The Red Horse Is Riding...Revelation 6

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)

In John’s vision of the throne room of God, a drama unfolds which is of universal significance. The One who sits upon the throne holds a book in his hand. The book is the Word of the consummation of the plan of God to undo all of the effects of the fall; sin, death, decay, corruption, and to usher in a new creation. “Behold I make all things new”, saith the Lord.

But as we saw earlier, only a man can open the seals of the book, “for by man came death”, therefore , “By man (must) come the resurrection of the dead”. But who is worthy to open the book?

There is only one man who is qualified to open the book and commence the New Creation of God. Jesus of Nazareth, who bears in his own body the marks of slaughter, having offered himself to the Father as a sacrifice for our sins is worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof.

The seals are in effect the necessary preconditions for all that is in the book to begin to come to pass. When the Cherub cried out “Come!”, it wasn’t Christ who came but a White horse and rider.

The rider on the white horse is the spirit of “Anti-Christ”. He offers a substitute Kingdom of God, and a substitute salvation for the earth. Christ will come to judge the world on a white horse, but first AntiChrist must ride. The actual person, who is designated as the Son of Perdition, also as the Beast, the little horn, arrives in the context of the Spirit of AntiChrist, which pervades the world.

The world he comes to, and which for the most part receives him, has been preconditioned already, to reject anything that smacks of the real Christ, as being “judgmental”, “Homophobic” and “negative”. Those who have helped to prepare the world to embrace the “New Christ” are the “many anti-christs”, (false teachers, and false prophets), which John warned about even in his day.

The opening of the second seal unleashes another precondition for the return of Christ, the rider of the red horse. The red horseman brings in a tsunami of wanton violence upon the whole world. As in the days of Noah, when “violence covered the earth”, so shall it be in the time of the red horseman.

The rider of red horse comes from God to defy the aspirations of all of those who have attempted to construct a beautiful humanistic world of peace without repentance and to the exclusion of God.

How the humanists and atheists long for peace! But it must be denied them. I remember clearly the elation we all felt when the “Evil Empire”, the Soviet Union and her satellite states collapsed into the “dustbin of history”. One American sociologist even wrote a book about it called “The End of History” in which he posited that the west would now usher in a golden age of peace, prosperity and global trade.

But there can be no peace. Not without repentance.How vain is the imagination that we can construct a humanistic Eden without God ? What did we think would become of us ,seeing we sanction the slaughter of the unborn, promote perversions such as homosexuality and fornication? Should we be surprised at the violence and insecurity of the “brave New World” we have constructed without God?

Radicalized, oil financed Islam is just one of the expressions of the ‘red horse’ of violence.

We in the west are of necessity now familiar with a new terminology, using Arabic words such as “Jihad”, “Shariah”, and “al Taqqiya”, for it seems as though the temporary restraints have been lifted from the Mohammedans. Through the combination of the folly of immigration policy and multiculturalism’s destruction of western civilizational confidence Muslims have never seen better prospects for their long coveted subjugation of the western world.

Think of the billions that have been spent in security, the countless hours spent waiting at checkpoints in airports and other transportation hubs, removing shoes, having magnetic images made of our naked bodies,for entire traveling populations, so that we won’t have to profile the adherents of a murderous ideology.

Violence has already been a factor in human history, but several factors contribute to my sense that the Red Horse is Riding across the world. The heavy levels of immigration, legal and illegal contributes to increased levels of ethnic violence, crime, and the overall balkanization of whole populations, especially in the west.

The entertainment media is saturated with violence. Children can soak themselves in vicarious murder and mayhem through the various video games, which are often a virtual orgy of violence. Even our athletics are hearkening more and more to the gladiatorial days, as cage fighters, the obscene parody called pro wrestling, and Ultimate fighting becomes ever more popular.

The culture of death, ie the acceptance of abortion as birth control is itself a phenomena of immense violence. The USA recently passed the 50 millionth abortion milepost.

Why should any be surprised by a Kermit Gosnell, whose “clinic” was raided after he botched one too many abortions and killed two of his “Patients”? It was discovered that he had actually brought eight babies to term and murdered them with a pair of scissors. His squalid “women’s Health center” was overlooked numerous times by Philadelphia health inspectors. Why? They wouldn’t want to inhibit abortion in any way, thus this animal was allowed to practice “medicine” for years on the poor and ignorant.

Should we be surprised at the judgments overtaking us? The crime waves, terrorism, illegal immigration and the lawlessness that it engenders, are all manifestations of the red horse of violence who takes peace from the earth.

The homo-sexualization of society on every level portends violence as well. In spite of the best efforts to disguise this unseemly aspect of the perversion, the truth can’t be long hidden. Sexual perversion is violent, even murderous. The Bible doesn’t portray Homosexuals as ‘poor, oppressed and bullied minorities”, but as violently depraved sinners, who will stop at nothing to fulfill their lusts.

