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Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” (Revelation 6:1, ESV)
It’s difficult to find a more terrifying sight than the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
My thoughts:
- There are three main theories of the horsemen — imaginative representations of evil;
they are in the past, or just evil that keeps repeating itself, according to some theologians; but I believe they are literally released in the end times.
- Okay, time for me to give my theology. I believe in the rapture, with the church being raptured before the appearance of the antichrist and before the beginning of the seven-year tribulation.
- The four horsemen are unleashed in the end times by Jesus Christ as judgments upon a totally rebellious world during the seven-year tribulation.
- When the seals of the scroll are opened (Revelation 5-6), the church age is complete, and the saints are in heaven with Jesus; the scrolls can be broken only by perfection (Revelation 5-6). Perfect judgment can only be meted out by a spotless Savior (if Jesus wasn’t perfect, He would be judged as He judges). Also, sin brings judgment; the horsemen are not caused by Jesus, but a natural result of living without Jesus, and with the church raptured, there’s no godliness or church hindering judgment — the four horsemen represent the fruition of evil.
You know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8a).
The White Horseman
And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer (Revelation 6:2).
The rider of the first horse is the antichrist (yes, a rider on a white horse imitating Jesus on a white horse in Revelation 19:9). The antichrist will rule over the final governing system at the end of times. Note: He has no bow, conquering through lies and false promises of peace.
The Red Horseman
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword (Revelation 6:3-4).
The 20th century was the bloodiest of history, but nothing compares to the tribulation, when wars will ignite around the globe, with the resulting persecution of oppressive governments — judgment expedited by the disappearance of millions of holy believers in the rapture.
The Black Horseman
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Revelation 6:5-6).
The black horseman carrying a pair of scales represents total economic collapse, intensified by widespread famine. However, oil and wine still exist for the wealthy and elite.
The Pale Horseman
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).
Cruel governments, wars, famine, pestilence, and a quarter of the world’s population will die. In the bloody 20th century, 150 million were killed by war, but during the tribulation, with a population of 8.3 billion today, that’s billions in just seven years.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are still to come! Lord Jesus, I’m ready for the rapture.