Revelation 6:5-8 The famine; pestilence; and Death and Hell.
The concept of judgment with the sword; famine and pestilence is clear from Jeremiah 14:12; 27:13 and 42:17; Ezekiel 5:12; 7:15 and 14:21. There are two of these three judgments together in portions of Leviticus and Deuteronomy and certainly other places as well. What is unique here is the pale horse signifying death and the "beasts of the earth". This has been defined as a possible veiled reference to viruses or bacteria; or perhaps literally animals attacking people. What we see in this pale green horse is the power behind all this; men being accelerated to hell (as Isaiah 5:14 states hell has enlarged herself). Matthew 24 also discusses wars and famines and verse 9 gets into the 5th seal of persecution of saints.
In looking at the Restrainer ( 2 Thess. 2:6-7) we also can look at the fact that once removed; not only will wickedness spread at accelerated pace; but also judgments and the rate the lost are being sent to hell. Perhaps the Tribulation believers will be pretty much exempt from these plagues as it seems martyrdom is the most common form of death. There is no specific mention until the trumpet judgments of the 144,000 and possibly others being protected from certain judgments. These verses seem to show by and large lost people are judged this way even BEFORE the mark of the beast is instituted. It is God who ultimately determines the course of pestilence as well as war; and clearly no efforts of man will curb this judgment. Obviously; starvation will not only come from the wars; but by the droughts and other natural disasters unleashed; again mentioned as a particular signs and wonders action the 2 Prophets engage in as "often as they will." ( Rev. 11:6). Again; there appears to be some lag time for these prophets to appear; and perhaps end their ministry just after the midpoint of the 7 years. It is unclear if a delay occurs between the Rapture and first seal as well.
The concept of judgment with the sword; famine and pestilence is clear from Jeremiah 14:12; 27:13 and 42:17; Ezekiel 5:12; 7:15 and 14:21. There are two of these three judgments together in portions of Leviticus and Deuteronomy and certainly other places as well. What is unique here is the pale horse signifying death and the "beasts of the earth". This has been defined as a possible veiled reference to viruses or bacteria; or perhaps literally animals attacking people. What we see in this pale green horse is the power behind all this; men being accelerated to hell (as Isaiah 5:14 states hell has enlarged herself). Matthew 24 also discusses wars and famines and verse 9 gets into the 5th seal of persecution of saints.
In looking at the Restrainer ( 2 Thess. 2:6-7) we also can look at the fact that once removed; not only will wickedness spread at accelerated pace; but also judgments and the rate the lost are being sent to hell. Perhaps the Tribulation believers will be pretty much exempt from these plagues as it seems martyrdom is the most common form of death. There is no specific mention until the trumpet judgments of the 144,000 and possibly others being protected from certain judgments. These verses seem to show by and large lost people are judged this way even BEFORE the mark of the beast is instituted. It is God who ultimately determines the course of pestilence as well as war; and clearly no efforts of man will curb this judgment. Obviously; starvation will not only come from the wars; but by the droughts and other natural disasters unleashed; again mentioned as a particular signs and wonders action the 2 Prophets engage in as "often as they will." ( Rev. 11:6). Again; there appears to be some lag time for these prophets to appear; and perhaps end their ministry just after the midpoint of the 7 years. It is unclear if a delay occurs between the Rapture and first seal as well.
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