The Books are Opened
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - Revelation 6:1-8
This he said, 'The fourth animal shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. (Daniel 7:23)*
The thrones have been set, the court sits in judgment, it is time for the books to be opened as the Lamb, the Lion of Judah, begins removing the seven seals from the scroll. Witnesses will be called to testify against the beast, the victims will cry out for justice, and the Lord will begin to reveal signs that He is coming to avenge the blood of His faithful servants. This will cause all who dwell on the earth to panic and try to hide from justice. This is the subject of Revelation chapter 6.
The Four Horsemen
Theologians often interpret the four horsemen of the apocalypse as being God’s servants who bring judgment on the earth because of sin. In this view, the plagues are a universal judgment against mankind for transgressions that are not specifically stated here. They are inflicted by God during the seven years of tribulation as punishment for the sins of society and the moral erosion of the culture.
When viewed from the perspective of Daniel chapter 7, a different picture emerges. The setting is a throne room where a court sits in judgment. The focus of Daniel is on the dreadful fourth beast (who devours and tramples the earth) and the little horn (who makes war with the saints and overcomes them). In this context, the four horsemen are not executing judgment, they are illustrating and describing the lawless deeds of the beast from the sea who acts under the authority of the dragon.
With this interpretation, these four plagues are not inflicted by God, but they are inflicted by kings, princes, wealthy merchants and all who worship the dragon and receive the mark of the beast. They represent the transgressions which God is going to judge, rather than the judgment itself. The four living creatures are making the legal case for this judgment. It would seem that God is planning to rescue His people from these plagues rather than inflict them on mankind as punishment.
As the Lamb begins opening the scroll, the first four seals are like indictments against the beast. The four living creatures call each of us to come and see the horsemen who illustrate the plagues of oppression and suffering which are caused by the dreadful beast that devours and tramples the earth.
And the court shall sit in judgment, and they shall take away his dominion, consumed and completely destroyed forever. (Daniel 7:26)*1
According to Daniel’s vision, there will be a court that sits in judgment, the dominion will be taken away from this dreadful beast, and it will be completely destroyed forever. If we continue with the courtroom metaphor, God the Father is the judge, the Lamb of God is the victim’s advocate, you and I are the jury. The victims are God’s people including the martyrs mentioned when the fifth seal is opened. The four horseman provide the evidence and the four living creatures are like witnesses who testify of the lawless deeds committed by the beast. They describe, in greater detail, exactly how the beast devours the earth, tramples it, and breaks it to pieces. These specific transgressions are the basis for judgment.
The First Seal (Oppression)
[1] I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!" [2] And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:1-2)*
As the first seal is opened, one of the four living creatures calls for us to witness a rider on a white horse. The rider is given a crown which suggests royalty and authority. It has a bow and is going out conquering and to conquer. This is the image of a powerful ruler who subdues and oppresses people by using force. It also suggests that this ruler’s only purpose is conquest, as if conquest is an all-consuming obsession. In other words, conquest for the sake of conquest. This is an indictment of the beast of Babylon for tyranny, oppression and idolatry. The story of human history is filled with endless conquest as powerful rulers fight with one another to obtain wealth, power, and fame. During the last days, the beast of Babylon will push an agenda for conquest and world domination.
Because of the white horse, some connect this image to Revelation 19:11 and assume this is a reference to Jesus. However, this first seal lacks any symbolism that would identify the rider as being Christ. Elsewhere in Revelation, the context or some symbolic reference is used to confirm the identify is Jesus. None of this symbolism is mentioned here. Also, this rider’s weapon is a bow, not a double-edged sword coming out of his mouth. Jesus is not coming to conquer the world by force, he will defeat His enemies with truth (i.e. the sword coming out of his mouth)2.
The Second Seal (Violent Conflict)
[3] When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!" [4] Another came forth, a fiery red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)*
As the second seal is opened, the second living creature calls us to see the next rider on a fiery red horse. This one is given a great sword with power to take peace from the earth. The second seal builds upon the first. Powerful people use force to achieve their conquest and this results in wars, but also violent crime, terrorism and other forms of oppression. Peace does not serve the purposes of the dragon and his beast. They need war and violence in order to control the nations whom they manipulate with fear.
This seal is an indictment of murder, violence, terrorism and endless, unnecessary wars caused by the kings and rulers of this world who give their power and authority to the beast. Jesus told the disciples that there will be an escalation of wars and lawlessness during the last days, this is the reason why.
The Third Seal (Poverty and Scarcity)
[5] When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come!" And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand. [6] I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenixes of barley for a denarius! Do not damage the oil and the wine!" (Revelation 6:5-6)*
The third seal causes the third living creature to introduce a rider on a black horse holding a balance in his hand. A voice is heard that describes a situation of deep poverty and scarcity. The “choenix” is a dry measure3 roughly equivalent to a quart or a liter and the denarius was typically a single days wage. The reference to oil and wine suggests that some will have plenty and enjoy extravagance while others suffer from severe poverty and famine.
