1 The opening of the seals in order, and what followed thereupon, containing a prophecy to the end of the world.

when. See on ch. 5:5-7

the noise. 4:5 10:3,4 11:19

one. 3,5,7 4:6,7 Ac 4:20

2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

a white. This seems to be a representation of the person and dignity of Christ, and the mild and beneficent triumphs of his Gospel over all the powers of paganism.

19:11,14 Zec 1:8 6:3 *etc:

and he that. Ps 45:3-5 76:7

and a. 14:14 19:12 Zec 6:11-13 Mt 28:18

and he went. 11:15,18 15:2 17:14 Ps 98:1 110:2 Isa 25:8 Ro 15:18,19 1Co 15:25,55-57 2Co 10:3-5

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

See on ver. 1 4:7

4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

horse. 12:3 17:3,6 Zec 1:8 6:2

power. 13:10 Ex 9:16,17 Isa 37:26,27 Eze 29:18-20 Da 2:37,38 5:19 Joh 19:11

and there. Ps 17:13 Isa 10:5,6 Eze 30:24,25

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.

he had. See on ver. 1 4:6,7 5:5,9

a black. Zec 6:2,6

had. Le 26:26 La 5:10 Eze 4:10,16

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.

A measure. 'The word choenix signifieth a measure containing one wine-quart and the twelfth part of a quart.'

and see. 9:4 Ps 76:10

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

See on ver. 1,3,5 4:7

8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

pale. Zec 6:3

was Death. 20:13,14 Isa 25:8 Ho 13:14 Hab 2:5 1Co 15:55 *marg:

unto them. or, to him. over. 8:7-12 9:15,18 12:4

kill. Le 26:22-33 Jer 15:2,3 16:4,16 43:11 Eze 5:15-17 14:13-21

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

I saw. 8:3 9:13 14:18 Le 4:7 Joh 16:2 *Gr: Php 2:17 2Ti 4:6

the souls. 20:4 2Co 5:8 Php 1:23

slain. 1:9 2:13 11:3-7 12:11-17 19:10 2Ti 1:8

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

they cried. Ge 4:10 Ps 9:12 Lu 18:7,8 Heb 12:24

How. Ps 13:1 35:17 74:9,10 94:3,4 Da 8:13 12:6 Zec 1:12

holy. See on ch. 3:7 15:3,4

dost. 11:18 16:5-7 18:20,24 19:2 De 32:36-43 Jud 16:28 1Sa 24:12 Ps 58:10,11 Isa 61:2 63:1-6 Lu 21:22 Ro 12:19 2Th 1:6-8

avenge. This seal seems a prediction of the terrible persecution of the church under Dioclesian and Maximian, from A.D. 270 to 304, which lasted longer, and was far more bloody, than any or all by which it was preceded, whence it was called 'the aera of the martyrs.'

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

white. 3:4,5 7:9,14

that they. 14:13 Isa 26:20,21 Da 12:13

until. 7:14 13:15 17:6 Mt 10:21 23:34,35 Joh 16:2 Heb 11:40

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

there. 8:5 11:13 16:18 1Ki 19:11-13 Isa 29:6 Am 1:1 Zec 14:5 Mt 24:7 Mt 27:54 28:2

the sun. Isa 13:9,10 24:23 60:19,20 Eze 32:7,8 Joe 2:10,30,31 3:15 Am 8:9 Hag 2:6,7,21,22 Mt 24:29 27:45 Mr 13:24,25 15:33 Lu 23:44,45 Ac 2:19,20

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

the stars. 8:10-12 9:1 Eze 32:7 Da 8:10 Lu 21:25

untimely figs. or green figs. of a. Isa 7:2 33:9 Da 4:14 Na 3:12

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

the heaven. Ps 102:26 Isa 34:4 Heb 1:11-13 2Pe 3:10

and every. 16:20 Isa 2:14-17 Jer 3:23 4:23-26 51:25 Hab 3:6,10

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

the kings. 18:9-11 19:13-21 Job 34:19,20 Ps 2:10-12 49:1,2 76:12 110:5,6 Isa 24:21,22

hid. Jos 10:16,17 Jud 6:2 1Sa 13:6 Isa 2:10,19 42:22 Mic 7:17 Heb 11:38

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

Fall. 10:6 Jer 8:3 Ho 10:8 Lu 23:30

the face. 4:2,5,9 20:11

and from. 10 19:15 Ps 2:9-12 14:5 21:8-12 110:5,6 Zec 1:14,15 Mt 26:64 2Th 1:7-9

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

the great. 11:18 16:14 Isa 13:6 *etc: Jer 30:7 Joe 2:31 Zep 1:14 *etc: Ro 2:5 Jude 1:6

who. Ps 76:7 130:3,4 Joe 2:11 Mal 3:2