1: And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals and I heard as it
were the noise of thunder one of the four Living Ones saying Come and see 2:
And I saw and behold a white horse and he that sat on him had a bow[1] not
crowned as yet and [then] a crown was given to him[2]
and [after he received power] he went forth conquering and to
conquer[3] 3:
And when he had opened the second seal I heard the second Living One say Come
and see 4: And there went out another horse fiery and power was given
to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth and that they should kill
one another The fruition of wars and rumors of wars and there was
given to him a GREAT sword[4] 5:
And when he had opened the third seal I heard the third Living One say Come and
see And I beheld and lo a black horse[5] and
he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand 6: And I heard a
voice in the midst of the four Living Ones say “A measure of wheat for a penny
and three measures of barley for a penny and see thou hurt not the oil and the
wine”[6] 7:
And when he had opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth Living
One say Come and see 8: And I looked and behold a green horse and his
name that sat on him was Death… And Hades
followed with him And authority was given to them [the released inhabitants of Hades] over the fourth part of the earth
to kill with sword and with hunger and with death[7]
and by the [wild] beasts of the earth[8] 9:
And when he had opened the fifth seal I saw under the altar the souls of them
that were slain for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held[9] 10:
And they cried with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou
not judge and avenge our blood Vengeance is mine… on them that dwell on the earth 11: And
white robes were given to every one of them and it was said to them that they
should rest yet for a little season until their fellowservants also and their
brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled[10] 12:
And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal and lo there was a great
earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the moon became as
blood 13: And the stars falling stars/asteroids/angels??? of
heaven fell to the earth even as a fig
tree casts her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind 14: And
the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together and every mountain
and island were moved out of their places 15: And the kings of the earth
and the great and the rich and the chief captains, and the mighty and every slave
and every free hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains 16:
And said to the mountains and rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him
that sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb 17: For the great
day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand[11]
[1] This rider (future king/leader) is seen
with a *bow [as opposed to a sword]. What is the difference? Is there a
difference? Though later in his career, the Man of Sin will expand his domain
through the fiercest and most destructive means might ever witnessed in the
annals of history, he will not come to power through military might. We know
from Daniel, that he will rise to the top of the political food-chain and come
into his kingdom through peaceful means, through flatteries and deceit. He will
be a Pied Piper of sorts, whose following and acolytes will span the globe.
We know from **Zechariah five, that the Man of Sin will
come to power through an illusion [possibly a real but temporary period] of
peace and financial prosperity. The ephah Zechariah saw, was a symbol of
commerce. It represented commercial prosperity. The world-wide curse he saw
going forth relates to the time of the end. During The Great Tribulation, nations
will be struggling and desperate for a deliverer (Messiah). When the Man of Sin
appears, he will appear to be a savior.
He will rise to prominence through
diplomacy and brilliant solutions to world problems. Unstable nuclear powers are
already threatening the the planet. Israel has a neighbor that has a goal of
developing nuclear power with the declared intent of annihilating Israel. We
know from, Isaiah 28, that even Israel will treat with the Man of Sin during
the time he is still pretending to be a deliverer and friend of the Jews. But
it will be a treaty with Hell and death. Israel will be sold out to the antichrist
by traitorous leadership Daniel 11:24,30.
*The symbolism of a bow for diplomacy
and covenant is significant. Although a bow can be a weapon of war it can also
be a weapon of peace used to confirm a covenant. Jonathan, political heir to
the throne of Israel, used his bow to
aim an arrow of peace into the field
as a warning to David that it was no longer safe for him to remain close to
King Saul. Jonathan’s bow had the possibility of being a threat to David but
was not. Rather, it was used to send a personal and political/diplomatic message
of friendship and peace between the opposing factions of the House of Saul and
the House of David. Jonathan’s bow shot an arrow that politically acknowledged
David’s future sovereignty and sealed a personal covenant of friendship and
recognition of David’s (Tribe of Judah) right to sit on Israel’s throne as King
after the death of Saul (Tribe of Benjamin). And indeed that is what happened.
