Four biblical characters that show up in the Book of Revelation are known as the “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” Every horseman stands for a distinct aspect of the end times: Death, starvation, war, and conquest.
Revelation 6:1–8 tells the story of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or just the Four Horsemen. The Four Horsemen are representations of certain end-time occurrences in metaphorical form. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are frequently mentioned in literature, art, film, and other media as signs of an impending apocalypse or as the mechanism by which a calamity occurs.
The first four seals that the Lamb opens when He opens the scroll of judgment in heaven are corresponding with the Four Horsemen (see Revelation 5). One of the living things in front of the heavenly throne calls out to John, “Come!” in a voice akin to thunder as the Lamb breaks the first seal. (Section 6:1). John then writes down what he witnesses: “I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (Revelation 6:2).
According to some scholars, this rider might be Death or it’s possible that the first Horseman alludes to the Antichrist. According to Revelation 19:11–16, he is the counterfeit of the actual Christ, who is also connected to a white horse. The Antichrist will receive power (a “crown”) at the start of the tribulation, and he will use that power to wage war (a “bow”) and subjugate everyone who stands in his way. Daniel’s vision of the “little horn” rising to prominence and determined to conquer fits this description: “This horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them” (Daniel 7:21; see also Revelation 13:7).
“Come!” exclaims the second living being as the Lamb opens the second seal.(Revelation 6:3). John observes, taking careful note of what he sees: “Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword” (Revelation 6:4). Its rider was endowed with the ability to destroy all peace on earth and force men to kill one another. A big sword was given to him (Revelation 6:4). The catastrophic warfare that would break out in the end times is alluded to by the second Horseman. The ascent of the Antichrist, which necessitates the overthrow of three other rulers (Daniel 7:8), and perhaps the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39) are among those wars.
The Lamb then opens the third seal, and the third living creature invites John to “Come!” (Revelation 6:5). The third Horseman then appears: “There before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!’” (Revelation 6:5–6). There is going to be a massive famine, according to the third Horseman of the Apocalypse. Food is in short supply and costs have skyrocketed. The directive to preserve the oil and wine appears to indicate that while the necessities won’t be available during the famine, the luxuries—oil and wine—will.
The fourth living thing calls out, “Come!” as the Lamb cracks the fourth seal. (Rev 6:7). John claims, “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:8). The image of the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse represents destruction and death. The faint color of the horse, which is literally translated as “pale green” or “yellowish green” in the original language, signifies biliousness and sickness. Together with horrible plagues, diseases, and attacks by wild animals, the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse will bring even more conflict and catastrophic famines.
A fourth of the world’s population will die.
The fact that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are only forerunners of more terrible judgments that occur later in the tribulation—Revelation chapters 8–9 and 16—is what is most scary. Even with the Four Horsemen’s terrifying presence, there’s still more to come.
We go down on our knees and every day and turn to God Almighty because only those who will persevere and be in God’s grace, will make it till the end.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Four biblical characters that show up in the Book of Revelation are known as the “four horsemen of the apocalypse.” Every horseman stands for a distinct aspect of the end times: Death, starvation, war, and conquest.
Revelation 6:1–8 tells the story of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or just the Four Horsemen. The Four Horsemen are representations of certain end-time occurrences in metaphorical form. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are frequently mentioned in literature, art, film, and other media as signs of an impending apocalypse or as the mechanism by which a calamity occurs.
The first four seals that the Lamb opens when He opens the scroll of judgment in heaven are corresponding with the Four Horsemen (see Revelation 5). One of the living things in front of the heavenly throne calls out to John, “Come!” in a voice akin to thunder as the Lamb breaks the first seal. (Section 6:1). John then writes down what he witnesses: “I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest” (Revelation 6:2).
According to some scholars, this rider might be Death or it’s possible that the first Horseman alludes to the Antichrist. According to Revelation 19:11–16, he is the counterfeit of the actual Christ, who is also connected to a white horse. The Antichrist will receive power (a “crown”) at the start of the tribulation, and he will use that power to wage war (a “bow”) and subjugate everyone who stands in his way. Daniel’s vision of the “little horn” rising to prominence and determined to conquer fits this description: “This horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them” (Daniel 7:21; see also Revelation 13:7).
“Come!” exclaims the second living being as the Lamb opens the second seal.(Revelation 6:3). John observes, taking careful note of what he sees: “Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword” (Revelation 6:4). Its rider was endowed with the ability to destroy all peace on earth and force men to kill one another. A big sword was given to him (Revelation 6:4). The catastrophic warfare that would break out in the end times is alluded to by the second Horseman. The ascent of the Antichrist, which necessitates the overthrow of three other rulers (Daniel 7:8), and perhaps the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39) are among those wars.
The Lamb then opens the third seal, and the third living creature invites John to “Come!” (Revelation 6:5). The third Horseman then appears: “There before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!’” (Revelation 6:5–6). There is going to be a massive famine, according to the third Horseman of the Apocalypse. Food is in short supply and costs have skyrocketed. The directive to preserve the oil and wine appears to indicate that while the necessities won’t be available during the famine, the luxuries—oil and wine—will.
The fourth living thing calls out, “Come!” as the Lamb cracks the fourth seal. (Rev 6:7). John claims, “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:8). The image of the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse represents destruction and death. The faint color of the horse, which is literally translated as “pale green” or “yellowish green” in the original language, signifies biliousness and sickness. Together with horrible plagues, diseases, and attacks by wild animals, the fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse will bring even more conflict and catastrophic famines.
A fourth of the world’s population will die.
The fact that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are only forerunners of more terrible judgments that occur later in the tribulation—Revelation chapters 8–9 and 16—is what is most scary. Even with the Four Horsemen’s terrifying presence, there’s still more to come.
We go down on our knees and every day and turn to God Almighty because only those who will persevere and be in God’s grace, will make it till the end.