Daily Devotional

Hyperinflation is said to occur when a nation’s monetary inflation rate rises by 50 percent or more in a month. During World War II, Hungary experienced some of the worst hyperinflation in history, with a daily inflation rate of 207 percent; prices on goods doubled every 15 hours!

John’s vision of the third seal being opened revealed a time of spiritual hunger and inflation in the world. It begins with a black horse holding a pair of scales. The first horse he saw was white and represented a period of church history that was prosperous in carrying the pure gospel to “every creature under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). Why now a black horse?

Black suggests the opposite of a pure doctrine, denoting a period when false doctrines were infecting and being taught by the church. A pair of scales for weighing goods reminds us of Belshazzar’s feast in Babylon, when the wicked king mocked God; the message given to the ruler was: “You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting” (Daniel 5:27). The church, during the beginning of these Dark Ages (AD 313–538), suppressed Bible truth and is, therefore, symbolized by a black horse.

A voice in this vision proclaims, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius” (Revelation 6:6). A denarius was equivalent to a day’s wage and a quart of wheat was approximately what one person could eat in a day. A married person with four kids would find one quart a stretch. Barley, a cheaper and less nourishing grain, was eaten when times were difficult. Usually, a denarius could purchase 24 quarts of barley. Thus, this period of church history was marked by a famine for “hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8:11).

Fortunately, the oil and wine, which represent gifts from God to provide spiritual strength (Psalm 104:15; Isaiah 25:6; Luke 22:20), were not taken away during this time.

Dear God, give me today the daily Bread of heaven, nourishing spiritual food from Your Word.

For Further Study: Matthew 20:2; John 6:35, 63; Acts 20:29, 30