When David ascended the Throne, all the tribes eventually acknowledged his
right to the Throne and followed him. But later, after his son Solomon’s death,
a split occurred among the tribes of Israel. Ten of the tribes tribes refused
to acknowledge the House of Judah as the Kingly tribe, and only the Tribe of
Benjamin (Jonathan’s tribe) remained joined with the Tribe of Judah. This
loyalty can be traced back to Jonathan and the covenant of peace between
himself and David, to the covenant of friendship and diplomacy sealed when
Jonathan (Tribe of Benjamin) used his bow
to shoot the Arrow of Peace between the Houses of Jonathan [Benjamin] and David
[Judah
**Free download of, REDEMPTION:
Bible Prophecy Simplified by Jocelyn Andersen, which devotes a chapter to
unlocking the symbolism in Zechariah chapter five: http://www.lulu.com/shop/jocelyn-andersen/redemption-bible-prophecy-simplified/ebook/product-23466494.html
[2] A crown was given to him. In Revelation Thirteen, we read about the
Man of Sin, that “ the dragon gave
him his power and his throne and great
authority.” This is terrifying knowledge, but we must remember that the times
and the seasons, even the terrible season of The Great Tribulation, are in
God’s hands and are part of his over-arching plan in the cosmic war between
good and evil, to bring in an everlasting peace.
[3] “He went forth conquering and to conquer….” Everywhere this
king/leader goes, he will conquer. He will want to nothing more than to conquer
and continue conquering. His ultimate goal will be to utterly destroy the human
race—and most especially the Jews. At first he will conquer by diplomacy, charisma,
and political genius. But make no mistake, even then his obsession will be with
the complete overthrow of humanity.
Though this rider is on a white horse, he is not Jesus.
When the true Messiah comes, and all
his righteous ones with him, he will certainly conquer his enemies. But his
goal in doing so, is not the destruction of humanity but rather to save the
race from annihilation Matthew 24:22. His war with the enemies of
God will be to usher in everlasting PEACE
Isaiah 9:6-7. Conversely, the White Horse Rider of Revelation
six is likely the antichrist posing as the Christ while at the same time
opposing everything the one true Christ stands for.
Later in The Revelation, we read of the one true Christ,
Jesus, will sweep onto the scene riding a white horse. He came the first time
as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world; he will come the
second time as a conquering king. The White Horse Rider of Revelation six will
become indwelled by Satan himself. He will bring world-wide war and almost total destruction [approximately 85% of
the world population of his time will die or be killed, and that will be his
ultimate goal]. While, on the other hand, Jesus will usher in restoration and everlasting peace.
Is it possible the last days Fourth Kingdom [that Daniel
saw emerge from the nations] is already beginning to make its presence known?
Daniel said the Fourth Kingdom was different from any kingdom that had ever
come before. He wrote that the Fourth Kingdom was powerfully destructive. In
fact, its only feature was its great destructiveness. We read that the Fourth
Kingdom will be “dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly,” that it will
have “great iron teeth,” that it will devour and break in pieces,” and it
attempts to commit genocide by “stamping the residue [of the Jews] with its
feet.” In other words, this king will be obsessed with controlling some populations
while completely wiping out others.
Are the White Horse Rider in the Revelation and the little
horn Daniel saw in his vision one and the same Daniel 7:7-9? We believe so.
[4] The horse John saw [when the second
seal was broken] was not simply red [as virtually every translation reads], but
it will be pyyros—fiery. Pyyros is the Greek word our English word “pyromania” comes from. A
pyromaniac is someone who is obsessed with burning things down and sometimes
killing by fire. Translating the Greek word pyyros
simply as “red” skews the interpretation. But, because all English translations
say the horse is red, most commentators teach the red horse represents
bloodshed, and that dangerously dilutes and distorts the perception of who the
rider of the pyyros horse is. There
certainly will be bloodshed when the rider of the pyyros horse reveals himself—and a lot of it—but the horse is not “red,”
it is pyyros—"like fire”—fiery.
Fire can represent passion. It can be a passion to do good
or a passion to do evil. The rider of the fiery horse is burning with desire to
do evil. He is carrying a sword [not
a bow like the White Horse Rider]. And
he is carrying not just any sword; he carries a GREAT sword. Daniel wrote, that the Man of Sin would destroy
“wonderfullykjv.”
This man’s capacity for destruction exceeded
anything the prophet had ever seen, and the prophet had seen a lot. As a young man, Daniel had
witnessed Nebuchadnezzar’s army destroy Jerusalem. He had witnessed the violent
deaths of many, if not most, of his friends and loved ones. He had been carried
off with the princes of Judah to the palace of the King of Babylon where he had
been castrated and placed under the care of the prince of the eunuchs. Daniel understood
from first-hand experience the meaning of “destruction.” Yet he wrote that “A
King of Fierce Countenance” would rise to the world stage whose greatest talent
would be his ability to destroy.
John saw the same thing in the rider of the fiery horse,
who also had a remarkable propensity for destruction. The rider John saw was
able to take peace from the earth. This writer believes the deceitful rider of
the white horse and the warmongering rider of fiery horse be one and same,
simply portrayed in The Revelation at different stages of his career. The very
one the world looks to for peace (the rider of the white horse), will be the
one who makes peace an impossibility and who indeed has no interest in peace
whatsoever [beyond the false peace compliance and submission to his headship
brings].
