6:5 A black horse followed symbolizing the ravage of war, namely, famine. Antichrist, the cause of this famine, seems to be the rider (cf. Matt. 24:7b). He carries a pair of balance scales, a symbol of commerce, indicating his control of commodity prices.
6:6 The voice in the middle of the four living creatures must belong to God or the Lamb, probably God the Father since He is the source of all these judgments (cf. v. 11). The price of wheat (good food) and barley (cheap cattle food) will be very high. A quart of wheat would provide one meal, but it would cost a whole day's wages. In John's day a denarius would purchase 12 to 15 times as much food. The poor would have little money left over for oil, for fuel and health needs, and for wine to drink (cf. Ezek. 4:16-17). "Do not harm"means, "Do not tamper with"reflecting the strict control over prices that ungodly rulers under Antichrist's leadership will have at this time.
The causes of the famine were not extremely severe since they killed the wheat and barley but not the vines and olive trees (v. 6) whose roots go deeper.256As the Tribulation grows worse, the rich as well as the poor will suffer, but at this early stage the poor will suffer more than the rich. Probably the wars that the ungodly rulers under Antichrist's leadership begin will reduce the food supply greatly. These rulers will control it strictly with consequent suffering for many people (cf. Luke 21:11).
