seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 6:1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
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Here's the link to the commentary I read. Once again, there's some stuff in the commentary I didn't include there.
I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals: From the previous chapter, we understand this scroll is the history and destiny of mankind and creation, and only Jesus — the Lamb — had the right to loosen the seals on this scroll of the culmination of history.
And I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” Each seal is associated with a living creature (zoa, one of the cherubim of Ezekiel 1 and 10) who called out “come” (or, it could be translated “go forth”) to each horseman.
Behold, a white horse: If one were to take their interpretive clues more from cowboy movies than from the Bible, it would be easy to believe the rider on the white horse is Jesus. Jesus does return on a white horse in Revelation 19:11-16; but this is a satanic dictator who imitates Jesus.
He rules (a crown was given); he rules with a bow, not a sword; and he exercises dominion over the earth (went out conquering and to conquer). But the results of his rule, as described in the following verses, show clearly that this is not the reign of Jesus.
“The whole context and character of these seals absolutely forbid our thinking of this rider being the Lord Jesus, as so many affirm. His reign shall not bring war, famine, and strife in its train.” (Jennings)
He went out conquering and to conquer: Taking this to be the final satanic dictator over men, we see that he will be more terrible than all previous dictators were. He will rule over men as a false messiah, and lead man in organized rebellion against God, in the pattern of Nimrod, his first predecessor. He is the one often called the antichrist.
The idea of a satanic dictator over men goes back all the way to Nimrod, the ruler over Babel in Genesis 10:8-14, where it says he was a mighty hunter before the LORD. This has the sense that he was a mighty hunter of men, and that this was offensive to the face of God.
Come and see: The modern political and social scene is certainly set for the emergence of such a political leader. All that waits is for the Lord to allow it in His timing after He takes His church from this earth.
Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth: This rider didn’t need to bring war and destruction. All he needed to do was take peace from the earth. Once this peace — God’s gift to man — was taken, men quickly rush in with war and destruction.
Peace between men and among nations is a gift from God. It is not the natural state of relations between men.
And it was granted: This authority was granted to the horseman. This is, directly or indirectly, the judgment of God.
That people should kill one another: Our modern age is marked by war and conflict. Since World War II, there have been more than 150 wars of some kind in the world, and at any given time there may be some three dozen armed conflicts taking thousands of lives yearly. The nations of the world often spend more than $1 trillion on military expenditures a year.
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I guess, based on the amount of commentary presented, I'll take a couple of seals at a time. There are of course, seven seals, so I'll have the seventh to deal with when we get closer.
Now, here's the scene, as I understand it. Jesus made it out of the tomb; made a couple of appearances to the Disciples to assure them He was ok, and after instructing the Disciples to spread the Word, He is back in Heaven.
Apparently, according to yesterday's verses, He made it back to Heaven just in time. There was a "mighty angel" ready to rip open the seals and destroy the people who put Jesus in that tomb. Now the scroll with the plan written on both sides of the parchment, with the seven seals intact is safely in the hands of the Messiah [referred to here as "the Lamb"].
Now Jesus is popping the seals so they can get to the plan. As each seal is popped, there will be a consequence.
These verses cover the first two seals. These verses discuss the release of the first two horsemen of the Apocalypse.
The first horse is white. The rider has been given a sword to conquer. I guess in the days of the World Wars, the people thought the White Horse had been released. I guess they might be right. Of course, we made it through the first two world wars, so this must be modern times. Is the conqueror on the White Horse Putin? Or, is it Netanyahu? Or is it still in the future, with an unknown politician bent on expanding his kingdom?
Are the wars in Ukraine, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia, or Israel and Palestine, the first battles brought by the rider on the White Horse.
Do you think one great nation is going to spread their borders at the peril of those who happen to be in the disputed portion of that particular plot of dirt?
The second horse is red. The rider is a bloody thief bent on stealing everyone's peace. Let's face it... we can't go into a Walmart without fear of being shot! We can't send our children to school without fear of them being shot. Some days, just getting to Walmart or the local school can be terrifying, if someone gets an attack of "road rage".
Honestly, I don't feel peace anymore. Everyone seems to hate everyone else. We are segregating ourselves into hateful societies ready to run someone over or shoot their brains out because they look different today!
Maybe the reason so many old people have hunched shoulders and aches and pains is caused by years of stress! Isn't stress an indicator of lost peace?
Do you feel peaceful?
The commentary and I agree, this sure seems like it would be in a Western Movie rather than real life. The bad guy rides into town, bent on taking over. He's a gunslinger with a big reputation. Those who agree with him are his gang. Those who are afraid of him will hide in the shadows or they will do as they are told to avoid raising his wrath. They don't want gunfights in the streets. Offending the wrong guy could get you killed.
Do you think the people who had Bibles back when the range wars were going on, thought the Red Horse was let loose?
Can you imagine how much worse things can get if we aren't already being attacked by these two horses?
Jesus has popped the first two seals of the Apocalypse.
Conquest and Stolen Peace are let loose.
