole prophecy, as to what is future, is confirmed by the clear
accomplishment of this part of it.
Verse
9. And when he opened the fifth seal - As the four former seals, so
the three latter, have a close connection with each other. These all
refer to the invisible world; the fifth, to the happy dead,
particularly the martyrs; the sixth, to the unhappy; the seventh, to
the angels, especially those to whom the trumpets are given. And I
saw - Not only the church warring under Christ, and the world
warring under Satan; but also the invisible hosts, both of heaven
and hell, are described in this book. And it not only describes the
actions of both these armies upon earth; but their respective
removals from earth, into a more happy or more miserable state,
succeeding each other at several times, distinguished by various
degrees, celebrated by various thanksgivings; and also the gradual
increase of expectation and triumph in heaven, and of terror and
misery in hell. Under the altar - That is, at the foot of it. Two
altars are mentioned in the Revelation, "the golden altar" of
incense, chap. ix, 13; and the altar of burnt-offerings, mentioned
here, and chap. viii, 5, xiv, 18, xvi, 7. At this the souls of the
martyrs now prostrate themselves. By and by their blood shall be
avenged upon Babylon; but not yet, whence it appears that the
plagues in the fourth seal do not concern Rom. in particular.
Verse
10. And they cried - This cry did not begin now, but under the
first Roman persecution. The Roman themselves had already
avenged the martyrs slain by the Jews on that whole nation. How
long - They knew their blood would be avenged; but not
immediately, as is now shown them. O Lord - The Greek word
properly signifies the master of a family: it is therefore beautifully
used by these, who are peculiarly of the household of God. Thou
Holy One and true - Both the holiness and truth of God require
him to execute judgment and vengeance. Dost thou not judge and
avenge our blood? - There is no impure affection in heaven:
therefore, this desire of theirs is pure and suitable to the will of
God. The martyrs are concerned for the praise of their Master, of
his holiness and truth: and the praise is given him, chap. xix, 2,
where the prayer of the martyrs is changed into a thanksgiving:-
Thou holy One and true: "True and right are thy judgments." How
long dost thou not judge "He hath judged the great whore, and
avenge our blood? and hath avenged the blood of his servants."
Verse
11. And there was given to every one a white robe - An emblem
of innocence, joy, and victory, in token of honour and favourable
acceptance. And it was said to them - They were told how long.
They were not left in that uncertainty. That they should rest -
Should cease from crying. They rested from pain before. A time -
This word has a peculiar meaning in this book, to denote which,
we may retain the original word chronos. Here are two classes of
martyrs specified, the former killed under heathen Rome, the
latter, under papal Rome. The former are commanded to rest till
the latter are added to them. There were many of the former in the
days of John: the first fruits of the latter died in the thirteenth
century. Now, a time, or chronos, is 1111 years. This chronos
began A. 98, and continued to the year 1209; or from Trajan's
persecution, to the first crusade against the Waldenses. Till - It is
not said, Immediately after this time is expired, vengeance shall
be executed; but only, that immediately after this time their
brethren and fellowservants will come to them. This event will
precede the other; and there will be some space between.
Verse
12. And I saw - This sixth seal seems particularly to point out
God's judgment on the wicked departed. St. John saw how the end
of the world was even then set before those unhappy spirits. This
representation might be made to them, without anything of it
being perceived upon earth. The like representation is made in
heaven, chap. xi, 18. And there was a great earthquake - Or
shaking, not of the earth only, but the heavens. This is a farther
description of the representation made to those unhappy souls.
Verse
13. And the stars fell to, or towards, the earth - Yea, and so they
surely will, let astronomers fix their magnitude as they please. As
a fig tree casteth its untimely figs, when it is shaken by a mighty
wind - How sublimely is the violence of that shaking expressed by
this comparison!
Verse
14. And the heavens departed as a book that is rolled together -
When the scripture compares some very great with a little thing,
the majesty and omnipotence of God, before whom great things
are little, is highly exalted. Every mountain and island - What a
mountain is to the land, that an island is to the sea.
Verse
15. And the kings of the earth - They who had been so in their
day. And the great men and chief captains - The generals and
nobles. Hid themselves - So far as in them lay. In the rocks of the
mountains - There are also rocks on the plains; but they were
rocks on high, which they besought to fall upon them.
Verse
16. To the mountains and the rocks - Which were tottering
already, verse
Chapter 6:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
