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This Bible study will step on some toes, however, it is not my intention to offend. As Paul said:
Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. - 2 Corinthians 7:9-10
The Lord wants us to understand the book of Revelation. He makes this desire clear in the Book of Revelations first and last chapters:
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear [with understanding]
the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which
are written therein: for the time is at hand.
- Revelation 1:3
AND
And he saith unto me, Seal not [do not keep them secret] the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. - Revelation 22:10
Therefore, when we, the followers of Christ, read this book it should not be a mystery. However, both Daniel and Paul imply that the wicked either cannot, or will not understand.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. - Daniel 12:10
AND
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the
Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
The premise of this study is that, with a little prayerful study, the four horsemen are easy to understand, they are four different philosophies or religions controlled by the state. In John’s time they were future philosophies; today three of the four horsemen have already become history.
I will try to prove each of these points going to the book of Revelation and looking at each of the four horseman individually. Doing so, we will try to learn learn the identity and belief system of each horseman from his color and symbols.
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. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. - Revelation 6:1-2
First, a little history: the emperor Constantine instituted the marriage between Christianity and the state in what is now known as the Roman Catholic Church. This first church of the Roman Empire was not just a church; after Rome's fall, she had her own kingdom, the Papal States, as well as rule over the other kingdoms of Europe. The Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church, are all state churches and children of the Roman Catholic Church.
The state church created the divine right of kings. When King Henry VIII wanted to get a divorce the pope, as his authority, forbade it. Though England split off from the Church of Rome in the early fifteen hundreds, King Henry VIII continued to hold to the state-church system. A little later, when Martin Luther separated from Roman Catholicism, he too continued the state-church system. One big difference between between the Christianity that Jesus taught and the state church is that the state church uses the sword of the civil government to make her converts.
The white horse in the Book of Revelation is the State-church; a church that is authorized and controlled by political leaders, not Jesus Christ. Members of a state church cease to be martyred for their testimony of Jesus and, as history has shown, she has killed "heretics" herself.
Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. - Revelation 3:4
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon
white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
- Revelation
19:14
If you get your concordance out and look up the color white in the Bible, you will see that it is the color of Christianity, therefore this horseman will claim that his authority comes from Jesus Christ.
The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines the word bow as "A bow (apparently as the simplest fabric)". If James Strong's definition is accurate, this bow may not refer to a weapon but, rather, to a man of the cloth, a metaphor that today refers to the priesthood or clergy of the church.
Since the white horse has a crown, the state church must have one too. The Pope has a triple crown called a Triregno. According to a Roman Catholic website 1 the Papal Tiara is formed by three crowns and it symbolizes the triple lordship of the Pope: father of kings, governor of the world and Vicar of Christ.
As already mentioned, the founder of the state-church system was the emperor Constantine. He was inspired by a vision of a cross of light above the sun with an inscription that said, By this, conquer. In obedience to this vision, Constantine put the cross as an icon on his shields, then went forth and conquered Rome. At that time he was crowned king of the European part of the Roman Empire. Constantine literally went forth conquering and to conquer. A historical look will show that since that time, the Roman Catholic Church continued to conquer kingdoms in a campaign that lasted till the seventeenth century.
The white horseman's goal is the whole world, and as an eternal city, she is patient.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. - Revelation 6:3-4
There is are only two world powers that are associated with the color red, communism and socialism. And these powers are only associated with one color: red. The red horseman is socialism. While the former Soviet Union claimed to be communist, the initials U.S.S.R stood for United Soviet Socialist Republic. While the ideologies of communism (left wing) and socialism (right wing) are theoretically on opposite sides of the political spectrum, there is little difference between these two philosophies, as far as the red horseman is concerned.
Did the Red Horseman make his appearance carrying the Communist Manifesto? Did he came forth in the early nineteenth century with the guillotine during the French revolution? It's hard to say, but in any case, socialism and it's religion, atheism, peeked during the red horseman's domination after World War II.
