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Introduction

Psa 147:10  He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
Psa 147:11  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

That is the spiritual significance of the horse. Spiritually the ‘horse’ typifies the strength of man, and our Lord has “no pleasure in the legs of a man.” Look at what the scriptures say to us about our spiritual desire to have horses:

Deu 17:14  When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
Deu 17:15  Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
Deu 17:16  But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
Deu 17:17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

This command is like “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it…” These verses in Deuteronomy 17 are a prophecy, words proceeding out of the mouth of God, by which we must now live.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

So what do we naturally do? We keep the name of being God’s people while we ignore what He says:

1Ki 10:26  And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.
1Ki 10:28  And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
1Ki 10:29  And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out [of Egypt] by their means.

Horses are invariably mentioned in the context of waging wars

Jer 6:23  They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

Horses, in God’s Word, are powerful creatures within us. They are used both to destroy our flesh and to renew and build up our spirit. Like every other word, the ‘horse’ has both a positive and a negative application as a type of God’s Work which He is doing within us as we will see.

Christ has purchased our horses

Christ has paid the price for our whole world, including our horses. We may forget it at times, but the fact is that everything we are or have is actually just ours on loan.

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
1Ch 29:15  For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.
1Ch 29:16  O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

How has this come to be?

Gen 47:16  And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
Gen 47:17  And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.

What happens to our horses when we fail to realize whose they are?

We all have to be brought to see that our strength is not our strength. The only way to do this is for God to strip us of our strength.

Exo 9:1  Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:2  For if thou refuse to let [them] go, and wilt hold them still,
Exo 9:3  Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain [pestilence].
Exo 9:4  And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all [that is] the children’s of Israel.
Exo 9:5  And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
Exo 9:6  And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

Exo 9:15  For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence [same word translated ‘murrain’ in verse 3]; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
Exo 9:16  And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Exo 9:17  As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

It is only by stripping us of our strength that we can become strong.

Deu 11:7  But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.
Deu 11:4  And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and [how] the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;

He destroys the strength of the flesh “suddenly”

Jos 11:1  And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard [those things], that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
Jos 11:2  And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
Jos 11:3  And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
Jos 11:4  And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that [is] upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
Jos 11:5  And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
Jos 11:6  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
Jos 11:7  So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.
Jos 11:8  And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.

I will digress enough to ask just how “suddenly” do you suppose Israel “fell upon them?” The concept involved in Israel’s war with all of these overpowering forces is the same concept involved in this verse:

Isa 48:3  I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly, [Hebrew: pith’ôm, instantly] and they came to pass.

How long did it take our Lord to “suddenly” speak this world into existence?

Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Intellectual ‘horses’ who deny these words will be destroyed, and their destruction will take no longer than their creation. It will be “suddenly,” it will be instantly, just as Joshua and Israel fell on the Canaanite kings and just as God spoke “the former things from the beginning” into existence. Christ will just look at such powerful carnal intellects and ask them, “How, pray tell, would it glorify me to take thousands of years to create an interdependent world? The things I am doing all have a spiritual message to them. What is the spiritual message I am supposedly conveying in making the creation days into creation ages? The work I am doing is “a short work,” and when I qualify just how short is short, then listen to what I say. The evening and the morning were the first through the sixth days in which everything in heaven and in earth were created.”

Our intellect is but one of the powerful horses which must be subjected to the will and the words of God. All that receives its strength from anything but faith in God’s Words, are powerful horses which must be “houghed” and destroyed .

Jos 11:6  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough [hamstring] their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

The horses are to be neutralized, and their chariots are to be burned with the fire that is the Truth of God’s Word.

Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

God’s Word, Christ, is the center of every prophecy in scripture. Christ, His words, His doctrines, and His Christ are at the heart of every word of God, including the ‘horse’ in scripture. The white, the red, the black and the pale (green) horses of Revelation 6 are all the great powers of God, working the work of Christ in the lives of His creation. It takes a very powerful creature to make the point that is being made of the strength of these forces in our lives. Without these powerful creatures of warfare, the war would not be waged, but through these four powerul creatures, our whole lives are turned from death to life.

