As I sit here thinking about what just happened in my house I see God answering my prayer to help my wife & I react supernaturally instead of fleshly when “bad” things happen. Just after praying before laying it down for the night my wife noticed a dripping sound but couldn’t find where it originated. We eventually found that the ceiling of the lower level of our house had water spots that we had never noticed any other time. Upon further inspection we found that the ceiling was wet & that the water was coming from our furnace & water heater closet on the upper level. We came to see that the overflow pan & pipe going from it to the drain wasn’t sealed properly so the water had made a puddle & was seeping through the floor down to the ceiling of the lower level. You may be wondering how this has anything to do with inflation in the Bible right.
When this first happened my mind went reeling about the fact that due to the economic troubles in our nation my company hasn’t given management a raise in more than four years… & you guessed it I’m in lower management. So in essence I’ve received a pay cut because the cost of benefits has more than doubled & that has nothing to do with the cost of living pertaining to groceries, fuel, utilities, insurance, living expenses… etc. I began to think how difficult it is to save money & the issues we have that constantly arise.
Rev. 6 is about the seals being broken on the scroll that Christ took from the right hand (right hand symbolic of having all dominion, power & authority) of the One who is seated on the throne in heaven. Once read we see that each of the first four seals has to do with judgments authorized by the Lamb (Christ) upon those who dwell on the earth that DO NOT worship the Lamb. These earth dwellers are in stark contrast to those who live on earth & worship the Lamb. Everything in the book of Rev. is black & white, bad vs. good, light vs. darkness, the righteous kingdom of the Lamb vs. the wicked kingdom of the dragon… etc. (I think you get the picture). What is of major significance is what’s said in Rev 6:5-6…
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had 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 denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Revelation 6:5-6 ESV)
And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand…
What we notice here is the rider on the black horse having a pair of scales in his hand. These scales would be likened to a pair of scales used in biblical times during a season of scarcity/famine. These scales are not to be confused with the scales of justice. The point here is that a source of measurement is needed to ration out resources due to shortages. Shortages cause inflation & that goes for perceived shortages as well.
And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying…
The voice coming from the midst of the four living creatures would be none other than the voice of the Lamb that just appeared there in Rev. 5:6. According to the text this Lamb is now ruling over all inhabitants of heaven & earth... He has all glory & dominion. (Rev. 1:5-6; Rev. 5)
And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius,
So the Lamb states that a quart of wheat will be sold for a denarius. A person would work one day’s labor to receive one denarius (our equivalent to an eight hour shift). One quart of wheat was our equivalent to one meal. In normal circumstances it would cost 1/8 to 1/10 of a denarius to purchase one meal. What the voice from the midst of the four living creatures stated drove the price of one meal to a whole day’s wage. This is the price of one meal (one quart of wheat) inflated 800 to 1000%!! The same concept applies to the three quarts of barley. So we see inflation is used by the Lamb as an act of preliminary judgment on the inhabitants of the earth.
and do not harm the oil and wine!”
Now we see that this judgment of famine and or inflation (that can actually be triggered by any one of the first three “seal” judgments) is limited by the Lamb as well. These are preliminary judgments that keep reoccurring at different times & places on the earth until the 6th seal/final judgment is executed. These judgments aren’t comprehensive because of the following reasons:
1. It’s not all of the earth being conquered by military conquest (seal #1)
2. It’s not all of the people on the earth slaying (killing) one another (seal #2)
3. It’s not all resources/places (foods, fuels, countries, classes) effected simultaneously (seal #3)
4. It’s not all people that will die by being violently killed, famine, disease & killed by wild beast... it’s just a fourth of the earth (seal # 4)
We also see in Rev. 6:9-11 & chapter 7 the reason why these judgments are limited (subject to parameters) & are set as precursors to the final wrath to come. It’s for the sake of those who are and will become followers of Christ. We see that while these preliminary judgments are being executed by the Lamb the people that were purchased by Him for God (Rev. 5) are living on the earth as well. So Christ holds back the severity of His wrath for the sake of His people who are still on earth. This is why Peter says:
This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
(2 Peter 3:1-13 ESV)
Christ hasn’t come back to execute the full wrath of God because the number of those set apart to be martyred for the Faith (Rev 6:9-11) & also the number of those who will come to repentance have yet to do so.
So why is it important to understand & live according to what's just been covered? It’s all about the implications for our lives in this present age. The implications are many but here’s a few:
1. There’s a blessing for those that understand & keep/live according to what’s written in Rev… Rev. 1:3
2. Christ is in complete control of everything that is happening in our lives from the grandest to the minutest of details. He’s actually authorizing it.
3. Christ tells us that we are no longer considered slaves because slaves don’t know what the master’s doing. (John 15:15) The book of the Rev. of Jesus Christ is just that… it reveals what our Master is doing & through that it prepares us for all the things we’ll experience before His return.
4. Not only does this prepare us for what we’ll go through but it gives us a hope that unbelievers don’t have while we go through it. That all things work together for the good of those that love Him & are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28) The Rev. keeps emphasizing persevering to the end while giving us a beautiful picture of the end found nowhere else in Scripture. This picture causes us to fix our hope completely on the grace that’s to be given to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 1:13)
5. We as believers experience all of the same trauma in life that unbelievers do… we get robbed, have cancer, experience death, accidents, birth mentally handicapped children & the list goes on & on… the difference between us & them is that we SHOULD (based off of Who we know & what we know of Him) react & live through it in a way that brings attention to the hope that we have in Christ therefore causing unbelievers to question what it is we have that they don’t.
So how did knowing that Christ from His throne is authorizing lack/inflation as a judgment help me not to jump into a self-indulged pity party?
1. It caused me to be thankful for the test because it made me to see that this is God keeping His promise to conform me to His image. My pastor has said that Honda doesn’t put their cars through rigorous testing to prove that they fail, Honda does it to prove that they don’t fail (Mark Vroegop; www.yourchurch.com)… in the same way God puts us through testing to prove to us He doesn’t fail therefore giving us a barometer for where we’re at spiritually. It helps me keep in mind that testing points out where my heart is in proximity to the heart of Christ. It helps me realign my focus back on the things that matter.
2. It helps me see the fruit of the Spirit at work in me in that He’s changing me & working out His will & Word in my life… causing me to trust that even though I can't physically see what I need He has already set aside all that I will need for what He knew was going to happen. (1 Pet 1:5-7)
3. That this trial is actually Him being faithful to me. (Ps 119:75)
4. That the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials & to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the Day of Judgment. (2 Pet 2:6-10)… all that to show how He takes care of His. (Matt 6:25-33)
Grace & Peace,
James Miles
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