The Bible

 

Revelation 6 : The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

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1 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.

2 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.

3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

4 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.

5 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.

6 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.

7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

8 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.

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Commentary

 

The Meaning of the Book of Revelation: the Four Horsemen

By Jonathan S. Rose, Curtis Childs

Transparency is needed to sort things out. Before big change happens, God first reveals what’s really going on.

In the Book of Revelation - the last book of the Word - the apostle John describes a series of apocalyptic visions that he experienced during his exile on the Isle of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea.

In one of these visions, he saw four horsemen, the first riding a white horse, the second a red horse, the third a black, and the fourth - named Death - riding a pale horse. These "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - oft-pictured - are described in Revelation 6:1-8.

What do these horses, and their riders, represent? What do they have to do with us, today? Watch as Curtis Childs and Jonathan Rose explore the hidden Bible meaning of the Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelation, in this video from the Swedenborg and Life Series, from the Swedenborg Foundation.

Plus, to go straight to the source, follow the links below to the places in "Apocalypse Revealed" where Swedenborg explained the inner meaning of this famous Bible story. A good place to start would be Apocalypse Revealed 298.

(References: Apocalypse Explained 315; Apocalypse Revealed 262-263, 301, 306, 314, 316, 320, 322-323)

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This video is a product of the Swedenborg Foundation. Follow these links for further information and other videos: www.youtube.com/user/offTheLeftEye and www.swedenborg.com

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Scriptural Confirmations #32

  
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32. 4. He who was and is to come, the Alpha and Omega, etc. (Revelation 1:4, 8, 11; 2:8; 4:8; 11:17; 21:6; 22:13).

Behold He cometh with clouds, and all flesh shall see, etc. (Revelation 1:7).

That He will come as a thief (Revelation 3:3).

I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the whole world (Revelation 3:10).

Behold I come quickly (Revelation 3:11; 2:5).

He was dead, and yet alive unto the ages of ages (Revelation 1:18). The Lamb standing, as it were slain (Revelation 5:6, 12).

The consummation in general is described by the four horses going out from the Book, also by the souls seen of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and by the great earthquake, and by heaven departing, and by the ungodly hiding themselves in caves (Revelation 6:1 to end).

Then the fullness of time is described, by the brethren who should also be killed (Revelation 6:11).

Because the great day of His wrath is come (Revelation 6:17); also that the stars have fallen, and the heaven has departed (Revelation 6:13-14).

The consummation in particular is described by various things, and finally by locusts from the abyss (Revelation 8 and 9).

The heresies in the last times are described by various things (Revelation 9:17-21).

That there shall be time no longer (Revelation 10:6).

There were voices from heaven, that the kingdoms are become our Lord's and His Christ; and He shall reign for ages of ages.

Thou hast taken Thy great power (Revelation 11:15-17; 12:10).

The time is come for the judging of the dead (Revelation 11:18).

The consummation is described by the dragon that wished to devour the foetus, and drew the third part of the stars from heaven, also by the war between him and Michael, and that he persecuted the woman and wished to destroy her with waters (Revelation 12:1 to end).

The earth was reaped, and the vintage or the vine was gathered (Revelation 14:15-19).

The last consummation is described by the seven plagues sent down by the angels to the earth (Revelation 16:1 to end).

Behold, I come as a thief. Happy is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked (Revelation 16:15).

The battle of the great day of God Almighty (Revelation 16:14). The invitation of all to the supper of the great God (Revelation 19:17-18).

They cried Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth, for the time of the marriage of the Lamb is come; and His wife hath made herself ready; happy are they that are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb, etc. (Revelation 19:6-9).

Smitten for the testimony of Jesus, and for the Word of God (Revelation 20:4).

They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

A new heaven and a new earth; and the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 66:22; Psalms 102:26-27).

Jerusalem descending from heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband: and the angel showed her as the bride, the Lamb's wife (Revelation 21:2, 9-10).

Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them (Revelation 21:3). Behold He will make all things new (Revelation 21:5).

There shall not enter into the New Jerusalem any but they who are written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 21:26).

He would come quickly; and it is desired that He come (Revelation 22:7, 12, especially 16-17).

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.