Audio Links

Video Links

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.

Introduction

If we keep in mind that we are commissioned to “keep the things written therein,” and the fact that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God,” then the first thought that will enter our minds is ‘how does this prophecy apply to me’?  Are these four horsemen evident in my life? We also must remember that John is “looking behind” himself to see this revelation of Jesus Christ. If we can keep these principles in mind, then we will begin to see that the secrets hidden under these seven seals are all just the capstone on an entire Bible that is full of “the spirit of prophecy” and is full of “edification, exhortation, and comfort.” That is the very definition of the word ‘prophecy.”

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Who does God use to “show us these things? By whom does God “speak unto men?” God always uses “His body which is the church.”

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

We have seen that “the four beasts, and the four and twenty elders” around the throne of God, are both nothing more than symbols of God’s firstfruit elect, through whom He is bringing all men to Himself. We saw earlier, that the 144,000 are but another symbol of God’s firstfruit elect, who like the four beasts, and the four and twenty elders, are revealed to be the kings and priests of God who will reign with Him on this earth.

Rev 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7  And he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9  And they sang a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open the seals thereof: for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10  And have made us unto our God a kingdom and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Is this not what we are also told of the one hundred and forty and four thousand?

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty- four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.
Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty- four thousand, who were redeemed from the earth.
Rev 14:4  These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in midheaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people,

Both, in the same order have harps, both sing a new song, both are “redeemed from among men.” One is “a kingdom of priests and will reign on earth.” The other “has the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on earth.” That is the work of a priest.  So they are both symbols of God’s elect who will reign on earth and will bring the knowledge of Christ and His Father to all men. That is what the four beasts do in revealing to us these four horsemen of the first four seals which hide from our view the revelation of Jesus Christ in our lives. Notice who it is who reveals each of these four horsemen.

Who reveals to us these four horsemen?

There it is. It is “one of the four beasts” which we find “saying, Come and see.” So the message hidden behind the first four seals of the revelation of Jesus Christ are shown to us by the four beasts who are “those who are redeemed from among men, and are kings and priests who reign on earth.” What does the first of these four beasts show us? He shows us that there is a “white horse” behind the first seal. The second beast reveals that there is a red horse hidden in the revelation of Jesus Christ, behind the second seal upon that revelation. The third beast reveals a black horse, and the fourth beast reveals a pale or a green horse.
Notice that it Christ who opens the seals, but it is not Christ who shows us what is behind that seal. It is rather the first, second, third and fourth beast that is used by Christ to say to us “Come and see.”

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 of the earth.

Since it is the work of the four beasts to reveal what is behind the four seals, it is therefore the work of God’s elect to say “Come and see.” That being the case, those four beasts are not at liberty to speculate about what is a white, red, black and pale or green horse. The four beasts “tremble at the Word of God, and take great pains not to speak of themselves. These are those who follow the principle of “line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little” in the Word of God, to know and understand that Word.

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [ them that are] weaned from the milk, [ and] drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [ and] there a little:
Isa 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
Isa 28:12  To whom he said, This [ is] the rest [ wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [ is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
Isa 28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [ and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

“Precept must be upon precept,” so let us go directly to the word of God to understand “precept upon precept,” what are these four various colored horses and their horsemen. Where in the Old Testament are four horsemen to be found? Here they are, and here is what they do:

Zec 1:7  Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
Zec 1:8  I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
Zec 1:9  Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.
Zec 1:10  And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
Zec 1:11  And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

Here in verse 8, we have a man on a red horse, and we are told “he stood among the myrtle trees.”  Verse eleven tells us that this man on the horse is “the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees.” So now we know who the riders of our four horses are.  The “man riding upon a red horse” is there with another red horse behind him. According to Strong’s Concordance, the word translated ‘speckled’ in verse eight, is defined as “bright red or bay.” So what we have are three red horses and one white horse. Zechariah sees these four horses “by night… and standing among the myrtle trees.” What are these four horses and the men, or angels, who are riding upon them? Zechariah wants to know, and the angel tells him who they represent. The rider is called “the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle trees,” and it is he who tells Zechariah, ” These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. “
Is it not a good thing when we are told that “the earth is at rest?” That is certainly what any natural man would think, but that is not what those who “teach comparing spiritual with spiritual” think, and that is not what Zechariah thought.

