[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]
Book of Revelation’s End-Time Bible Prophecy
The Book of Revelation is a great mystery to many—and many avoid it. However, it tells us at the very beginning:
Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:3).
So, if you are blessed or benefited by reading, hearing, and keeping those things written in the book, why would you neglect it?
In two previous Tomorrow’s World programs, we discussed the first and second of what are known as the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Evangelist and telecast presenter Wallace Smith explained the meaning of the rider on a white horse and fellow evangelist Rod McNair explained the meaning of the rider on a red horse. If you missed those powerful and insightful programs, you can find them on our website, TomorrowsWorld.org.
Today I’ll explain the meaning of the third and fourth horses and their riders, but it’s vitally important to begin at the beginning. The preamble of the book gives essential keys needed to understand how the four horsemen fit into the overall picture. The preamble begins in chapter 1 and in verse 1.
Jesus Gave the Vision to the Servants of God
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:1–3).
It's easy to think such words are unimportant, but that’s a grave mistake, as they explain:
- Who the message is from
- Who opens or reveals that message
- Who delivers it
- And, number four, who are the intended recipients
Some of the most outrageous speculations are the result of not knowing these simple facts.
Erroneous Titles for the Book of Revelation
Even those who translate and publish the Bible often miss the mark. For example, note the title given to this book in these popular translations:
- The Revelation of St. John the Divine (King James Version)
- The Book of Revelation—The Revelation of John (The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips)
These titles were added by men and contradict the opening words of the preamble.
Seven Keys to Understanding the Book of Revelation
So, the first thing we need to know is who opens our understanding [of] the message.
- Key #1: It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Now the word “of” denotes possession rather than “about.” The message is not primarily about the person of Christ as many believe. Yes, He is intimately involved in the message, but His role is primarily that of the one who reveals—or explains—the meaning of the message. But who is the originator of the message?
- Key #2: …which God gave Him…
The message that Jesus reveals or explains comes from His Father. Now, who the message is ultimately for?
- Key #3: …to show His servants…
Who these servants of God are might seem to be an easy question to answer, but is it? I’ll give you the answer shortly, but when are the things written in the book to begin?
- Key #4: …things which must shortly take place…
Now, while the book is primarily about end-time events, the message also had relevance for that time. But who was to carry the message to God’s servants?
- Key #5: And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John…
And what was it that John was to record?
- Key #6: [John] who bore witness
- to the word of God,
- and to the testimony of Jesus Christ,
- to all things that he saw.
There is an additional key to understanding where the four horsemen fit into end-time events, and that is found in verse 10. Here we find the theme of the book. John writes:
- Key #7: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day… (Revelation 1:10).
Now this is critical to understanding, but it has been clouded by so-called scholars who tell us that the Lord’s Day refers to a day of the week. Notice this paraphrased version.
It was Sunday and I was worshiping… (Living Letters, by Kenneth Taylor).
But does Lord’s Day mean Sunday?
Dear friends, nothing could be further from the truth. As we will see, this expression in Revelation is not talking about a day of the week. However, if it were, what day of the week does Jesus [the One who reveals] tell us He is the Lord of? There is not a single passage of Scripture that points to Jesus being the Lord of Sunday. That’s a human invention promulgated long after Christ was resurrected.
On the contrary, Jesus Himself tells us three times, that when speaking of a day of the week, He—“the Son of Man”—is Lord of the Sabbath. Notice one of them.
And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27–28).
Revelation 1:10 refers not to a day of the week, but to the time of Christ’s intervention at the end of the age. This is clear from the content of the book, which I’ll explain in more detail later in the program.
Messages to the Seven Churches of Revelation
But since John is to take the message to the servants of God, we need to know who they are. Immediately following the preamble, we read in verse 4 of chapter 1,
John, to the seven churches which are in Asia… (Revelation 1:4).
In verse 13, we read of the glorified Christ walking among seven lampstands, and we’re informed in verse 20 that the lampstands represent the seven churches.
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches (Revelation 1:20).
There are many congregations scattered across the Mediterranean region, so why are these seven chosen?
Chapters 2 and 3 contain the messages to each of the seven. Scholars recognize that these churches are more significant than just any churches of God at the time. There are clear references that apply to different historic times.
For example, the letter to Smyrna speaks of ten days of severe tribulation. And elsewhere, we see that biblical day sometimes stands for a year, and history records ten years of severe persecution upon all the churches of God in Asia under Roman Emperor Diocletian—from 303 to 313 A.D.
On the other hand, the references to the sixth and seventh churches speak of the time at the end of the age when Christ returns. And try as they might, scholars are unable to shoehorn the mainstream church into seven eras that align with these seven churches. And there is a reason why—they are looking for the servants of God in the wrong place.
The key to understanding that was given by Mr. Wallace Smith, who pointed out that the rider on the white horse represented counterfeit Christianity. That program can be found on our website, TomorrowsWorld.org.
Now for a very quick overview leading up to the four riders:
- Revelation chapter 1: The message comes from God, is revealed by Jesus Christ, is given to John to pass to the servants of God, and the message is about the Day of the Lord.
- Revelation chapters 2–3: Explain in detail who the servants of God are down through time.
- Chapter 4: Gives details of God sitting on His throne in heaven.
- Chapter 5: [Which] Introduces the message of Revelation contained on a scroll secured by seven seals.
