Revelation 6:1 kjv

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

Revelation 6:1 nkjv

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see."

Revelation 6:1 niv

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"

Revelation 6:1 esv

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, "Come!"

Revelation 6:1 nlt

As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, "Come!"

Revelation 6 verses

Revelation 6 1 Meaning

Revelation 6:1 marks the commencement of the dramatic unveiling of God's judgments upon the earth. It portrays the exalted Christ, depicted as the Lamb, exercising His unique authority to initiate the unfolding of a sealed scroll, symbolizing God's sovereign plan for history and the end times. The act of opening the first seal by the Lamb, witnessed by John, immediately triggers a powerful divine summons, issued by one of the four living creatures around God's throne, signifying that these events are directly under divine authorization and initiation. This summons, expressed with a voice like thunder, calls forth the rider of the first horse, setting in motion a series of divine judgments.

Revelation 6 1 Context

Revelation 6:1 stands at a pivotal point in John's apocalyptic vision, immediately following the worship of the Lamb in Revelation 5. Chapters 4 and 5 establish the heavenly throne room, the absolute sovereignty of God the Father, and the unique worthiness of the slain Lamb (Jesus Christ) to execute God's ultimate plan for history. No one else in heaven or on earth was found worthy to open the seven-sealed scroll. Thus, chapter 6:1 marks the transition from heavenly adoration to the beginning of earthly judgments and events, which unfold as each of the seven seals is opened. The preceding context emphasizes Christ's ultimate authority and sacrifice as the foundation for the unfolding judgments. Historically, John wrote Revelation during a time of intense Roman persecution under Emperor Domitian, providing comfort and hope to suffering believers that God, through Christ, remains in ultimate control, will judge their oppressors, and will bring about His righteous kingdom.

Revelation 6 1 Word analysis

• I watched: Greek: Καὶ εἶδον (Kai eidon), "And I saw." This emphasizes John's direct observational experience of the vision, reinforcing the authenticity of the prophetic revelation. It positions the reader as a witness to these divine unfoldings through John's sensory input.
• as the Lamb: Greek: Ἀρνίον (Arnion). This diminutive term "little lamb," consistently used for Christ in Revelation, powerfully contrasts vulnerability with immense authority. It highlights His unique qualifications to execute God's plan, derived from His sacrificial death and triumphant resurrection (Rev 5:6-9), establishing Him as the central figure of redemption and judgment. This divine paradox confronts worldly concepts of power.
• opened: Greek: ἤνοιξεν (ēnoixen). An aorist indicative verb, denoting a singular, completed action. It signifies the authoritative and definitive act of beginning the judgment process, an action only He was worthy to perform (Rev 5:3).
• the first of the seven seals: Greek: μίαν ἐκ τῶν ἑπτὰ σφραγίδων (mian ek tōn heptastōn sphragidōn). These seals are symbolic fasteners on a scroll, a common ancient method for securing legal or prophetic documents and ensuring their authenticity. The scroll itself contains God's decreed plan for the ages, revealing parts of this divine purpose with each broken seal. The number "seven" signifies divine completeness, implying a full revelation of God's overarching judgments and interventions.
• Then I heard: Greek: Καὶ ἤκουσα (Kai ēkousa). This shifts John's observation from visual to auditory, indicating an important vocal component to the unfolding events. It further affirms the multi-sensory nature of the divine revelation.
• one of the four living creatures: Greek: ἓν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων (hen ek tōn tessarōn zōōn). These celestial beings, introduced in Rev 4:6-8 (and with Old Testament parallels like Eze 1), surround God's throne, representing aspects of divine presence or created order. Their initiating voice underscores that the ensuing judgments are not chaotic but are divinely authorized and orderly proceedings orchestrated by the beings closest to God's throne.
• say in a voice like thunder: Greek: φωνῇ ὡς βροντῆς (phōnē hōs brontēs). The simile comparing the voice to thunder conveys power, majesty, and awe. This sound is reminiscent of God's own powerful voice (Ps 29:3-5; Ex 19:16), signifying the solemnity, gravity, and undeniable force of the command. It implies that the event being summoned is divinely willed and carries overwhelming impact.
• "Come!": Greek: Ἔρχου (Erchou). This direct imperative command, issued to the rider of the white horse described in the very next verse, serves as a divine summons. It dramatically launches the event or judgment associated with the first seal, initiating the sequence of events contained within God's sovereign plan. Its forceful nature denotes immediate and certain action.
• The Lamb opened... I heard... "Come!": This sequence of actions highlights a crucial dynamic. The Lamb has the authority, the living creature around the throne delivers the command, and an agent (the rider) is summoned to execute it. This illustrates the hierarchical yet unified working of God's sovereign plan.

Revelation 6 1 Bonus section

The identity of the specific living creature (lion, ox, man, eagle) that speaks in Rev 6:1 is not specified, but each of the four living creatures is responsible for summoning one of the first four riders. Some interpretations suggest the creature that summons the first rider (on the white horse) might be the one resembling a lion, symbolizing kingship and might, which aligns with the potential for conquest inherent in the first rider. There's ongoing scholarly discussion about whether the rider on the white horse represents Christ Himself in a triumphant advance or a deceptive power mimicking Christ's victory. Regardless of the rider's identity, the paramount message of this verse remains that the unfolding of global events, even those signaling conflict or deception, are entirely initiated and permitted by the authority of the Lamb, reinforcing God's supreme control over all of history.

Revelation 6 1 Commentary

Revelation 6:1 serves as the prologue to the earth-shaking sequence of the seal judgments, centralizing Christ, the Lamb, as the sole worthy agent of cosmic execution. His act of opening the first seal signifies that He alone has the authority—granted by His finished work on the cross—to unravel God's prophetic timetable for humanity. The command to "Come!" uttered by one of the living creatures, whose voice thunders with divine power, emphasizes that these unfolding judgments are not random occurrences or natural calamities. Instead, they are precise, divinely orchestrated summonses directly from the heavenly throne, signaling the start of a predetermined course of action under the Lamb's authority. This verse reassures believers that even as tribulation and judgment unfold, all things are under the direct control and sovereign will of the triumphant Lamb of God, guaranteeing ultimate justice and the triumph of His divine purpose.