After the red horse’s ride to power, was the cold war (the 1950s through 1980s). During this time, the communists did indeed take peace from the earth. As a child in the 1960s, I remember fearing the communists, and with good cause. The death toll at the hands of the different communist and socialist leaders is staggering.
From the French revolution onward, the communists and socialists have murdered countless millions of their own people. The communists have exported their bloody revolutions over much of the world. The purging of the middle and upper class is common when toppling the government of a country.
It's interesting to note that, in contrast to the white horse, the red horseman never went forth conquering. Specifically, no country has ever been overthrown by any other communist country. The communists always overthrow their own countries from within. The two exceptions to this rule were Germany's failed attempt to conquer during World War II, and the countries given to the former Soviet Union at the end of WWII by the United States and Great Britain.
The fear of communism lead to history's largest arms race and stockpile of weapons of mass destruction. Many people speculate that there are still enough weapons to kill all of humanity several times over. The former Soviet Union, though an economic disaster, still has a formidable army. Though we are not afraid of Communist China now, they may wake us up soon.
The red horseman's goal is to conquer the whole world, and he is trying to be patient.
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. 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.
- Revelation 6:5-6
While Islam was founded over 1,300 years ago, it is only now, in the twenty first century, threatening to become a world power. Like the two horsemen before it, this one makes converts by force. Islam can justify this believing that is only serves the one true God and Muhammad, his prophet.
The symbol of Islam is a crescent moon, which implies nighttime or blackness. Muslims traditionally dress is black The black flag (far right) is carried during an Islamic Jihad.
An interesting note: Muhammad, the founder of Islam, began life as a merchant trader. Even at the age of twelve, he accompanied his uncle Abu Talib with a merchant caravan into Syria.
Today, Islam’s biggest weapon is not a sword or weapon of mass destruction, it is oil. It is the threat of an oil embargo that has paralyzed the western world in its ability to deal with Muslim terrorism. Western leaders are afraid that if we upset them, they will stop selling us their oil.
(in John's day the penny, or 'dēnarion', was a day’s wage (see Matthew 20:2-13). A common interpretation of this symbol is extreme poverty coexisting with extreme wealth (wine and oil). Islam has extreme wealth from producing and exporting oil and their sheiks are opulently wealthy. At the same time, the poorest third world nations are in Islamic countries. Often this poverty and wealth exist only miles apart from each other. The west may not appreciate the wealth of the Islamic countries, however if they would use their wealth for good rather than spending it fighting Israel, the Middle East could become the second Garden of Eden.
The black horseman's goal is the whole world, and after waiting for over thirteen hundred years, he may be running out of patience.
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale
horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.
And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill
with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the
earth.
- Revelation 6:7-8
As this is the last horseman, he will proclaim the last ideology to deceive the world. The word for pale is translated 'green' (like the color of grass) in every other passage of Scripture. The followers of this horseman will rally around a green flag. Using contemporary thinking, green might be associated with worshiping the earth. While many expect the last world's last religion to be that of the New Age Movement, currently the symbol for that is a rainbow.
There are two riders mentioned here by name. Both Daniel 2:54 and the book of Revelation* also mention two world leaders that will arise at the end of the age.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake
of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and
shall be tormented day and night forever and ever
- Revelation 20:10
The religion of these horsemen will incorporate Satanism; you see this in both the riders’ names and in other portions of scripture.
And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the
beast: and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who
is able to make war with him?
- Revelation 13:4
The first rider’s name is Death, so perhaps he will be the first beast in Revelation chapter 13, who will deceive the world into believing that he has received a deadly wound.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. - Revelation 13:3
Or perhaps this is just a reference to the pale (green) horseman’s preoccupation with death.
