For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)
The first seal,[1]the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2]the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3]the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. Enter the pale horse.
“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:7-8, emphasis mine).
The Greek word translated “pale” is chlōros, from which we derive our English word “chlorophyll,” the chemical in plant leaves that gives them their green color. Green is the color of rotting flesh as in gangrene. It stands to reason that this horse brings death. The “Hell” that follows is hadēs, which is sometimes translated as “the grave” or the abode of the dead. This horse is given power over a fourth of the earth. This probably includes both humans and animals. Our current earth’s population is over 8-Billion people. A fourth of that would be a staggering 2-Billion people. With all that death, much of it brought on by the red and black horses, the living will be overwhelmed in efforts to bury all the dead. The rotting human and animal corpses will contribute to the spread of diseases, pestilences, and pandemics.
The pale horse also kills with hunger. With wars devastating farmlands and disrupting supply chains, and the economic collapse brought on by the black horse, food scarcity will kill many who cannot buy “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny” (Revelation 6:6).
Much of the suffering brought on by the pale horse can be seen today. Covid-19, a man-made pathogen unleashed on the world, arguably on purpose, killed many millions. The worldwide shutdowns stymied supply chains around the globe with their effects felt to this very day. Store shelves remain sparse and often empty. Long waiting periods abound for electronic parts (from China mostly) needed for manufacturing electronic devices of all kinds. And even though the pandemic has mostly subsided, the powers that be continue to foment fear of new variants. (They relish the power that such fear gives them over the populous.)
There is more to come. Just this week I learned about a new bat-borne virus discovered in Western Africa (Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon), which is deadly and for which there is no known cure.[4] This is only the beginning.
In his Wednesday night sermon this week,[5] Pastor Jack Hibbs described the wars and rumors of wars that the mainstream media strategically omit from their reports. Most of us know about the Chinese balloon that floated over the entire United States spying on our military installations. Do not be deceived; China is testing our defenses to discover our weaknesses. North Korea also continues to test our resolve. Russia is looking for an excuse to attack the United States. Putin has not been vague in his threats to use nuclear weapons on any who oppose his assault on Ukraine. Russia has brought charges against the US with the UN for blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline. (Yes, we did blow it up.) Another rumor of war about which we hear little is the strife between Pakistan and India – both nuclear powers.
Jesus assured us that “… ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:6-7, emphasis mine). Very recently two 7.5 magnitude earthquakes followed by many strong aftershocks (5.0+ magnitude) rocked Eastern Turkey and Northern Syria. Over 42,000 deaths have been recorded to date and many more are expected. We do not hear much about them, but earthquakes of 5.0+ magnitude are happening all over the world. However, Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). We are not experiencing the Tribulation yet. The reason I know that is that the Church is still on Earth and the Antichrist has not been revealed. What we are experiencing are just the early, sporadic birth pangs, but they are increasing in frequency and intensity. The Greek word translated as “sorrows” is ōdin meaning “the pain of childbirth, travail pain, birth pangs.”
The four horses of the apocalypse are saddled. Their riders are ready to mount as they await their order to ride. For those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ, all this is good news. It means that our Lord’s return is closer than ever before. Before the first seal is broken, “… the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, emphasis mine).
Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)
With the first seal,[1]the white horse, and the second seal,[2]the red horse, opened, the Tribulation is well underway. By now, Antichrist controls a good majority of the nations on earth. Many others will resist his authority, bringing the world wars that come with the red horse. Several opinions predict the origins of “the beast.” Some believe he will be a Jew because the Prophet Daniel says that, “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God[3] of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:37-38, emphasis mine).
