The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The legendary Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are one of the Bible's greatest riddles. Nearly 1,900 years ago the apostle John first recorded the details of their grim ride, and ever since scholars and laymen alike have wondered what they represent.

There have been many ideas, but it hasn't been till our age that we've been able to fully understand the significance of these terrifying riders.

But before we turn to the book of Revelation, we first need to set the stage by taking a realistic look at this world. You and I live in an armed camp. This planet is stockpiled enough nuclear weapons to destroy every man, woman and child at least 50 times over

Today, weapons are big business. Arms salesmen travel the world with their wares, often selling to poor nations who can't even afford to feed their own people. We talk about preserving peace by the balance of terror, as the superpowers checkmate each other by having something close to parity in arms. But war is going on all the time despite this so-called balance.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

God foresaw our present dilemma and spoke to us through Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago Jesus warned us that we would develop the potential to destroy ourselves He foresaw w what would happen. In Matthew 24-21 and 22 we read this: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved [alive]. . . ."

When Jesus said that, the weapons of his day were Roman short swords, spears, catapults and

siege vehicles. They were effective, but they were hardly capable of destroying all life. And this brings us back to the book of Revelation and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

In the book of Revelation, John, the last remaining apostle of the original 12, was given privileged information about the time of the end of this world. He was told to share it with those who would be living at that time. It's privileged information, because it's not been possible to fully understand this book until this century.

Now turn to that famous section that shows specifically what will happen in our time, and already is beginning to happen. It begins in Revelation 6:2: "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. 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. And... I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.... And... I looked, and behold a pale horse.... And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

It all seems very strange and hard to fathom, doesn't it? But remember that this book is a book of revelation, not concealing. Remember also that the Bible interprets its own symbols.

Jesus Christ is the one who gave this prophecy to John. It shouldn't be surprising then that Jesus Christ also gave the key to understanding these four horsemen. You'll find it in Matthew 24:3

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"

Jesus' answer to this question is the key to understanding the meaning of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. Both Revelation 6 and Matthew 24 are referring to the same time, to the end of this age of man before the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. When you put both passages together, you begin to see what the symbols mean.

The answer Christ gave about the signs preceding his return and the end of man's civilisation begins in verse 4: "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you." He continues in the next verse to warn about religious deception, showing that there would be those who would claim to represent Christ and yet be deceiving people. In verse 5: "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many."

The horsemen in Revelation 6 are not harbingers of good things. This first horseman may seem at first glance to represent Christ, but he's an impostor. He represents false, deceiving religion, clothed in white, but full of error and deception, and spreading spiritual confusion.

This white horse of Revelation 6 then does not represent Christ, but false religion, the first of the signs that Christ said would lead up to his Second Coming.

Men have appropriated the name of Christ for their activities and have used religion as a cover for their wrong actions. Christ warned that false religion will again play a part in the soon-coming near destruction of man.

Next in this parallel passage to Revelation 6, in Matthew 24:6 and 7, we read this: "And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."

See how this corresponds with the next horseman in Revelation 6.

"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."

War has been a major preoccupation of man in this century-two world wars, and 140 or more lesser wars since World War Two. Another world war would threaten all mankind.

Now let's look at the next sign in Matthew 24, the last part of verse 7: "and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places."

Put that together with Revelation 6:5 and 6: "And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny [or a day's wages back then], and three measures of barley for a penny; and see [that you] hurt not the oil and the wine."

You have the black horse picturing famine. Millions are already dying of hunger and disease in the wake of natural disasters, in spite of relief efforts. It's going to get much worse.

So finally these horses, symbolizing false religion, war and famine, with accompanying earthquakes, are all combined in the terrible fourth horse - the pale horse - representing pestilences and death itself.

Revelation 6:8: "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell [or the grave] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Fully one quarter of the earth's geography and population will be affected.

When we put this chapter in Revelation alongside Matthew 24 and let the Bible interpret its own symbols, we can see that these horsemen represent the signs that Jesus said were to be the "beginning of sorrows" - the time leading up to his Second Coming.

You need to face it, and then you need to know how to escape. Jesus did say it was possible to qualify to escape what is coming.

In Luke 21:36 we read this: "Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

Here's a warning to stay alert, to watch world events and to start making right choices. This age of man's course is almost run out and you need to escape these awful times ahead. Christ promised a time of protection for those who will heed a way to escape.

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