It is interesting to note that many environmentalists believe that the world is over populated. There is a New Age or environmental monument in central Georgia, called the Georgia Guide Stones. The first commandment on the guide stones is to “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature”. To do this would require the elimination of five and a half billion people. The third commandment on the guide stones call for a one-world language. Finally, it will require a one-world government to implement the fifth and sixth commandments.
The second rider on the pale horse is named Hell. Is this the second beast in Revelation 13?
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. - Revelation 13:11
Will this rider be he who makes the whole world receive a Mark and worship an image?
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. - Revelation 13:16-17
Is his name Hell because the people who do worship the image of the beast will suffer eternal torment?
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. - Revelation 14:9-11
As the other horsemen before them, these last two riders will compel obedience to their belief system.
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. - Revelation 13:15
Many Bible students speculate that the antichrist will come out of a revived Roman empire. This seems possible in light of Daniel chapters 2, 7 and Revelation 13. In addition, Daniel chapter 8 implies there will be a second beast or goat. This one comes out of a divided Greek empire and may be the second beast mentioned in Revelation 13:11
When these two, Death and Hell, have power over one quarter of the earth, does this mean that they will kill one quarter of the earth, or that the realm of their kingdom will be limited to one quarter of the earth?
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. - Isaiah 13:12
AND
Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and
a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their
cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because
their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
- Jeremiah 5:6
AND
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the
LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven,
and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
- Jeremiah
15:3
Perhaps people will go along with Death's extermination policy, believing that they are doing good by reducing the earth’s population. In the 20 century there was an epidemic of people being mass murdered at the hands of their own government. The former USSR, Germany, and China have all killed their own people by the millions. It seems obvious that those who oppose the pale (green) horseman's wishes will be the first ones who are considered unfit to live.
Some of the symbols of the pale (green) horse may seem difficult to comprehend literally. However, looking at the first three horsemen should make it easier to see that God is telling us exactly what is going to happen in the near future.
The goal of the pale (green) horsemen (Death and Hell) will be the whole world.
The prophet Daniel says that a king understanding dark sentences will stand up (Daniel 8:23). Daniel also implies that he will come up out of what was once Alexander the Greats' empire (8:21-23 and 11:2-6). Daniel refers to two kingdoms calling them the north and the south. We can see two kingdoms, which if not the exact north and south in Alexander's empire they are north and south in relation to Israel.
I believe the north and south may are best known as Egypt (Ptolemaic) and Syria (Seleucid). Today Egypt and Syria may be more united than most westerners think.
On the left is the flag of the former United Arab Republic, it has the colors of all four horsemen. The two green stars represent Egypt and Syria, remember that the last horse was green and had two riders) . The United Arab Republic was one sovereign country from 1958 to 1961 when Syria seceded from the union. If you look at the map it does not take a genius to figure out what one main goal of the United Arab Republic would be.
And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a
fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts. -
Isaiah 19:4
I do not know if the United Arab Republic will come back to life, but it is interesting to speculate on.
Either way, there is also another interesting development in the middle east. The rise of Hamas to power. The name of the pale green horsemen are Death and Hell. The Hamas not only waves a green flag, it is obsessed with death and hell (terrorism). A quote from the TIMESONLINE.co.uk
"Fighting intensified on the northern outskirts of Gaza City yesterday as a Hamas leader warned that the Islamists would kill Jewish children anywhere in the world in revenge for Israel’s devastating assault."
Would the world embrace a prophet, if he arose from the Hamas performing miracles?
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. - Revelation 13:13-14a
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the
altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How
long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on
them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of
them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little
season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be
killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
- Revelation 6:9-11
According to Revelation, after the four horses go forth the souls under the alter cry, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” These are the souls of God’s people, the faithful ones that the horsemen have murdered during the last two millennia.
