And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse, and the one sitting upon it had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living beings saying: “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of wheat barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine.” Revelation 6: 5, 6

Contrary to popular opinion, in which this horse/rider represents corruption of faith, I am in the camp of those who believe that the black horse represents a lack of light. In other words, a people (mainly heathen) lacking the light of truth; a people who are excusably ignorant about God.

They are excused because they have never heard the gospel, but in their hearts they unknowingly follow the Commandments and worship the Creator; having heard His voice speak to them from nature. Because God knows their hearts — that they’re living faithfully according to the light they have (acts 17: 30) — God will continue to extend His mercy and grace. He will work with them; only to give up on them should they become convicted of the truth and trample on it.

Therefore, the rider of this horse is the same as the first horse’s rider. It is God in control. As for the balances held in His hands, they can be thought of in this sense: “Thou art weighted in the balances, and art found wanting” (Dan. 5: 27). Another example in context with the black horse is Job asking God to weigh him “in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity” (Job 31:6). Or David declaring that “men of low degree” and “high degree” are “to be laid in the balance . . .” of God’s judgment (Psalms 62:9).

Now as for “wheat” and “barley.” These are agricultural terms much like Jesus used in talking about harvesting the field in John 4: 35. The fields of wheat and barley make no difference. Both represent souls to be harvested. In fact, both are the same monetarily…  a penny. In human terms, it means they’re worth the same too; even though barley, meaning common people, are more abundant. The wheat refers to the few who are privileged. Both are of the same value to God who calls and judges them both.

Finally, Jesus warns those of us walking with Him, represented by the white horse, not to hurt the “oil” and “wine.” We must ever be cautious not to be harsh and unfeeling criticizers of those innocently walking in darkness (the oil: the many and the wine: the few). Love, not hurt, should guide God’s people.

A reminder: All four horse/riders are on the earth simultaneously. Always has been; always will until Christ returns.