The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

It's widely believed that the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (rev/apoc chapter 6) begin their gallop during very latter days. I strongly disagree with this! Their gallop, progression, escalates during very latter days, but begins much sooner. The first horse and rider is upon a white horse. He comes riding out into Earth's story when the "first seal" of the "Seven Seals" is opened in heaven.
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are the first four "seals". They begin their ride when each seal is "opened". This first horseman wears a crown of victory and has conquered. This seal, or element of the latter age (the years of our Lord A.D.) is the conquering march of the gospel (the good news of death and the grave overcome).
- The second horseman is war, man and history's constant companion, this one (eventually) is given "a long sword" (surely our modern weaponry).
- The third horseman is holding an imbalanced scale and is called famine (a companion to war).
- The fourth horseman is another companion to war, pestilence (which will come to include chemical pestilence). This horseman has a name and his name is death and the grave follows him. Most translations say "hades" or "hell" follows him, but a much more accurate translation in tune with the "Sheol" of the Old Testament, is simply, "the grave". This fourth horseman includes the mass grave wherever (and whenever) it has occurred. All these riders escalate as very last days (of man's system) progress.

Checkmate

I have this very big history book, which I had my eye on for some time, but the cost was sixty dollars. Needless to say, this is just too much to pay in order to own a book. But! Much to my delight I saw it was on special sale for thirty dollars!

It's a very big book and has mostly sat on a bookshelf for sometime now. I took it out intending to begin reading it, or at least scanning through, regularly, a couple of months ago, but only finally am doing so now. So yesterday I found myself scanning the index at the end of the book and realized, if I was to just read my way through that first of all, I'd learn quite a bit just doing that, as they list many occurrences and events with their page number after each name in the index. So you really do get a lot of information after each index entry.

I noticed, as I was reading through a lot of names starting with A, down through some centuries, what weird lives some of them lived! Which of course I've heard of before, but not so much at once. Like so and so, son of a king, accused his brothers of something, then defended them against the father, then killed his brothers, then plotted to kill his father, got discovered in some espionage in order to carry it out, and was executed. I mean really? This is how you're going to spend your life? When you could have leisure and enjoyment of days without having to toil like most of the population of mankind. It was his father who had him executed of course.

And there were lots and lots of this type of thing! Married his sister.. murdered his sister.. grand father.. what ever.. slew 40,000 people of a town.. this type of thing, over and over.


I started to notice it all had one thing in common. And that is they all had one branch of government. There was one power in the land.

All The Bible And The Lesson Of All Human History In Eleven Words

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" - 1 Peter 1:3

The Serpent Guise Of The Dragon

All through Revelation, chapter twelve, of the Bible, we read about "the dragon". He waits in front of the woman who gives birth to a manchild who will rule all nations with a rod of iron (unbreakable law and principle) in order to devour the manchild (a son of man) as soon as he is born. We can almost hear "Rachel weeping"...

But the manchild is not devoured. Instead he is caught up to God and his throne. (Hebrews 1:3) At which point, said dragon is enraged and pursues the woman, and there is a first migration (of the faith). There's war in heaven, Michael and his angels battle with the dragon and his angels, who do not prevail, and after which, the dragon is denied further access to the heavens.

He's pretty ticked off about that, so he persecutes the woman, and she is given the two wings of an eagle - a second migration of the faith - so she may fly away from the inquisitions to a new place where she is, for a "set time" (Strong's #2540) and "short while" kept safe from the face, countenance, fashion (Strong's #4383) of the dragon. (A set time of 3.5.)

But the serpent, after the set, short while, spews some sort of flood (proliferation) (Strong's #4215 current, stream, river) after the woman so she will be washed away (Strong's #4216) "overwhelmed, carried away" by the flood.

We know the serpent is the dragon, for the next verse (verse 16) says "But the earth" (in the vision John saw) "came to the rescue of the woman, and the ground opened its mouth and swallowed up the stream of water which the dragon had spewed from his mouth." (Amplified Version) [Cross-Reference - Luke 23:31!]

Why is the dragon in the one verse, referred to as "the serpent"?

Bible Riddle and KEY ONE and TWO

ONE ~ This riddle and key involves the Seals of God, in Revelation chapter 6. In order to read it you have to understand each seal is described here in chapter 6, as a blend. The description is a blend of two things, what the seal is when it is first opened (or broken and the element of the seal begins) and also as the seal is in its fully progressed (or galloped) form at the 'end'. (This works to partially hide the vision for a time.)

TWO ~  Rev 6:12-17 = Rev 13:13 = 1945 ~
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The Heartbroken Prophet

Poor Hosea. He lived in hard times, a time hard to find a good wife. Prophet for the Most High God of the Bible, during a time when the nation was, let's say very sexually active. Finally God said "Go ahead, get yourself a wife from the nation, she'll symbolize the unfaithfulness of my people".

