The first horseman of the Apocalypse

[David in NJ]

I thought that maybe if you can see the clues the Revelation gives and understand that just as the horses in Zechariah chapter 1 represent events going on in the earth and the powers behind them, you would be able to understand that the horses in the Revelation are not literal horses but the riders on them represent the powers behind them, and if you look at what the rider of the second horse is doing you would understand that the fact that he's riding a red horse (the color of the dragon in Revelation 12:3) represents the fact that the power behind him is Satan - (the power behind the beast of Revelation 13:1-10).

The first horse represents the gospel going out, and the power behind the rider is Christ. The rider could represent the two witnesses, it could represent the faithful churches.

The rest of the horses also represent the events that are taking place in the earth. Only one rider is given a crown - and it's a crown of victory.

BUT because so many saints have become blinded to this truth by their own interpretations of the first horseman, there was really no point in my saying so.

(Because even now, you and others here will merely tell me (or at least continue to imply by your replies) that it is me who is basing what I just said above on my own (private) interpretations, and (therefore) I don't know what I'm talking about.


So there's no point in going on when the basics of your understanding is faulty because you believe the first horseman is the Antichrist. The second horseman is the Antichrist. It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1) which He gave to His servants, and He knows who the rider of the second horse is and what he is going to do (which is given us in the Lord's Revelation), and this is why John saw the second rider on a red horse (which isn't a literal horse).

The seals describe the events to take place in the earth, and the riders describe the powers behind them.

Whenever I hear Christians saying that Christ is the Antichrist, it makes me shudder, because I realize how much deception Satan is capable of, even in the church.

Something is going to cause what Paul called THE apostasy in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 - something other than the man of sin in the temple - and it's called strong delusion.

If you cannot even identify the difference between a reference to Christ and another to the Antichrist in the Revelation (even when the Revelation gives such strong clues), it makes me shudder for all the saints.

Dear Brother, i want to make a declaration for you and everyone else to discover.
Declaration: It is IMPOSSIBLE, according to Scripture, for the Rider on the White Horse to be the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

[Zao is life]

Dear Brother, i want to make a declaration for you and everyone else to discover.
Declaration: It is IMPOSSIBLE, according to Scripture, for the Rider on the White Horse to be the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear brother David in NJ

To say that the first seal is the Corona virus is practicing eisegesis to the point of ridiculousness. It's not even possible to debate it when you believe in absurdities. Do you believe the earth is flat too? Do you believe in space aliens and that they built the pyramids?

All three of the above beliefs (i.e the Corona virus = the 1st seal, the earth is flat, and space aliens built the pyramids) are equally absurd. There's no point in trying to convince people who believe in these things of the falsehood of their beliefs.

God bless you with the spirit of humility that is needed to learn from the Holy Spirit. Because you keep condemning the intelligence and at times even the salvation of anyone on this board who diagarees with you.

 

[David in NJ]

Dear brother David in NJ

To say that the first seal is the Corona virus is practicing eisegesis to the point of ridiculousness. It's not even possible to debate it when you believe in absurdities. Do you believe the earth is flat too? Do you believe in space aliens and that they built the pyramids?

All three of the above beliefs (i.e the Corona virus = the 1st seal, the earth is flat, and space aliens built the pyramids) are equally absurd. There's no point in trying to convince people who believe in these things of the falsehood of their beliefs.

God bless you with the spirit of humility that is needed to learn from the Holy Spirit. Because you keep condemning the intelligence and at times even the salvation of anyone on this board who diagarees with you.

You believe the White Horseman is Jesus and the Gospel.
Did i say to you this is absurd???

i will say this - It is IMPOSSIBLE for the First Seal which is the White Horse / Rider with Crown & Bow to be the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you a student/follower of Jack Parson?

 

[David in NJ]

Dear brother David in NJ

To say that the first seal is the Corona virus is practicing eisegesis to the point of ridiculousness. It's not even possible to debate it when you believe in absurdities. Do you believe the earth is flat too? Do you believe in space aliens and that they built the pyramids?

All three of the above beliefs (i.e the Corona virus = the 1st seal, the earth is flat, and space aliens built the pyramids) are equally absurd. There's no point in trying to convince people who believe in these things of the falsehood of their beliefs.

