The Four Horsemen Part 1

I doubt that there is someone in the Christian community that has not heard of the Four Horsemen. I may not have read up on them in all the articles that undoubtedly have been written about them. It’s been awhile but I think they were even mentioned in the Left Behind series. They even have a TV series that speaks of them and the coming apocalypse. I want to share with you what I have found to believe concerning these mysterious riders that are spoken of with fear or awe inspiring words.

First you can find the first two Horsemen in Revelation 6:1-4 (White Horse and the Red Horse). Interestingly they are also mentioned in Zechariah 1:8-11 and 6:1-7. These spirit beings that are sent out at that time to inspect the earth are later released to do what they have been commanded to do. I know they are seen as being bad, but they are sent forth from being in the presence of God to bring about judgment and to fulfill prophecy. I don’t see them as evil; they are faithful servants of the LORD.

The White Horse (verses 1-2) 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 beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

When each horse is released it continues to ride until Jesus’s return. For the White Horse is released roughly around 50 AD when scholars think the council of Jerusalem took place spoken of in Acts 15:1-21. The problem and the releasing of the horse would be when they chose to divide the church from that day forth in verses 13-21. From that point in time all would change and continue to worsen as time goes on. Now we have a totally splintered church with so much inner turmoil.

The Red Horse (verses 3-4) And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

Have there been wars through history? Of course, but this rider is sent out to remove peace from the earth. Roughly a hundred years (3^rd Century) after the White Horse, war becomes more and more prominent in the world. With the beginning and the final collapse of Roman later on, the crusades, wars throughout Europe leading to even more wars throughout the world and then the more recent ones, WW1 and WW2. Peace has definitely been taken from the earth. I could name even more, but the conclusion is that the ride has done and continues to do what he was sent out to do.

As each horse is released and their rides begin to overlap, the problems compound on each other and worsen. They along with the next two horses continue to ride until their work is done when Jesus returns.