There will be no “Age of Aquarius” or any sort of humanistic utopia fashioned by our godless elite in spite of their best efforts. Already the Red Horse of violence is riding, and the only relief will be found in the new Ark, the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Already the Red Horse of violence is riding, and the only relief will be found in the new Ark, the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you started and stopped right there, we both could be praising God because that statement there is the Truth. But you had to screw it up, so much that it doesn't even fit the classic Dispensationalist model; in fact it doesn't fit into any recognized eschatology since orthodoxy makes the Red Horse a visible truth over the entire span of the Church, and Dispensationalism makes it some wierd post-Rapture wax nose prophecy allowing the creative interpreters great license to shape it anyway they want. (which you prove to do in the bulk of your post)

The rider on the white horse is the spirit of “Anti-Christ”. He offers a substitute Kingdom of God, and a substitute salvation for the earth. Christ will come to judge the world on a white horse, but first AntiChrist must ride.

Hundreds of millions of Christians over the last two thousand years would be aghast over this claim since the white horse has always been understood to be the Gospel, the rider represents Jesus Christ, the bow is the preaching of the Gospel and the conviction of sin, the crown signifies our LORD's kingdom, conquering was the Gospel coming first to the Jews and then the Gentiles until the whole world received the Good News.

Only modern preachers who would read "The Revelation of Jesus Christ" and turn the passages upside down so that our LORD is not king, that the Gospel does not conquer, that the Great White Horse is the Anathema, and that the reigning king is Satan. Only modern preachers would strip Jesus Christ out of His own Revelation and replace him with Satan, Hell, Sin and Despair.

A White horse is the Antichrist? White? Where on earth did you get the idea that White was associated with sin, lawlessness and wickedness? Reverend Jeremiah Wright? The color white in Revelation has always been associated with Christ's Righteousness [Rv 6:11, "white in the blood of the Lamb" (7:14); "white throne" (20:11; "white horses...linen" (19:14)] , yet here you gratuitously associate White with Sin and Hell? What got into your head, man?

The rider of red horse comes from God to defy the aspirations of all of those who have attempted to construct a beautiful humanistic world of peace without repentance and to the exclusion of God.

The same believers above would categorically reject this perversion and immediately recognize that the red horse is the emblem of war and represents the persecution and martyrdom of the saints. Over the centuries different men have ridden this horse of persecution of the Church, Vespasian, Artabanus, up until the Stalins and Maos of our era.

We in the west are of necessity now familiar with a new terminology, using Arabic words such as “Jihad”, “Shariah”, and “al Taqqiya”,

And those people over the past thousand years, like the Crusaders or those in Spain and Portugal under the brutality of the Umayyad Caliphate would be totally unfamiliar with any of these things. (sigh)

The entertainment media is saturated with violence. Children can soak themselves in vicarious murder and mayhem through the various video games, which are often a virtual orgy of violence.

Are you serious? You are about to claim that the passages in Revelation 6 are prophesying over R rated movies and video games? Never mind the burning and actual slaughter of real Christians - even the six million Gospel professing Christians slaughtered in the Congo this last decade - no, our self-absorbed vanity demand that the real problem and enemy of the cross is World of Warcraft. Don't worry about that madman with the machete lopping off your head because of your faith in Christ- the real problem that brings about God's Holy Wrath is your neighbor's joystick and XBox.

The homo-sexualization of society on every level portends violence as well.

Do you really believe that the homosexual problem in the West compares anything to that described in Scriptures? The last time you had visitors at your home, did all of your neighbors come over, bang on the door and insist on raping them? In 1 Corinthians, Paul is condemning those who are catamites (a young boy used as a sex toy for older men). I know NAMBLA is out there, but have we legalized statutory rape of young boys here in America?

in fact it doesn't fit into any recognized eschatology since orthodoxy makes the Red Horse a visible truth over the entire span of the Church, and Dispensationalism makes it some wierd post-Rapture wax nose prophecy allowing the creative interpreters great license to shape it anyway they want. (which you prove to do in the bulk of your post)

Theophilus, all I am doing is pointing to the violence and saying the red horse is riding. Even by your interpretation (the span of the church) what I am saying is true. I don't believe I mentioned the rapture in the article.

The description of our Lord's coming has him on a white horse with a sword and many crowns, it is in Revelation 19. We are warned by Jesus himself that "another will come in his own name"

I am sorry you got that out of my writings somehow, I have no idea how you could, I am not a modern preacher, Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and the focal point of the Revelation. You read too much into the writings of your fellow christians who haven't gotten your interpretation yet. Patience brother- we will get there someday! : )

A White horse is the Antichrist? White? Where on earth did you get the idea that White was associated with sin, lawlessness and wickedness? Reverend Jeremiah Wright?

LOL, Thanks brother, that was a good one! Satan transforms himself as a minister of light...that is where I got that" white might not be right"(remember Reverend Lowry at The inauguration?)

Do you really believe that the homosexual problem in the West compares anything to that described in Scriptures?

All I said was that homosexuality is violent and portends violence, I didn't say it compares with the level of scriptire, although behind closed door it probably does

Thanks Theophilus your a real good sport brother-

It is important also to note that it is God who summons these “horsemen” as judgments upon the sinful society which has rejected him.

I love you like a brother, but it kills me to see you going that direction.