God bless you with the spirit of humility that is needed to learn from the Holy Spirit. Because you keep condemning the intelligence and at times even the salvation of anyone on this board who diagarees with you.

You said: Because you keep condemning the intelligence and at times even the salvation of anyone on this board who diagarees with you.[/QUOTE]

This is ABSURD ans FALSE - You need to repent of being an accuser of the Brethren.

And you want to speak of the Holy Spirit???

The very thing you accuse me you yourself has just committed - repent.

 

[Zao is life]

You said: Because you keep condemning the intelligence and at times even the salvation of anyone on this board who diagarees with you.

This is ABSURD ans FALSE - You need to repent of being an accuser of the Brethren.

And you want to speak of the Holy Spirit???

The very thing you accuse me you yourself has just committed - repent.[/QUOTE]

Martyfox and Tuth7t7 are bound in their minds unable to SEE and submit unto God.
They worship false doctrine even when you show CLEAR scripture refuting their error.
Religion is satan's apple pie with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream on top.
They cannot resist it.

The same goes for you. Making the Corona virus the first seal is false.

Instead of claiming to be right all the time, rather just say why you believe what you believe, instead of insulting others when they disagree with you.

Tell us now why you believe that it's "impossible" that the first horse represents the gospel going out conquering and to conquer (the gates of hell not prevailing against it), and the power behind it, is Christ (represented by the rider on the white horse).

Try and do so without implying anyone who does not agree is blind and stupid.

 

[Zao is life]

The antichrist is released starting the tribulation chain of events.

shalom Aleichem

.. and he's represented by the rider on the red horse.

 

[Zao is life]

The antichrist is the counterfeit messiah, as the scriptures show, he pretends to be messiah, so he’s depicted on a white horse as he takes over the whole world.
And using five-dollar words and terms does not make you right, nor intimidate me with your vast intellect.
I choose not to try to impress people or intimidate them by such egotistical means.
BTW inserting personal bias into a text is eisegesis- so you missed the chance to use that term.

You say that inserting personal bias into a text is eisegesis after you have shown repeatedly how you have done just that.

The antichrist is represented by the red horse and its rider.

 

[Zao is life]

All of the 4 horsemen in Rev. 6 are symbolic of the first 4 signs Christ gave in the Olivet Prophecy because they are described by John as appearing in the exact same order in which Christ prophesied in Matt. 24.

1st Sign: "And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many." - Matt. 24:4-5

1st Horseman: "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer." - Rev. 6:1-2

Revelation gives a slightly different description of Christ when He returns riding a white horse, but it makes all the difference:

"His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself..Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.." - Rev. 19:12

The rider of the white horse has only 1 crown and uses a bow, but Christ is described as wearing many crowns and using a sword. The lesson being taught here is that the rider of the white horse symbolizes false religions being spread, including false Christianity.

Another look at Rev. 6:1-2 reveals why the 1st horseman has nothing to do with the true gospel or true religion being spread: the rider's intent is to conquer the world. Christ's intent is to bring peace and happiness to the world. The bow that is used by the 1st rider also signifies that the rider is deceptively more dangerous than the 3 horsemen that follows him, particularly because everything the other 3 riders does are the results of people being deceived by false religions.

Christ only has one crown in Revelation 14:14.

You've missed something about the stephanos and the victory it represents.

 

[rockytopva]

My best bet on the horseman…

White - Democracy
Red - Communism
Black - Islam
Pale - Antichrist

 

[Zao is life]

He isn't wearing a crown he is given one. And he has a bow and he goes out to conquer. JESUS did not spread the gospel throughout the world by conquering. He does it by His Word and love.
IMHO, My Suggestion: The crown given to him is corona virus. It is the Antichrist in charge of the world now and he/with his crown has in fact conquered the world with lies, fear, confusion, death - this is exactly how Satan conquers. This is not popular and most don't agree. If war breaks out in the Middle East with many nations attacking Israel, then you will know the Red Horse is on the move. Famine and death follow behind and accumulate. Pre-tribbers don't want to accept this view because they believe we will be taken out prior to this Great Tribulatuon as well as a Temple needed to be built in Jerusalem.

The gospel conquers. The gates of hell do not prevail against it. Gates are defensive structures protecting cities and kingdoms. The kingdoms of this world are still Satan's kingdoms during this age.