Some believe “the beast” will be a Muslim. They come to this conclusion from a passage from the Prophet Micah that predicts the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2, emphasis mine). Messiah will rule Israel (yet future) but will be opposed by “the Assyrian.” “And this man [i.e. the Messiah] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he [the Assyrian] shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men” (Micah 5:5, emphasis mine). However, it is doubtful that Jews would accept a Muslim as their Messiah. A Jewish Messiah is more likely. Jews expect Messiah to be a man, not God. Even now, there is a rabbi in Jerusalem to whom miracles have been attributed and whom many think is a good candidate for the role.[4]
However, neither of these proposals agrees with Daniel’s vision of the Antichrist.[5] From Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image with a head of gold, a chest of silver, a midsection of bronze (brass), legs of iron, and feet (with ten toes) made of a mixture of iron and clay, we conclude that the legs of iron represent the Roman empire (which was never defeated), and the feet of iron and clay is the revived Roman empire (albeit, not necessarily called by that name). However, this last Roman empire is weak and does not hold together well. That it has ten toes suggests a confederation of ten nations (or regions) that are fragmented and do not cohere well together. This final “kingdom” is forming today by way of the European Union (EU), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations (UN). They are all working together with one goal in mind – a One-World Government. From this cabal of elites will rise the Antichrist according to Daniel. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). The Romans – the people of the prince that shall come – destroyed the city, Jerusalem, and the sanctuary, Herod’s Temple, in AD 70. The “prince that shall come” (yet future) is Antichrist. He will come from that revived Roman empire. He will be European – a gentile, not a Jew or Middle Eastern (Muslim).
When Antichrist comes to power, he will not attain complete world dominance. Russia, China, and the Arab nations will not readily submit. Enter the red horse bringing war and taking peace from the world. Global war will further destabilize faltering world economies. The Lamb then breaks open the third seal.
“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6, emphasis mine). This rider carries a set of balance scales in his hand. In John’s day, people bought food in the marketplace by weight. We still do the same today; fruits, fresh vegetables, meats, etc. are bought by weight. Even canned items and liquid items inform the buyer of the weight of the contents. So, the balance scales the rider carries indicate the buying and selling of things; it is the economy of the world that he carries.
The economy, at the time of this writing, really stinks! I am old enough to remember when a loaf of bread sold for around 25¢. Today a loaf of bread sells for between $4 and $5! However, during the Tribulation, it gets worse. A “measure” (Gk. choenix) is “nearly equivalent to about one quart, being considered a sufficient daily allowance for the sustenance of one man.”[6] A measure of wheat sufficient to feed a man for one day is sold for a “penny” (Gk. dēnarion aka, denarius), which was considered a day’s wages. In today’s money, a worker earning a minimum wage of $10.50/hour for eight hours earns $84/day. If that is what it takes to buy food sufficient for one day, how will a person pay for rent, transportation, and other necessities? Of course, that would be the price for wheat – the “good stuff.” One could economize by downgrading to “barley” – the “cheap stuff” – and get three measures for a day’s wages.
However, the elites pulling the strings get to enjoy all of the best. “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” They live it up, while the “worker bees” suffer. Notice how the current elites of the world travel to Davos, Switzerland in private jets, stay in five-star hotels, dine at the finest restaurants, and meet to plan the dictates for the rest of us – how we should reduce our “carbon footprint,” turn down our thermostats, drive (expensive) electric cars, and eat bugs instead of steak. That is what they plan while they wittingly or unwittingly pave the way for the black horse.
The combination of the red horse and the black horse under the direction of the white horse will make the way for the “pale horse” that follows. The black horse is saddled and its rider is ready to mount.
Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to all the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.
[3] KJV capitalizes “God,” however a close examination of the text seems to favor lower case – “god.” It makes no sense that he would have no regard for “the God of his fathers” and at the same time honor that God. In context, it seems more likely that he is honoring “the god of [dark] forces … a god whom his fathers knew not.”
[5] “Antichrist” is a title ascribed to this coming ruler by students of end-times prophecy. The writer of the book of Revelation gives him this title, but only in his epistles: 1 John 2:18. In Revelation, he calls him “the beast.” The prefix, “anti” means “in exchange for, in place of, instead of, one after another” So, “the beast” attempts to put himself in place of or instead of Christ.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)
The first seal[1] released the white horse whose rider carried a bow, but no arrows, and he was “given” a crown – not a diadēma (a royal crown) but rather a stephanos (a victor’s wreath). The first seal begins what we know as the seven-year Tribulation that opens when “the prince that shall come … shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” that brings “peace” to Israel.[2] Considering the placement of this seal (first) and that he carries a bow and no arrows, we can conclude that this rider represents the Antichrist that will come on the scene.
Following close behind the white horse, the second seal brings the red horse. “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword” (Revelation 6:4).
