We now look at the third horse and its rider among “the four horses of the apocalypse”. This is the black horse whose rider is carring weighing scales.

Third The Black Horse

Rev 6:5-6

• The Lamb Opens the third seal. The third living creature calls to John, “Come!”. John sees the third horseman on a black horse carrying a pair of scales with which to merchandise.

The third creature had a face like a man (Rev 4:7). This symbolises that Jesus was a human being, "the Son of Man". A significant feature of Jesus's life on earth was that he lived lowly without earthly wealth (Mtt 8:20).

The rider with the scales represents commerce and the economic system with all of its problems such as corruption, poverty, debt, inflation, boom and bust, unemployment, financial loss, etc. The scene in the vision represents economic calamity by the voice of a merchant selling small amounts of grain for a denarius (a day's wage), and witholding oil and wine from sale. Economic crisis is a another tribulation common throughout human history, and will continue for the entire gospel age until Jesus comes.

The following scripture chain will show how Christians should consider the love of money and how they should fit in to the world of commerce and react to financial troubles...

Prv 11:1, 1Tm 3:3, 1Tm 6:9-10, Mtt 6:19-20, Php 4:11, Rom 13:8, Eph 1:18, Rom 8:16-18.

The White Horse
The Red Horse
The Black Horse
The Pale Horse