We read In the book of the Revelation 6:1-2 “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.2 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.”
The Lord usually gives us insights into the symbolic language found in the book of Revelation, by clues given in other parts of scripture. I believe the 4 horsemen where sent by God as part of His righteous judgments. Jesus also proclaimed the starting point of this judgment before his death, when He said "now is the judgment of the world" in John 12:31.
I believe these 4 horsemen are “symbolic” of the “four sore judgments” of God shown to us in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 14:21 “For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send “my four sore judgments” upon Jerusalem, “the sword”, and “the famine”, and “the noisome beast,” and “the pestilence,” to cut off from it man and beast?”
The first 3 horseman carry each a judgment, but the 4th horseman carries all 4 sore judgments upon the world. Notice the 4th horseman’s judgments compared to Ezekiel 14:21’s “ four sore judgments”
Revelation 6:8 “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.”
This is a real close match to the Ezekiel judgments determined upon Jerusalem, and so I believe that is what we are seeing in the 4 horseman judgments; except this time they shall be also upon the entire world. I believe the first horseman represents the coming of the prince of this world, or Satan; which includes the coming of his spirit, aka the spirit of antichrist.
Revelation 6:2 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.
I believe this symbolizes the Prince of this world, which is Satan, being cast down to begin the judgments of this world. Notice what Jesus said in John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
The reason Jesus said he has nothing in me, is because the lie has no place in the Truth, and sin has no place in righteousness, as Death has no place in Life.
The first horseman was on a white horse, (Christ look alike) but that's the deception of Satan, who looks outwardly to be an angel of Light. (white)2 Corinthians 11:14“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Notice in Revelation 6:1 when the Lamb opened the first seal John heard the sound of thunder. Usually when you hear thunder, you also have lightning right? Well listen to Jesus description of Satan being cast down from heaven in Luke 10:18 “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan “as lightning” fall from heaven.” And we also know lightning looks “white”.
The rider on the white horse was given a crown, just as Princes are given crowns and power. Also he carried a bow, which I believe is symbolic of his nature like Nimrod, and Esau (who were mighty hunters) In Genesis 10:9 we read “He was a “mighty hunter” before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the “mighty hunter” before the Lord.” Genesis 10:10 “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar.”
So Nimrod is “symbolic” of the latter Prince, or King of Babel ,or Shinar; which is later known as “mystery Babylon” .
Also Esau is “a sign” of one who had a bow and was also a “cunning hunter”...Genesis 25:27 “And the boys grew: and Esau was a “cunning hunter”, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.”
Keep in mind the Lord said the serpent was more “cunning” than all the beasts He had made. We were also told that Satan shoots fiery darts or arrows at us; which are also shown as words as well. The Lord also warned the children of Israel inJeremiah 16:16 He would send for many“hunters”, and they shall “hunt them”from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Moving on to the second horse in Revelation 6:3-4 “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.4 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.”
First thing notice the second beast speaks on the second seal, and then we’ll see the third beast speaks on the third seal, and then finally the 4th beast speaks on the 4th seal. This to me indicates a timing of events, each one in its own order.
Also notice the horseman was given power to do what he did, and then notice that his judgment was to take peace from the earth as he was given a great sword.So who gave him the power to do so, and who gave him the sword? Notice Jesus' words here... Matthew 10:34 “Think not that I am come “to send peace” on earth: I came not to send peace, “but a sword.”
So Jesus not only proclaimed the judgment on this world, but he also proclaimed he did not come to send peace at this time to the world, but a sword. I’ve heard some people say “if God were in control of this world it wouldn’t be this way.” But if people truly knew the words of God, then they would also understand why things are the way they are, because the Lord said it would be this way as a part of His righteous judgments on a wicked world.
Now to Revelation 6:5-6 “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.”
Notice the rider has a pair of balances in his hand, which represents the kingdom being “weighed and measured”. This is the sign of famine as shown in Ezekiel 4:16 “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat “bread by weight”, and with care; and they shall drink water “by measure”, and with astonishment:”
This horseman also has to do with the measures of wheat and barley, which are also symbolized here in 2 Kings 7:18 18And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures” of barley for a shekel, and “a measure” of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:” (notice 3 measures mentioned)
To be continued…
The Lord usually gives us insights into the symbolic language found in the book of Revelation, by clues given in other parts of scripture. I believe the 4 horsemen where sent by God as part of His righteous judgments. Jesus also proclaimed the starting point of this judgment before his death, when He said "now is the judgment of the world" in John 12:31.