The first thing we notice about this rider is that “power was given to him.” He does not get this power on his own. So, from where does he get this power? Since the rider of the white horse is Antichrist (arguably), it could be assumed that Antichrist gives him the power. At this point, we need to remember who controls the opening of the seals. “And [the Lamb] came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne … And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see” (Revelation 5:7; 6:1). Make no mistake, the One who gives the power is the One who holds the title deed to the earth, i.e., “the scroll.”
In Revelation, John provides, more than any other prophetic book, a detailed description of the events that will take place during Daniel’s 70th week.[3] This time is also known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” as coined by the Prophet Jeremiah. “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it” (Jeremiah 30:7, emphasis mine). Jacob’s other name is Israel. The Tribulation serves to “save” Israel and turn their hearts to their Messiah. Jesus says by way of the Prophet Zechariah, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine).
Another reason for the Tribulation, in brief, is for God to “clean house” on earth. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). During this awful time, God’s wrath will be unleashed against a sinful world. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6, emphasis mine). “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” (Colossians 3:6, emphasis mine). This is one reason that the Church, i.e., Christians, will be taken out of the world to escape the wrath to come. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
A third reason for the Tribulation is to give the world one last opportunity to repent and turn to Christ. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Revelation gives three examples of God’s attempt to save rebellious sinners during this time: 144,000 “evangelists” to proclaim the Gospel,[4] two witness preaching in Jerusalem for three and one-half years,[5] and even an angel proclaims the Gospel to the world.[6] Jesus said of this time, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine).
The red horse brings the first signs of serious trouble ahead. He is given power “to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword” (Revelation 6:4). He carries “a great sword” which is an implement of war. War takes peace from the earth and it cannot be prosecuted without people killing one another. The red horse brings global war.
Of this time Jesus said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom …” (Matthew 24:6-7). The Old Testament predicts some of the wars involving Israel in the “last days.” Psalm 83 speaks of a time when Israel’s neighbors will surround her with the aim to “cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalm 83:4). Arguably, this has taken place at least twice. Once when Israel declared itself a nation on May 14, 1948. On that very day, the Arab nations attacked defenseless Israel to prevent her from establishing her nationhood. Miraculously, Israel defeated her enemies. The second time was in the [19] Sixty-seven War, when once again they were outnumbered and outgunned, they took back their beloved capital of Jerusalem and conquered the Sinai Peninsula, which they later gave back to Egypt in a foolhardy land-for-peace deal. However, there are some who believe the Psalm 83 war is yet future.
Isaiah speaks of the overnight destruction of Damascus. “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap … And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.” (Isaiah 17:1, 14, emphasis mine). Even today, as Iran continues to ship and store missiles in Syria and especially in Damascus, Israel periodically makes air strikes on Damascus. Current pictures of Damascus make it look like a war zone. However, it continues to be a city. Israel possesses nuclear weapons that could flatten Damascus with one bomb. As tensions build in the Middle East, we might soon wake to the news that Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, is no more. It is also possible that its demise will happen after the Rapture of the Church.
Ezekiel 38-39 foretells that a confederation made up of Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria, and their allies will come against Israel. Israel will find itself hopelessly outmanned and outgunned. However, God will intervene and destroy her enemies in such a miraculous way that it will leave no doubt that it is God that saves Israel. Today, we see the stage being set for this prophesied war. All of the nations mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiel have armies and weapons staged in Syria. All they need is a good reason to invade. Could the destruction of Damascus be the catalyst?
All of the end-times prophecies focus on the nation of Israel. However, all the world is involved. Today, Russia wars against Ukraine. North Korea threatens South Korea, Japan, and the United States. China rattles its sabers against the United States. Russia threatens NATO with nuclear retaliation if it interferes with its campaign against Ukraine. There are wars going on in Africa. There is unrest in South America and Europe. Peace is all but gone from the world.