The Antichrist/beast is represented by the red horse. The power behind the rider is Satan, giving the beast his seat, his power, and great authority. He takes peace from the world. The power behind the rider of the white horse is Christ.

You guys have all got Christ and the Antichrist all mixed up in the seals, like Christ is not present in the world, being with His saints until the end of the Age. You've completely removed Christ and the gospel from the seals.

I don't like to have to tell you the truth about this, but it's eisegesis to the point of ridiculousness to link SARS Covid-19 to the first horseman of the Apocalypse.

 

[Zao is life]

Curtis said:
iii. Here we reach an interpretive crossroads of the Book of Revelation. You can tell much about how a person understands this book and God’s prophetic plan by seeing how they understand this first rider. Those who think Revelation is mostly a book of history believe that this rider is Jesus, the apostles, or the Roman emperors. Those who believe that this is a prophetic passage, yet to be fulfilled, often account this rider to be the antichrist.

I find this to be very true in many cases. That how someone sees a certain aspect of Scripture will as often as not depend on how they view other parts. And how freely they are willing to "reinterpret" words outside of their normal use and meaning.

Much love!

Well, by the way you've reinterpreted the first and second seals proves your point - you're the one doing the reinterpreting :)

 

[Zao is life]

The two riders on the white horse are not the same, as a little investigation shows.

The Greek text in Revelations 6 reveals that the crown worn by the rider on the white horse is called “stephanos,” a crown of victory worn by a military conqueror. The Greek word for the crown that Christ wears in Revelation 19 is “diadema” or a crown of royalty. The rider on the white horse in Revelation 6 is the great deceiver, the counterfeit messiah.

Revelation 13:4 confirms he is a great military leader who seems completely unstoppable and unbeatable.

Jesus prophesied that the false messiah would come first, in Matthew 24, followed by the abomination of desolation/son of perdition event - a mid trib event - in verse 15, followed by His coming in verses 30 and 31.

The rider of the first white horse is loosed, and the tribulation begins.

The second one, the red horse, brings death in which 1/3 of the earth die.

Revelation 9:14-15 tells us, “saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.”

The third horse is the black horse of famine, which brings with it a global food shortage.

The rider on the black horse holds up a balance and scale, declaring how much one simple meal will cost…the sum of one day’s wages. There will not be enough to share with family or friends. Just one meal for one day’s wages. Starving people in the coming global famine of the Great Tribulation will kill each other in order to eat.

The Anti-Christ will have complete control over all of the food on planet earth. The oil and wine discussed in the book of Revelation are food for the wealthy, also controlled by the Anti-Christ.

The fourth horse is the pale horse of death. The Greek word for this horse is “cros,” which means green. The CIA Fact Book (1999) states that green is the traditional color of Islam.

Revelation 6:8 says, “So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Islam now controls ¼ of the earth.

The pieces of the puzzle all fit together.

UNDERSTANDING THE FIRST TWO SEALS IN THE REVELATION

The horses and their riders

The horses are not literal horses. The seals are describing events taking place in the world. The riders of the horses represent either the powers behind those events, or the cause of the events being described in the seal.

Here are the clues the Revelation gives regarding the first two seals:

The first horse

The first rider is crowned with a “ stéphanos” (Greek). There are three things we need to know regarding this:-

(i) The stéphanos is a crown of victory, which is also an honour, because it is bestowed upon someone by someone else with a higher status. Its origin is the wreath bestowed upon the victors in the ancient Greek games.

(ii) A stéphanos crown is not the same as a diádēma (diadem), which is a crown of authority (worn by kings).

(iii) The crowns on the heads of the dragon in Revelation 12:3 and the ten kings in Revelation 13:1 are diádēma, but the crowns on the heads of all the following entities mentioned in the Revelation, are stéphanos:-

Rev 12:1 (crown of 12 stars on the woman's head);
Rev 2:10 & 3:11 (the crowns of the saints);
Rev 4:4 & 10 (the crowns of the 24 elders).
Rev 14:14 (Christ).

In Revelation 14:14 Jesus is crowned with a stéphanos (a crown of victory and honour). It’s important to note that in this passage His appearance is in the form of the Son of man (Whom, as we know, has been given a name above all names). But in Revelation 19:19 Christ is crowned with MANY diádēma. In this passage He is returning as King of (all) kings and Lord of (all) Lords (see Revelation 19:16).

