"And behold, I saw a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow;
and a crown was given to him: and he went forth conquering, and to
conquer" Revelation:6:2The Apostle John , while under house arrest on the Island of Patmos for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ
, is given one of the most well known visions of the Book of Revelation; the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Even non Christians have heard of or mis-heard of them.
There have been debates,conjuncture and speculation through out the centuries as to what these four riders and their respective horses represent. It seems clear from the tone of John's writing that the four represent a genuine and real world problem(s) and conditions for humanity, problem(s) which humanity are unable to adequately cope with on their own.
Jesus Opens
John,
in vision has been given a glimpse of the very throne of the great God,
the Apostle sees in the hand of God a scroll or a book which is sealed
up with seven seals that none can yet look into it and read. John is
grieved that there seems to be none worthy to open the seals of the book
that it might be read and understood but he is comforted by an angel ,
with the assurance that Jesus is the One Who is worthy and able to break
the seals.
"I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written
inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy
to open the book and to break its seals?”
And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open
the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no
one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
and
one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is
from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open
the book and its seven seals."
"And
I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the
elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes,
which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb"Revelation:5:1-8a
Come
In each case, these horses are introduced with the word "come"
, it is implying that their presence and coming forth to ride through
human history is and are being divinely allowed for God's purpose which
is being worked out in human history.
The first to ride is the White Horse, then Red, Black and a Pale sickly green.
The order that they emerge is very important and teach us much about what each is and why they are.It is generally understood that the interpretation for the four horse is found within Jesus' Olivet Prophecy or Olivet Discourse in the Gospel accounts .
If we follow a White Horse(s), which brings conflicts within and without, in our lives we will find relationship become "sickly" , they will lose their once healthy luster and take on a sickish cast that ends in a dead relationship. All lost due to the following at the very onset the White Horse of a false Christ, which could not make good on all its the glittering promises.
Only Our Lord Jesus can and will fulfill everything that we could ever hope for.He is that One that all humanity truly needs, He is One Who rides the White Horse of Victory, Righteousness and Purity, He and He alone offers us all ,what all the others can never bring. He brings us peace, eternal abundance and life unending in the Kingdom over which He rules...We ask Ride forth Lord Jesus, Ride forth into all our lives.... Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The first to ride is the White Horse, then Red, Black and a Pale sickly green.
The order that they emerge is very important and teach us much about what each is and why they are.It is generally understood that the interpretation for the four horse is found within Jesus' Olivet Prophecy or Olivet Discourse in the Gospel accounts .
Olivet Prophecy
In Matthew:24, Mark:13 and Luke :21.
In this prophecy Jesus gave His disciples the over arching conditions
found in human civilization from that time and untill "end of the world", these conditions would intensify and worsen until "the end"
when conditions will be to the extent that it is needful for God
Himself to intervene in human history and save humanity from himself by
sending Jesus Christ to extend the Kingdom of God over all things.
Many scholars, but not all , lean to the understanding the horses of Revelation as the White representing False Messiahs, the Red War, the Black Famine, Peal Sickness. This thought is derive, Jesus' words of the Olivet discourse which outlines the problems which humanity has, and will face from 33 AD until the time of Jesus coming in the years ahead of us.
In the Roman world in which the Apostle John wrote, he would have seen this white horse as representing the person of the Roman Emperor and his personalty cult and worship of the Empire in the person of the Emperor.
The order of their appearance is significant: False Messiahs , which can be anything, politicians, philosophies, ideologies will inventively lead to War. Wars' always cause famine and economically hardship, and which lead to epidemics , sickness and mass death.
Where the word of God is spoken as a sword which proceeds forth from the mouth of our Lord, "Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations." Revelation:19:15 . This White horse however has his own quiver of grandiose promises that cater to the flesh, that is our human carnally and a message that which speaks of them into the human heart which at first glance looks good but in the end runs them through who ever embraces them.
This
pattern is repeated through out human history. When or where ever a
False Messiah rides forth into history promising to bring what only
Jesus can bring , they will lead their followers to War with others who
do not share their devotion to their Messiah, that will bring the
famine and economic stress then sickness and death. This has repeated
over and over in humanities history. False Messiahs have come in the
form or philosophies, political dogmas, personalities, religion each
time they strive for control over the human heart and soul make grand
promises of glory but bringing in the end suffering and death.