Zec 1:12  Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?
Zec 1:13  And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.
Zec 1:14  So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.
Zec 1:15  And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.
Zec 1:16  Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

Why are there three red horses and just one white horse? The answer is that there is peace of the earth in Zechariah. Christ is working all things, including the peace of the Gentiles, after the counsel of His own will. So He is here on a white horse, but He is here with two red horses and a bay, or bright red horse. Later Christ will come to “take peace away from the earth. At that time “the heathen will [ not] be at ease” within us. This may sound discomfiting to the natural man, but is it comforting to the New Man.
“The Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.” When it is finally given us to “see the things of the spirit” and to “compare spiritual things with spiritual things,” then we too, will agree that when the four beasts say “Come and see,” what we are seeing are “good words and comfortable words,” which reveal the making of the New Man within us. That work will always be at the expense of the peace of the old man within us.

Why horses?

Why are we talking about horses instead of a donkey or an ox or a camel? The reason we are talking about horses is to inform us that this is all speaking of war, instead of the simple work of an ass to carry us about…

Num 22:30  And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

… or the “increase that can come from the strength of an ox,”

Pro 14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

… or the merchandise that can be carried by a camel.

Gen 24:10  And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

This revelation takes place in heaven, and there is “war in heaven.” We are waging a war against all the “principalities and powers of the heavens.”

Exo 14:9  But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
Eph 6:12  For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.(NLT)
2Co 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare [ are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; )
Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
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.
Rev 19:19  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.

“In righteousness He judges and makes war.” Peter tells us that “judgment is now on the house of God.” This is our “day of judgment.” This is our “day of the Lord.” This is the day of our “war in heaven,” and that is why we are dealing with horses instead of any other animal here in the revelation of Jesus Christ within us.

What is the white horse and his rider?

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.

Christ comes into our lives and while He is on a white horse here, He still has a bow, an instrument of war. The outcome of this war is not in question, because He also is “given a crown” and “He goes forth conquering, and to conquer.”
There has been a lot of controversy over the years concerning the symbolism of this white horse and his rider. Many ministers and commentators teach that this particular ‘white horse’ symbolizes a false Christ, with a false spirit, and a false gospel. But there is not one verse of scripture which says that Satan conquers anything. Neither is Satan ever given a crown or a white horse anywhere in scripture. The outcome of this heavenly battle was settled in Eden, and it is reiterated after Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden. It was while still in the garden that the fate of the Adversary was revealed:

Gen 3:15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The efforts of the Adversary, are revealed, in the end, to be futile. Though we will rebel, and “bruise His heel,” in the end Christ will be our ruler, and we will submit to His will in our lives. He will ‘bruise our head.’
Eve typifies our bondwoman mother, who has bought into all the lies of the Adversary. But she, too, will be judged.

Gen 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to [ Hebrew, against] thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

That is a spiritual statement, telling us that we will indeed rebel against the words of our spiritual husband, Christ. Nevertheless, in the end, “He shall rule over you.”
“The first man Adam” is the vessel of clay which was deliberately “marred in the Potter’s hand. His salvation comes only through His destruction: So that is the judgment of Adam:

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

“Thorns and thistles” are Bible- speak for lying words and false doctrines.

Eze 2:6  And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

It is none other than Christ Himself who tells us “the field is the world”

Mat 13:38  The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [ one];

“The herbs of the field” are the false doctrines of this world.

It is through Adam’s loss that He is saved. That simply does not compute in the mind of the natural man, but that is the doctrine of Jesus Christ:

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

It is through the destruction of the first Adam, that Christ, the last Adam, is placed upon His rightful throne in our hearts:

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

There is one more example of the prophecy of this white horse and his rider at the beginning of the entire Bible. Look at what the Lord says to Cain just before Cain kills Able.

Gen 4:2  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep [ man of God], but Cain was a tiller of the ground [ A man of the field, the world].
Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Gen 4:6  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto [ Hebrew, against] thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

The Hebrew word translated ‘to’ in Gen 3:16, and ‘unto’ here in Gen 4:7, is the exact same Hebrew word which is translated “against” in the very next verse.

Gen 4:8  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

The Hebrew word translated ‘to’ in Gen 3:16 is “el.’ The Hebrew word translated ‘unto’ in Gen 4:7 is ‘el.’ “El” is also the Hebrew word translated ‘against’ in Gen. 4:8. Cain is told that sin’s desire would be against Cain, just as the desires of our flesh are against us all.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [ how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Eve is told that her desire would be against her husband. Cain is told that sin’s desire would be against Cain. But both are told that in the end the white horse rider would conquer sin, and salvation would be God’s gift to “the whole world.”

