Faithful on Fridays Blog

It’s grand opening time for the first four seals by none other than Jesus Christ Himself! Understanding the phenomenon of each horse is crucial since they all lead to one thing: His Return! God progressively moves earth toward that final goal. As the living creature commands the symbolic horses to “Come!” remember that Jesus first declared, “Kingdom come, will of God be done.”

It seems reasonable that Jesus rides the white horse, although not everyone agrees, since He is the Conqueror or Nike God who’s pure and holy. Wearing the victor’s wreath as a triumphant warrior He leads the procession of the remaining three horses or happenings on earth. Jesus carries a bow which is intriguing since the Greek word can also mean bringing forth or giving birth. Didn’t Jesus teach on the end times (Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) and describe the developments as ‘birth pains’ which increase in frequency and intensity? Comforting His followers in John 16:16-24 Jesus used the metaphor of the pains of childbirth but reminded them of the joy that follows.

Disregarding life-circumstances and remembering the white horse believers can read about the red horse; these happen simultaneously, not sequentially, as you’ll soon see. The fiery, ‘seeing-red’ vengeance indicates Satan’s work on the earth. Given limited authority by God he attempts to remove peace or unity; unfortunately this includes the Church. If he can divide us he believes he can conquer us; just think back to the religious wars for the last 2,000 years: Crusades, Catholics vs. Protestants, Catholics vs. Calvinists, Puritans vs. Anglicans. The slaying dagger, one against another, was demonic but the Church remembered her Conqueror.

Concurrently we read of the black horse of darkness and sorrow. This rider is carrying a balance scale directing our thinking to a nation’s economy. Times of high prices and low wages seem to be out-of-balance as the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. There’s inability for the poor to provide for their families and inflation leading to depression effecting everyone. Jesus forewarned us in two parables (Luke 16:1-9 and Matt. 25:14-30) describing the value of shrewdness regarding our money, generosity, and using our gifts to advance the Kingdom. We are ‘sons of light’ and the economic hardship lessens as believers use their God-given gifts to provide for brothers and sisters in need.

The final horse is green; it’s a gruesome, putrid, corpse-like green that brings Death by disease, plagues, and ravages of war having an undertaker following: Hades or the grave. He’s given limited authority to kill ¼ or partially using various methods: war, famine or hunger, pestilence or disease, and wild animals such as Christians executed in Roman games. During these times we stand in faith together.

These occurrences since Jesus’ departure are intended to build our faith and strengthen our hope remembering He’s returning on another white horse as the King of kings (Rev. 19:11). We repeat, “Come!”