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Post by JCD on Dec 20, 2016 17:11:59 GMT -8
Revelation 6 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. _____________ I have discussed this with a couple of people but thought it might be a good thread to start here. wheat and barley are a type of first fruits. also he has balances in his hand........perhaps the wheat and barley are sold into captivity? or they are weighed and found wanting so they are worth little??? each one the wheat, the barley, the oil, and the wine, all have a season they are produced in...... or is the oil and the wine in reference to selling the wheat and barley into captivity yet they are still allowed to walk in the Spirit and carry the Word while in captivity? what do you all think? God Bless you today
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Post by armoroflight on Dec 22, 2016 8:53:54 GMT -8
Hi Karen! Found this and it helped me to understand that the black horse of REV 6 is a symbol of famine. The last paragraph stood out to me, letting me know, through the symbols used, that those that belong to Christ Jesus have no condemnation for we belong to Him, and He will protect us from all the evil around us...: ...The Black Horse
Following on the heels of war is the third angelic rider (Revelation 6:5-6), on a black horse, holding a pair of scales in his hand, a symbol of famine from the prophecy of Ezekiel, in which the starving inhabitants of Jerusalem were forced to weigh their food carefully (Ezekiel 4:10). This Horseman brings economic hardship, a situation described as completely chaotic. A voice from “the center of the living creatures” — i.e., from God’s Throne — says: “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” This curse thus means a shortage of the necessary staples — a measure of wheat rising to more than 1000% of its former price, consuming an entire day’s wages, so that a man’s entire labor is spent in obtaining food. This is God’s curse on men whenever they rebel: the land itself spews them out (Leviticus 18:24-28; Isaiah 24). The curse devours productivity in every area, and the ungodly culture perishes through starvation, disease, and oppression (Deuteronomy 28:15-34). This is how God controls the wicked: they must spend so much time just surviving that they are unable to exercise ungodly dominion over the earth. In the long run, this is the history of every culture that departs from God’s Word.
Josephus describes the frantic search for food during the final seige: "As the famine grew worse, the frenzy of the insurgents kept pace with it, and every day both these horrors burned more fiercely. For, since nowhere was grain to be seen, men would break into houses, and if they found some they mistreated the occupants for having denied their possession of it; if they found none, they tortured them as if they had concealed it more carefully. Proof whether they had food or not was provided by the physical appearance of the wretches; those still in good condition were deemed to be well provided with food, while those who were already wasting away were passed over, for it seemed pointless to kill persons who would soon die of starvation. Many secretly bartered their possessions for a single measure of wheat if they happened to be rich, barley if they were poor. Then they shut themselves up in the darkest corners of their houses; in the extremity of hunger some even ate their grain underground, while others baked it, guided by necessity and fear. Nowhere was a table laid — the food was snatched half-cooked from the fire and torn into pieces” (The Jewish War, v. x. 2).
On the other hand, however, in this specific curse on Jerusalem the luxuries of oil and wine are unaffected by the general price rise; the black Horseman is forbidden to touch them. In other words, just as the people of Israel were really beginning to feel the pinch of the failure of grain, it was time to harvest the grapes and the olives. The situation is ironic, for you can survive on grain without oil and wine — but not the other way around. In all likelihood, another dimension of this expression’s import is that God’s messengers of destruction are kept from harming the righteous: scripture often speaks of God’s blessings upon the righteous in terms of oil and wine (cf. Psalm 104:15); and, of course, oil and wine are used in the rites of the Church (James 5:14-15; 1 Corinthians 11:25). This would then parallel those other passages in which the godly are protected from destruction (Revelation 7:3).
And this the thought we must keep in our mind and heart...: ...Conclusion
Perhaps the most significant obstacle to a correct interpretation of this passage has been that commentators and preachers have been afraid and unable to see that it is God who is bringing forth these judgments upon the Land — that they are called forth from the Throne, and that the messengers of judgment are the very angels of God. Especially vicious and harmful is any interpretation which seems to pit the Son of God against the court of heaven, so that the curses recorded here are seen as somehow beneath His character. But it is Jesus, the Lamb, who breaks the seals of judgment, and it is Jesus, the King of kings, who rides out in conquest, leading the angelic armies against the nations, to destroy those who rebel against His universal rule.
It was crucial for the early Christians to understand this, for these judgments were even then breaking loose upon their world. In every age, Christians must face the world with confidence, with the unshakable conviction that all events in history are predestined, originating from the Throne of God. When we see the world convulsed with wars, famines, plagues, and natural disasters, we must say, with the Psalmist, “Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has wrought desolations in the earth” (Psalm 46:8). Ultimately, the Christian’s attitude toward God’s judgments upon a wicked world is the same as that of the four living creatures around the Throne, who joyfully call out to God’s messengers of judgment: "Come!” We too, in our prayers, are to plead with God to bring down His wrath on the ungodly, to manifest His righteousness in the earth.
I'll continue to study and pray and let you know if i find anything else interesting! Love you JCD, Fifthie, & Katz! Your sister in Christ, lou
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Post by JCD on Dec 22, 2016 9:51:31 GMT -8
ooooohhhhhh WWOOOWW just thru the first paragraph and WOW!. I am so thankful the Lord has led others to research and study His Word so that we can learn in areas where we ourselves fall short. my 'research' in no way compares to the above! lol so Awesome. thank you lou!!!
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