The crown on the head of the rider of the white horse (the first horseman of the Apocalypse, Revelation 6:2), is a stéphanos.

Now let’s look at the significance of a white horse in the Revelation:

In the Revelation (and wherever it is found in the Revelation) white is linked to purity, righteousness:-

Jesus' head and hair appear white like wool (Rev 1:14).
The stone with a saint's name written on it is a white stone (Rev 2:17).
The white raiment of the saints (Rev.3:5 & 18; 6:11; 7:9, 13 & 14).
The white clothing of the 24 elders (Rev 4:4).
The white clothing of angels (Rev 15:6).
The white raiment of the bride of Christ (Rev 19:8).
The Great White Throne (Rev 20:11).
Christ seated on a white cloud (Rev 14:14).
Christ returns on a white horse, leading His armies (Rev 19:11).
Christ's armies are riding white horses (Rev 19:14).
The first horseman of the Apocalypse is riding a white horse (Revelation 6:2).

White in the Revelation is never used to represent anything satanic (not even once). The same principle applies to gold (the metal), with one exception:

PURE GOLD
Rev.1:13 & 20 & 2:1 (golden lamp-stands, golden band around the breast of the Son of man);
Rev.3:18 (gold tried in the fire);
Rev.4:4 (golden crowns of the 24 elders in heaven);
Rev.5:18 (golden vials full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints);
Rev. 8:3 & 9:13 (golden censer, golden altar);
Rev. 14:14 (golden crown of the Son of man);
Rev.15:6 (golden bands around the angels' chests);
Rev.15:7 (golden bowls of God's wrath);
Rev.21:15 (golden reed to measure the holy city, new Jerusalem);
Rev. 21:18 (the New Jerusalem is a city of pure gold);
Rev.21:21 (the New Jerusalem's street is of pure gold).

EXCEPTION: FAKE CROWNS AND FOOLS GOLD
"Now the locusts looked like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were something like crowns (stéphanos) similar to gold, and their faces looked like men's faces." (Revelation 9:7)

PURE GOLD AND WHITE IN THE SAME VERSE
"I counsel you to buy from Me gold tried in the fire, so that you may be rich; and white clothing, so that you may be clothed, and so that the shame of your nakedness does not appear. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see." (Revelation 3:18) (Gold is a metal which must be smelted in great heat in order to purify it).

THE NEW JERUSALEM (THE BRIDE, THE PURE CHURCH) VERSUS THE HARLOT:
The New Jerusalem (the bride, the pure church) is a city of gold with precious stones, gates of pearls, and its street is of gold.(Rev 21:18-21). In contrast to this, the harlot is described as a woman who is "arrayed in purple and scarlet. And she was gilded with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication." (Revelation 17:4)

THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORD

The kingdoms of this world are not yet the kingdoms of Christ (Revelation 11:15; John 18:36; Hebrews 2:8b). They are in this present time (this current Age) still the kingdoms of Satan (Revelation 12:12 & 17; II Corinthians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8).

Bear in mind that gates in the Biblical sense are defences that protect cities and kingdoms. The gospel (and therefore the church and Christians) are the enemies of Satan, because the gates of hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). The gates of hades not prevailing against the church speaks of the gospel going forth in the world “conquering and to conquer”. The power behind the gospel is Christ, the same One who is seen wearing a stéphanos crown in Revelation 14:14.

The crown on the head of the rider of the white horse in the first seal is a stéphanos crown. It’s a crown of victory and honour.

The second horse

The second horse is a red (Greek: pyrrhós) horse. Red (Greek: pyrrhós) is the same colour given to the dragon in Revelation 12:3, and these are the only two verses in the Revelation where this word appears.

The dragon gives the beast of Revelation 13:1-10 its/his seat, its/his power, and great authority (Revelation 13:2). The rider of the second horse is given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. He is not wearing a crown, but he is given a great sword. The word great is a translation of the Greek word mégas, but the word “sword” is a translation of the Greek word máchaira, which the Strong’s Greek Dictionary informs us is a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively, war, judicial punishment:--sword.

