Chapter 6 (Friday of the First Week of Advent)

Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer. 

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, ‘Come!’ And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword. 

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!’ 

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, ‘Come!’ I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth. 

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; they cried out with a loud voice, ‘Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’ They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow-servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed. 

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’ 

Commentary

No one can see God, either in the Old Covenant (Ex 33:20; 19:21; Is 6:5) or in the New (Jn 1:18; 1 Jn 4:12, 20). He “dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Tim 6:16); so he who sits upon the throne remains beyond description (Rev 4:3; 20:11). Even in the heavenly Jerusalem, where all things will be illuminated by the light of the divine glory (21:23), the ultimate source of this light will not be an object of observation. Yet, though the eternal Father is thus removed from us and untouched by the world’s events, this is not the same as the philosophical view that proposes a divine principle of unity unconnected with the world at all. For “the Lamb” who sits on the same throne as God, sharing his dignity (5:6, 13; 7:10, 17; 22:1, 3; 3:21), and who, like God, is the “Alpha and Omega” (1:8, 17) and at his first appearance exhibits specifically divine attributes (1:12f.), has received authority over the world from his Father (2:28). Thus, together with the Lamb, the Father has begun to reign over the world (11:15; 14:7). The assumption made by the Book of Revelation is affirmed by the rest of the New Testament: the Son comes forth from the Father; and the Father, out of his love for the world, has given his Son to be slain, “for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (5:9). The Lamb is God’s mode of involvement in, and commitment to, the world; the Lamb is both “worthy” and “able” not only to symbolize God’s involvement but to be it.

Musical Selection

Sub altáre Dei audívi voces occisórum dicéntium: * Quare non deféndis sánguinem nostrum? Et accepérunt divínum respónsum: Adhuc sústinete módicum tempus, donec impleátur númerus fratrum vestrórum. Vidi sub altáre Dei ánimas interfectórum propter verbum Dei, et propter testimónium quod habébant, et clamábant voce magna, dicéntes. Quare non deféndis sánguinem nostrum? Et accepérunt divínum respónsum: Adhuc sústinete módicum tempus, donec impleátur númerus fratrum vestrórum.

I heard under the altar the voices of them that were slain, saying: * How long dost Thou not avenge our blood? And it was said unto them from God: Rest yet for a little season, until the number of your brethren be fulfilled. I saw under the altar of God the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held, and they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long dost Thou not avenge our blood? And it was said unto them from God: Rest yet for a little season, until the number of your brethren be fulfilled.

Collect

Stir up your power, Lord Jesus, and come.
Protect us from the menace of our sins,
release us from their grasp,
save us and set us free,
you who live and reign with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.