The state church has been both anti-Semitic and a persecutor of Christians. During the middle ages, church leaders tortured people in the name of Jesus. Often those whom they were torturing or burning at the stake were Christians, real Christians. Sometimes the state-church persecuted the Jews. Few Christians realize the shameful truth that church history is full of anti-Semitism. This horse is white because its rider is trying to associate himself with Jesus Christ, nevertheless there is a wide difference between his and Jesus Christ´s behavior.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. - 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Today in many countries of the world there is still a state controlled church. These countries also have an underground church where Christians are still suffering martyrdom because they worship God according to their conscience.
The religion of this horseman is atheism, and as an atheist 3 he believes that all belief in a personal God is dangerous. He sees all the suffering caused by the white horseman, but is blind to his own behavior.
Like the other horsemen he is both anti-Semitic and a persecutor of Christians. Richard Wurmbrand, who was himself tortured in a communist jail for fourteen years, has a ministry called Voice of the Martyrs. This ministry is a good source for information about the Christians who have been and are being tortured for their faith by the communists.
One strange phenomenon about the red horse is that, while many Jews are socialist or Marxist, countries controlled by Marxists (such as the former Soviet Union) are themselves very anti-Semitic.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. - Zechariah 2:8
Like the first two horsemen, the black horseman converts by force. Also, like the first two horsemen, he persecutes Christians and Jews. Even today, many Islamic leaders believe that the United States is the great white Satan and Israel is the little white Satan. The cause of most terrorist acts today are Muslims who believe that they will get a special place in their version of heaven if they die a martyr. Their version of being a martyr is to die while killing as many Christians or Jews as possible.
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. - John 16:2
The pale (green) horse and its two riders will have the same three characteristics that the other horses have: they will demand absolute obedience and they will hate Christians and Jews.
As gentiles, we cannot help it if are born under the control of one these ideologies, yet we can choose how we will respond to them. History shows that countless have been tortured and slain because they have stood up to the state church, communism, and Islam. Soon we will have the fourth horse and his two riders, Death and Hell. When their day comes, what will you do?
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. - Luke 21:33-36
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? - Revelation 6:12-17
In chapter five of Revelation, an angel asked the question, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to lose the seals thereof?”
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. - Revelation 5:3
The apostle John wept because no man was found worthy to break these seven seals and open the scroll.
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold,
the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open
the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
- Revelation 5:5
Jesus has not only opened this scroll, he has also shared its contents with us. We are able to read this, not because we are worthy, but because of His great mercy. Jesus only is worthy; He went through great tribulation and was still faithful. He has a right to prepare His saints to stand up to the horsemen.
Jesus said:
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. - Luke 21:36
For those who wish to study this more deeply, Zechariah recorded two similar visions of horsemen. The first vision is in chapter one.
8 - I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white..
9 - Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee what these be.
10 - And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
11 - And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
13 - And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
14 - So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
15 - And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
16 - Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am
returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it,
saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon
Jerusalem.
- Zechariah 1:8-16
The second vision is in chapter six.
1 - And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 - In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3 - And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grizzled and bay horses.
4 - Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
5 - And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 - The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grizzled go forth toward the south country.
7 - And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 - Then cried he upon me, and spoke unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
9 - And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
10 - Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah;
11 - Then take silver and gold, and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest;
12 - And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
13 - Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. - Zechariah 6:1-13
Here are some notes from Zechariah's two visions that I found of interest:
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
- Revelation 1:7
Written by Jeff Barnes.
[1]
www.vatican.va/news_services
/press/documentazione/documents
/sp_ss_scv/insigne/triregno_en.html
[2] Until this horseman actually makes his appearance, some of my thoughts are only educated guesses.
[3] In Germany, under Nazism, the red horseman also flirted with the occult for a season.
[4] While I haven't established the connection between the horseman and the kingdoms in Daniel chapters 7, 8, 11, or in Revelation 13. There are two different beasts (kings or kingdoms) in Daniel chapter 7 and 8, the same as there are two beasts (kingdoms) in Revelation 13. Also note that the second beast in Revelation 13:11 has two horns (kings) which may be the same two kings that are in Daniel 11. Are these the two riders on the pale horse?