09-18-2025 PART 1: The Black Horse and the Unshakable King

Section 1
Revelation is approached here through “manifold millennialism”—welcoming multiple orthodox views not to win arguments but to move one step closer to Jesus. The call is, “Come and see”: examine, don’t panic. Differences among believers on non-essentials shouldn’t fracture fellowship; charity governs our tone while we study. Above all, the unfolding of history is not chaotic: Jesus opens each seal. Nothing proceeds without His command, so end-time events must be seen through the lens of a sovereign Christ who never says “uh-oh.”

Section 2
At the third seal (Revelation 6:5), a black horse appears; its rider holds scales. A voice declares, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius,” signaling severe scarcity and massive inflation—a day’s wage buys only what normally purchased eight times more. The image points to economic distress under divine judgment, not merely ecological mismanagement. Yet the word is still “come and see”: look closely, discern what God is showing, and refuse fear—because Jesus remains the One breaking each seal.

Section 3
“Do not harm the oil and the wine” adds a provocative twist. Some read it as God preserving staples; others see protected luxuries that expose a widening gap between rich and poor—either way, it intensifies division as part of judgment. Still, two anchor truths stand: 1) Judgment on a rebel world is certain; 2) God never abandons His kids. So Christians prepare for any timeline—ready to go, ready to endure, ready to build—while praying, “Come, Lord Jesus,” trusting His faithfulness until He returns.