A “dirk” is another word for a dagger. The word máchaira is from the word máchē, which Strong's informs us refers to a battle, i.e. (figuratively) controversy:--fighting, strive, striving. The root of both words is máchomai, which means to war, i.e. (figuratively) to quarrel, dispute:--fight, strive.

Once it is understood that the seals are describing events taking place in the world, and the riders of the horses represent either the powers behind those events, or the cause of the events being described in the seal, then it becomes much a much simpler task to understand the third and fourth seals.

This is what that highly educated and highly respected Biblical scholar by the name of Matthew Henry had to say about the first horseman of the Apocalypse in his commentary. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote:

QUOTE: Matthew Henry
The Lord Jesus appears riding on a white horse. White horses are generally refused in war, because they make the rider a mark for the enemy; but our Lord Redeemer was sure of the victory and a glorious triumph, and he rides on the white horse of a pure but despised gospel, with great swiftness through the world.
UNQUOTE
I agree, except that the Lord is the power behind the rider on the horse, not the rider. The rider represents those who take the gospel to the world. But this is why the rider of the white horse is wearing a crown of victory.

 

[Zao is life]

I'm curious now about the first mention of "white" . . .

Genesis 30:35 KJV
And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

Interestingly, it's of "white" as being distinct from other colors. Things that make you go Hmmmm.Much love!

Yes, Hmmm. White in the Revelation only represents purity, righteouesness, every time. It's never talking about anything satanic. Not even once. But you need to reinterpret the Revelation, so you grasp at straws. Hmmm.

 

[Zao is life]

And what of someone who is willing to base so much on so little? Shuddering over the state of the church because others won't join you in your speculations?

Much love!

But.. but .. you're the one who's reinterpreted and speculated. So why are you calling yourself out?

 

[Zao is life]

Way Way Off - dear Brother - in no way is it either the gospel and/or our Lord.

White also symbolizes antichrists - wolves in sheeps clothing.

The First Seal has been released upon the world - it is the Plandemic.

The antichrists in white = Big Pharma
The Rider given a crown in which to conquer - Covid - shaped in fashion to a crown with the spikes
The BOW does not come with arrows - WHY - the Bow is the NEEDLE - now think here, think think think - the answer is plain to see

Big Pharma together with the governments have conquered the world - right now - with the Plandemic - more is to come

Brother until you abandon this eisegesis you will never get anywhere.

 

[marks]

Really, the fourth horsemen brings death to 1/4 of the population from wars famine and plagues. That's 1.95 billion people. Do you think you'll be telling people, "Nope, we are not in it yet, it's the 6th seal"?
Well it seems like the world is in a state of confusion, fear anf stress like no other time. We are being lied to and manipulated. It may be the begginning of sorrows that precedes the GT. I think within the next six months we should know if we are getting out of it or deeper into it.

I think the fourth horseman affects 1/4 of the land. I think it was @Curtis who mentioned Islam controls 1/4 of the world.

I find it interesting that most militarized Islamic countries are named in Ezekiel 38. Or at least some years ago when I looked at that. I know we can now add Afganistan to the list.

Much love!

 

[marks]

Pre-tribbers don't want to accept

It should really be just half a like. We pre-tribbers don't just prefer one doctrine over another, any more or less than anyone else.

Much love!

 

[Zao is life]

My best bet on the horseman…

White - Democracy
Red - Communism
Black - Islam
Pale - Antichrist

I like the coincidences and your post, but the seals represent events taking place on the earth, not the political ideologies behind them, but the spiritual power or (as in the case of the third and fourth seals) reason behind those events. Black and pale represent food scarcity and death.

 

[Zao is life]

Are you a student/follower of Jack Parson?

This is another example of your insults and false accusations you hurl at anyone who disagrees with you, which I mentioned earlier.

You need to calm down and be more controlled by the Spirit of our God of order (who is not a God of disorder). Then you will be more rational in your responses.

 

[marks]

My best bet on the horseman…

White - Democracy
Red - Communism
Black - Islam
Pale - Antichrist

To me these show:

White - government turns into the beast
Red - society becomes overwhelmingly violent
black - hyperinflation makes almost everyone poor
green - disease, animals, wars, famines, death over 1/4 of the world

Government, Society, Economy, Ecology are all turned hostile to mankind.

Much love!