When the rider first appears [at the opening of the first
seal] he is riding a white horse, portraying the image of a hero, a deliverer,
a good guy, riding in to save the day through brilliant political diplomacy. He
will propose a peace plan that will appear to solve the Middle East Israeli/Palestinian/world
crisis. His deceptive image of being a savior will work, and he will rise to a
throne [be given a crown]. But beneath his serene charismatic exterior, a
killer will rage.
This man will be inspired from the pits of hell. He will likely
have been demonically oppressed from his youth. All demonized individuals do
not behave as the demoniac of Gadarene, many exhibit great beauty, charm,
charisma and giftedness, as we know the Man of Sin will do. He will become
possessed by Satan himself, and through his false prophet, he will be a miracle
working man, devilishly clever, and his thirst for total and utter destructive
power will unquenchable 2 Thessalonians 2:8-9, Revelation 13:11-15.
This leader will hate all humanity. And, when he is finally
possessed by Satan himself, he will no longer find it necessary to carry on the
deceptive appearance of Peace-Maker, he will trade his white horse of peace for
the fiery horse of war. By the time the second seal is broken, evil will have
made such strides in the earth, that the rider is finally free to show his true
colors.
When the second seal is broken, we see “deliverer,” the one
the world “wonders after” changes both horses [tactics], and weapons [tactics].
He is no longer interested in diplomacy. His power is established. It is fully
and completely his hour. When it comes to the Nation of Israel, the rider of
the white Horse, the future leader of the world [most especially of the Middle
East, OPEC, the E.U., and the United Nations] will be no Jonathan. He will trade his white horse for the fiery horse. He will toss away the bow
of diplomacy and trade it for the great
sword of war.
[5] The scriptures often use the color
black to describe misery, death, and destruction. Evil is described as darkness.
We understand this from the many references to times of evil and distress
called, darkness, blackness, and night John 9:4. We see this in the
demon army seen by the prophet Joel, before whom all faces gather blackness.
“Joel’s Army” [as it has come to be known], is not a righteous army. It is
called God’s army because God uses it
to perform his purposes in doing its destructive work during the time of his
great wrath Psalm 2:12—the time Jesus referred as, THE GREAT
TRIBULATION Matthew 24:21.
Recommended Reading:
[6] A day’s wages [for the common people at
the time and by extrapolation, for the working classes of the latter time] will
buy only one measure of wheat or three measures of barely. The common people
will work every hour of daylight for just enough food to sustain life (every able-bodied member of every family of the working classes).
Contrasted to this, the ruling classes will continue to enjoy luxuries and
sumptuous food, as illustrated by the oil and wine.
[7] Thankfully the Hordes from Hades will
have limited territory—only one quarter of the earth (though perhaps not all in
a single location)—but their destructive power will be on a massive scale. They
will kill through war, disease, wild animals, and also by “Death.” What can this mean, to kill by death? How can a person be
killed by death? Will being killed by death make some people “deader than other
people?
The answer is yes. Jesus alluded to such when he said, “Do
not fear them who can kill only the
body.” He warned all people to fear the one who is able to destroy both the body and the soul in Hades. When the angelic/demonic
inhabitants of Hades are turned loose to wreak havoc upon a quarter of the
earth, it will be through following the rider of the Green Horse. It will be
through deceiving the inhabitants of the earth and fooling them into believing
THE LIE, which will doom them for all eternity.
Some who die during The Great Tribulation will only die
physically. After they die from starvation, war, wild animals or having their
heads hacked off with knives (nothing so merciful as a guillotine), their lives
will continue on—without interruption—in eternity. At the end of THE GREAT
TRIBULATION, their bodies will be
raised from the dead, never to die again. All followers of Jesus have the hope
of a physical resurrection. But those who are killed with “Death,” will have no hope of a resurrection that includes joy
unspeakable and full of glory—only the Second
Death, which Jesus said includes the Lake of Fire Matthew 25:41.
Just as believers today, have assurance that they have [Everlasting] “Life,”
even before they physically die and stand before The Judge of All the Earth,
people who live during The Great Tribulation and Time of Jacob’s Trouble, are
have been told that they can eternally “DIE” before their physical lives are taken.
The people who live on the earth during THE DAY OF THE
LORD, will be given a choice, a choice that once made, will bring Eternal
Life to some, as they voluntarily lose their physical lives . And though it
will appear to be just the opposite, immediate and eternal death to others. This choice will be irrevocable.
