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.

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

8624. 'And called the name of it Jehovah Nissi' means constant warfare and the Lord's protection against those steeped in falsity arising from interior evil. This is clear from the fact that the ancients in the Church gave names to indicate the essential nature and the state of whatever matter was under consideration then, and that also they included those things in the names themselves, 340, 1946, 3422, 4298. The nature and state of the matter under consideration here is that the war of Jehovah will be against Amalek from generation to generation, in the internal sense that war will be waged unceasingly against those steeped in falsity arising from interior evil. This is also meant by 'Jehovah Nissi'. In the original language Jehovah Nissi means Jehovah is my Banner or Standard, and 'standard' or 'banner' in the Word means a call to assemble for war. And because the words 'the war of Jehovah' are used, protection given by Him is also meant.

[2] That 'banner' or 'standard ' means a call to assemble for war is clear from the consideration that whenever the people were called to assemble, whether they were going to make journeys, celebrate feasts, or go to war, they sounded the trumpet and at the same time also lifted up a standard or banner on the mountains. For their sounding the trumpet, see Numbers 10:1-11; and the fact that they lifted up a standard or banner is evident from the following places: In Jeremiah,

Declare in Judah and cause to be heard in Jerusalem, and say, sounding the trumpet in the land, Proclaim, blow loudly, ¹ and say, Gather together, and let us go into the fortified cities Raise a banner towards Zion; assemble, do not stop Jeremiah 4:5-6.

In Isaiah,

O all inhabitants of the world and dwellers on earth, when the banner is lifted up, look; and when the trumpet is sounded, hear. Isaiah 18:3

In the same prophet,

He has lifted up a banner to the nations from afar, and whistled to him from the furthest end of the earth; and behold, he will come swiftly, with speed. Isaiah 5:26.

In the same prophet,

On a tall mountain lift up the banner, raise your voice to them, wave your hand, that they may come to the gate of the princes. Isaiah 13:2.

In the same prophet,

Thus said the Lord Jehovih, behold, I will lift up My hand towards the nations, and lift up My banner towards the peoples, that they may bring your sons in their bosom and carry your daughters on their shoulder. Isaiah 49:22.

From all these places it is evident that 'a banner' means an assembling together.

[3] The fact that 'a banner' or 'a standard', when used in reference to the Lord, also means protection is clear in Isaiah,

They will fear the name of Jehovah from the setting, and His glory from the rising of the sun, because He will come like a narrow stream. The spirit of Jehovah will raise a banner against him; then the Redeemer will come to Zion. Isaiah 59:19-20.

In the same prophet,

It will happen on that day, that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who is standing as a banner of the peoples; and His rest will be glory. Isaiah 11:10.

[4] Since a standard, for which the original language uses the same word as that used for a banner, meant an assembling together, and when spoken of in reference to the Lord also meant protection, it was explicitly commanded that the bronze serpent should be set on a standard. This is recorded in Moses as follows,

Jehovah said to Moses, Make a serpent and set it on a standard; and it will happen, that everyone who has been bitten, when he has looked at it, will live. And Moses made a serpent of bronze and set it on a standard. So it happened, if a serpent had bitten a man, when he looked at the serpent of bronze, that he was restored to life again. Numbers 21:8-9.

'The bronze serpent' represented the Lord, see John 3:14-15. The fact that it also meant protection is self-evident; for the healing effected by looking at the serpent on the standard meant healing from evils arising from falsity, effected by looking to faith in the Lord. For the Lord says in John, in the above mentioned verses,

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life.

Фусноте: