SEVEN SEALS (1): WHITE HORSE (REVELATION 6:1-2)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Revelation
a) John wrote Revelation while a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, approximately 85-95 A.D. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all Christians to continue watching for the return and triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also is to warn of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure on that Last Day.
b) John wrote that Revelation is special because,“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).
c) A brief view of the Book of Revelation. It gives you some basic understanding of the book of Revelation.
2. The First Seal (The White Horse)
Revelation 6:1-2
6 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come[a].” 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
3. The Lamb Opens The First Seal
6 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come[a].” 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
3. The Lamb Opens The First Seal
a) The visions which John sees now take on the theme of tribulation. This theme starts at chapter six, and continues through chapter 11.
b) In Scene 1, the Lamb opens the first seal. The first living creature calls to John, “Come!”. John sees the first horseman on a white horse carrying a bow with which to conquer and a crown with which to rule (Revelation 6:1-2).
4. The Four Horses
a) You may have heard of “the four horses of the apocalypse”. These are the four horses which John saw in visions as recorded in Revelation 6:1-8.
b) These visions of the four horses were the first John saw after the scenes in heaven. You will note that the Lamb was the only one found worthy to open the book and break its seals (Revelation 5:1-14). You will also note that four living creatures — one like a lion, one like a calf, one like a man, and one like an eagle — were among those who worshiped God and the Lamb (Revelation 4:7).
c) Now, in chapter six, the Lamb begins to open the seals of the book. Remember this book represents the gospel of Christ. The seals represent the fact that the gospel is "the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for ages past" (Romans 16:25, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10).
d) Since each creature in turn calls John to see a particular horse and its rider, we would expect some correlation between what a living creature represents, and what the horse and horseman represents that he calls John to see.
5. First Creature Speaks
a) The first creature was like a lion (Revelation 4:7). The lion is a royal and kingly symbol and represents the fact that Jesus is "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:6).
6. First Rider On White Horse
a) The rider with bow and crown represents the rule of kings and lords on earth, such as the Roman Caesars. The bow symbolizes conquering and the crown symbolizes dominion. So the white horse and its rider stands for earthly rule and authority and dominion. Jesus told us that "nation shall rise against nation" (Matthew 24:7). This is a tribulation common throughout human history, and it shall continue for the entire gospel age until Jesus comes.
7. Christians Under Earthly Powers
a) The following scripture chain will show how Christians should consider the problem of their subjection to earthly power and rule and authority, especially when it is oppressive and usurped by conquest.
i) Titus 3:1, Matthew 5:10-11, Ephesians 1:19-21, 1 Corinthians 15:24, John 18:36, Ephesians 6:12, Acts 5:27-32.
The End ...
b) In Scene 1, the Lamb opens the first seal. The first living creature calls to John, “Come!”. John sees the first horseman on a white horse carrying a bow with which to conquer and a crown with which to rule (Revelation 6:1-2).
4. The Four Horses
a) You may have heard of “the four horses of the apocalypse”. These are the four horses which John saw in visions as recorded in Revelation 6:1-8.
b) These visions of the four horses were the first John saw after the scenes in heaven. You will note that the Lamb was the only one found worthy to open the book and break its seals (Revelation 5:1-14). You will also note that four living creatures — one like a lion, one like a calf, one like a man, and one like an eagle — were among those who worshiped God and the Lamb (Revelation 4:7).
c) Now, in chapter six, the Lamb begins to open the seals of the book. Remember this book represents the gospel of Christ. The seals represent the fact that the gospel is "the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for ages past" (Romans 16:25, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10).
d) Since each creature in turn calls John to see a particular horse and its rider, we would expect some correlation between what a living creature represents, and what the horse and horseman represents that he calls John to see.
5. First Creature Speaks
a) The first creature was like a lion (Revelation 4:7). The lion is a royal and kingly symbol and represents the fact that Jesus is "King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:6).
6. First Rider On White Horse
a) The rider with bow and crown represents the rule of kings and lords on earth, such as the Roman Caesars. The bow symbolizes conquering and the crown symbolizes dominion. So the white horse and its rider stands for earthly rule and authority and dominion. Jesus told us that "nation shall rise against nation" (Matthew 24:7). This is a tribulation common throughout human history, and it shall continue for the entire gospel age until Jesus comes.
7. Christians Under Earthly Powers
a) The following scripture chain will show how Christians should consider the problem of their subjection to earthly power and rule and authority, especially when it is oppressive and usurped by conquest.
i) Titus 3:1, Matthew 5:10-11, Ephesians 1:19-21, 1 Corinthians 15:24, John 18:36, Ephesians 6:12, Acts 5:27-32.
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