^6:6 And I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."

And I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four LIVING CREATURES saying,

The charge is given to the third horseman from the midst of the four living creatures. Since they surround the THRONE, it is the ONE who sits on the THRONE who gives this charge. God Himself is speaking.

"A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius;

A denarius was roughly equivalent to a day's wages. And the quart of wheat or three quarts of barley the equilavent of daily food consumption. This, then, says that during the "famine", all our wages would go to feed us. No more luxury living!

and do not harm the oil and the wine."

This has been interpreted several different ways by Bible scholars. On a purely physical level, it would indicate that the rich will still have their luxuries; on a symbolic and spiritual level, this would indicate that the Holy Spirit should still be permitted to do His functions on the earth.

Oil was used extensively in the tabernacle. Olive oil was the oil in the temple lamps, Exodus 27:20-21. And the lamp was to burn continuously. Thus one could say that the churches will be thriving during this time.

In Jesus' time, oil and wine was used as medical treatment when one was injured. This was the case in the "Good Samaritan" discussion, Luke 10:25-34-37. The suffering during the famine certainly could be eased by the oil and wine.