The red horse is saddled and its rider is ready to mount and ride. Will you be around to see peace taken from the earth, or will you be rescued in the Rapture? If you are not sure, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)
The first sight[1] John saw when the risen Christ summonsed him to heaven was the vision of God on His throne.[2] In His right hand, God held a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.[3] The scroll represents the deed to the earth that was lost in the Garden of Eden.[4] No one in heaven or earth was found worthy to take the scroll and break open the seals[5] except for “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”[6]
In order to understand what John saw, we need to look back to the law of the kinsman-redeemer.[7] This law allowed a close relative to buy back land lost for whatever reason so that the land would remain in the name of the family. The book of Ruth[8] serves as a good example of this law in practice. Ruth, a Moabite, followed her mother-in-law, Naomi, to Bethlehem after the loss of her husband and father-in-law. Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, had owned land in Bethlehem, but Naomi could not redeem the land because of her status as a woman. The book of Ruth is a short four chapters, so to sum up the account in brief, Boaz, a close relative, took a shine to Ruth and agreed to marry her and redeem the property that had been lost. (There is more to the story, but I will leave it to the reader to research the details.)
Carrying this idea to the scene John witnessed in heaven, we understand the loss of earth’s possession through Adam’s sin. The Lamb, who is the Second Adam,[9] is the kinsman-redeemer that has the legal right to buy back the lost property by virtue of His shed blood on the cross. “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne” (Revelation 5:7).
Up to this point, the tense of John’s record is present tense, i.e., the time of John’s writing. At the opening of Chapter 4, he is called up to heaven. Many excellent end-times biblical scholars see John’s call up to heaven as a “type” of the Rapture of the Church, because the Church is no longer mentioned on earth and is not seen again until she returns to earth following the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.[10] From the opening of Chapter 6, the tense changes to future.
“And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see” (Revelation 6:1). The opening of each of the seals brings judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth. The first seal brings the rider on a white horse.
“And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer” (Revelation 6:2). Many mistake the rider on the white horse to be Christ. They come to this conclusion from His description in Revelation 19. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war” (Revelation 19:11) However, here the Lamb, with the scroll in hand, releases the rider on the white horse; He cannot be both the One who releases and the one released. The fact that it is Christ releasing this judgment and all those that follow demonstrates that He is ultimately in full control of all that takes place.
So, who is the rider on the white horse? Without going into all the various opinions, the best possible explanation is that this one is the Antichrist, aka, the son of perdition,[11] the little horn,[12]the prince that shall come,[13] the abomination of desolation,[14] and the beast.[15]
The identity of Antichrist will be revealed at the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. Christians should not waste their time and effort trying to identify the one that will fill that role. Christians will not be on earth when he makes his appearance because the Church has been raptured at this time.[16] His appearance will go unnoticed by most of the world, but for those left behind who have some familiarity with biblical end-times prophecy, he will be recognized when he affirms a treaty that will bring peace to the nation of Israel. “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:27, emphasis mine). This act begins the Tribulation in earnest for seven years (one week).
The first rider comes mounted on a white horse which symbolizes a conqueror. Notice that the rider holds a bow, but he carries no arrows. The crown he wears is a stephanos – a victor’s crown or wreath – that is “given” to him. He does not take it by force, but rather by diplomatic means. The Prophet Daniel describes him as a big talker: “And he shall speak great words against the most High” (Daniel 7:25). Through the eloquence of his speech, he convinces the rulers of ten nations to cede power to him, or perhaps they unilaterally agree that he is the best man for the job of ruling the world. He has a bow indicating military power, but the fact that he has no arrows suggests that he conquers without using the military power accessible to him.
Even now the world prepares for the coming of a one-world leader. One does not need to search very hard to hear the term “One-World” proclaimed by government leaders all over the world including those in our own “land of the free.” Our own government is little-by-little ceding the sovereignty of our nation to the United Nations. Recently, President Biden gave up authority to the World Health Organization (WHO). “These proposed amendments are written to strengthen the organization’s ability to unilaterally intervene into the affairs of nations merely suspected of having a ‘health emergency’ of possible concern to other nations. If these amendments are approved, the WHO will have the power to declare an ‘international health emergency,’ nullifying the powers of nation states.”[17]
For many years now, the U.N. has had plans in place to divide the world into 10 regions.[18] The cabal of the uber-rich elites of the world that gather in Davos, Switzerland, make up what is known as the World Economic Forum. This group has grand plans for setting up a one-world government, and they do not hide their intent. They publish their plans on their website[19] and offer access to their meetings on video which one can watch on their website.
