2. White Horse: Conquering aggressive power in providential action (Zech. 6).
Crown: Imperial authority.
Red Horse: Power with frightful carnage.
Sword: War. Slaughter.
5. Black Horse: Sorrow and mourning.
Pair of Balances: Accuracy in measure because of scarcity (Ezek. 4:16; 5:1, 10, 12; 14:1316Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: (Ezekiel 4:16)
1And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair. (Ezekiel 5:1)
10Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds. (Ezekiel 5:10)
12A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them. (Ezekiel 5:12)
13Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: (Ezekiel 14:13)).
6. Oil and Wine: The luxuries of the rich.
8. Pale Horse: Excessive mortality by sword, famine and pestilence (Ezek. 5:16-17; 14:12-2116When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread: 17So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it. (Ezekiel 5:16‑17)
12The word of the Lord came again to me, saying, 13Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: 14Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. 15If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 17Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: 18Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 19Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 20Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. 21For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? (Ezekiel 14:12‑21)).
Fourth Part of the Earth: A limited portion of the Roman earth.
9. Under the Altar: As having been as sacrifices to God; their lives offered up.
12. Earthquake: Convulsion of the whole structure of society. Darkening and subversion of established authorities.
Sun Black as Sackcloth: Alienation from God and Satanic darkening of the ruling power.
Moon as Blood: All derived authority in a state of death morally.
13. Stars Fallen from Heaven: Open apostasy of subordinate authorities.
14. Heaven Departed as a Scroll: General convulsion and overthrow of all governmental order.
Mountains: Seats of authority in stability.
Islands: Mercantile seaports as sources of wealth: independent interests (Isa. 23:2, 62Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. (Isaiah 23:2)
6Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. (Isaiah 23:6); Jer. 25:2222And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea, (Jeremiah 25:22); Ezek. 27:3, 153And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord God; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. (Ezekiel 27:3)
15The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony. (Ezekiel 27:15)).