The 4 Horsemen

The 4 Horsemen

Text: Matthew 24:21.             

Reading: Revelation 6:1-8.     

First Seal: The Conqueror.

“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.”

Second Seal: Conflict on the Earth.

“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

Third Seal: Shortage on the Earth.

“When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice during 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.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on the Earth.

“When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 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 sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

The next event on God’s timetable is the rapture of the church.

But after the church is taken out of here, meanwhile, back on earth, there will follow a 7-year period like this earth has never experienced before. The Bible calls it the “Great Tribulation.” But remember what Jesus said about the “great tribulation” back in Matthew 24:21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

That is an amazing statement when you think of all the wars/famines/diseases/earthquakes/tornadoes/hurricanes/volcanic eruptions and natural disasters that we see today. You think of all the violence that have taken place all over this earth from the time of Adam and Eve, even until now, and Jesus said, add it all together, and none of it can compare to what the world is about to experience in the “great tribulation.”

Revelation chapter’s 6-19 paints for us a graphic picture of this horrific period, it is so terrible, frightening and horrible that you will think I am overstating the matter, until you see these verses for yourself.

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah said this about the tribulation: “Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labour with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labour, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it” Jeremiah 30:6-7.

Daniel 12:1 goes on to say, “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.”

What God gave to John in Revelation 6-19 is a vision of unspeakable horror. Chapter 5 tells of a 7 sealed scroll, the title deed to the earth. The question was asked: “Who is worthy to open that scroll, and reclaim ownership of the earth from Satan?” We find that Christ alone is worthy! The Lamb is also the Lion!

Now, in chapter 6, the scroll begins to be peeled back, and one at a time the seals are broken. And as the seals are broken, the horrors of the tribulation are turned loose upon the earth, and they unfold before our very eyes. If “grace” and “mercy” cannot bring men to Christ, sadly hell will!

          The first four seals involve the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse. This is what we are looking at today:

1.    THE WHITE HORSE. Revelation 6:1-2.

“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.”

First Seal: The Conqueror.

Let us open the first seal and look at the first horseman on the white horse.     

“Thunder” = indicates a storm is coming. It is the sound of heavy hooves galloping this way! Who is this rider on the white horse, unleashed such terror on the earth at the beginning of the tribulation? Some might think it is Jesus Christ, but it is not, He does not come until the end of the tribulation.

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 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”
Revelation 19:11-12.

That is Jesus Christ coming at the end of the tribulation, but that is not the description given here in chapter 6. Matter of fact, the only likeness is the white horse. So, if the rider on this white horse in chapter 6 is not Jesus Christ, then who is he? I believe him to be the anti-Christ, a phony ruler.

In the Bible:

A white horse represents invasion. 

A bow is a symbol of power and warfare.

A crown indicates power. 

There is coming one last and final dictator to this earth:

He is the anti-Christ.

He is coming on a white horse as a copycat of Jesus Christ. 

He is Satan’s great deceiver, and his deception is so convincing, that even many of the Jews, will believe him, and will think that their Messiah has finally arrived.

He will come on a platform of peace, (notice: no arrows, just a bow) but this last world dictator will bring death and destruction to this earth. You say, how is that possible? How is this going to happen?

Notice it says, “a crown was given to him.” Yes. His power and his authority are given unto him. They are given to him by God. God does not give Satan power to cast his evil deeds upon the evil, but God will allow Satan to test men (like Job).

Note Revelation 17:17 “For God has put it into their hearts to fulfil His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.” According to this verse, God will convince the rulers of the world to give their power to the anti-Christ.

Satan will think that he is in charge. During the tribulation, the devil will think he is calling the shots/running the affairs of earth, but it is God who will control it all. Even when confusion outwardly rules, God is on the throne and in full control.

In the “great tribulation” although man will still have some freedom to choose, by the end of time everything will be according to God’s sovereign plan.

        

2.    THE RED HORSE. Revelation 6:3-4.

“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

Second Seal: Conflict on the Earth.

Red is the colour of blood and of war. The anti-Christ comes on a platform of peace, and one of the things that will push him to power, is his plan which seems to be workable for world peace. He will do something which has never been done, bring peace to the Middle East, but it will not last.

For at the mid-point of the tribulation, after 3.5 years, the second seal is opened, and the rider of the red horse will snatch the peace from the earth.

When you consider current events in the Middle East. Israel is now at war with Hamas, and Iran, among others. The warfront is on all sides, including the northern border. Ezekiel 38 & 39 are all about invaders from the north. The Biblical land of Magog is Russia, predicted to be peaceful until suddenly they invade Israel.  

Now, somebody remind me of the Middle Eastern nation that is the homeland and heart and soul of Russia. That is right, Iran! That passage in Ezekiel talks of horsemen, bows and arrows, the same language John used in his Revelation. Obviously, John is describing 21^st C. events using his 1^st C. language.  

The signs of the times are everywhere. Thank God if you are saved you will be long gone to heaven at this point!

It will come, first, in the form of nation against nation, and it will also come in the form of widespread violence, man against man. Magog is prophesied to bring ‘many others’ with them, possibly the Arab Israel haters from the entire Mid East. But Libya and Ethiopia, which are named in Ezekiel.  

