Tag Archives: End-Times

March 12, 2023 · 10:00

The 144K

And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 7:4)

The first six seals[1] release unprecedented havoc upon the earth, and the seventh seal is next in line. Meanwhile, John shifts the focus from the judgments taking place on earth to the grace and mercy that God continues to offer the inhabitants of Earth. Even in these times, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

John says, “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (Revelation 7:1-3).

John sees four angels that control the wind currents from the four points of the compass. As such, they have power over the weather on Earth, and they are prepared to unleash their fury on Earth. However, another angel appears from the rising sun (translated as “east”) to temporarily halt the next judgment. John says that this angel has “the seal of the living God.”

This “seal” is probably something like a stamp, brand, or signet ring that carries with it the authority of God. John does not elaborate on the mark, but I wonder if it could be the Hebrew letter shin (שׁ). One of the names of God is El Shadday – “Almighty God.” The initial of this name is the Hebrew letter shin. At the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, God said, “… I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually” (1 Kings 9:3, emphasis mine). The Temple Mount in Jerusalem is geographically cradled above three valleys that come together in the shape of the letter shin (שׁ) when viewed from the air. I find that intriguing.

Perhaps the shin is the symbol on the seal that the angel carries. Some suggest that the angel with the seal of God is Jesus. They come to this conclusion because he seems to have the authority of God by way of the seal. However, it is not beyond God to delegate His authority to His angels. Arguably, Jesus controls all the events concerning the Tribulation, and He holds the scroll and opens the seals. It makes sense that He is directing this angel and has delegated His authority to this angel for the sealing of His servants. Also, there is the point that John describes this angel as “another angel” (7:2) like those holding the four winds. So, in my view, this is not Jesus.

The angels holding back the four winds are temporarily restrained from unleashing their judgments until “we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” (7:3). “And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel” (Revelation 7:4, emphasis mine). These 144,000 who are sealed are Jews, not Jehovah’s Witnesses. There are 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel and are listed in the verses that follow.[2] The tribes listed are as follows: Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin.[3] For those who pay attention, there is an apparent discrepancy between the Revelation list and the lists found in the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy). This list includes Joseph from whom the two “half tribes” originated: Manasseh and Ephraim. Here, Joseph is listed as a stand-alone tribe and Ephraim is omitted from the list. The tribe of Dan is also missing.

The reason for their omission is due to a specific sin of idolatry that they allowed in their territories after the kingdom of Israel split under the reign of Rehoboam, successor to Solomon. Before entering the Promised Land, God issued a warning and a curse to anyone who led Israel into idolatry. “The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law” (Deuteronomy 29:20-21). Dan was the first to lapse into idolatry. “And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land” (Judges 18:30, emphasis mine). After the kingdom split, Jeroboam, king of the northern kingdom, had two golden calves made, and he placed one in Ephraim and the other in Dan.[4] Granted, all 12 tribes of Israel continually had problems with idolatry, but these two seem to be the first of the overt violations of God’s warning and may be the reason for the omission of these two tribes from the list of the 144,000.

These 144,000 Jewish sealed servants of God seem to be partly responsible for the conversion and salvation of innumerable souls during the Tribulation. John reports, “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10, emphasis mine). As we have seen before, the “white robes” represent the righteousness of Christ that is imparted to them who have placed their faith and trust in Him (7:14). John records the celebration for these saints. “And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 7:11-12). Jesus said, “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10), and here we see millions upon millions.

One of the elders approached John and asked the same question we might ask. “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?” (7:13). John had no answer, so the elder explained, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (7:14, emphasis mine). They have come out of “great tribulation.” These are Tribulation saints; they are not the Church that was snatched out at the Rapture before the Tribulation begins. This is the amazing thing to me about this time. Even though God is unleashing His great wrath upon a sinful world, He still makes opportunities for people to be saved. “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).

We will see later on that God sends two untouchable Old Testament prophets to preach, and He even sends an angel to proclaim the Gospel around the earth. God is not willing that any should perish, but with all of His effort, we know that the greater majority will continue to reject Him. Jesus said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matthew 7:13, emphasis mine).

For all who enter through the “strait (narrow) gate” there is this promise: “Therefore are they [those ‘who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb’ (7:14)] before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15-17).

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.

Notes:

[1] Revelation 6:1-17

[2] Revelation 7:5-8

[3] Genesis 49:1-27; Exodus 1:2-6

[4] 1 Kings 12:25-33

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March 5, 2023 · 10:00

The Sixth Seal

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: (Matthew 24:29)

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. The fourth seal[4] releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics. These will not be start and stop events. Once the start, they will progress throughout the Tribulation period. The fifth seal brings persecution and death to those who profess Christ during this time. These Christians are not the Church which was raptured before the beginning of the Tribulation. These are those who come to faith in Christ during the Tribulation. They are the “Tribulation Saints” who are seen under the altar of God in heaven.[5]

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places” (Revelation 6:12-14, emphasis mine).