The Seven Seals of Revelation
Now this is critical to understand, so let’s take a closer look at it by reading the first five verses of Revelation 5:
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I [that is John] wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (Revelation 5:1–5).
The remainder of the chapter reveals that this is the Lamb of God, who is worthy of all worship and honor. Yes, as we read in the opening verse in the book, it is Jesus Christ who is the One who breaks the seals and reveals the message.
Now we come to chapter 6, where six of the seven seals are opened, including the four horsemen.
Four Seals: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Many have heard of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and they know that they have something to do with bad things to happen in the future, but few can give you further details. In this series on the four horsemen, fellow presenter Wallace Smith explained the white horse, whose rider represents counterfeit Christianity. Rod McNair explained the significance of the red horse, whose rider carries a great sword and takes peace from the earth.
Third and Fourth Horsemen in Revelation 6
Let us now look at the third and fourth horses and their riders. We’ll begin in chapter 6 and verse 5.
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:5–8).
The understanding of what the third rider symbolizes is pretty much straightforward. He is on a black horse, and he clearly represents famine. However, the rider on the pale horse is a bit less straightforward. He represents death and Hades (a word meaning the grave), but we are left to speculate on the cause of death. Note that the last part of verse 8 says:
And power was given to them [all four of the riders] over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).
Now, beasts of the earth would hardly account for the totality of death brought about by the pale rider.
This is another reason to look to the One who reveals—Jesus Christ. As presenters Wallace Smith and Rod McNair pointed out in the previous two programs, we must turn to the words of Jesus for explanations of these symbols. To not do so leaves open the most outrageous speculations.
Matthew 24 Matches Horsemen of Revelation 6
Matthew 24 gives us the pattern that is found here in Revelation 6. Note that the time setting is just prior to Jesus’ return. We’ll begin in verse 3.
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3).
The First Horse Is False Christianity
And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name [claiming His authority, in other words], saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ [in other words, preaching that Jesus is the Christ] and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4–5).
This is how we know that the rider on the white horse represents a counterfeit Christianity.
The Second Horse Is War
Note that the signs that follow are in the same order and give us the pattern for understanding the riders.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matthew 24:6–7).
These words by Jesus clearly reveal that the red horse represents warfare, and we find the same sequence of events in both Matthew 24 and Revelation 6.
The Third Horse Is Famine
The next thing Jesus mentions is:
And there will be famines (Matthew 24:7).
And this aligns with the rider on the black horse, where he has scales in his hands to measure out scarce food.
The Fourth Horse Is Death
[And] after famines, Jesus mentions pestilences—or disease epidemics—and earthquakes.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences [or disease epidemics], and earthquakes in various places (Matthew 24:7).
It’s easy to see why God used a pale horse, as sick people often look pale and sickly. But the Revelator indicates that there will be other causes of death, including earthquakes and wild animals. Collectively, these four riders bring death and destruction over a fourth of the earth.
And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8).
Before leaving this subject, we need to look at a few details regarding the placement of these riders in the story flow of end-time Bible prophecy.
We saw in the preamble to Revelation that while God the Father is the author of the message, it is Jesus Christ who reveals—or gives understandings—of the message that was written.
Why the Four Horsemen Bring the “Apocalypse”
The words of Jesus in Matthew 24 give us the pattern of end-time events. Counterfeit Christianity, wars, famines, and pestilences have plagued mankind since Christ spoke these words. So what’s new about the four horsemen?
Simply put, these four scourges are ramped up to a far greater level.
The rider on the white horse—a deceptive, charismatic, miracle-working leader, called in Revelation the False Prophet or the Antichrist—will emerge on the scene in the near future. He’ll align himself with a political leader known as the beast.
The rider on the red horse of war will follow.
The black horse of famine and the rider on the pale horse follow in close succession. The result will be massive death affecting one-quarter of the earth.
Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Seals of Revelation
But end-time prophecy is not about four destructive riders only. As we read in chapter 5, the message of Revelation is contained on a scroll that is sealed, not with four, but with seven seals. The horsemen begin their ride when each of the first four are opened. Once opened, they continue to the time of Christ’s return, but much happens after they begin their ride.
After the Pale rider, the fifth seal is opened, and we read of a martyrdom of the servants of God. This is followed by the sixth seal opening terrifying heavenly signs. Notice this, beginning in Revelation 6:12:
I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves 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 who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!” (Revelation 6:12–16).
The Day of the Lord Is the Wrath of the Lamb
Now notice verse 17:
For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17).
This, dear friends, is the theme of the book of Revelation. Remember in chapter 1, verse 10 where John said:
I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day… (Revelation 1:10).
This is not talking about a day of the week. The Lord’s Day is another way of saying the Day of the Lord—a time spoken of in the Bible some 30 times as being the time of Christ’s return. Paul spoke of it in 1 Thessalonians 5:2.
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2).
Many references are found in the Old Testament, such as Zechariah 14:1;
Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst (Zechariah 14:1).
And Isaiah tells us that it is a one-year period of “the Lord’s vengeance” (Isaiah 34:1).
Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the Lord is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter…. [Notice this:] For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion (Isaiah 34:1–2, 8).
Yes, the four horsemen are merely the prelude to the theme of Revelation—the time of Christ’s wrath on rebellious mankind. Of course, they continue to ride during that time, but they are not the theme of Revelation. They appear when the first four seals of the scroll are opened. The seventh seal constitutes many events that sum up the Day of the Lord—the year of God’s wrath on rebellious mankind.
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