The world is primed for Antichrist. The late Belgian Prime Minister, Paul-Henri Spaak once said, “We do not want another committee, we have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all people, and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and be he god or devil, we will receive him”[20](emphasis mine)
The white horse is saddled and the rider is ready to mount. In a speech at the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 1, 2021, Prince (now King) Charles, speaking on the topic of global warming, said, “Here we need a vast military-style campaign to marshal the global private sector. With trillions at his disposal far beyond global GDP, and with the greatest respect beyond even the governments of the world’s leaders, it offers the only real prospect of achieving fundamental economic transition”[21] (emphasis mine). Who is he that needs “trillions at his disposal”? Do the UN, the WEF, and the WHO already have a leader in mind waiting in the wings?
The Antichrist is already in the world and preparing to take his place in this great cosmic drama. We cannot know who he is. In fact, he probably does not know himself. However, the stage is being set. As we see all of these things falling into place, true Christians can know that our Lord and Savior will soon shout, “Come up here!” and we will rise to meet Him in the air. I am not looking for Antichrist, the rider on the white horse. I am looking for Jesus Christ. Are you ready to meet Him? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11)
The book of Revelation puzzles many who read it. It seems strange and sometimes bizarre. Many avoid the book because the contents elicit fear about the predictions of things to come. However, the book of Revelation is the only book of the Bible that promises a blessing to those who read, hear, and apply its contents. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation 1:3).
Revelation opens with the last remaining apostle of Jesus, the Apostle John, “in the Spirit the Lord’s Day.”[1] The Roman government arrested and exiled John to the prison island of Patmos for preaching the disruptive Gospel of Jesus Christ.[2]
The initial recipients of the book were seven churches in Asia Minor: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.[3] To these, the risen Christ addresses individual letters.[4] These churches existed in John’s day, but because of the commendations and reproofs Jesus gives to these churches, some have seen in them patterns of each throughout church history.
John then describes his first glimpse of Jesus as though in a vision. This is not the Jesus John remembers during His earthly ministry. This Jesus is awesome to behold. John says, “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:12-16). The dazzling sight caused John to fall at His feet in awestruck fear, but that tender, familiar voice reassured him of the One he loved. “… Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17-18).
John saw Jesus in the midst of seven lampstands holding seven stars in His right hand. Jesus explained to him that the seven lampstands represented the seven churches and the seven stars represented the seven angels, i.e., messengers or pastors, of the seven churches.[5] The image reminds us that Jesus dwells among His churches and that He keeps and protects the pastors of His churches in His right hand (a position of power). This should also serve as a warning to pastors. Just as Jesus’ right hand protects His messengers, He also has the power to crush the pastor that fails in his responsibility to Jesus’ Bride, the Church.
As noted earlier, Jesus dictates direct messages to each of the seven churches. Immediately following the last word to the church of Laodicea, John looks up and sees an open door in heaven and hears a sound (Greek: phōnē) like that of a trumpet that said, “Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine).
Many see the Rapture of the Church in these verses. John is commanded to “come up here” and “immediately” he sees the throne of God for the first time. From this point forward, the Church no longer appears on earth until Christ returns with His saints in Chapter 19.
There are many who teach that the Rapture is not taught in the Bible. They correctly argue that the word “rapture” appears nowhere in the Bible. However, neither do the words bible or trinity, yet no one will argue that these concepts are not taught in the Bible. “Rapture” translates the Greek word harpazō into the Latin raptus meaning “to seize; to catch away or up; to pluck, pull, or take by force”. This is what happened to John. He was on the earth and “immediately” he was caught away into the throne room of God.
Jesus gave us the first promise of the Rapture before going to the cross. He said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3, emphasis mine). Paul teaches of the time when the trumpet shall sound and our corrupt bodies will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. The dead in Christ will rise from their graves, and we who are alive will join them to meet Jesus in the air.[6]
John enters the presence of God and his first sight is the throne of God. The person seated on the throne appears not as a human or any other creature, but rather as a glorious splendor. Of Him, John says, “And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald” (Revelation 4:3). The Bible teaches that God has no human form, except in the form of Jesus. Jesus said, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24, emphasis mine). John was given a privilege that even Moses (or anyone else for that matter) was denied. Moses, who spoke with God face-to-face as with a friend,[7] wanted to see God in His glory, but God denied his request, “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live” (Exodus 33:20, emphasis mine). Yet, somehow John saw God in all of His glory and did not die. In our corrupt human bodies, we cannot withstand the glory of God’s presence. However, at the Rapture, our bodies will be transformed in such a way that we can be in the presence of God in His full glory and not be harmed, just like John.
