Of all the mysterious symbols and prophecies of
the Bible, few have captured the imagination
of the broader culture like the four horsemen of
the apocalypse.
Leaping from the pages of the book of Revelation,
these horsemen and their colored horses have been
used as metaphors for death, destruction, and
world-ending calamity for centuries.
But they aren't meaningless symbols to be
used however we want to use them or speculate
about them.
Jesus Christ revealed them to His servant John in a
vision depicting our very real future--a future that
is galloping toward us at full speed.
You need to understand the meaning of the four
horsemen before their arrival catches you and
your family off guard and unprepared.
Join us today as we reveal Jesus Christ’s own meaning
behind the coming four horsemen.
♪
Greetings, and welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we
help you make sense of your world through the
pages of the Bible.
Today we're gonna talk about the Four Horsemen of
the Apocalypse--some of the most infamous and
imagination-stirring figures to enter our
culture from the pages of the Bible.
We'll also give you an opportunity to request one
of our most helpful free resources,
Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled.
Be sure to note any ordering information you
see on your screen throughout the program.
Now some of you may remember how the four popular,
so-called “new atheists”--Richard
Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Christopher Hitchens, and
Sam Harris--were dubbed the “Four Horsemen” by many.
Similarly, Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple have
been called the “Four Horsemen of Tech.” In the
movies, you might be familiar with Clint
Eastwood’s film “Pale Rider”--or even the
superhero movie “X-Men: Apocalypse” and its four
“mutant” horsemen...
Such uses actually obscure the very important future
reality that Jesus Christ intended the Four Horsemen
to represent.
It is that life and death reality that we lay
out for you on today’s program.
To do that, we need to lay an important foundation first.
The four horsemen come to us from chapter 6 of the
prophetic book of Revelation.
In this passage, the Apostle John is seeing a
vision of events in heaven, including the
unsealing of a scroll with seven seals.
Those seven seals represent future events,
and of all in heaven and earth, Revelation 5 tells
us that only Jesus Christ was found to be worthy of
opening those seals and revealing the contents of
God’s prophetic scroll.
And this leads us to a vital element we need to
uncover the identity of these horsemen:
Jesus Christ is the revelator.
The entire purpose of the book of Revelation is not
to hide truth, but to reveal it--after all, it
is called the book of “Revelation,” not the book
of concealing or hiding.
In fact, it gets its name from its own words.
Look at them with me in Revelation chapter 1
and verse 1...
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him
to show His servants--things which
must shortly take place.”
Note several things here: First, it is
the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
If we want to understand the things it says, we
need to consider what He teaches us and shows us.
Also note, God gave Him this revelation to show
His servants things which must shortly take place.
Not to hide those things so they would not be
understood, but to reveal them.
Keeping in mind that Revelation represents
Jesus’ own revelation about the future, let’s
turn to Matthew 24.
This is another place in the Bible where Jesus
discusses end-time events, and there is a pattern
here that will help us immensely as we tackle the
identities of the four horsemen.
Here in a prophecy, given by Christ on the Mount of
Olives, Jesus explains much about world
conditions leading up to His second coming and the
end of this age.
There we see an important pattern.
Let’s start in verse 4.
Here, He begins to answer His disciples’ questions
about His return:
“And Jesus answered and said to
them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the
Christ,’ and will deceive many.
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.
See that you are not troubled; for all these
things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation will rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom.
And there will be famines, pestilences, and
earthquakes in various places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
And while He mentions several things in this prophecy,
take note of four particular items in Jesus’
words here that occur in this order: False Religion,
Warfare, Famine, and Pestilence.
It is important to note that Jesus says in verse 6,
“the end is not yet.” Because, to a great
extent, the things he mentions here have been
happening since time immemorial.
Yet, the pattern of items Jesus establishes here
will prove vital to confirming the final,
future events of world history, as they are
repeated in a larger scale in the future four
horsemen He reveals to the Apostle John--and to us.
We'll use this information to identify the first
horseman in just a moment.
But first, let me give you an opportunity
to request today’s free resource,
Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
There is so much more in the prophetic book of
Revelation than the four horsemen, and Jesus Christ
wants his followers to understand this book.
He gave it to them, not to be ignored, but
to be embraced.
He says in chapter 22 and verse 7 of Revelation...
“Behold, I am coming quickly!
Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy
of this book.”
Do you want the blessings Jesus promises to those who embrace
the words of the book of Revelation?
