Revelation 6:1

The First Seal. Chap. 6 Revelation 6:1-2

1. one of the four Presumably the Lion, as the other voices are described as those of the second, third, and fourth. But the voice (so the word "noise" should be rendered: cf. Revelation 10:3-4) like thunder does not refer to the lion's roaring: no doubt the other three voices were as loud.

Come and see The two last words are almost certainly spurious here and in Revelation 6:3; Revelation 6:5; Revelation 6:7: the cry is only "Come!" in all four cases. Who then is to come? Some say the received reading, originally no doubt a gloss, is a correct gloss the Seer is to draw near. But the word is quite different from the "Come hither" of Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9: also there is no sign that he does draw near or has need to do so, and if he has done so once, why is he bidden to do it thrice again? Others take it to be a summons to the Horseman who in fact does come: and this at least is in harmony with the context, and makes good sense, and applies equally to the opening of the first four seals where the same expression occurs. Others, comparing Revelation 22:17; Revelation 22:20, take it as addressed to the Lord Jesus. His creatures pray Him to come and behold, instead of His coming immediately, there come these terrible precursors of His, so increasingly unlike Him. But in an address to the Lord, surely His Name must have been added. It would have been not merely -Come," but -Come, Lord Jesus."