Revelation: The Fuel Project Guide Part 7 – The Third Seal – Economic Collapse & Famine

The Fuel Project study guide to the Book of Revelation.

In this video Mark says that the third seal of Revelation 6 represents economic collapse and hyperinflation during the end times.

Mark’s explanation of the third seal of Revelation 6 is biblically and historically inaccurate.

In the previous study, you learned that the white horse of the 2nd Seal of Revelation 6 represented the bloody Roman civil war which occurred from 185-284 A.D.

In this study you will learn that the true historical fulfillment of the 3rd Seal of Revelation represents the gloom and despair that the Roman people were under, due to the excessive taxes to pay for wars.

Revelation 6:5-6, “I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Remember that the Lord Jesus is judging the pagan Roman Empire because they killed millions of Christians.  He is avenging justice for their deaths.

The color of the horse represents the condition of the Roman people at that time, and the description of the rider represents the cause of their condition.

The black horse represents the despair and gloom of the Roman people, as they were taxed excessively to pay for all of the wars, which caused a major economic depression.

As you can see on this coin, the pair of scales represented the justice and commerce of the Roman Empire.

If citizens couldn’t pay their taxes in coinage, they were allowed to pay with the equivalency of wheat or barley.

The prices given for wheat and barley were the exact price at the time of Emperor Severus Alexander, who was in power from 222-235 A.D..

As the taxes increased, the burden got heavier on the people and they were ground down and they suffered as the economy declined.

To hurt not the oil and the wine, means to be not unjust to them.  In other words, let the taxation be fair as compared to the prices of wheat and barley, instead of raising the prices on oil and wine even more.

In those days, oil and wine were not just luxuries, but they served many purposes in people’s lives.  Paul told Timothy, “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.”

The agricultural industry was ruined under this heavy taxation, which lead to famine.  People moved away from the farmlands into the cities, where they would suffer from the famine.

To see how the Revelation seal, trumpet and bowl judgments all fit together, and to see where we’re at on the timeline today, click on Revelation Fulfillment Timeline.

Next Fuel Project Guide To Revelation Video: The 4th and 5th Seals of Revelation