Now lest we get on our high horse and judge Israel, it's not hard to see Israel is but a micro example of the macro situation.. the world has wandered far from the One who created it as a garden of peace and delight.

It's been said of prophet Hosea, "his sentences fall like the throbs of a broken heart." His wife had run off with another man, likely one who could pamper her with luxury. Hosea's heart was broken. This, God said, was the exact same thing Israel (and mankind) had done to him. Like sheep gone astray, Israel then, and the world now, has wandered far away from Him and life's simple garden of peace and delight. We could truthfully say God's heart mourns.

Mourning the unfaithfulness of his wife, Hosea, wrote that he "bought her back". Before we judge them too harshly, let's note it was a day when religion (other than Israel's) involved sex rites in the shade of lush groves. "The spirit of harlotry leads them astray" Hosea recorded, "and Most High God is a stranger to them".

This marriage was an example of God's marriage to mankind, and Israel, appointed to prophecy, to record the words of Scripture, and to be the place a little bit prepared for the rescuer, Messiah, whom it is prophesied will return and restore paradise and eternal life, after the course of mankind and world history has run its course. You see, God too, has "bought back" His unfaithful wife.

Before God sent Hosea to prophecy, He had sent Elijah, Elisha and Amos. Meanwhile, He also had sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh the capital of Assyria. You see Assyria was a great nation whose main theme and occupation was conquest, and they had their eye on Israel.

Back when Israel was faithful to God, His radiant Spirit (His Presence with them) was a shield round about them. But this could no longer be said. Mighty Nineveh, and all Assyria amended their ways at the preaching of Jonah, long enough to delay their aggressive conquest of Israel, what God called "fiery judgment".

In the day when mighty Assyria was getting ready to pounce on Israel, Israel, according to the Bible, had, for some time, fallen prey to practices of the popular religion of the day, which had progressed into human sacrifice, especially of infants and children. Sex rites brought about what was likely many unwanted babes, and it doesn't seem too big a leap to assume one had to do with the other, a natural progression if you will.

What Almighty God worth his salt wouldn't cease to protect a people who had adopted such horrific practice!

Bible prophet Hosea never did say how he and his (once) unfaithful wife got on. Did they end their days in peace and grow old together? Assyria did come, make war with and terrify Israel, and carried the people away with them back to Assyria, to be the slaves they had become. But a few poor folk of the land had been left behind. I like to think Hosea and his wife, Gomer, found peace and happiness in the end.

And as for Israel? (The northern ten tribes of Israel that is.. the ones some think of as "the lost ten tribes of Israel, but that's another story.)

God also said through His prophets that Messiah would regather and restore Israel. They would turn to Him and the nations would stream to Jerusalem to learn. And Jerusalem/Israel will become the beautiful and verdant capital of a New Earth within a New Heavens, where the "lion will eat straw like the ox, and the bear will be seen grazing with the cow" (paraphrased just a little).

Victoriously Victorious

Interesting Cross-Reference:

Romans 1:3-5

Good News Translation (GNT)

³ "It is about his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: as to his humanity, he was born a descendant of David;⁴ as to his divine holiness, he was shown with great power to be the Son of God by being raised from death.⁵ Through him God gave me" (Paul) "the privilege of being an apostle for the sake of Christ, in order to lead people of all nations to believe and obey."

Revelation 6:2

New King James Version (NKJV)

² "And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer."

Amos The Farmer Prophet And Preacher

Amos, a "herdsman" and "gatherer of wild figs" was one of the early prophets. Though of the nation of Judah (and one half tribe of Benjamin) he went north to the (lost) ten tribes of Israel to prophecy "two years before the earthquake".
- First He prophesied against nations around Israel who had terrified and mistreated Israel. The predictions were simple. Yahweh, most high God, would judge them with fire.

It had been two hundred years ago that ten of the tribes of Israel had separated from Jerusalem and the worship there, and had set up "a golden calf" in Bethel to represent their god and way of worship. But they also mixed in with their religion, observances to Yahweh (most high God).

Amos told them God was not fooled. He knew they had jimmied the scales and sold to the poor using a false set of weights and balances. He knew they cheapened their products and raised the rates, and they had become wealthy and proud off the poor. And were robbing them still.

 Amos prophesied and promised the consequences of oppressing and cheating the poor in order to be rich. The ten tribes nation of Israel could expect an earthquake, an eclipse, funerals and a famine.

(I've been asking the Lord, when will I know I, or loved ones after me, should be storing up some water, food and blankets. Could this be it? A prophecy parallel, like Bible prophecy almost always parallels, that is has two fulfillments, one for its time and another for the peak of man's history, story and lesson, commonly called "last days".)