Then you want this free guide.
I've personally never read anything that uncovers the
mystery of the book of Revelation and makes it as
plain and inspiring as this free booklet does.
Take advantage of this opportunity to get your
own copy of Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
and I'll be right back after the break to reveal
the identities of the first and second horsemen
of the apocalypse.
For today’s free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's
World magazine.
Ten inspiring issues discussing news, science,
and modern culture will help you make sense of
your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow’s World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
Welcome back.
In the first part of today’s program, we laid
some groundwork to allow us to tackle our topic:
The Coming Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Now, as we turn to Revelation 6 and the
vision of the four horsemen, we'll find that
they fit the same pattern Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24,
with the difference that the four horsemen of
the apocalypse represent cataclysmic, end-time
extremes of these four conditions that will
build, one upon the other.
How cataclysmic?
Revelation 6 and verse 8
says that... “...power was given to them over a fourth of
the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death,
and by the beasts of the earth.”
Now as we record this program in 2022, world population is
projected to soon hit 8 billion people, so a fourth of the
earth at this time would be around two billion
people--truly a vast number.
So, what does each horseman represent?
Let’s begin with the first horseman, who is revealed
as the first prophetic seal is opened.
We read of that in Revelation 6, beginning in verse 1:
“Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the
seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures
saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’
And I looked, and behold, a white horse.
He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given
to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
Here is a vision of a white horse, whose
rider is wearing a crown, holding a bow, and
conquering.
This rider corresponds to the first element in our
list of items Jesus mentioned in Matthew 24:
a global false religion.
Of course, corrupt, false religion has been with
mankind virtually from the beginning, after the devil
deceived Adam and Eve to take the forbidden fruit.
When the Apostle John warned first-century
Christians of a coming final Antichrist, in
1 John 2:18, he also noted that many antichrists were
already in the world, in His own time.
Satan has been counterfeiting
Christianity since the very beginning.
Yet in the days still ahead, this final
incarnation of the devil’s counterfeit Christianity
will turn far more aggressive and militant,
described in Revelation 6 as going out to “conquer.”
Not simply willing to “win hearts and minds,” it will
seek to forcibly convert the whole world.
Now some confuse this first horseman on a white horse
with Jesus Christ, claiming it represents the
true religion conquering the world.
Are they right?
Consider the description of Jesus in Revelation 19,
beginning in verse 11...
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.
And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True,
and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head
were many crowns.
He had a name written that no one knew except
Himself.
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His
name is called The Word of God.
And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with
it He should strike the nations.
And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.
He Himself treads the winepress of the
fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name
written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
Now that this rider in Revelation 19 is
Jesus Christ should be obvious.
And a white horse, crowns, a weapon, conquering...
Surely this rider is the same as the first
horseman, right?
Wrong.
The devil is a creature of subtlety, and it is in the
subtleties that we see the difference.
When you read closely, you notice that they both ride
a white horse, but Christ brings a sword, the word
of God, while the first horseman uses a bow.
Also, the first horseman is described as wearing a
crown, but Christ is described as wearing many
crowns--not just a King, but the King of Kings.
The first horseman represents a militant,
dangerous counterfeit Christianity aggressively
spreading across the earth and conquering new
adherents in a way the world has never seen
before--led by the one the Apostle John calls
“the Antichrist,” who is the culmination of the many
antichrists who have preceded him.
His religion is already present in the earth, but
in the final years leading up to Christ’s return, it
will wield unheard of influence and power.
So then, who is the next horseman--the second
horseman?
He's described next, in Revelation 6, beginning
in verse 3:
“When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living
creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ Another horse, fiery red,
went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to
take peace from the earth, and that people should kill
one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”
Again, this matches the pattern Christ
mentioned in Matthew 24, and this horseman refers
to warfare.
But this end-time horseman’s ride indicates
an extreme level of warfare unlike anything
humanity has known before.
Note that the horseman is given a “great sword,” and
he is granted to remove peace from the entire earth.
This corresponds well with the description of the
great Beast of Revelation, found in Revelation 13.
In verse 4 of that chapter we read of the people of the world
worshipping him and, by design, the devil who
empowers him...
“So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority
to the beast; and they worshiped the beast,
saying, ‘Who is like the beast?
Who is able to make war with him?’”
The scale of warfare that is coming in the end
times, represented by this dangerous second horseman,
is almost unimaginable.
