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

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Scriptural Confirmations #33

  
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33. 5. John the Baptist said, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (Matthew 3:7).

In the parable of the tares of the field, the Lord said, So shall it be in the consummation of the age; the reapers are the angels (Matthew 13:25-30, 37-43).

They gathered the good into vessels and cast out the evil; so shall it be in the consummation of the age (Matthew 13:47-50).

The Son of man shall sit upon the throne of His glory

(Matthew 19:28).

David called the Messiah "Lord," Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool (Matthew 22:40-44; Psalms 110:1; Luke 20:41-44.

Concerning the coming of the Lord and the consummation of the age (Matthew 24:1 to end).

False Christs and false prophets shall arise; there shall be wars and rumors of wars, etc. (Matthew 24:5-14, 23-25, 28). This signifies heresies in the early times.

When ye shall see the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the prophet (Matthew 24:15-16 seq.).

There shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the world (Matthew 24:21).

Except those days should be shortened no flesh would be saved (Matthew 24:22).

As the lightning cometh out of the east, so shall the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:27). Thus was the Last Judgment.

The sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give (her light), and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29).

Then they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, and He shall send the angels with the voice of a trumpet (Matthew 24:30-31).

Of that hour My Father alone knoweth (Matthew 24:36).

As the days of Noah, so shall the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:37, 38).

So shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:39).

Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord will come, thus that it is not known in what hour the thief will come; wherefore be ye ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man will come (Matthew 24:42-44).

Blessed is the servant whom the Lord shall find so doing. But if the servant say in his heart, My Lord delayeth His coming (Matthew 24:46, 48).

The Lord of the servant shall come in an hour that he knoweth not (Matthew 24:50).

The parable of the ten virgins also describes the coming of the Lord, and the state of heaven; that it is shut to those who have no oil, that is, charity, for it is said also there, Watch, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man will come (Matthew 25:1-13).

The parable of the talents given to the servants also signifies the coming of the Lord, and that everyone shall return a reckoning, for it is written (verse 19): After a long time the Lord cometh and reckoneth with them (Matthew 25:14-30).

So also the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), for He says, When the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father (verse 31).

Jesus said to the disciples, Behold I am with you all the days even unto the consummation of the age (Matthew 28:20).

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