THE WHITE HORSE OF THE FIRST SEAL(Part 2)
Hello John and all doves!!
The Lord is placing the importance of this issue upon my heart, and I feel compelled to share what I am finding out. This has been a wonderful experience for me because I am learning so much about the HOLY SPIRIT, and how it is the most crucial component needed, to make it into the Kingdom of God!!
You see, I have always, up until recently, accepted the idea of the White Horse rider is the Anti-Christ. The more I studied Rev. 4-7 about the rapture, the more it was put on my heart to look at the scenes in heaven, and what is happening in relation to the seals. Then researching what words were chosen to describe the First Housemen, and what they each meant, led me to understand that this is not the Anti-Christ.
Bruce W. put on a great post about the words of Jesus in Matthew, telling us exactly what the seals are. His, is the most popular argument against the first horseman being anything else but the Anti-Christ. Right on, as far as the other seals and horsemen are concerned, but the first seal is not necessarily part of Christ’s warnings about deception. I would like to cover or should I say uncover more evidence that it is all about the HOLY SPIRIT, as this is the spirit that is driving me to keep pursuing this.
MISSING LINK
There is a missing link between Matthew and Revelation in regards to the Four Horsemen. Only in Matthew does Christ warn of deception and the spirit of the antichrist, not so in the summation of these horsemen in Rev.6:8:
"They, [the horsemen] were given POWER over a fourth of the earth to KILL BY SWORD, FAMINE AND PLAGUE, and by the wild beasts of the earth."
What happened to the White horse here…there is no mention of deceptions or a false Christ. This makes the first horse stand out as different from the others, and not part of the power given over a fourth of the earth!!
The first horse is not to be linked to the other three because it is not!! If the white horse represents false religion, civil strife or some military leader or action, it would be mentioned here WITH THE OTHER THREE HORSES! But, only SWORD, FAMINE AND PLAGUE, and beasts of the earth, are mentioned.
False religion and deception has certainly had POWER over the earth for centuries, before Christ was even born!! Why would Christ have to send this power to the earth that is already ruled by it??THE CROWN
In my first post, about the First Horse, I talked about the Crown very briefly, and would like to cover a bit more about it, and how it plays in as a major identifying factor of the Holy Spirit.
Now, if the white horse of Revelation 6:2 is part and parcel of the other three horses who were given POWER over a fourth of the earth (Rev. 6:2), then the rider of this horse would be wearing a "diadem" instead of a crown (stepha.nos)! Instead, we find this rider wearing the CROWN (STEPHA.NOS) "OF CHRISTIAN TRIUMPH."Here are some of the bible passages that define this type of crown:I THESS. 2:19:For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown [stepha.nos] in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
II TIM. 4:8:“Now there is in store for me the crown [stepha.nos] of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”JAMES 1:12:“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown [stepha.nos] of life that God has promised to those who love him.”REV. 4:4:“Surrounding the throne were 24 other thrones, and seated on them were 24 elders. They were dressed in WHITE and had crowns [stepha.nos] of gold on their heads.”With the same thought in mind, it seems obvious that if the white horse of Rev. 6:2 symbolizes false religion, civil strife or triumphant militarism, then the rider would be wearing the DIADEM (DI.ADEMA) OF POWER AND RULER-SHIP!
Also, the colors associated with the four horsemen — white, red, black, and pale — apply to the horses, not the riders. The colors represent the nature of the objectives to be accomplished, not the moral character of the individual riders. Therefore, the “white horseman” does not symbolize a “counterfeit Christ” — but if for some reason he did, hypothetically-speaking, then the remaining three horsemen would have to be designated as personified entities even more evil and destructive than the Antichrist.
THE BOW
The “bow” represents God’s Holy Word:
The poetic scriptural passage in Habakkuk 3:8-13 vividly portrays the Lord going forth throughout the earth, riding on horses of salvation, accompanied by saints, possessing the bow (“thy word”) for the purpose of salvation during a terrible period of wrath and trouble:
Habakkuk 3:8-13
8 “Was the Lord displeased against the rivers? Was thine anger against the rivers? Was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst RIDE UPON THINE HORSES AND THY CHARIOTS OF SALVATION? “
9 “THY BOW was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, EVEN THY WORD. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 “The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.”
11 “THE SUN AND MOON STOOD STILL in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.”
12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation; thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed. (KJV)OVERCOMING
The last phrase in Revelation 6:2, which is translated into English translations as 'overcoming’, ‘that he might overcome', and 'conquering' and 'to conquer' (KJV) is an interpretation of the Greek word 'nikao', which can mean to 'conquer’, ‘overcome', 'prevail', or 'obtain victory'.
There is no reference in this text that the rider of the White Horse goes forth to make war or cause harm, because the rider is given a stepha.nos, which is laurel wreath to ware on his head, instead of a diadem, which is crown of authority. Therefore, it seems that the word ('nikao') has the meaning of a continuance of the thought of victory, as in an athletic event or some other type of situation in which one must win in order to be given the victor's crown.
The apostle Paul often spoke of the process of overcoming as being analogous to a foot race, wherein there are only winners and losers. In speaking of his ministry of the gospel and how those who were called to partake of it should strive to control their lives in order to obtain an eternal victory, Paul says:"Do you not know that those running in a stadium indeed all run, but only one receives the prize? So run in such a way that you may obtain the prize"(1.Cor.9:24). Also see also Gal.2:2-5; Phil.2:16; 3:14; Heb.12:1.)
There are many scriptures that speak of the elect of God being given a crown of life as a reward for their overcoming the flesh and living a righteous life before the Father. There are also many warnings about losing one's rewards (one's crown) through neglect or sin. Therefore, it is likely that the crown of the rider of the white horse has something to do with Jesus Christ, who is the first person to obtain victor over the flesh. This crown is probably also associated with God's children in their process of overcoming in order to obtain a crown of life.
It is important to point out that Christ is the one whom the Father has authorized to care for his earthly sons and to reward those who overcome the flesh with the crown of life. (Also see Jn.6:33-40; 10:27-30; 17:2.)
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God sent us Jesus, and Jesus sent us the HOLY SPIRIT!!There is much more in the Bible to support the White horseman, of the first seal, as being the Holy Spirit, than there is to support him being the Antichrist!!! I used to believe as most do, but upon much Holy Spirit inspired research cannot come to this conclusion any longer.
I will continue with the importance of all this, and how it relates to the scenes in heaven, and what the Holy Spirit has put on my heart, personally, in my next post.It is all about Pentecost, and the sending of the Holy Spirit, and this makes this issue a timely and important one.
God Bless you all!!
Patti C.