Like Judas, who bitterly regretted his part in betraying his Messiah, they will
find their choice cannot be undone. It is FOREVER. The only other option is
getting beheaded Revelation 20:4.
During this horrendous time, by choosing
physical death, some will go on living forever; and by choosing physical life,
others will lose their souls. Killing with DEATH means stealing souls and any hope of Eternal Life. That
is what we believe is meant by the phrase, “…to kill with sword and with hunger
and “with DEATH” and with the beasts
of the earth.” Matthew 9:32-39, Revelation 14:9-11.
[8] Hordes of demonized officials,
citizens, and soldiers will worship and do the bidding of the rider of the
Green Horse [who this writer believes to be the same person as the rider of the
White, Fiery, and Black horses, revealing his agenda and showing different
aspects and chronological stages of his career.
When the Man of Sin rides the
Green Horse, the inhabitants of Hades
will be released into the earth, and because
of what John sees in the next verse, this writer also believes this to
be the mid-point of THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and the beginning of THE TIME OF
JACOB’S TROUBLE.
With the opening of the fourth seal, The Rider of the Green
Horse will usher in a time of death and destruction, on a scale never before
witnessed. Demonized by the Hordes from Hades,
millions of people will follow the Son of Perdition and do his bidding. These
Hordes will demonize and destroy in many ways, including through demonized
humans, inciting war, violence, rape, and murder. These evil spirits will influence
animal behavior, and adversely effect the environment which will result in
starvation. The King of Fierce Countenance will promise to care for his
followers, but he will not be able, nor will he care, to keep this promise.
Many of his followers will die as a result of the Hordes released from Hades.
[9] The fifth seal unleashes the full fury
of the Man of Sin who will make genocide of Jews and Christians (many of whom will
be Jews) a matter of official public policy. The souls under the altar, are
dead because of the Hordes from Hades,
who have been loosed on a quarter of the earth to steal souls, kill, and
destroy by bringing people into submission to their leader who will be
indwelled by The Father of THE Lie (submit to me and you will live),
Satan himself. The Souls Under the Altar will not receive their resurrected
bodies until The Great Tribulation and Time of Jacob’s Trouble has ended. The
First Resurrection will see its completion when the bodies of martyrs from the
The Great Tribulation are raised from the dead. With the opening of the fifth
seal, The Man of Sin, is now indwelled and completely controlled by Satan
himself. He has now become—through the stealing of souls—THE SON OF PERDITION Revelation
13:3-5.
[10] From this verse, it appears there is a
predetermined number of martyrs that are part of God’s plan for humanity and
the earth. Though this is a fearful thought, there is no doubt a special grace
bestowed on these chosen ones, else why would so many [down through the ages]
have given their bodies to the horrors the Enemy of our Souls inflicts on
whoever he can, and most especially those who belong to the Mighty One of
Israel?
Recommended Reading:
Foxes Book of Martyrs https://www.alibris.com/booksearch?title=foxes+book+of+martyrs&mtype=B
Christian martyrs from the Age of Harvest which began with
the Day of Pentecost. Pentecost is the same as the Hebrew “Shavuot” which is a harvest feast symbolizing the great
harvest of soul winning it inaugurates with the coming of the Holy Spirit. Shavuot is culminated in the the
Resurrection/Harpazo (Catching Up/Rapture)
of those raised from the dead and given their resurrection bodies without dying
1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 2 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
The Souls Under the Altar are not part of the main harvest.
The group John sees are part of the “gleanings.” The gleanings of a harvest are
always gathered later. Who are the Souls Under the Altar that John saw? They
are those who come to Christ after
the Resurrection/Rapture symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets Rosh Hashana and seal their
faith during The Great Tribulation/Time of Jacob’s Trouble with their lives Daniel
7:25, Revelation 11:2, 13:15.
[11] Revelation chapter six and the breaking
of the seals, is an overview of the first 3 1/2 years of THE GREAT
TRIBULATION. It includes things the prophet Daniel saw and more (because THE REVELATION is the
unveiling—THE REVEALING). So much of what Daniel saw is now established
history, that the book bearing his name has been accused of being written after
the fact. But the Bible itself proves those accusations wrong, and the
discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls have confirmed the Biblical testimony. Though
some of the events described in The Revelation overlap, The Revelation is chronological
book. As of this writing, aside from the first three chapters, it is all future
and not a book of history (No, not even chapter twelve).
Daniel was commanded to
seal up the things he saw concerning the latter days. But through the opening
of the seals, those things were revealed to John. Everything in The Revelation,
from chapters four through nineteen, takes place during the seven years of THE
GREAT TRIBULATION [the final three and one half years of which are called, THE
TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE].
