The Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

Many are familiar with "the four horsemen of the apocalypse," as recorded in the Book of Revelation by the apostle John. But John was not the first to witness the Prophecy. The prophet Daniel was given to see and record it over four centuries before John.

First, the end-time "beast" (see From What Sea Has The Beast Risen?) and his great false Church:

"^7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

^7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn [see The Little Big Horn], before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things." (Daniel 7:7-8 KJV)

The vision wasn't merely given to Daniel to wonder about; the meaning of the vision was also given to him. The verses quoted above represent a great military power and a great false Christian Church in the time prior to the return of Jesus Christ.

"^7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; ^7:20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. ^7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; ^7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom [see When And Where Your Eternal Life Will Begin].

^7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. ^7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ^7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

^7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. ^7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." (Daniel 7:19-27 KJV)

Also given to Daniel in that same prophecy was a vision of Jesus Christ arriving in heaven after His resurrection:

"^7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with The Clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. ^7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14 KJV)

"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation"

How do we know that the verses quoted above refer to Jesus Christ? And how do we know that it refers to when He arrived at the Throne of God after His Resurrection? The apostle John was given to see the same vision, using the same specific descriptive terminology - with even more detail.

"^5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. ^5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? ^5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. ^5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. ^5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda [see Who Were The First Jews?], the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

^5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. ^5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. ^5:9 And they sung a new song, saying,

Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; ^5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth [see What Will Heaven Be Like?].

^5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; ^5:12 Saying with a loud voice,

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

^5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,

Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. ^5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever." (Revelation 5:1-14 KJV)

As described above, a scroll was given to the Messiah by God. In describing the appointed time of His future return, the Lamb of God, while yet Himself remaining in heaven, will open the seals of the scroll, one by one. The first four seals describe the famous "four horsemen of the apocalypse."

The first horseman represents military / religious aggression - the same as already described above, in greater detail, by Daniel (the books of Daniel and Revelation enhance the information of each other). Although many mistakenly believe that Christ is the horseman on the white horse (because of a later white horse that Christ will ride, as we will get to momentarily), the Scriptures plainly say that Jesus Christ is still in heaven when the four horsemen ride upon the earth. The four horsemen are self-explanatory - religious and military aggression (see Constantine's Crusades In History And Prophecy), followed by the inevitable result of the devastation of war - famine and pestilence.

"^6:1 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 beasts saying, Come and see. ^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.

^6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. ^6:4 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.

^6:5 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. ^6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts 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 beast say, Come and see. ^6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell 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." (Revelation 6:1-8 KJV)

It will thereafter be Jesus Christ, at the time of His return, Who will be riding another white horse of the apocalypse. Notice that Christ is described as having "many crowns" and a "sword," while the first horseman, described above, has a "bow" and only one "crown."

"^19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. ^19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. ^19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. ^19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. ^19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ^19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

^19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; ^19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

^19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. ^19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. ^19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:11-21 KJV)

Fact Finder: What does "apocalypse" actually mean?
See The Apocalypse Of Jesus Christ

This Day In History, December 10

1508: Pope Julius II, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon formed the League of Cambrai to attack Venice (see Emperors and Popes and The Holy Roman Empire).

1520: Martin Luther publicly burned Pope Leo X's papal edict, Exsurge Domine, that ordered him to recant his "protestant heresies." The accusation against Luther was fundamentally incorrect; Luther rebelled against the immoral behavior of the papacy at the time, but he maintained nearly all of the Church of Rome's pagan doctrines, as do the "protestant" churches to this day (e.g. see Sun Worship). That's why the LORD refers to the "protestant" churches as "harlots" too i.e. "^17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: ^17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (Revelation 17:4-5 KJV). The Church of Rome is the "mother" of all of those harlots, while Luther was the "father" of many of them.

1845: The first pneumatic (inflated with air) tires were patented by British civil engineer Robert Thompson.

1848: Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of emperor Napoleon, was elected president of France's Second Republic. It was to be short lived - in 1851 Bonaparte staged a coup to restore "the empire."

1865: German-born Leopold I, the first king of the Belgians and a highly influential force in European diplomacy, died. He was known as the "uncle of Europe" - among his many international royal relatives was his niece Queen Victoria of Britain.

1868: The world's first traffic lights, built near London's Parliament Square, began operation.

1896: Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel died. He made much of his fortune from his invention of dynamite and the manufacture of armaments of war in his factories. Ironically (or hypocritically), the "Nobel Peace Prize" is named after him.

1898: The U.S. and Spain signed a treaty to end their war in the Caribbean and the Pacific.

1901: The first transatlantic wireless signal was received at St. John's Newfoundland. Guglielmo Marconi flew a box kite trailing copper wire to a telephone picked up clicking sounds transmitted from 2,000 miles / 3,200 kilometers away in Cornwall, England. Today, the hill from which the kite was flown is called Signal Hill.

1913: The "Mona Lisa" painting was recovered in Florence after having been stolen from the Louvre two years earlier.

1915: The first all-metal plane flew for the first time. Built by German Hugo Junkers, it was known as the "Tin Donkey."

1936: King Edward VIII of Britain abdicated to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson.

1941: Japanese shore-based bombers sank the British battleship Prince of Wales and battle cruiser Repulse.

1982: 119 countries, but not Britain or the United States, signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

1988: A severe earthquake in Armenia killed an estimated 100,000 people.