SATAN'S CAVALRY The Four Horsemen of Revelation 6 By Bill Jackson . With a voice like a clap of thunder, the first living creature addresses the aged apostle: "Come and see." John sees a panoramic unfolding of the conflict of the Ages, the full manifestation of Satanic power and the glorious revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings and triumphant Victor over Satan. . The first picture that flashed before the Apostle was of four horses, each different yet all bearing features that spoke of the devastation of mankind. These four horsemen begin the drama that is concluded when Jesus Christ returns in majesty, defeats Satan, sets up His Kingdom and wipes away all tears - tears that had been the result of the workings of Satan in the realm of time. . It is possible to differ in exact prophetic interpretations, and at the same time agree on general truths. Some assign Rev. 6 to post- Rapture; others see Satan working throughout time in these ways and believe that, while it will be more concentrated in the tribulation period, Satan is even now developing his master plan (an endeavor to produce something that will rival that which God is making). Therefore, it is not surprising that Satan's production is a counterfeit of God's truth (Isa. 14:14; 2 Cor. 11:14). . 2 Thessalonians 2:7 tells us that, in the same time of the Apostle Paul the "mystery of iniquity", Satan's master plan, was working. We can trace this counterfeit, (a satanic system of religion, morals, economy and government) many centuries as we study biblical and secular history. . In the pages following, I will look at the characteristics of the horsemen of Rev. 6. I believe we'll see in them a blueprint of Satan's efforts to create, in this world, counterfeit systems that will bring satisfaction to men. We will see both the dismal failure of Satan's devices and the eventual complete judgment of these by a triumphant Christ, who will then usher in His millennial Kingdom of perfect religion, morality, economy and government. . The chief aim of this study is to help God's people see where we are today, and to realize our Christian responsibilities. Although the way of many may seem prosperous, if it is not in Christ it is doomed to failure and defeat. The White Horse . It is a plain scriptural fact that Satan tries to pose as a wonderful creature. When he appeared to Eve in Eden, he came in a beautiful form and spoke words that sounded most pleasing. When he tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness, three times he tried to present himself as a benefactor of Christ, to satisfy His hunger, accomplish His mission and prove His Deity. . The image conjured up for us by medieval artists of a loathsome creature breathing venom and hate is not the image that Satan gives himself. Because of the unreality of the old concept of Satan, many dis-believe his existence. Scripture assures us of Satan's reality and reveals his true image. . We're told in 2 Cor. 11:14 that Satan is transformed into an angel of light. The word "transformed" means disguised, and we can be sure that Satan performs this masquerade with the near- perfection. So effective is his disguise that we are explicitly told to prove all things (1 Thess. 5:21). We can take nothing for granted. A man may be the graduate of a fundamental school and speak like an angel, but we are still to measure his teachings by God's Word. . Satan is known as the arch-deceiver. His earthly agent, spoken of in 2 Thess. 2:9, comes "with all deceivableness". Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:24 is enough to send a chill down the spine, for false satanic manifestation will, if it were possible, deceive the very elect. . In Rev. 19:11-16 is pictured for us the Lord Jesus Christ coming in final power and victory. Notice that He is on a white horse, that he has a weapon, and that He is crowned with many crowns and comes conquering. Then, we look at the first horsemen of Rev. 6. He, too, is on a white horse; he has a weapon and a crown, and he comes forth to conquer. . One difference is the company he keeps. The horseman of Rev. 6 comes with three fellow horsemen, all of whom contribute to man's misery. The Horseman of Rev. 16 comes with the armies of Heaven, clothed in white linen. . The horseman of rev. 6 brings with him destruction and death; he is indeed clothed with vesture dipped in blood, but He who comes to mete judgment upon the earth is only worthy because He's the Lamb for sinners slain, and because of His shed blood He is the One who unlocks all the mysteries (Rev. 5:5,6), and then executes God's judgment upon the earth. . They may look alike to some, but praise God for the eyes of faith which can look upon the well-beloved of the Father and find Him precious beyond compare and who through the Word of God can discern the wiles of the masquerading father of lies. . The rider of the horse in Rev. 6 has a bow as his weapon, and it is significant that, in history, the bow is first associated with Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord (Gen. 10:8,9). The kingdom of Nimrod is the first such kingdom in the Bible; Nimrod's designation, "mighty one", comes from the Hebrew "gibor" meaning tyrant. The name Nimrod means "let us rebel" and the expression "before the Lord" has a hostile meaning. Nimrod was an ungodly ruler; the religious system springing from him, his wife Semirmis and her illegitimate son Tammuz, was a satanic system (Babylon, Mystery Religion, Woodrow). . This religion was Satan's organized counterfeit religion, complete with false "virgin", a false son, and a supposed resurrection. This religion dogged the Israelites whenever they turned from God (Judges 2:13; Jer. 44:17; Eze. 8:14). In that region, there was still an organized heathen worship in the time of the Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 10:21). It was this paganism that united with a church that