It is difficult to determine from this passage exactly when these events occur. We know the Tribulation is seven years from Daniel’s prophecy,[6] but within that period of time, pinpointing the specific events presents a challenge. The seventh seal that follows presents seven trumpets that herald more severe judgments.[7] The seventh trumpet (that seems to come at the midpoint (3½ years into) of the Tribulation[8]) announces the seven bowl judgments[9] that occupy the final 3½ years of the Tribulation and are even more severe. When the judgments of the final bowl are completed, Jesus returns to earth with all of His saints, i.e., the Church.[10]

Jesus said that earthquakes, the sun darkening, the blood moons and stars falling from the sky would take place during the Tribulation,[11] but He did not specify a time sequence. Perhaps in His humanity, He was not privy to that information. Remember He said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36). However, now in His resurrected body, in His place at the right hand of the Father, He surely knows every detail, which He then reveals to John.

My guess is that the sixth seal judgments begin one or two years into the Tribulation. We already experience an increase in seismic activity all around the globe, even in places where these things rarely happen. Eastern Turkey and northern Syria have been continually shaking since February 6, 2023. In the same time frame, other Magnitude 5+ earthquakes have been reported around the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of Lebanon, Israel, Cypress, and others. This, along with the looming world economic collapse, wars and rumors of wars, and the efforts of globalists to bring in a one-world government, is what Jesus called the “beginning of sorrows,” i.e., “labor pains.”[12]

The sixth seal also brings astronomical events. Jesus predicted these too. On August 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse crossed the United States from the northwest, beginning in Washington state, to the southeast, exiting the South Carolina coast. On April 8, 2024, another total eclipse will cross the southern border of Texas, just below the Big Bend along the Rio Grande, and will take a path northeastward and exit around the middle eastern border of Maine. Its trek will intersect the previous eclipse path at Carbondale, Illinois, which lies in the New Madrid Seismic Zone.[13] Minor earthquakes frequent this area; however, in the winter of 1811-1812, it experienced an earthquake estimated to be between magnitude 7 and 8, and geologists predict another big one in the future.[14] From 2017 to 2024 is seven years – a biblical number of completion. Could 2024 bring a devastating earthquake where X marks the spot that further removes America from end-times prophecy? It is certainly possible. What we do know from Scripture is that earthquakes will play a major role during the Tribulation.

Jesus and John both predict stars falling from the sky. The Greek word translated “star” is astēr, and it refers to any luminous celestial body – a star, a planet, a comet, a meteor, etc. Some have suggested that what John saw were modern incoming missiles falling from the sky. They do look like “falling stars” – meteors. However, neither Jesus nor John employ simile (“like” or “as”) in their descriptions of these falling objects. So, where we can assume that they are not actual stars or planets which would obliterate the earth, we can conclude that these are meteors or asteroids. They do light up when they enter our atmosphere and they do have the potential to cause severe damage. The possibility concerns NASA enough to keep watch on asteroids crossing earth’s orbit.[15]

With all the chaos taking place on the earth during the Tribulation, I am dumbfounded by the attitudes of the people going through these judgments. “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17, emphasis mine). They fully understand the source of these judgments and still they persist in their sin and refuse to repent. Later on, when things get even worse, they not only hide, but they blaspheme God knowing that the judgments come from Him.[16]

Before the seventh seal is broken, there is an interlude that explains what else is taking place on earth during this time. I will examine that later.

Notes:

[5] Revelation 6:9-11

[10] Revelation 19:11-16

[11] Matthew 24:29

[12] Matthew 24:8

[13] The New Madrid Seismic Zone | U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov)

[14] New Madrid Fault Line Could Unleash Catastrophic Midwest Earthquake (prepforthat.com)

[15] Asteroid Watch (nasa.gov)

[16] Revelation 16:9, 11, 21

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February 19, 2023 · 10:00

The Pale Horse

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)

“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).

Notes:

[1] Revelation 6:1-2

[2] Revelation 6:3-4

[3] Revelation 6:5-6

[4] Equatorial Guinea confirms country’s first Marburg virus disease outbreak -WHO | Reuters

[5] (4) Now Arriving – YouTube – Watch/listen to the whole sermon. It is well worth your time.

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February 12, 2023 · 10:00

The Black Horse

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.

Notes:

[1] Revelation 6:1-2

[2] Revelation 6:3-4

[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.”

[4] (1) The Jewish Messiah is here and doing miracles? – YouTube

[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.

[6] William D. Mounce with Rick D. Bennett, Jr., Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary, (www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary, 1993).

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January 29, 2023 · 10:00

The White Horse

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.”