The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

December 12

Micah 1-2

Psalm 140:1-5

Proverbs 29:18-19

Revelation 6

The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse

“Then I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out overcoming and to overcome….And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sits on it, it was given to him to take peace from the Earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him….Then I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sits on it had a pair of scales in his hand.  And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘One quart of wheat for one denarius, and three quarts of barley for one denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine….Then I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and he who sits on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him.  Authority was given to them over a fourth of the Earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the Earth.”  Revelation 6:2, 4, 5-6, 8 LSB

The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have been depicted many times in literature, paintings, movies and other forms of art by Christians and by secular media in describing end time events.  Whether they realize it or not, they are showing actual events that are going to occur.  Many of them portray it as science fiction and think it is fanciful and for entertainment purposes only, but they are mistaken.  Satan knows that the events recorded in the Bible will occur.  He has been working behind the scenes for the last 2,000 years to prepare for this time.  The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse correspond with the first four seals opened by the Lamb of God, Jesus, as He dispenses God’s judgment on the Earth.  The first Horseman refers to the Antichrist.  At the beginning of the Tribulation period, he will be given authority, a crown, and he will wage war, the bow, and will overcome any who oppose him.  He will be riding on a white horse because he tries to counterfeit anything Jesus does.  Revelation 19 explains that at Jesus’ second coming, He will be riding on a white horse.  The second Horseman rides a red horse, signifying war that will break out in the end times.  Peace will be taken from the Earth and men will slay one another.  He was given a large sword which represents the weapons of war used to bring death to many.  This may include the Battle of Gog and Magog talked about in Ezekiel 38-39 but may not be limited to that. 

The third Horseman will be on a black horse and portrays a great famine that will take place.  Food will be scarce and the prices will be inflated beyond what people can pay.  “Do not spare the oil and wine” suggests that there will be a great discrepancy between the rich and the poor.  The rich will still have the luxuries they desire but the poor will not be able to get even staples to feed themselves.  Those in power have all the resources and everyone else will barely be able to subsist.  The last Horseman will be on a pale horse.  Its rider is named Death and Hades was following close behind him.  The pale color depicts sickness.  He will bring further war, more intense famine, plagues, diseases and attacks by wild animals.  He will cause one fourth of the world’s population to die.  The Four Horsemen are terrifying but they are only the beginning of the pain and horror to come in the Tribulation Period.  Only those who accept Jesus now will be able to avoid these horrors by being raptured before they occur.