I believe these 4 horsemen are “symbolic” of the “four sore judgments” of God shown to us in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 14:21 “For thus saith the Lord God; How much more when I send “my four sore judgments” upon Jerusalem, “the sword”, and “the famine”, and “the noisome beast,” and “the pestilence,” to cut off from it man and beast?”
The first 3 horseman carry each a judgment, but the 4th horseman carries all 4 sore judgments upon the world. Notice the 4th horseman’s judgments compared to Ezekiel 14:21’s “ four sore judgments”
Revelation 6:8 “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.”
This is a real close match to the Ezekiel judgments determined upon Jerusalem, and so I believe that is what we are seeing in the 4 horseman judgments; except this time they shall be also upon the entire world. I believe the first horseman represents the coming of the prince of this world, or Satan; which includes the coming of his spirit, aka the spirit of antichrist.
Revelation 6:2 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.
I believe this symbolizes the Prince of this world, which is Satan, being cast down to begin the judgments of this world. Notice what Jesus said in John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
The reason Jesus said he has nothing in me, is because the lie has no place in the Truth, and sin has no place in righteousness, as Death has no place in Life.
The first horseman was on a white horse, (Christ look alike) but that's the deception of Satan, who looks outwardly to be an angel of Light. (white)2 Corinthians 11:14“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Notice in Revelation 6:1 when the Lamb opened the first seal John heard the sound of thunder. Usually when you hear thunder, you also have lightning right? Well listen to Jesus description of Satan being cast down from heaven in Luke 10:18 “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan “as lightning” fall from heaven.” And we also know lightning looks “white”.
The rider on the white horse was given a crown, just as Princes are given crowns and power. Also he carried a bow, which I believe is symbolic of his nature like Nimrod, and Esau (who were mighty hunters) In Genesis 10:9 we read “He was a “mighty hunter” before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the “mighty hunter” before the Lord.” Genesis 10:10 “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar.”
So Nimrod is “symbolic” of the latter Prince, or King of Babel ,or Shinar; which is later known as “mystery Babylon” .
Also Esau is “a sign” of one who had a bow and was also a “cunning hunter”...Genesis 25:27 “And the boys grew: and Esau was a “cunning hunter”, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.”
Keep in mind the Lord said the serpent was more “cunning” than all the beasts He had made. We were also told that Satan shoots fiery darts or arrows at us; which are also shown as words as well. The Lord also warned the children of Israel inJeremiah 16:16 He would send for many“hunters”, and they shall “hunt them”from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Moving on to the second horse in Revelation 6:3-4 “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.4 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.”
First thing notice the second beast speaks on the second seal, and then we’ll see the third beast speaks on the third seal, and then finally the 4th beast speaks on the 4th seal. This to me indicates a timing of events, each one in its own order.
Also notice the horseman was given power to do what he did, and then notice that his judgment was to take peace from the earth as he was given a great sword.So who gave him the power to do so, and who gave him the sword? Notice Jesus' words here... Matthew 10:34 “Think not that I am come “to send peace” on earth: I came not to send peace, “but a sword.”
So Jesus not only proclaimed the judgment on this world, but he also proclaimed he did not come to send peace at this time to the world, but a sword. I’ve heard some people say “if God were in control of this world it wouldn’t be this way.” But if people truly knew the words of God, then they would also understand why things are the way they are, because the Lord said it would be this way as a part of His righteous judgments on a wicked world.
Now to Revelation 6:5-6 “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.”
Notice the rider has a pair of balances in his hand, which represents the kingdom being “weighed and measured”. This is the sign of famine as shown in Ezekiel 4:16 “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat “bread by weight”, and with care; and they shall drink water “by measure”, and with astonishment:”
This horseman also has to do with the measures of wheat and barley, which are also symbolized here in 2 Kings 7:18 18And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures” of barley for a shekel, and “a measure” of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:” (notice 3 measures mentioned)
To be continued…