had degenerated through the false teachings of Irenaeus, Ignatius and Cyprian, so that it accepted the unsaved emperor Constantine and became state religion. The pagans flocked into the church bringing the embryo of Satan's religious masterpiece - Babylonian paganism with a thin veneer of "Christianity". This is embodied in the Roman Catholic Church today, and will be fully manifested after the Rapture. . The rider of the first white horse is also given a crown, which is of great significance. We can search the world for an important crown, and only one will be found - the papal crown that sits on the shelf in the Vatican waiting for a crowned pope. This triple crown of the papacy embodies absolute power. Both John Paul 1 and John Paul 2 shunned the crown, but a pope will again be crowned, and he will be the head of the fully developed satanic super-church. . Therefore, in his disguising as the Lord Jesus, in his association with the religious rebellion of Nimrod, and in his wearing of the crown; the rider of the first horse displays himself as the religious Anti-Christ. At present he is in embryonic form, but he will be fully manifested after the Rapture. The Conqueror . The rider of the white horse goes forth conquering and to conquer. Already he has, by his disguise, bow and crown, been defined as a religious leader. Therefore, his conquest must be religious. . A student of church history can detect a water-shed in religious movements. This was the Protestant Reformation. Prior to this, all movements were going away from Rome (Waldensians, Hussites, pre-Reformers). After the Reformation, all religious movements, some imperceptibly, are going toward Rome. . Prior to, and just after, the Reformation, Roman catholic doctrine and practice was gelled by Thomas Aquinas, Pope Hildebrand and the Council of Trent. All of the movements within Roman Catholicism to this day are going along guidelines set down at that time. Even calling Protestants "separated brethren" instead of "heretics", while a seeming contradiction of Boniface VIII's Unam Sanctum ("it is necessary for salvation to be subject to the Roman Pontiff"), is a confirmation of that encyclical. The Roman Pontiff (pope) is still laying down the laws for salvation, and even though they seem to be more lenient, he now teaches a Baptism can be saved because he is sincere, and, therefore, objectively, a Roman Catholic. . While Roman Catholic doctrine and practice was being completed, many moved away because they could not agree with what was going on. Now, however, the movement is toward Rome, and only those standing fast on the Word of God are not moving. . The heart of any religious movement is its theology, and the core of theology is the doctrine of Christ and the Bible. Romanism developed a Christology which portrayed a Christ who needed help from Sacraments, devotions, works, etc. to effect salvation. While giving lip service to the Deity of Christ, Roman Catholics were in actual fact denying His Deity by teaching the need of supplemental works to His Atonement. Since this took away from His perfection, it impugned His Deity. They also professed belief in innerrant scripture, but supplanted its primary role by tradition. . The modernistic movement in Protestantism, from the very outset, moved theologically closer to Rome by their denial of the Word of God and the efficacy of the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. . Pentecostalism, as it began in the early 20th century, while vigorously denying any compromise with Rome, was nonetheless moving theologically Romeward by reason of their insistence on contemporary revelation, denial of eternal security and belief that the work of salvation had to be supplemented by moral attainments of the believer. These trends were not uniform throughout the movement (in which are many sincere Christians), but the tend is there. . Neo-evangelicalism, with its compromise on the Word of God and emphasis upon subjective religious experiences, likewise moves Romeward. Liturgical groups, Anglican and Lutheran, are daily moving closer to Rome. Neo-pentecostalism, with its subjective emphasis on experience and by discarding plain commands of scripture by embracing Catholic Charismatics, is likewise moving toward Rome. . It can be said that all roads lead to Rome except one; that leads to Heaven. All of these ecumenical advances can be seen as beginnings of the complete victory of the religious Anti-Christ over all religions that are left in the world after the Rapture (when the Lord Jesus Christ will remove all true believers, even those who are now caught up in movements with deficient theologies). How far this unity goes with non-Christian religions remains to be seen, but the Vatican is probing ecumenical possibilities with Jews, Buddhists and even Communists. The Red Horse . The second seal is broken and lo, there appears a red horse, "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 to him a great sword." . This represents Satan's political power on the earth. It began with rebellion against God and His government, and it produces war and death. . Man has rejected God's government. In 1 Samuel 7, Israel demanded a monarchy in place of a theocracy, and the die was cast. God's last political rampart was overrun and Satan, in ever increasing intensity, has his way in governmental affairs of men. There were bright spots: the reign of King David; constitutional monarchies in the fear of God as in the days of Queen Victoria; with its high ideals of a democratic republic under God. But on the whole, the picture is getting dimmer. Today, the majority of the world lives with restricted freedom, many with serious lack of human rights. Even in lands supposed to be free, many are finding out that freedom is license to do evil while good is restricted. In the midst of political wrong, hatreds are being fermented among nations. The world, that