Even for a world that has seen two world wars
climaxing in two mushroom clouds, past conflicts
will pale in comparison to the global warfare to
come.
It is not without cause that Jesus says in Matthew 24:22
of the days ahead that...
“...unless those days were shortened, no flesh would
be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days
will be shortened.”
Through chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, the
potential for mankind to end all life on the planet
has steadily grown.
The coming of the second horseman heralds a time
when that potential becomes a chilling reality.
Before we reveal the next two horsemen, let me give
you another opportunity to request today’s free
resource, Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
The first part of the booklet will give you
seven keys to understanding the book of
Revelation.
Then the rest of the booklet will guide you
through the book of Revelation, chapter by
chapter, from beginning to end, and make the meaning
of its symbols plain and clear.
And the center of the booklet contains a chart
detailing the exact end-time sequence of
events as revealed to the Apostle John.
Most find the book of Revelation intimidating or
confusing.
And what a shame that is, because Jesus Christ wants
it understood.
With this free guide, you will understand it.
Request your free copy today, and I'll be right
back to reveal the terrible third and fourth
horsemen.
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
Call now!
Or go to...
The first and second horsemen of the apocalypse
will unleash terrifying forces on planet earth,
but the tale of their soon-coming ride does not
end there.
After the second horseman, the third and fourth
horsemen follow shortly after.
Let’s continue reading in Revelation 6.
“When He opened the third seal, I heard the third
living creature say, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and
behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a
pair of scales in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius,
and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not
harm the oil and the wine.’”
Again fitting the sequence Jesus revealed in Matthew 24,
the next horseman depicts great famine--an utter lack of
the necessities of life.
You know, as recently experienced in Madagascar
and Ethiopia, mankind has faced famine on and off for millennia.
But this third horseman represents a level of
famine and scarcity on a scale that humanity has
never before experienced--and by
peoples and nations who have never known it.
Revelation 6 says that the third horseman, holding a
pair of scales in his hand, announces that a
quart of wheat costs a denarius, which in the
first century was a full day's wages--an entire
day's work spent for the purchase of a bit of
grain.
What we have pictured here is the scourge of famine
sweeping the whole world, when even the most basic
of foodstuffs--grain and barley--are rare and
precious.
You know, some in the affluent West have recently
experienced a small, small taste of what it is like for the
shelves to be briefly empty and the staples of
life to be too expensive or hard to find.
What will the same nations do as the third horseman
arrives, bringing permanently empty shelves,
empty fields, and empty stomachs?
Of course, famines and lack often follow warfare,
and the circumstances brought by the fourth
horseman often follow famine.
We read of him in verses 7-8...
“When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and
behold, a pale horse.
And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and
Hades followed with him....”
Once again, we find the pattern matches the
sequence Jesus Christ, the revelator, gave us in
Matthew 24. There, the Lord listed “pestilence”
after “famine,” and the sickly, pale color of this
horse suits Jesus’ words precisely as does the
rider’s name, “Death,” and the fact that he is
followed by “Hades,” or the grave.
Of course, in our own day, COVID-19 has turned many
to thinking of just how great the scope of
worldwide disease and pestilence could be.
Yet the testimony of prophecy--and therefore of
Jesus Christ, since the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy--is very
clear: Relative to the pestilence and disease to
come, COVID-19 is barely a warning shot across the
world’s bow.
The coming of the fourth horseman heralds the
coming of diseases the likes of which no doctor,
health organization, or world government is
prepared to tackle.
Let’s consider these four horsemen in perspective.
In the most common estimates, COVID-19 has
killed millions.
Some believe the bubonic plague killed 25 million
in the Middle Ages.
The greatest famine in history, China’s “Great
Leap Forward” famine, killed 20 to 40 million
people from 1959 to 1961.
And World Wars I and II, by some estimates, killed 70
to 80 million people.
These numbers are horrifying.
Yet, we must remind ourselves that verse 8 of
Revelation 6 says that the coming four
horsemen--false religion, warfare, famine, and
pestilence--will be given power
over one-fourth of humanity. Right now, around
2 billion people. That’s “Billion” with a “B.”
The conflicts, famines, and diseases of the past and the
present hardly compare to the ride of the horsemen to come.
That, my friends, is a grim picture, I know.
Yet Jesus Christ reveals this knowledge for a
reason, and it isn't to depress us or throw us
into despair.