In my earlier post, I tried to point-out in my loud manner that the interpretation you offered in your post doesn't fit anyone's eschatology. I'm sitting here wondering what to do. Clearly Dispensationalism isn't working for you because you are moving their icons of the Tribulation into the Present time. Post Millennialism isn't going to accomodate a shifting either because their Red Horse was the Roman Empire and the rider Nero or Vespasian. Here is where the orthodox majority view (discounting Rome's strange view) fits in with what your soul is telling you - those Horses and riders are here and now! They have been present with the Church since our LORD ascended into the Heavens leaving the keys with the Apostles.

You are on track about the relevancy of those horses now. Dispensationalists have no need for them since it is only a real concern, according to the theory, for the reprobates who were "Left Behind". They aren't going to read the Revelation so what is the point?

You want to get your congregation jacked up? Do you want Revelation be relevant to them now and not in a "look what the other guy is going to get" teaching? Then you should look into what ministers of God's Word have been teaching since the Olivet Discourse. In my Smackdown style, I have given you the traditional descriptions of the two horses you addressed.

What can possibly be more exciting than knowing that our LORD reigns now, has conquered death and sin and because He rides on a swift horse, we know that the Gospel will saturate the world!

I can see in your words that, like Job, you are vexed with the sin and wickedness that surrounds us. The persecutions have been since the very beginning and are happening today. Instead of feeling defeated by this, recognize that these horses have been riding through the Church since the very beginning. When viewing the other two horses, instead of being anxious and worrying about all the troubles in the world, know that these things have been going on for the duration of the Church Age.

There is some measure of comfort in knowing that while these awful things are taking place, that the Gospel still goes forth conquering souls for Eternity.

My feeling is that as our world is going insane and it seems that we are spiraling into a thousand years of darkness, that every generation in Christ has seen these things, and like them, some may be martyred, yet many survive and the Gospel will keep spreading until the last of the Elect is redeemed. I would think that one of the many burdens/privileges of a pastor would not to scare the sheep, but to comfort the sheep, and Dispensationalism terrifies, Post Millennialism make it a history book, while the Realized Millennial view teaches that despite the confusion, we have our king riding and leading the way.

“the red horse as communism,”

God authored communism? The lamb set forth each of the horses. That would make God the author of communism.

“the white horse as catholicism,”

Well, God *is* the author of Catholicism. So at least he’s 1/4 right... like a broken clock.

Seriously, there’s a natural progression:

Conquest -> White. War must come before conquest... but if the conquest is total and complete enough, you tend to overlook the war, which is obviously what’s happened here, since the white horse comes before the black horse. The good guys win at first, and win easily.

Red -> War. ...Eventually, the wins are harder. The war is drawn out, and conquest elusive.

Black -> Drawn out wars mean failures to plant crops, destruction of existing crops, crop diseases...

Green/Ashen -> Death/Pestilence. ... crop diseases and war death causes pestilence.

War -> Black

First off, I encourage study and meditation of the Lord's Word.

Reading Revelation and assigning one commonly hated group to a passage of Scripture accomplishes what exactly? Is that Christian behavior that is really benefiting anyone?

In It's internal spiritual sense, The Word talks to our individual states and life. Hold up the mirror and apply Rev 6 to yourself (Last Judgement) and remove the plank from your own eye first.

The White Horse represents those who understand the Word's goods and truths and apply them to their lives.
The Red Horse represents those who do not have charity (good). These people use religion to justify hatred of others.

The Black Horse represents those with Charity (good) but little truth.

The Pale Horse represents those vastated of any good and truth.

The Lord alone knows what is in the hearts of others. You know what's in your own heart and are responsible for seeking the Lord's guidance to be a better person through His Word. Apply it to your life in a positive way.

Blessings,

Thanks for your reply. I’ll admit that I’m not a Christian and therefore my biblical scholarship is weak at best, but one thing that I’ve always wondered about is what is being implied by the following passages, perhaps as a pastor you can explain where my mistake is!

Exodus 21:12 - He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

Exodus 21:22 - If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

Now, what I’ve been told by a pro-choice friend is that in these passages, the Bible is making it clear that a foetus and a man are two different things as the punishment for killing them is different. As I said before, I’m not a Christian but I’d like to have a response to my friend who is. They use this passage to justify their pro-choice position, claiming that the line “as the judges determine” gives the law power over abortion and that, since it’s legal, it’s acceptable in the eyes of God! This doesn’t seem right to me, but I don’t have a response for it!

Exodus 21:12 - He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.

The above would be murder- 1st or second degree

Exodus 21:22 - If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

two possible interpretations depending on the meaning of "If no mischief follows",

1) This could be a case of manslaughter- neither of the men striving were trying to kill the child, the death is incidental,they are liable indeed but not of ist degree murder

2) this could be a case where the two men fight, putting the woman in labor, she prematurely has the baby, but the baby lives (No mischief follows), in which cases the Judges would calculate the liability to be paid by the two men for the forced prematurity of the child

consider the next verse,

vs 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

In other words , if the baby dies, the men who injured the mother get the death penalty-Thus valuing the life of the unborn

so much for the "planned parenthood interpretation of the book of Exodus! I think it is the second meaning personally....

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