once fought "a war to end wars" finds itself never without hostility somewhere. Means to achieve world peace are futile, because of the nature of the rider of the red horse. The only war to end wars is Armageddon. . This political power wields a great sword, not for international war, for he already has men killing one another in those. Incorporated in this figure we see the preshadowing of a big government far more hideous than that by which Christians are being persecuted today. And I'm not talking just about Communist dictatorships. In our own land, Christian ministers are behind bars. Things are not going to get better; all of us can expect to feel the edge of the governmental sword, as they control more and more in a bloodthirsty effort to bring all aspects of life under their control. Just like the masquerading rider on the first horse, the demon rider of political dictatorship likes to appear benevolent - feed the hungry, house the homeless, save the whales. But the aim of public welfare programs is public control, and the rider of the red horse is with us today. Praise God, we will not be here for his final manifestation after the Rapture! The Black Horse . The rider on the black horse represents Satan's endeavors in the economic field, aided by man's greed. We're living in a day when staples are over-priced, and luxuries are affordable to the comparative few. This economic trend is spurred by man's selfishness, which is preparing the world for financial ruin. We cannot fail to be alarmed at the instability of the world's money, the fact that our financial ups and downs are being manipulated by a core of elite financiers, the apparent ignorance of the government economic "experts" and the frightening increase in the use of imaginary money (credit cards) and the hoarding of gold, silver, platinum or diamonds. Yet even the lasting value of these is open to debate; every financial system will crumble before the Satanic economy of the future. . Just as Satan has his hand in religion and politics to bring about a one-world religion and government, so his plans include a one- world economy. Many financiers avow this as the only solution. We are closer to it than most imagine. May we instead of looking out for ourselves, look up for the coming of the Lord. The Pale Horse . On the horizon comes a fourth horse, more ghastly than the other three. The rider is Death, and, following closely behind a spectre called Hades. Power was given to them to kill with sword, hunger and the beasts of the earth. . In order to understand this horseman, we must investigate the cause of death. "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). "Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15). Death is the result of sin, and even now, sin is bringing forth death. Violent crime is rampant; senseless murders that can only be explained by reference to satanic temptation are making headlines, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. What we don't know about moral perversion would chill us to the marrow. . Even now, sin is causing death with the sword and with hunger. There is enough potential food for all human beings, but the selfishness of man has deprived millions of an adequate diet. If our wasted time, money and resources were channeled to the hungry, the world would be fed. . On the horizon are scourges that could blot out millions of people. In this age of grace, when full manifestation of satanic power is divinely curtailed, there are still reported incidents of men being killed by animals and insects. What it will be like after the Rapture defies description. . Yes, the the fourth horse is on the horizon now, and all the misery and death now rampaging through the world is only a foretaste of that to come. Why does Cavalry Ride? . Satan's fall was due to his pride - "I will be like the most High." After he was judged by God and cast from his former estate, Satan continued to try to prove that he can produce something that is superior to God's KIngdom. In this, not only is Satan the deceiver; he is the deceived. . The four horsemen represent Satan's final attempt to produce a kingdom over which he will be king. The One World Church: most religionists believe this is the only way to achieve spiritual prosperity. Most politicians are working overtime to achieve political unanimity of One World Government. Economists look to One World Currency to solve our economic woes. The problem is that these all derive their power from the same soul as the forth horse, for Satan is incapable of moving other than immorally. Even the moral platitudes put forth by exponents of one world religion, government and economy are mere facades to cover lurking wickedness. It cannot be otherwise, for the one who motivates this coming ride of the Cavalry is Satan himself. . In order to understand this, we must consider how the conflict between Satan and God was manifested throughout human history. . During the Ages of Law, God ordained a criterion, of human action, that demonstrated the exceeding sinfulness of man. God decreed that man should keep the law, but He also gave man a way back should he sin. God was offering life to man if he would observe God's requirements. Satan was not only trying to trick God's people into sinning against God, he was creating (outside of God's chosen race) a mysterious pagan religion that counterfeited all God was preparing through Israel. . During the Age of grace, the Gospel is proclaimed to all mankind. Through the Gospel message, God is saying that the structures built by Satan - prosperity, popularity, religion and morality - are wrong. He is calling upon men to repent; to turn from all the workings of Satan and respond to the Gospel message. The message of the Gospel is that the Lord Jesus died, was buried and rose again, in an act of Atonement to satisfy for our sins. All that is entailed in prosperity and satisfaction