A man sitting on a white horse is crowned, and he goes out to conquer. This translates to war, which we've seen centuries of. The first four seals aren't unusual considering history. Wars have been common. The Black Plague alone killed over a forth of mankind. This is what makes me wonder if the 1st four seals speak of judgments from the time of Christ's resurrection to the start of the tribulation period.
My reference to the souls under the alter is this: Since the tribulation lasts 7 seven years, why would the souls under the alter ask, "how long" if the tribulation period had already started? Wouldn't they already know the answer if the tribulation period had already started?
What indication do you have in that text that the rider on a pale horse is anything but a man? Where in the text there do you get the idea that the rider is not actually what Jesus Christ said it was but is something different - something that each person can decide for himself that it is?
And where in Scripture does God authorize man to change the meanings of what He wrote?
Why are you on a dispensatinal caucus thread, again? You are aware of caucus rules, right? If not, they are on the Religion Moderator's homepage. You may want to run over there and read the rules before you continue.
For everyone else who is on here to learn and not to disparage and change and deny Scripture, we can discuss what Christ was telling us when He opens the first seal of judgment of the Tribulation.
Most theologians agree that the rider represents the Antichrist, who will be “given” his crown by a world that elects him to bring about the peace and safety they desperately crave. The Antichrist will promise peace and make a peace treaty with Israel (Daniel 9:27), but in the end it proves to be a false peace that he uses to entrap an unsuspecting world. This fact is described by the prophet Daniel: “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many”.
The revealing of the Antichrist in the first seal coincides with Daniel's prophecy of the Antichrist "confirming" a "peace covenant" with Israel which begins the seven year Tribulation period.
My reference to the souls under the alter is this: Since the tribulation lasts 7 seven years, why would the souls under the alter ask, "how long" if the tribulation period had already started? Wouldn't they already know the answer if the tribulation period had already started?
God doesn't tell us that does He? At least in my unchanged Bible He doesn't.
The only thing we can do is guess as to why the Tribulation saints ask God when it will be over. My own opinion is that they are just crying out for the Lord to end all of it and set up His kingdom.