Four Horsemen

First Seal (Rev. 6:1-2)

1-3. (Rev. 5:5): Jesus was victorious over sin & death; ascended to the right hand of God; worthy to take the scroll; given the right to rule (high priest); sends forth the Spirit: the time was Pentecost (31 AD).

4. The breaking of the seven seals are connected to God’s outworking of salvation & events, from Pentecost to the end of time.

5, 6: Which living creature is associated with this seal? (See Rev. 4:6-7)

· The one like: a lion, a calf, a man or a flying eagle

7, 8: What three nouns are found in Rev. 6:2? Horse, crown, bow

9. What is the significance of the horse’s white colour? (Rev. 1:14; 3:4-5)

· White: purity/overcoming (In Rev. - God/His people)

· Roman general triumphal would ride the whited horse

10: Who does the rider represent? (Rev. 19:11) (Jesus)

11, 12, 13: What does the crown signify?

Two Types of crowns in Revelation:

· The “diadēma” crown (Rev. 19:12) is what kind? (Royal Crown)

· The “stephanos” crown (Rev. 2:10; 3:11; 6:2) is what kind? (Garland of laurel, olive leaves - Victor’s Crown)

14, 15: What does the bow signify? War/Victory

· Hab. 3:8-13; Zech. 9:13-14 (God uses - bringing deliverance)

· Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows--bitter words…. Psalm 64:3(NKJV)

o (in this case the wicked bringing bitter words from their mouths)

o In Rev. 6:2 it is postivie words of deliverance. (Rev. 5:6; 1Cor. 15:1-4) – Proclaiming the Gospel

· What if this horse and rider is fully embraced? (Bow image God gave me– victory)

16: What does the phrase “conquering and to conquer” signify?

· Conquering [Greek: Present Active] (continual tense – to the end)

· To Conquer (Greek: Aorist] (tense: a past occurrence); the Mood is (probability and possibility)

o Jesus obtained the victory, but we need to receive it by faith

o So it can conquer our hearts: This is a battle for the heart)

17: Word “conquer” is translated as “prevailed” in Rev. 5:5 and “overcome” in Rev. 3:5, 21

o What do we need to do to overcome? Rev. 3:20 Let Him in (Spirit)

o What happens if this white horse is rejected?

Evidence for the third view overwhelmingly suggests that the rider on the white horse symbolizes the triumphant spreading of the gospel initiated by Christ on the cross and begun at Pentecost (Stefanovic)