What are the horses of the Apocalypse?

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

In the book of Revelation, John is shown a vision in which he sees Jesus break seals and open scrolls. When the first four seals are broken they reveal different colored horses and release certain cataclysmic events. These events parallel what Jesus explained to his disciples about the end times on the Mount of Olives. He referred to these events as “The Beginning of Sorrows.” By comparing these two accounts you can draw a better picture in your mind on what John saw in his vision and what Jesus described as ‘the beginning of sorrows’.

Sorrow: Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

pain, sorrow, travail. Akin to odune; a pang or throe, especially of childbirth -- pain, sorrow, travail.

This time is compared to birthing pangs of a woman who is about to give birth. She will have one hard labor pain and then it will subside, only to be followed by more and harder pains until the baby is born. This time is also called Jacob’s Trouble. Jeremiah 30:7 says, "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:3

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. John 16:21

And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:4-7

A women giving birth in ancient Egypt

The four horses are represented by four colors; white, red, black and pale green. Colors are often used to symbolize things; for instance white symbolizes peace in the time of war when an enemy gives up he raises a white flag. By comparing verses we can get a better understanding on what the horseman represent.

First Seal: White horse.

WHITE: Peace

And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. Daniel 8:2

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 1 Thess. 5:3

JOHN’S VISION: And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the 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. Revelation 6:1-2

JESUS MOUNT OF OLIVES: And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:3-5

White color represents peace. Rider is a false Christ and deceptive.

“…he that sat on him had a bow.”

Definition: a bow
archers* (3), arrows (1), bow (54), bowman(1), bows (13), rainbow (1).

Strong's Hebrew: 226. אוֹת (oth) -- a sign

... 6 sign, pledge of convenant,

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:27

Bow: Conquest (archer) and peace covenant.

“…a crown was given unto him:

Definition: A crown

Short Definition: a crown, garland
Definition: a crown, garland, honor, glory.

4735 stéphanos – properly, a wreath (garland), awarded to a victor in the ancient athletic games (like the Greek Olympics); the crown of victory (versus 1238 /diádēma, "a royal crown").

“…and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”

Just as Nimrod conquered and established the first empire, the false Christ will do the same.

Conquer

Short Definition: conquer, overcome
Definition: conquer, am victorious, overcome, prevail, subdue.

The first beast in Revelation: And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. Revelation 13:7

WHITE HORSE:

Peace

False Christ

Conquest

Prevails

Peace covenant

Second Seal: Red horse.

RED = Bloodshed

JOHN’S VISION: 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.

JESUS MOUNT OF OLIVES:And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.⁷For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: Matthew 24:6-7.

RED HORSE:

Bloodshed

War

Third Seal: Black horse

BLACK= Death & mourning

JOHN’S VISION: 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.

JESUS MOUNT OF OLIVES: “…and there shall be famines...” Matthew 24:7.

Famine Definition strongs Greek:

Short Definition: a famine, hunger
Definition: a famine, hunger.

FAMINE/HUNGER

“…and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”

Oil - “…And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth. Zachariah 4:12-14

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. Revelation 11:3-5

Wine = First fruits, the 144,000?

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Revelation 7: 2-3

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. Revelation 14:4.

The blood of Christ is signified and represented by the wine. “And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; ...”

BLACK HORSE:

Death & mourning

Famine & hunger

Don’t harm: Wine-144,000? Oil – two witnesses?

Fourth Seal: Pale Green Horse

PALE GREEN =Vegetation

The Egyptian Osiris is sometimes depicted as a green man for the god of vegetation.

JOHN’S VISION: 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. Revelation 6:8

JESUS ON MOUNT OF OLIVES “…and there shall be… pestilences…” Matthew 24:7.

Pestilence- a pest that eats vegetation. Plant Pests

Greek definition: Strong's Concordance

loimos: pestilence, a pest

There are hundreds of plant eating pests, but the most devastating is the desert locust. Wikipedia explains it is a species of locust. Plagues of desert locusts have threatened agricultural production in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for centuries. The livelihood of at least one-tenth of the world’s human population can be affected by this voracious insect.

The desert locust is potentially the most dangerous of the locust pests because of the ability of swarms to fly rapidly across great distances. It has two to five generations per year. The last major desert locust upsurge in 2004- 2205 caused significant crop losses in West Africa and had a negative impact on food security in the region. While the desert locust alone is not responsible for famines, it can be an important contributing factor.