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 [ not exclusively] of those that believe.
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours [ believers] only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

So the revelation of Jesus Christ is at the very beginning of the Bible, just as this white horse conqueror is at the very beginning of the opening of the seven seals which have the Bible completely sealed away from the eyes of the natural man.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

In other words, this revelation is “good words and words of comfort” to all who have the testimony of Jesus Christ. For us it is good news to be told that Christ has come conquering and to conquer.  This white horse conquerer cannot be seen until after He has already begun to conquer a false Christ who has come on a false white horse, conquering many weaknesses of the flesh, while remaining completely impotent against the principalities and powers in the heavens. This “white horse is seen through “a door opened in heaven,” and it is through this “door opened in heaven” that we see all the heavenly powers and principalities which maintain all the false doctrines of the great whore whose great city is full of what appears to be God’s own “gold, silver and precious stones”. This is the very meaning of  Joh 8:37.

Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Christ is speaking to you and me in this verse. This is what we want to do to the true Christ while we are in Babylon, while we are still in bondage to the doctrines of Babylon.

Joh 8:30  As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

But it is the revelation of this false religious system and its hold on the throne of God within us, which causes this white horse to appear and to begin this war which must take place within us. It is this white horse rider with a bow which begins this war, which causes so much of the fiery trials and the judgments which “must first begin at the house of God.” But these four horses and their four riders, are shown to us by the four beasts. As such they symbolize “the [ true] revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev 1:1). It is not the revelation of “another Jesus, with another spirit, and another gospel.” That is all included under the second horse which takes peace away from the earth.

2Co 11:4  For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

This fake Jesus, with a fake spirit and a fake gospel, is not that easy to detect.

Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Without a doubt, there is a perverted “white horse,” whose rider brings “another gospel.” But the removing of this seal and the gospel shown to us by the first beast, is the true Christ who sends these horses and their riders into our lives. The white horse comes to conquer and that is what He will do in the lives of those who receive this revelation.  The only other mention of this “white horse” in this prophecy of the revelation of Jesus Christ is in chapter nineteen, and it is the end product of the work of these four horsemen. It is the same white horse and the same new man is riding upon a white horse. It is Christ in us. All in whom dwells the word and spirit of God, all in whose mouths is the sharp two- edged sword of God’s Word are on “white horses,” and they are “clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”
It is “good words and words of comfort” to be told that those who follow Christ will smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron, and tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

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.
Rev 19:12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16  And he hath on [ his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Who is the red horse and his rider

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.

It is Christ who takes peace away from the world, and the “great sword” with which He does so is His own words.

Mat 10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35  For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36  And a man’s foes [ shall be] they of his own household.
Mat 10:37  He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38  And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

So Christ is also the rider of this red horse. Only when we come to see this will we know what are “good words and comfortable words,” because we will then understand that the world is within us and must be burned out of us in order for the kingdom of God to be set up in our hearts. It is by this red horse and his rider that all of our false doctrines are challenged and are conquered. The beast is dethroned and our old man begins to “die daily” (1Co 15:31). That is how we become the “new man” and have “the kingdom of God within us.”

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new
Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [ even] the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

It is the ‘new man’ only who knows what is true doctrine, who teaches what is the true “love for the children of God,” and the true “love of God.”

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

The world into which we are born hates this doctrine of what is the love of the children of God, and what is the love of God. To quote a dearly beloved brother, these words, if taken at face value “are at best impractical, and are at worst, they are deadly.” It is given to very few to appreciate the function of the rider of this red horse. Nevertheless, He must ride through our lives, or we do not yet know or understand these words.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

That simply does not compute in the mind of the natural man. He simply “cannot receive” the words of Christ:
It “takes peace away from the earth” when we are given to accept Christ’s Words.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Summary

We will have to wait till next week to get to the black and the pale horses and their riders.

We have seen that the meaning of these four horses and their four riders, is revealed to us, not directly by Christ Himself, but rather by the four beasts which are “in the midst of the throne.” In other words, the understanding of the revelations hidden by the seals is made manifest by God’s elect to God’s elect.
We have seen that the reason we are talking about horses instead of any other animal, it that this revelation of Jesus Christ, is the revealing of a war that is being waged in our heavens. Horses, in scripture, are animals which are associated with war.

Rev 12:7  And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

We have seen that the white horse is the revealing of the truth which is hidden behind the first seal, and that white horse and his rider are Christ in us, having come to conquer all His enemies within us. He has come with a bow to do war, to conquer, and He will not be deterred.
Finally we also saw that Christ is also the red horse and His rider, who have come into our lives to take peace away from the earth. We have seen that “the earth” is God’s own people who “cannot receive His words.” He does all of this with “a great sword,” which is “the sword of the word.”
Next week, Lord willing, we will see what is revealed to us by Christ when He opens the third and fourth seals and has the third and fourth beasts tell us to “come and see.”

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 of the earth.