The Black Horse

Another horse of the tableau is described by John in these words: “And I saw, and, look! a black horse; and the one seated upon it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice as if in the midst of the four living creatures say: ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.’”​—Revelation 6:5, 6.

Are you hungry? Millions are. They are directly affected by the rider of the black horse, denoting famine. Every minute 30 children die for lack of adequate food or medicine​—more than 15 million a year! Hundreds of millions of other people live in deplorable conditions. According to former World Bank President Robert McNamara, they are “so limited by illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, high infant mortality and low life expectancy as to deny them the very potential of the genes with which they are born.”

In recent months, it has been common to see pictures of starving African men, women, and children. Graphically portraying the scope of such suffering, UN Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar warned: “More human beings may die in sub-Saharan Africa than during the entire Second World War. Even those who survive may be impaired for the rest of their lives, either physically or mentally.” These victims are directly affected by the ride of the black horse.

You may not be hungry, but surely you have been affected by the sad pictures of the famine stricken. According to a New York Times editorial of May 20, 1985, more than a billion dollars had by then been contributed to supply aid to the famished. While you may not have contributed directly, some governments have made large contributions, using tax money. Yes, the ride of the black horse has both a direct and an indirect effect on the whole population.

BLACK HORSE: The rider of this horse denotes food shortages and famine. While millions are starving, others are still able to buy luxury foods.