God provides for his creation with abundance. This scarcity is intentionally inflicted on people because of greed, covetousness and idolatry. It is caused by hording and theft through taxation, debt (usury), inflation, and corruption. This is an indictment of the beast for robbery and theft on a global scale. This has been happening for centuries, but it will escalate during the tribulation so that the suffering of the people is very visible and grievous. The gap between the rich and the poor will continue to grow wider. This situation is explained for us in the book of James.
[3] Your gold and your silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you, and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up your treasure in the last days. [4] Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of those who reaped have entered into the ears of the LORD of hosts. [5] You have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure. You have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. (James 5:2-5)*
The fourth Seal (Death and Hell)
[7] When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come!" [8] And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hell followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him. (Revelation 6:7-8)*
When the fourth seal is opened, the fourth living creature calls us to witness the last rider, named Death, riding on a pale horse with hell following after. This rider is given authority over one fourth of the earth to kill with sword, famine, death and wild animals. Some believe this plague will kill one fourth of the population of the planet. However, the text doesn’t actually say that a quarter of the people die, it says that the horseman is given authority which is limited to one-fourth of the earth. This suggests that the plague will be limited to a specific group of nations or a specific geographical area that constitutes one fourth of the world. For example, Europe and North America could be the target of suffering while the rest of the world is left unharmed.
Some English translations say ‘to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts’. Taking these literally, it is partly a repeat of the previous 2 seals and it almost seems redundant. Is it possible that death by sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts is code for something else?
There is a section in Ezekiel chapter 14 that includes all of these elements as an extreme form of judgment for an extreme form of wickedness that is never actually named. God tells Ezekiel that when He sends judgment upon the land using any one of these four plagues (sword, famine, pestilence, or wild beasts), the righteous will only be able to save themselves. Nobody will escape judgment. Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in the land, they would only be able to save themselves by their righteousness and not their sons or daughters. This point is repeated four times in exactly the same way, once for each plague, to make sure we don’t miss it.
However, when God judges the land by sending all four of these plagues combined, He will leave a remnant (sons and daughters) behind to prove this harsh judgment was more than justified. When the sons and daughters come forth and you (the parents) see their behavior and their deeds, you will be comforted knowing the severe judgment was fair and deserved.
[21] "For thus says the Lord GOD: 'How much more when I send my four severe judgments on Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil animals, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and animal! [22] Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth to you, and you shall see their way and their doings; and you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it. [23] They shall comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it,' says the Lord GOD." (Ezekiel 14:21-23)*
This raises a lot of questions about these sons and daughters. What are these ways and doings? Why are the parents not aware? How does this bring any comfort? Will some of their sons and daughters be saved?
My paraphrase of verse 23 above is: “when you see what your sons and daughters have been taught to do, you will know that the punishment was justified.” We can envision a world where the sons and daughters grow up in a culture that promotes destructive, ungodly behavior and tries to normalized this behavior by teaching the children that it is good and healthy. The indoctrination is done secretly by the education system, social media, entertainment, and music industry so that the parents don’t realize what is happening. When they finally discover the deception, many are horrified by the things their children are doing without their knowledge or consent. Things that directly oppose the values and the character these parents want to instill in their sons and daughters.
This could be an indictment against the beast, the false prophet and “Mystery Babylon” who not only practice ungodliness, but attempt to normalize and promote it by indoctrinating the culture and exploiting the children. The severity of the fourfold judgment here points to wickedness that justifies strong punishment.
who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:32)*
Ezekiel chapter 14 describes a situation I think would be “hell on Earth” for most parents. The fourth seal seems to be pointing to some type of systematic child exploitation in approximately one quarter of the world. The punishment for this will be severe and when the people see the effect on their children, they will understand and support strong penalties for this wickedness.
But thus says the LORD, "Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children. (Isaiah 49:25)*
Summary
The thrones have been set, the court sits in judgment and the books are opened. The four horseman of the apocalypse provide evidence for the indictments against the dreadful beast which devours and tramples the entire earth. The beast seeks to conquer and oppress all the nations using wars and violence. It causes suffering and poverty for the majority of people through theft and hoarding while the wealthy rulers and merchants enjoy extravagant luxury. Finally, the beast promotes abominations, ungodliness and immorality through indoctrination of the culture and exploitation of the children.
The next two seals will reveal God taking action in response to the prayers of His faithful saints who have been slain for the Word of God and their testimony. Justice is coming and the judgment of the beast is close at hand.
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Return to the Table of Contents: Battle for the Everlasting Kingdom
Biblical Reverences
*All Scripture quotations are from the New Heart English Bible unless specifically designated otherwise. The New Heart English Bible [NHEB] is in the public domain. https://nheb.net/
Footnote from the New Heart English Bible [NHEB] for “choenix” in Revelation 6:6
A choenix is a dry volume measure that is a little more than a litre (a little more than a quart)