The Third Seal - AR 312, 315, 316 - A Black Horse

AR 312

So I looked, and behold, a black horse.
(Revelation 6:5)

This symbolizes an understanding of the Word
among them extinguished as to truth,
thus extinguished as regards their doctrine.

We showed above
that a horse symbolizes an understanding of the Word.
Blackness symbolizes a lack of truth, thus falsity,
because blackness is the opposite of whiteness,
and whiteness is predicated of truth.
Whiteness is also the result of light,
while blackness results from darkness,
thus from the absence of light, and light means truth.

AR 315

"A quart of wheat for a denarius,
and three quarts of barley for a denarius."
(Revelation 6:6)

This symbolically means,
because the value these people
placed on goodness and truth was so little
as to be scarcely anything.
This is the symbolic meaning because a quart,
which is a measure and its contents,
symbolizes the character of a thing.
Wheat and barley symbolize goodness and truth,
and a denarius, being a very small coin,
symbolizes a value so little as to be scarcely anything.
Three quarts of barley are specified
because the number three symbolizes all
and is predicated of truths

AR 316

"And do not harm the oil and the wine."
(Revelation 6:5)

This symbolizes the Lord's provision
that they not violate and profane
the goods and truths concealed inwardly in the Word.

Oil symbolizes the goodness of love,
and wine the truth springing from that goodness.
Thus the oil here symbolizes sacred goodness,
and the wine sacred truth.
The Lord's provision
that these not be violated and profaned
is symbolized by the people's being told not to harm them.
For this instruction
came from the midst of the four living creatures,
thus from the Lord.
Whatever the Lord says He also provides.