Job 39:18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.
Job 39:19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
Job 39:20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
Job 39:21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
Job 39:22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
Job 39:23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
Job 39:24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
Job 39:25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

God uses four horses to prepare us to receive the three woes of His judgment

These are not wild beasts. They are four horses. These are all Christ working in us. It is Christ who comes on a white horse to conquer, and conquer He will.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Rev 6:1  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.
Rev 6:2  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.
Rev 6:3  And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:4  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.
Rev 6:5  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.
Rev 6:6  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.
Rev 6:7  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8  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 [therion – a dangerous, venomous, wild beast] of the earth.
Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled.
Rev 6:12  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;
Rev 6:13  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.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  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;
Rev 6:16  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:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Let’s analyze who these four horses are. Remember that horses are not wild animals, but they are used to wage war.

1) The white horse rider is Christ who comes to us riding a white horse, conquering our lives.

Rev 19:11  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. [What does the white horse rider do?]

Rev 6:2  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.

2) Christ is the red horse rider. Christ tells us plainly that it is He who has come to take peace away from the earth. It is Christ who rides the red horse through our lives.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. [What does the ‘red horse’ rider carry with him?]

Rev 6:4  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.

3) Christ is the black horse rider. He tells us the virgins in the kingdom have oil in their lamps, that He is the bread of life, the wine is His blood, and He tells us that the day will come when we will want to see Him and will not be able to find Him.

Mat 25:1  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish.
Mat 25:3  They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Joh 6:33  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world [but we squander our substance just as Christ foretold].

Luk 17:22  And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. [Meaning:]

Luk 15:14  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. [What does the black horse rider do?]

Rev 6:5  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.
Rev 6:6  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.

4) Christ rides the fourth ‘pale,’ (green) horse. Christ destroys the devil through death, and tells us that all power is given Him in heaven and in earth:

Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Heb 2:11  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [What is this pale horse rider given? He is given power over a fourth part of the earth and over wild beasts]

Rev 6:7  And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
Rev 6:8  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 [therion – a dangerous, venomous, wild beast] of the earth.

“His name… was death… and power was given him… to kill with death.”

What are we told of Christ? “All power [even the power over death] is given to me… that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man… that throught death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Joh 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Horses are powerful beasts within each of us. We all take pride in our horses when we are the rider. But Christ takes no pleasure in us as the rider of our horses.
There are four horses in scripture which are used by Christ to open to us the revelation of Jesus Christ. These four horses are ridden by Christ to wage war within us. Christ is riding the white, red, black, and pale horses as He wages war against the powers and principalities within our heavens. Remember this whole vision is taking place within the heavens:

Rev 4:1  After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

It is only through Christ riding the white horse throughout our lives that we are conquered. It is Christ who comes to take  peace from our ‘earth’ as the rider on the red horse. We squander our inheritance, and are in want of bread and oil as Christ rides a black horse through our lives.  Finally we “die daily” as Christ rides His pale horse through our lives. In doing so He is given  power over the wild beasts in our flesh.

It is all the opening of the first four seals of the book of “the revelation of Jesus Christ,” and only after these four horses have ridden through our lives are we then prepared for the judgment to be found in the judgments which comprise the last three seals of this book.

Rev 6:9  And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10  And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11  And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they [were], should be fulfilled.
Rev 6:12  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;
Rev 6:13  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.
Rev 6:14  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Rev 6:15  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;
Rev 6:16  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:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The seven trumpet judgments are the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet is the seven plagues. The seven trumpets and the seven plagues are all found in the seventh of these seven seals of this revelation of Jesus Christ. It is Christ in us, as the four horsemen seals which prepares us for the judgment that follows.

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.