The four horse-riders
Revelation 6:1-8
6 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 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.
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
5 When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 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.
After two chapters of praise and worship, honouring the real power, the real authority over all things – we finally see the opening of the first four seals of the scroll – the scroll we first saw at the start of chapter 5. The first four seals reveal 4 horse-riders: “A conqueror bent on conquest”, a red horse whose rider given the power “to take peace from the earth”, a black horse whose rider brings high food prices due to famine, and finally the pale horse of death followed by Hades (“the grave”).
Two things to be noted. First, these four bring terrible destruction and wreak havoc – but they do not have absolute power. Vs. 2 the conqueror was “given” a crown – if it was given, it can be taken away. Vs. 4 – the rider of the red horse was “given” power and “given” a large sword – again what is given can be taken away. And vs. 8 death was “given” power to kill a quarter of the people on earth. Yes, that is terrible, but again it is a limited power. The forces of destruction are not unlimited – there are boundaries on the harm they can do.
Second, yes it feels right now as though we are living through “a conqueror bent on conquest”, people so angry at each other that random killing is taking place, we hear about famines and food shortages, and plague – we have COVID. So that must mean the end is near? Humanity has seen the four horse-riders many times before now. In fact, there have been few times in human history when the riders have not been present. Before in despair we declare the end has arrived, we need to go back to remembering that God is still on the throne – the four riders do not change that fact.
PRAYER:
O Lord, conquering armies, random violence, famine and plague all scare us. Remind us that they have only limited power, and that you remain firmly seated on the throne of heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.