But I would like to ask your indulgence, for a moment, to ask that we look not outward at the stage of human events but into our own lives. Do these horses ride across the land scape of our lives? Many interpret the White Horse as a great false Messiah or false prophet that emerges on the world stage in the years to come, but what about us, is there "something" in each of our lives that promises to deliver and bring what only Jesus can bring, promising peace, fulfillment life of meaning? Is there a White Horse that rides in our lives ?
This "something", can be just about anything, a person, gold or silver, position, fame, lands and titles, bricks and mortar, accomplishments , something to stimulate us, an experiences or even a relationship.
If there is "something" that beckons to us offers to give what only Jesus can, if this White Horse is riding in our lives then it will dictate how we live and spend our personal resources.
If the White Horse of a false messiah has ridden forth in our lives, it will lead to unleashing the Red Horse of conflict, war, with others, as others do not embrace or share our devotion to our "messiah", that is what we believe is giving us what only Jesus truly can.
As
the Red Horse of war rides forth in conflict with those around us, and
it is when we pursue the White Horse that the Red Horse rides among our
lives as well igniting conflict and strife with others, just as with
nations.
"From where come wars and conflicts among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" James:4:1
Just as rationing and famine accompany wars , we will find that our lives will became rationed, that is whatever we look to other than Jesus, that something else will dictated how we spend our lives our personal resources of time and money. Our personal resources will go more and more toward devotion to and of the White Horse, that is , whatever we look to other than Jesus will determine how we uses the economies of our lives.
Many scholars, but not all , lean to the understanding the horses of Revelation as the White representing False Messiahs, the Red War, the Black Famine, Peal Sickness. This thought is derive, Jesus' words of the Olivet discourse which outlines the problems which humanity has, and will face from 33 AD until the time of Jesus coming in the years ahead of us.
In the Roman world in which the Apostle John wrote, he would have seen this white horse as representing the person of the Roman Emperor and his personalty cult and worship of the Empire in the person of the Emperor.
The order of their appearance is significant: False Messiahs , which can be anything, politicians, philosophies, ideologies will inventively lead to War. Wars' always cause famine and economically hardship, and which lead to epidemics , sickness and mass death.
Where the word of God is spoken as a sword which proceeds forth from the mouth of our Lord, "Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations." Revelation:19:15 . This White horse however has his own quiver of grandiose promises that cater to the flesh, that is our human carnally and a message that which speaks of them into the human heart which at first glance looks good but in the end runs them through who ever embraces them.
Throughout History
Horses in Our Lives
But I would like to ask your indulgence, for a moment, to ask that we look not outward at the stage of human events but into our own lives. Do these horses ride across the land scape of our lives? Many interpret the White Horse as a great false Messiah or false prophet that emerges on the world stage in the years to come, but what about us, is there "something" in each of our lives that promises to deliver and bring what only Jesus can bring, promising peace, fulfillment life of meaning? Is there a White Horse that rides in our lives ?
This "something", can be just about anything, a person, gold or silver, position, fame, lands and titles, bricks and mortar, accomplishments , something to stimulate us, an experiences or even a relationship.
If there is "something" that beckons to us offers to give what only Jesus can, if this White Horse is riding in our lives then it will dictate how we live and spend our personal resources.
If the White Horse of a false messiah has ridden forth in our lives, it will lead to unleashing the Red Horse of conflict, war, with others, as others do not embrace or share our devotion to our "messiah", that is what we believe is giving us what only Jesus truly can.
Red Horse of War
"From where come wars and conflicts among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" James:4:1
Black Horse of Famine
Just as rationing and famine accompany wars , we will find that our lives will became rationed, that is whatever we look to other than Jesus, that something else will dictated how we spend our lives our personal resources of time and money. Our personal resources will go more and more toward devotion to and of the White Horse, that is , whatever we look to other than Jesus will determine how we uses the economies of our lives.
Pale Horse of Sickness
If we follow a White Horse(s), which brings conflicts within and without, in our lives we will find relationship become "sickly" , they will lose their once healthy luster and take on a sickish cast that ends in a dead relationship. All lost due to the following at the very onset the White Horse of a false Christ, which could not make good on all its the glittering promises.
Only Jesus
Only Our Lord Jesus can and will fulfill everything that we could ever hope for.He is that One that all humanity truly needs, He is One Who rides the White Horse of Victory, Righteousness and Purity, He and He alone offers us all ,what all the others can never bring. He brings us peace, eternal abundance and life unending in the Kingdom over which He rules...We ask Ride forth Lord Jesus, Ride forth into all our lives.... Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion
2101 Old National Pike
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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