The black horse in Revelation 6:5 is representative of something that is dark and dismal. Note the black horse appears during the Great Tribulation therefore its color is fitting for that period of time. The rider on the black horse had a pair of balances in his hand, which indicates famine and rationing. The Middle East is the origination point for this necessary but systematic form of chaos. A pair of balances is pertinent to the system of weights and measures. Balances are used to insure that the amount of goods received in a business transaction is not inferior to the expected amount.
The text states that one measure of wheat will sell for a penny and three measure of barley will sell for a penny. Obviously famine is rampant in the land. Even the oil and wine are in short supply. This situation causes the reigning government to initiate rationing. Whenever a system of rationing is instituted, no one ever receives enough goods to sustain good nutrition. They only receive a pittance of goods required so they are reduced to existing rather that living.
The black horse is an indication of how dark and dismal life will be during the Great Tribulation. The famine and rationing reduces a man to only a shadow of his potential. Not only does food shortages and rationing diminish a man’s ability to care for his family, but it also initiates an atmosphere of fear. When it comes to controlling and shaping the political and spiritual beliefs of a people, fear is the weapon of choice. During periods of famine and rationing, hoarding and stealing becomes the survivalist’s instinct to normalize the basic necessities in life. People will resort to buying, selling, and stealing anything to experience the temporary relief of hunger pains. Although the black horse is not a physical horse, it is a spiritual or mental vehicle used to introduce more intense levels of fear for the sole purpose of causing individuals to question the validity of their own religious beliefs. If they succumb to the pressure, then it could cost them their soul.
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