Book of Revelation 6:1-8
The scroll of the Revelation vision is kept rolled closed by seven seals. As the Lamb of God (Jesus who was slain for Earth's rescue) unrolls the scroll, each time he breaks one of the first four seals, a horse and rider come riding, each one of a different color.
The first horse is white, and its rider "went out conquering and to conquer". Many believe this first seal and horse and rider to be a last days false gospel and world religion. But I believe the seals span the whole latter age, the years of our Lord, A.D. and I believe it is the glorious gospel which conquered and was "openly victorious over powers and principalities", namely those ancient fierce 'gods'.
The four horsemen of the apocalypse continue their ride (from canter to gallop?) throughout the age, and to the 'end'. Each seal progresses from its beginning to the end of the age.
There's a 'lock on the vision' here. Each seal is described at it's opening (breaking) as a blend of two things. What it is at its beginning and what it is at its full progression and maturity. In this way, things which occur very late on the planet, are described here so very early on in the narrative!!
The second horse with rider, is red, he is war, and he is "given a long" or some versions say, "great sword" - our first look at thermo-nuclear weaponry?
The third horse is black and its rider holds a scale. He is imbalance and shortage, especially as a companion to war.
The fourth horse is a pale (or green) horse, and his rider is called "death" and "the grave follows after him". (Including the mass grave.) Many interpretations translate this as "and hell follows after him". But "the grave" is a closer translation.
I recently listened to a preacher who said the white horse is Roman Catholicism (or a form of it), the red horse is Communism, the black horse is Capitalism and the green horse is that radical religion we hear so much about these days. These also fit. I often think Bible prophecy is wider, more nimble than we realize and more than one interpretation works very well together. (To say nothing of different fulfillments of Old Testament prophecies from the time they were written, usually at least two, a 'soon' one and an 'end' times fulfillment.)
In summary - the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (the Unveiling/Revelation) - Conquering gospel (with shadow rider, false? all forms) - War - Shortage & Inequity - that sad horror, the Mass Grave
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