is found in Him. A person's relationship to others (political and economical) must be revolutionalized as they turn from the kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God. . However, Satan is also busy in this Age of Grace. While God is calling out a people for Himself, Satan is accelerating his programs. False religion abounds, as do the progresses of political enslavement, economic disaster and moral degradation. And a conflict is still going on, between God and Satan, for the souls of man. . During the first part of the Tribulation period, we will see Satan working in all his fullness. He is unleashed to bring into completion his four-fold plan - religious, political, economic and moral. As the Satanic Cavalry rides, it is plain that Satan is endeavoring to prove to the world that his plans are better than God's. However, not only do they utterly fail, God underlines His majestic control over creation by pouring out awesome judgments upon the world. . Following the Tribulation, we are ushered into the Millennial Kingdom, when God contrasts the ruin of Satan's reign to the Glory of His own. Following the Millennium comes the final choice that man must make, and many rebel against God and follow Satan. Having seen the horror of Satan's rule and the glory of God's rule, they still choose the former. What a commentary on man's deceitful heart! What Should Christians Do? . Any study that has, as its aim, mere dissemination of knowledge cannot fulfill a really Godly purpose. My aim is to get you to think, in the light of all that is happening, what manner of persons you ought to be (2 Peter 3:11). . We are living in a challenging generation. There are three main duties for every truly born - again child of God. . The first is to evangelize. The Lord Jesus Christ has never rescinded the Great Commission. Our critical assessment of the ungodly movements in the world must never outweigh our zeal to win those in these ungodly movements to the Lord. It is too easy to want to be so insulted from Satan that we view everyone else with a narrow judgment void of love and scriptural evangelism. We must always be obedient to the plain command of the Lord Jesus, and evangelize the lost. . Next, we have a scriptural obligation to stand fast for what the Word teaches, in the face of all who teach otherwise. The innerrancy of the Bible is under attack today. Also under attack is the scriptural truth of the once-for-all, perfect redemption purchased by the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary. Man-made decisions, exciting experiences and moral reform are headlines today instead of redemption from sin. Even the fact of sin is being obscured. The trouble with man is not confusion, depression and insecurity. The trouble is sin. There are many pseudo-Christian solutions to man's wrong attitudes; there is only one solution to sin. The Son of God bled and died on Calvary to redeem mankind. . Because many who call themselves "Christians" err concerning the Book and the Blood, there is a need to separate from this evil. Because our century is a time of love and brotherhood, it is increasingly unpopular to so stand, but failure to stand surrenders to the enemy the precious heritage of our Savior and our Bible. May we always stand, against all odds, for this apostolic faith. . Thirdly, we must come out from all alliances with the consolidating evil of this world. This does not just include religious affiliations; we must stand against political encroachments (not of our rights, but of the right), against the economic mania of rampant credit that is destroying us, against the moral evils of our days. God's call plainly is for Christians to cease in their pursuit of worldly alliances, unscriptural fellowship, selfish materialism and unbridled lust. Alas, how many who name His Name are so engrossed in the world that they cannot hear His clarion call, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins." (Revelation 18:4) The Conclusion . Today, in the midst of battle, we are not always sure who is winning. Anti-Christian forces are making headway in every arena. Political forces militate against the people of God; the Financial insecurity that is ravaging the world seems to reinforce the prediction of economists that the only way out is One World Currency. The increasing numerical identification of individuals is making a probability out of what once seemed a science-fiction account of computer-controlled international economics. Does anything need to be said about moral degradation? One cannot even watch a football game without being exposed to senseless nudity. . All is working toward a climax known, frighteningly, as "the Great Tribulation". This time of Satanic manifestation will be mixed, of moral necessity, with God's awesome judgments. But even that is not the end. Then comes the Millennium and then the final rebellion. God's Word writes the closing chapter of evil in Revelation 20:10-15. . Just as the Gospel message is adjacent to man's sinfulness, right after these awesome words of judgment come words of everlasting Glory. The conflict that seems muddied, uncertain and inconclusive reaches a divine end. As the Lake of Fire is open to all not written in the Book of Life, life is eternally revealed to the saved. . Revelation 21 and 22 are the firm basis for the believer's assurance that, although some battles may appear to be lost, and Satan seems to have his way now, there is coming a day when every tear will be wiped dry, and every conflict will be resolved in Victory for the Right. Then, not only in our hearts, but in the Universe He created and died to redeem, Jesus Christ will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. . Satan's cavalry will rumble through God's creation, but the final sound will be the shout of triumph and the everlasting song of redeemed, "Unto Him..." (Rev. 1:5). Computers for Christ - Chicago