Like just about all the prophets, Amos concluded his message by prophesying a golden age of Israel (with Jerusalem as capital of the Earth) when "the plowman shall overtake the reaper.. the juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains and all the hills shall run with it".

"I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel" said the LORD through Amos' preaching, "they will rebuild and inhabit.. they will plant vineyards and drink the wine, plant gardens and eat the fruit.. and never again will they be plucked from their land".

Is Sunday Worship the Mark of the Beast?!

The Hebrew Spring Holy Days were fulfilled by Jesus' first advent.. crucified on Passover, buried as the 2nd Holy Day was beginning (as the sun went down, as ancient Hebrew days begin at sundown).. On the Day of Unleavened Bread (sometimes also called Passover) he was put into a cave as his tomb and burial. He was in the grave for 3 nights and 3 days, as He said He would be, rising as the regular weekly Sabbath was ending. The 3rd Holy Day of Spring Holy Week was the regular Sabbath on Saturday. He rose as it was ending, making 3 full nights and days and as the 4th Spring Holy Day was beginning, or about to begin. This day being the Feast (or Holy Day) of the Waving of a Single Sheaf of Wheat in the Air. Jesus was the first single one to be resurrected. This day always fell upon the day following the regular weekly Sabbath. Then also of course would come Pentecost, 49 days or 7 weeks later, making the Holy Day of Pentecost also always following upon the day after the regular weekly Sabbath day. "These are the set feasts or appointed seasons of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be HOLY.." Leviticus 23:37 (Amplified Version) The Spring ones are verses 1-16.
- Sunday is the Roman name, and yes it was named after the so called sun 'god'(demon) but Saturday was named after Saturnalia, another Roman 'god'/demon. Satan&Co own nothing, can only steal and confiscate.

The Heavenly Wind

Isaiah chapter 11, verse 2 says "The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him". (And the rest of the chapter tells how he will subdue the world, "the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the lion will eat straw like the ox, etc.) Then we see at Jesus' baptism, how "the Spirit came down upon Him in the form of a dove and remained"... (John 1:33, which of course we can see by the heaven sent miracles of Jesus). Then after Jesus' death and resurrection (rescue of mankind) came the Day of Pentecost when the "Holy Spirit came down like a mighty wind filling the room where they were and lighting upon each one in tongues of fire". People in the street heard the wind when it came.. (Acts 2:1-6)
- "And God breathed the breath of Life into Adam and he became a living soul.." (Genesis 2:7)

Little Things

I prayed.. I asked God, "please.. if I'm wrong about these things (warnings and signs relating to the trend of fulfilling Bible prophecies of a coming world governing gone tyrannical, what the Bible calls worst time ever, but plain and specific signs given so its worst days, 45, can be avoided) please let me know.. don't let me teach in any tiny way, anything which is not true.."
- The Lord 'speaks' to me (if you're a believer, you know what I mean) sometimes, quite often, actually, using my birth date in various ways - 5,5,55. It's amazing how many times I wake up at 5:55 or look up at the clock and it's 2:22 or 3:33, or something :55... Silly perhaps, to some.
- I like to relax by reading a short romance or adventure story written by Christians. My favorites are old world, simpler life style settings of settlers or other old fashioned, reverent type stories where good triumphs, etc. and faith is common to the culture and the families. My latest one was an adventure set in the days of the rising of Hitler in Germany... It all started out sort of slow, those days, and all the while the news reported how good things were. And Hitler did actually rise to power by doing some very good things. Promised prosperity for all, education for all, fitness programs for all.. And he resurrected their very ailing currency and economy. The nation went from chaos to order, and the people idolized him. He was great, he was for the common person, they lauded him with rapture and spellbound faces. But the heroine of the story stumbled upon the ugly truth of the first ghettos where the Jewish citizens were imprisoned after much of the nation was stirred up into hatred of them (first beginning as condescension and disdain?). Every problem of life and society the nation had experienced was their fault, so the party line went, first they were ignorant, against progress and then they were evil intentioned and finally "vermin". They were forced from their homes, and government confiscated their businesses. And soon they were to be trucked off to death camps. At a pivotal moment in the story, our heroine noted the time, 5:55.
- The hero and heroine of course went on to live happily ever after, having rescued one such ghetto of residents from being ex-terminated. And at the end of the story as grandparents they visited the Holocaust Museum. As they left that place they said "I can barely stand to think of the holocaust, but thank God for this memorial". And, "God willing, the world won't forget, so it will never happen again"....
- A touching moment in the story, after the daring rescue and escape, an elderly gent said "Baruch atoh adnoy, elohaynu melech ho-lom shee-osoh li nays bamokm hazeh. You are blessed. Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who performed a miracle for me in this place."