Revelation 6:1

“Behold a White Horse”

Revelation 6:1-2 says, “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of he seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 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.”

The first thing that will happen at the beginning of the great tribulation is the anti-Christ will rise to power. He is depicted as riding a white horse probably because in the Bible the color white is often used to symbolize righteousness. The Anti-christ, the evilest of all human beings will be perceived as a good person when in reality he is not. Once the anti-christ rises to power then great war will break out on the earth. You can be certain that when evil men rise to power it is God bringing judgment upon men.

Revelation 6:3-4 says, “And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 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.”

War is a terrible thing it always results in great loss of life. That is what the red horse symbolizes because red is the colour of blood. Once the anti-christ rises to power there will be great war on the earth. Why will God take away peace from the earth? Judgment for the wickedness of men.

Revelation 6:5-6, “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.”

Famine is a by product of war. During the great war of the great tribulation there will be great famine such as the world has never seen. For a days wages you will be able to earn loaf of bread.

Revelation 6:7-8 says, “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.”

How great will be the death during this time on the earth. Today there are over 6 billion people living on the earth. If the population during the great tribulation is 6 billion than that’s about 1.5 billion people who will die from the war, the famine, and the beasts of the earth.

What is God doing? Why is God allowing such terrible events to happen and too allow such evil men as the antichrist to make such war upon the earth. Yes the great tribulation is about last chances in the hard and wicked hearts of men, last chances for them to be saved but it is also about the judgment of the nations.

Because it is about the judgment of the nations it is about Israel. Israel will not be destroyed. Israel will not be judged. Israel will be saved. Oh yes right now God is working in their hearts that nation who for thousands of years has rejected Christ. The events of the great tribulation will bring Israel to Christ. This is a marvelous work. God has a plan. He is sitting up there upon His throne in His power and His glory and what He is saying to Israel is, “I will allure her.”

Why he did it with the church and most likely as we draw closer to the end of this age of grace we can expect much greater persecutions to arise again Christians. Why? Because the world is preparing itself guided by the unseen hand of God, preparing itself for those 7 years we call the great tribulation. Christians should prepare themselves because right now what Christ is saying to us the church is, “I will allure her.”

Why has Christ not returned yet after 2000 years. Perhaps he is waiting for the church waiting for his bride to want him bad enough. Oh it could have been Israel but Israel rejected him and so Jesus found Himself another bride, the church.

Revelation 6:9-11 says, “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: 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. 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 fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”

Another reason for the tribulation is there must be justice done for all the violence and murder especially that which has been done to Christians. That is why the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 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.

War, famine, and death such as the world has never seen is what the future holds for the nations of this earth. Judgment will come. That is why it would be wise to repent of your sins today to escape the wrath to come. If you have never turned from your sins to Jesus do so today.

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