A pair of scales.

To measure something like weight.

Rationing, eating measured

out food and water.

Rationing of food during a

famine.

Session 11 Black Horse of Famine and

Economic Collapse

In Session 9&10 we saw war break

out in the Tribulation. In Session 8 we

saw the False Prophet institute a world

currency on behalf of the Antichrist.

In this session we see economic

impact of war and how the Antichrist

manages the world economy. Please

read Revelation 6:5-6.

1. What does the rider have in his hand?

2. What is the primary function of this item?

It would appear that food is about 10

times the normal price.

It appears that

the economic conditions are one thing

being measured here. Wheat is more

expensive for the more “upscale” of

people

while barley is less expensive

for the common man. At 1000%

inflation on the price of food we and

identify this economic condition as

hyperinflation. We will explore the roots of what causes hyperinflation in a little bit.

Next, we will determine what else the scales might be used for/represent. Please read

Ezekiel 4:10-11,16

3. What is happening in Ezekiel 4?

4. What else could the scales of

Revelation 6:5 represent?

Now we look at one more aspect of

Revelation 6:5 that is easy to

overlook but it actually has meaning.

For a hint at what aspect we are

Definition of the word Hyperinflation

In 1956 Phillip Cagan, an economist working

at America’s National Bureau of Economic

Research, published a seminal study of

hyperinflation, which he defined as a period in

which prices rise by more than 50% a month.

Ezekiel 4:10-11,16 NIV

10 Weigh out twenty shekels[a] of food to eat each day and eat it at

set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin[b] of water and drink

it at set times.

16 He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food

supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety

and drink rationed water in despair,

Interesting Facts

“

Food items such as sausages, grains and butter were rationed in the

USSR/Russia from the mid-1980s for about a decade. Unlike in

India today, the Soviet rationing system distributed food to the

whole country and not just poor people.” – Russia Beyond

(Notice the scales for measuring the food)

Revelation 6:5-6 NIV

5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living

creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black

horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I

heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,

saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of

barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

A terrible famine is going on for

everyone in the city.

Bright white, Bright red like rubies

and bright blue (Lapis Lazuli).

The darkest black

One

Using other foreign currencies to

survive.

referring to please read Lamentations 4:4-8.

5. What is the scene described in this

passage?

6. What are the colors described when

things are going well for the wealthy

and the princes of Israel?

7. What is the one color that describes

them after the bad times - the same

color that is found in Revelation

6:5?

Now we can identify what is really

happening to the people of the Tribulation

due to the hyperinflation. What might

cause this hyperinflation situation during

the Tribulation? Review the Wikipedia

definition for Hyperinflation and

Revelation 13:16-17.

8. How many currencies are active

under the economy of the Antichrist?

9. According to the Wikipedia definition

what is an “escape” from

hyperinflation?

So, we see that once hyperinflation starts

in the Tribulation there will be no escape for the people! A core aspect of

hyperinflation is the “printing of money” for a government to pay a debt. A

government can start down this road because of several reasons

a. War

b. A pre-existing weakness in the economy like relying upon tax income from a

single commodity (oil and farming are examples)

c. Some sort of “shock” to the economy

d. Corruption or looting

In historical cases of hyperinflation, the government suddenly finds that the people

cannot pay taxes because they can only buy necessities. So, they begin introducing

even more currency into the system in a spiral out of control.

Lamentations 4:4-8 NIV

4 Because of thirst the infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its

mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them.

5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those

brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.

6 The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help

her.

7 Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their

bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.

8 But now they are blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the

streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry

as a stick.

Wikipedia Definition for Hyperinflation

In economics, hyperinflation

is very high and

typically accelerating inflation. It quickly

erodes the real value of the local currency, as

the prices of all goods increase. This causes

people to minimize their holdings in that

currency as they usually switch to more stable

foreign currencies, often the US dollar.[1]

Prices typically remain stable in terms of

other relatively stable currencies

Revelation 13:16-17 NIV

16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and

slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,

17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark,

which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

War and other shocks to the economy like the Rapture and forcing the

use of one currency.

It is not physical cash or coin it is only a

“mark” on the person. (Inconceivable in the

age of the bible)

It will be as easy as adding numbers to a digital ledger.

10. Out of the 4 reasons for hyperinflation mentioned above what two do we have

some evidence for in scripture?

While the exact causes of the hyperinflation of the Tribulation period cannot be

proven conclusively, the Red Horse of War directly proceeds the Black Horse of

Hyperinflation and Famine. Also, we can probably deduce that the elimination of all

other currencies on the planet besides one will be a shock to the world economy

unlike anything we have seen before.

Now we need to delve a little more deeply into the progression of hyperinflation and

how the bible might give a clue as to how this hyperinflation will be different than

any other case in recorded history.

Review Revelation 13:16-17 again and answer the following question as best you can.

11. What form does the currency in the Tribulation

take?

Logically, from our knowledge of current

technology. Being unable to buy or sell unless you

have a “mark” sounds like some sort of cashless system where paper currency is not

involved. We will explore the connections of prophecy to the current times in a later

session. For right now we are just exploring how a paperless currency effects the

progression of hyperinflation.

12. If hyperinflation typically progresses in explosive fashion from “printing more

paper money” how would it progress in a digital paperless currency?

Wrap up

The Rider on the Black Horse presents a picture that should be hard to imagine for

most people that have grown up in the United States. While preparing this study I was

amazed at the realization that the scales in the hands of this rider likely at least

partially represent measuring food out by weight (rationing) due to the horrible

economic conditions during a famine. I think fully comprehending these horrifying

scenes in the future from our privileged position in this country is difficult. The

progression of events as illustrated by the 4 horsemen proceeds logically and

increasingly more terrifying. The details match what we see in history for cause and

effect. Deception, hatred and power craving dictators lead to wars which lead to

economic ruin, and finally we see in the next session all of this leads to Death on a

scale that we have never seen on this planet.

Interesting Facts 2

Bitcoin was introduced in 2008 by a

person or persons going by the

pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The

creator(s) of the first digital currency

are anonymous. Their identity

remains unknown.