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6

Summary

The Lamb opens the first seal. Living creature says 'come'. White horse. Rider came conquering. Second seal. Red horse, rider took peace from the world. 3rd. Black horse. Rider carried scales and talks about prices of goods. Suggests scarcity and high prices. 4th pale horse. Rider has authority to kill forth of the world with famine and pestilence. 5th seal living creature says nothing. Martyrs ask for justice, they are told to wait. More martyrs will be added to them. 6th earthquake, sun black, moon red and the stars fall to earth like fruit, sky vanished and every Island and mountain is removed from their place. Everyone great and small takes refuge in the mountains and caves and asks the rocks to fall on them before God's judgement.

Questions

  • What happened to the mountains? Is it proof of non literal meaning that the mountains are removed and then people hide in them?
  • What do the horsemen represent? Periods of time characterised by the things they represent?
  • Do the events described come one after the other or is it the revelation of various mysteries where were don't know the chronology?
  • The stars falling to earth like figs also sounds like it must be symbolism rather than describing literal events. It also can't be literal because in chapter 8 we read that a third of the stars cease shining after one of the trumpets.