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Posted on 10/25/2001 9:56:58 AM PDT by xzins

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are first presented by the Apostle John in his biblical book, Revelation. They appear in chapter 6 of John's famous vision, and they have been interpreted throughout church history as ominous symbols of terror and raw power loose on the earth. In fact, each horse and horseman appears when a seal on the scroll of the future is opened. The prophecy of the scroll becomes more evident as each seal binding the scroll is released.

One common interpretation of the prophecy of the seals is that they span the great period of time from when John penned the Revelation all the way up to the end of the world as we know it. Another interpretation is that the prophecy spans the time from a future period of extreme earthly duress up to the end of the world.

On opening the first seal a horse and a rider appear. The first horse bears a rider who seems to be a champion. Highlighting this is the fact that he rides a white horse. Ominously, though, he is intent on conquest. It appears that no one can stand in his way.

How often the world has embraced a hero who promised peace, but who instead was focused on building an empire. Surely we are beyond that in our age, aren't we? Of course not. The names roll past us -- Hitler, Lenin, Mao, Pohl Pot, Bin Laden -- and they are reminders of how easily humans fall for the line of conquerors on seemingly white horses.

At the opening of the second seal, a red horse appears. Red as blood, this horse is ridden by a horseman who is guided by a deadly purpose: he has the power of war, but particularly the power of world war. It says, "power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other."

It should be a humbling thought to our generation that this prophecy became a literal possibility with the advent of our world wars of the last century. Certainly there had been wars prior to this, but they weren't wars that had involved the entire world. If one wishes to be precise, WWII actually involved more parties than did WWI. It was a war that ranged over the entire world.

The horseman on the red horse also is said to possess a "large sword." WWII saw the advent of weapons of mass destruction that could cripple or end life on earth. We, and many, many others, now have nuclear weaponry. But bio terrorism is also a huge weapon. Used by an Osama Bin Laden, or a Saddam Hussein, it could well destroy life on earth. No one knows the ultimate disposition of these germs and viruses once they are released into our environment. Will they mutate? Will they spread in new and unforeseen ways?

The third seal is opened and a black horse appears. The rider on this horse encourages exorbitant prices for the commodities of life. Whether encouraging them by virtue of a controlled economy or encouraging them because of actual shortage, it is difficult to tell. The arrogant command not to “damage the oil and the wine” seems to indicate a despotism over not just necessities, but also over luxuries.

What a world this vision describes! Conquerors appearing as “saviors.” Wars that ravage the entire earth. Economies run by an arrogant elite who become so tight that common people suffer serious deprivation.

The fourth seal brings a pale horse. We’re told his rider’s “name is Death, and Hades was following close behind him.” This rider is given the power to kill by sword, famine, plague, and beasts.

As terrible as the preceding horsemen had seemed, it appears that this horseman brings an escalation of all that had been taking place before. More of the same, but worse. More death in war. More death through lack of food. More death by rampant, uncontrollable disease. So thoroughly decimated and homeless had the people become that in their desperate wanderings for safety and food they again became prey for wild animals. What kind of ravaging of the earth could have brought about the resurgence of populations of man-killing beasts? Or what controls had been brought about that forced the return of large numbers of man-killers? Had former pets become packs and returned to their natural wild state?

A fourth of the earth was slain. It doesn’t say if this slaughter occurred in one region, or if it was a more general "one in every four" across the face of the entire earth. That the work of the second horseman had been worldwide would seem to indicate the latter. However, this could foretell the demise of a particular region or nation that comprised approximately fourth of the earth.

Personally, I believe it appears more likely to be one-in- every-four. How does anything bring death so methodically that it affects "one in four?" War certainly takes some lives, and beasts would seem to kill far fewer than war, but frightening plagues of disease could kill millions. and they could do so in indiscriminate fashion across the face of the entire earth.

The media reported that the former Soviets had experimented with anthrax and with other germs in their germ warfare program. They had genetically altered the germs to be resistant to anti-biotics. They had manufactured them to be different sizes, weights, and shapes. As if they needed to be more deadly, they had increased potency to levels that made defense against them virtually impossible in a timely way.

And then, we're told, they lost control of their research. Maybe some stocks were transferred for cash. Perhaps these stocks went to “savior-warriors” who would spend their lives trying to impose their version of “good” on the peoples of the earth.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are a word of warning. But, are these things "that must be or are they things that might be?” What can we do to forestall this deadly prophecy?

How can we intervene? How can we change the course? The good news is that there is a way. The Bible says that God is always open to the prayer of repentance.

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and heal their land!

Rev. R.M. Whitsom

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