The scene overwhelmed John. There were lightnings, thunders, and voices. Around the throne of God, John saw 24 thrones upon which seven elders sat wearing white robes and crowns of gold.[8] Some suppose these represent the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles. Others suggest that they merely represent believers of all the ages. In either case, the white robes represent the righteousness of Christ conferred on them. The golden crowns are stephanos, which are “victors crowns” awarded to them for conquering sin, not through their own righteousness, but through the blood of Christ.
John then sees seven lampstands around the throne defined as the “seven spirits of God” Some suggest that these seven lampstands represent seven attributes of the Holy Spirit as described by the prophet Isaiah. “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him [i.e., Jesus], the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2, emphasis mine). We know that the Holy Spirit indwells believers and thereby indwells the Church. In the first chapter, John sees Jesus in the midst of seven lampstands, which represent the churches. Now, these same lampstands (i.e., churches) are seen around the throne of God. I see the lampstands representing both the Holy Spirit and the churches wherein the Holy Spirit resides. The attributes described by Isaiah certainly apply as well.
Around the throne is a crystal sea. It is difficult to know what John saw in this. It is all strange and wonderful and beyond words to describe. John could only relate what he saw by his limited earthly vocabulary. But then he sees four strange creatures full of eyes and with six wings each. One “beast” had the head of a lion, the second the head of a calf, the third the head of a man, and the fourth the head of an eagle.[9] The eyes represent the omniscience of God and the four different heads represent all of God’s creatures: wild animals, domestic animals, human beings, and avian life. All of God’s creation never ceasing to praise Him day or night “saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).
John then observed that when these praised God, the 24 elders prostrate themselves and cast their victor’s crowns before the throne saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
With the focus on the throne, John spots something new. “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1, emphasis mine). By its description, we know that this “book” is actually a scroll – perhaps parchment – with writing on both sides, rolled up and secured with seven seals. Many suggest that this scroll represents the title dead to the earth and the kingdoms thereof. When God created the earth, He gave dominion over the earth to man whom He created in His image on the sixth day of creation.[10] However, man lost that dominion when he sinned in the Garden of Eden.[11] The dominion of earth transferred to Satan. Paul calls him the “god of this world.”[12] When Satan tempted Jesus, he offered Jesus the kingdoms of this world if He would only bow down and worship him. “And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it” (Luke 4:6, emphasis mine). However, his ownership is only temporary.
Then John saw and heard a strong angel proclaim, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5:2). And no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was found worthy to take the scroll and break the seals. The situation was dire indeed. All of God’s creation hung in the balance and there was no one to come to the rescue. John says, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon” (Revelation 5:4).
John’s tears were soon assuaged. “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof,” John says, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Revelation 5:5-6). John the Baptist saw this Lamb come to him to be baptized in the Jordan and proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He was slain on the cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and rose again on the third day.[13] Horns represent kingdoms and the Lamb has seven representing completion. All the kingdoms belong to Him. He is “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). Seven eyes suggest omniscience with all the attributes of the seven Spirits of God.
Only the Lamb, by virtue of His sacrifice, is worthy to take and open the scroll. “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne” (Revelation 5:7). When the Lamb took the scroll, a great celebration broke out in heaven. The four living creatures and the 24 elders prostrate themselves before the Lamb. “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).
Then the rest of heaven breaks out in praise, “Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:12-13).
Worthy indeed! I cannot imagine how John must have felt at the first sight of heaven and the throne of God. I cannot wait to see it for myself!
The 14 chapters that follow bring us back to earth and the events that will transpire during the seven-year Tribulation. The scenes are horrific. However, the Church, the Bride of Christ, will not experience the horrors of the Tribulation. The Church, as we saw will be around the throne of God and not on earth. Will you be there or will you experience the horrors that are coming upon the earth? Your ticket out of here was purchased by Jesus more than 2000 years ago. All you have to do is accept it. Check out my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”
Ernie's Musings 