And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
When the third seal was broken, I heard the third living creature call out, 'Come and see!' I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a set of scales in his hand.
The third horseman shows up with scales, when basic needs become luxuries, the world feels the weight.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Revelation, written by the apostle John during the Roman Empire's persecution of Christians around 95 AD, this verse is part of a visionary sequence known as the Four Horsemen, which symbolize God's judgments on a world in turmoil. The black horse and its rider with scales represent famine and economic scarcity, drawing from ancient biblical imagery of hardship and divine retribution that echoed the real-life struggles of early believers under oppressive rule. This reflects the cultural context of the first-century Mediterranean, where food shortages were a frequent consequence of war and injustice.
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