Resilient – A Revelation Daily Devotional – Day 19
Day 19 – August 15
Read or listen to the audio version of the Bible Reading and Daily Devotional.
Okay, so we’ve just witnessed this incredible, cosmic worship scene, right? Everything in heaven and earth is bowing down to the Lamb who was slain, recognizing His absolute worthiness. It’s a moment of pure glory and peace. But then, things take a very different turn. That scroll, the one only the Lamb was worthy to open, now starts to have its seals broken. And as each seal is opened, something dramatic, and often chilling, is set in motion.
We see the first four seals unleash what are famously known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
First, when the Lamb opens the first seal, a white horse appears, its rider holding a bow and given a crown, going out “conquering and to conquer.” This often speaks to conquest, perhaps even ideological or political. It represents the relentless human drive for power and expansion, often leading to conflict.
Next, the second seal opens, and out comes a red horse. Its rider is given a “great sword” and the power “to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another.” This is outright warfare, bloodshed, and the breakdown of social order. It’s the horrific consequence when human ambition and hatred are unleashed without restraint.
Then, the third seal brings a black horse, with its rider holding a pair of scales. A voice proclaims, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” This symbolizes severe famine and economic hardship. Food, the basic necessity, becomes incredibly expensive, while luxuries like oil and wine are preserved. It speaks to social injustice, greed, and the devastating impact of scarcity, especially on the most vulnerable.
Finally, the fourth seal reveals a pale horse, and its rider’s name is Death, and Hades follows with him. They are given authority “over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.” This is the culmination of the first three, bringing widespread mortality through war, starvation, disease, and even natural disasters.
So, what’s going on here? After all that worship, why do we immediately dive into such grim realities? This passage profoundly illustrates a crucial aspect of God’s judgment and wrath. It’s not always about God actively, supernaturally intervening to cause destruction in the way we might imagine. Often, God’s judgment is revealed in allowing human depravity to run its course. He gives humanity over to the consequences of its own choices, its own sin, its own relentless pursuit of power, its own hatred, and its own greed.
In essence, God is pulling back the curtain on the natural trajectory of a world that rejects Him and His ways. When humanity chooses war over peace, exploitation over justice, and self-interest over love, these horsemen ride. They represent the bitter fruit of human rebellion. It’s a sobering reminder that ultimately, the unraveling of human history, as we know it, isn’t just some random cosmic accident. It’s the inevitable end of a system built on fallen human nature, permitted by a just God to reveal its true, destructive face.
This isn’t to say God is absent; He’s still sovereign, opening the seals. But His “wrath” here is often revealed in stepping back and letting humanity’s sin have its full, devastating impact. It’s a stark warning, showing us where unchecked human ambition and a godless world ultimately lead. But even in this darkness, the Lamb is still in control, orchestrating the unfolding of these events, guiding them toward a final, just conclusion. It makes us long even more for the day when His kingdom fully comes.
Prayer: God, Help me to truly understand the consequences of human sin and depravity when left unchecked. Help me to live a life marked by repentance. Amen.