What can you and your family do about the times
to come?
Is there anything anyone can do?
Yes, there is, and the answers lie in the less
popular, but far more important, fifth horseman
of the apocalypse.
We'll reveal the significance of the fifth
horseman and what you and your family can do about
the times ahead in just a moment, but first I want
to give you one more opportunity to request
today’s eye-opening booklet,
Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
Today our whole program is devoted to discussing only
one of Revelation’s astonishing 22 chapters.
But you need to understand every word of this
astounding prophetic book, and you can. Your Savior
tells you that He gave the book of Revelation because
He wants His people to understand it, and He
promises blessings for those who both understand
it and allow its words, prophecies, and promises
to be reflected in the lives they live.
You need to understand the book of Revelation, and
this completely free resource explains it with
a power and a simplicity I have never seen matched
anyplace else.
Order your own free copy right now, and I'll be
right back to reveal the hope of the fifth horseman
of Revelation and what His coming ride means for you
and your family.
You won't want to miss it.
For today’s free offer call...
Or go to...
This clear and straight-forward resource
will help you understand this vital truth--
straight from the pages of the Bible.
If you're calling for the first time, you will also
receive a free annual subscription to Tomorrow's
World magazine.
Ten inspiring issues discussing news, science,
and modern culture will help you make sense of
your world from a biblical perspective.
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow’s World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
Call now!
Or go to...
My friends, I know the ride of the four horsemen
sounds terrifying, and clearly Jesus Christ meant
it to be so.
But God has not left us without hope.
Because there are more than four horsemen
mentioned in the book of Revelation.
We read about the fifth horseman earlier in
Revelation 19.
Jesus Christ will return on a white horse.
And He won't be alone.
He'll be accompanied by His newly resurrected and
glorified saints riding white horses of their own,
and together they will vanquish the enemies of
God and initiate the reign of the Kingdom of God here
on earth.
We've seen the small tastes of the coming four
horsemen that God has allowed the world to
experience.
The recent pandemic gave us a small taste of global
disease, we're beginning to see food prices
skyrocket due to inflation and other causes.
Warfare fills our news feeds--the war in Ukraine
being only a recent example.
And if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, the
world’s counterfeit Christianity can be seen
and heard for what it is as it is preached from
behind the lecterns and on the stages of the most
popular denominations and churches in the world.
These circumstances should move us to act now, before
the Four Horsemen are unleashed upon the world
to bring apostasy, carnage, starvation, and
pestilence in full measure.
Now, right now, is the time to come under the
protection of the fifth Horseman, that we may find
ourselves riding one day alongside Him to heal the
world.
For those who submit their lives to His rule today,
He offers protection from what is to come tomorrow.
For such individuals, the precursors to the Four
Horsemen’s rides that we see on our news feeds--the
daily reminders of what they will bring--do not
have to be signs of despair.
Quite the contrary, they can be signs of hope.
Jesus Himself tells us so, just as He told His
disciples 2,000 years ago.
To those who commit their lives in obedience to Him
today and who endure to that time in faithfulness,
He says in Luke 21:36...
“Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted
worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass,
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
May all of us be praying for the ride of that fifth Horseman,
Jesus Christ, who is coming soon to usher in the Kingdom
of God, forever.
And may we seek His face today--His way of life,
His Work, and His desires--that we may one
day accompany Him on white horses of our own, to help
Him put the other four horsemen out to
pasture for good.
Don't forget to request your free copy of
Revelation: The Mystery Unveiled!
and don't forget to come back and see us next week.
Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, Rod McNair, and I
will be right here waiting for you, ready to share
the unadulterated truth of God’s word, the warning
and hope of end-time prophecies, the
life-changing teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Good
News of the Kingdom of God.
Until next time, take care.
For today’s free offer call...
Or go to...
Call today and join millions around the world
who are turning to Tomorrow’s World for
truth, prophecy, and hope in these confusing times.
The preceding program is
produced by the Living Church of God.
Do you have the feeling our world is going
in the wrong direction?
Where can you turn to make sense of a world that is
spinning out of control?
Join over 500,000 loyal readers and enjoy peace of mind,
knowing what's ahead.
In times like these we need real answers. Clarity, not confusion.
And truth, instead of lies.
Jesus commands, "Freely you have received, freely give."
So every subscription is completely free.
Visit TWmagazine.org to get yours now.