Revelation 6:5,6

5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

After the third seal is opened, the third creature tells John to go and see. John sees a black horse and the individual who rides on him has a scale in his hand; food is weighted out for money. This is a picture of famine and rationing of the world s food supplies. What is being described is just enough food for one person to live on for one day and the penny decribes one day's wages. It will cost a full days wage to just get enough food to survive on.

Food will become very expensive for the daily wage earner but the rich may fare better. Oil and wine are prepackaged luxury foods that apparently will not be under the food-rationing program. In war, the perishable crops are disrupted. Pre-packaged food like oil and wine will probably be available for those who can afford it. Rationing of basic stables is common during times of war along with crop disruptions and this is what is being pictured here on a large portion of the earth. Food rationing will make it possible for government to gain near total control over the people. At this point in time, any true democracy in the world will be dead.