Jesus Opens the Seals to Reveal
12/15 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 17; Revelation 6; Zechariah 2; John 5
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12/15 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 17; Revelation 6; Zechariah 2; John 5
Revelation 6:1-2
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
HORSES
It has always struck me as strange that only the first four seals have horses. The last three seals do not have horses attached to their individual disclosures (Rev 6:9, 12; 8:1). Why is that? What is Jesus revealing to us by this truth? I believe the first four seals present two things: first, a history for our understanding; and second, a warning for our application. Both exalt our Lord Jesus Messiah. Both are radically and gloriously centered in Christ’s gospel. First, let us consider its historical context. Where the king rides a donkey, slow and purposefully, representing peace (Zech 9:9; Matt 21:1-11), horses represent warfare in strength and swiftness (Zech 6:7; Rev 19:11, 21). When Adam sinned, he handed his God appointed dominion of the earth (Gen 1:28) to Satan (2 Cor 4:4). Satan disguises himself in light to appear like Jesus (2 Cor 11:14), riding on a white horse as Jesus will (Rev 19:11), but the crown was given to him by Adam. Moreover, Satan has a bow with flaming arrows (Eph 6:16), and not a sword of God’s truth (Eph 6:17; Rev 19:21). Jesus has already conquered at Calvary’s cross (John 19:30), whereas Satan comes out conquering, and to conquer (1 Pet 5:8). When Adam sinned, peace was taken from him because he died spiritually through his disobedience, breaking fellowship with God (Gen 2:17; Rev 6:3:4). Moreover, the curse of toil came upon him through the wretched work of his own hands, rather than the sweet power of the Spirit since he was now dead in trespasses and sins (Gen 3:17-19; Eph 2:1; Rev 6:5-6). Finally, physical death (Rev 6:7-8) became mankind’s lot (Gen 5:4, 8, 11, 14, 20, 27, 31, etc.), including murder (Gen 4).
Next, this serves as a warning to you and me. Since we are bought with a price through the death and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 6:19-20), when we sin, we are in essence handing Christ’s dominion over to Satan (Rev 6:2). Therefore, the peace that surpasses understanding is taken from us (Rev 6:4), as that sin tempts us to seek justification by the puny and pathetic labors of our own hands, extending to them more value than what they are worth (Rev 6:6), and finally, we will encounter judgment from the sword of God’s Word, famine that deprives us of spiritual food, and attack from the beastly principalities and powers of spiritual wickedness in high places (Rev 6:8). But hallelujah! We have a Savior! By Christ’s gospel, He saves our souls and clothes us in white robes (Rev 6:9-11), seals us as His own people in the midst of judgment (Rev 7:1-17), and reveals to us the truth of His everlasting gospel so that we wonder in silence for about a half a moment every time we ponder His amazing grace (Rev 8:1). Hallelujah! What a Savior!