The spirit of hatred will enflame the hearts of men. Remember, at this point the church has already been taken away, and there is no more salt to preserve, no lighter to illuminate. The Comforter and restrainer, the Holy Spirit, is no longer here. That spirit of hatred will be so plain that a man will slit his mother’s throat without blinking an eye. Brother will stab brother in the back, with no hesitation. Parents will turn against their own children!

Can you imagine the confusion, the madness that will rule? You think we live in a violent society now? Well, it is nothing compared to the wicked slaughter which will take place during the tribulation. Dead bodies will lie in the streets/groaning and suffering will be everywhere, and the stench of death will be in the air, (even has I write I see this daily on the news).

The Red horse speaks of discord.

3.    THE BLACK HORSE. Revelation 6:5-6.

“When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice during 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.”

Third Seal: Shortage on the Earth.

Total depravation as the black horse rides by, here is a time of famine. Here is a time of economic disaster and worldwide starvation. War spreads across the world from the middle-east, and food and fuel become more and more scarce.

“A pair of scales,” representing shortage of food during the tribulation, food will be weighed like gold. Whenever there is a storage of anything like fuel or food, the prices go up (so that the seller becomes richer and the poor stave), remember also only those that carry the mark of the beast will be able to buy.

“What is the mark of the beast?”
Answer: The main passage in the Bible that mentions the “mark of the beast” is Revelation 13:15-18.

“He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”

Other references can be found in Revelation 14:9,11,15:2,16:2,19:20, and 20:4.

“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand” Revelation 14:9

“And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name” Revelation 14:11.

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God” Revelation 15:2.

“So, the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” Revelation 16:2.

“Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone” Revelation 19:20.

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” Revelation 20:4.

This mark acts as a seal for the followers of the Antichrist and the false prophet (the spokesperson for the Antichrist). The false prophet (the second beast) is the one who causes people to take this mark. The mark is literally placed in the hand or forehead and is not simply a card someone carries.

The recent breakthroughs in medical implant chip and RFID technologies have increased interest in the mark of the beast spoken of in Revelation 13. It is possible that the technology we are seeing today represents the beginning stages of what may eventually be used as the mark of the beast. It is important to realize that a medical implant chip is not the mark of the beast.

The mark of the beast will be something given only to those who worship the Antichrist. Having a medical or financial microchip inserted into your right hand or forehead is not the mark of the beast. The mark of the beast will be an end-times identification required by the Antichrist in order to buy or sell, and it will be given only to those who worship the Antichrist

Verse 6 “A measure of wheat for a penny, and a measure of barley for a penny.”

This represents one day’s food supply in that day, and the penny represents one day’s wages at that time.  So, during the tribulation, a man will have to work all day, and it will be all he can do just to buy enough food for that day. It will be all a person can do just to keep body and soul together and alive.

Again, we already live in a world of everlasting hunger. We tend to forget, or not even believe that here in the land of plenty…but it is true. 1/3^rd of the world is starving, 1/3^rd is underfed, and if you have got enough to eat, you are in the upper third! But a world-wide famine is coming in the tribulation on an unmatched scale.

Verse 6 “And do not harm the oil and the wine.”

These represent the luxury foods of John’s day. The horseman was told not to tamper with these items. In the tribulation, the poor will get poorer, and the rich will get richer. The leading group of the wealthy will retain their riches through a moral sell out to the antichrist, and they will be the few who will carry on in normal fashion, as the vast majority are totally deprived.

The black horse represents starvation and deprivation like the world has never seen.

4.    THE PALE HORSE. Revelation 6:7-8.

 “When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 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 sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on the Earth.

How can we watch as the 4^th horseman rides by, and as we think of the word “Death?”   

Verse 7 “When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse.”

“Pale” comes from Greek word that speaks of a ghastly green colour, it carries the idea of a body that has turned green and has become rotten with decay, and according to verse 8 during the tribulation, 1/4^th of the world’s population will die. Let that soak in. Right now, that represents well over 1.5 billion people! How will this happen?  

         

What an unbelievable chain reaction will take place then at this fourth seal opening:

First: The White Horse = dominion/antichrist.            

Second: The Red Horse = division/war/violence.

Third: The Black Horse = deprivation/famine/starvation.

Fourthly: The Pale Horse = death will come across all the world.

Death will come to over a billion people, it would be impossible to bury them all! But that is not the end of it. John saw 2 personalities associated with this pale horse, look again at verse 8:

          “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 sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Notice the Capital ‘D’ Death, and Hell followed. This means that while death claims the body, hell claims the soul, after death comes judgment and hell, and no one will be able to escape.

Conclusion:

Although fear motivation is not the very best motivation to get saved by. When the preaching of the “love of God” does not bring repentance. We can only encourage people to come to Heaven. But sometimes we need to preach the “wrath of God” to bring people to repentance, so that they are saved from Hell.

The Bible says when Noah built that ark, he was moved with fear of what was coming. If you are not saved right now and this message scares you, you have got good reason to be afraid! For these 4 horsemen are ready to ride, they are saddled up, and soon will be upon those that have no fear of God and will not accept His love and grace.

The stage is set for the rapture of the church, and these seals will begin to be opened, and these 4 horsemen will ride.

          Jesus said, in the last days there will be a great increase in earthquakes, famines, and pestilence (incurable diseases). And you cannot watch the news today without seeing all 3 regularly. If you will pick up your Bible in one hand, and a newspaper in the other, it is hard to be blind to the fact that we are in the closing shadows of this age.  

If you are not saved, you better get saved now!