1 00:00:04,719 --> 00:00:10,179 Greetings. This is Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church with the 2 00:00:10,179 --> 00:00:15,419 Moment of Truth, where we challenge you to think through an important issue of life and faith. And 3 00:00:15,419 --> 00:00:21,940 today, I want to challenge you to think through the issue of the four horsemen of the apocalypse 4 00:00:21,940 --> 00:00:30,780 in the book of Revelation and what they portend for the future of our planet and for the salvation 5 00:00:30,780 --> 00:00:38,060 of mankind. All the rest of the book of Revelation is going to be taken up then with the breaking of 6 00:00:38,060 --> 00:00:44,859 the seals as the seals unfold into the trumpets and the trumpets unfold into the bowls of judgment. 7 00:00:45,299 --> 00:00:50,820 But it all begins here with the breaking of the seven seals in the book of Revelation, 8 00:00:50,820 --> 00:00:58,100 where the four horsemen of the apocalypse are loosed. But before we unpack this text from 9 00:00:58,100 --> 00:01:06,319 Revelation chapter six, I just want to invite you to come and join us for our Bible study, 10 00:01:06,439 --> 00:01:14,180 our community Bible study, the book of Revelation, a community study of the apocalypse. And we have been 11 00:01:14,180 --> 00:01:18,560 at this now for a number of weeks. I've lost track of how many weeks we've been at this, 12 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:24,340 but it's been so fun. And we've had a good representation of people, people who maybe 13 00:01:24,340 --> 00:01:30,519 don't have a church or they come out from other churches. There's a few people from our own church, 14 00:01:31,019 --> 00:01:37,180 but it's a great mix of people. And we have been studying the book of Revelation bit by bit, 15 00:01:37,299 --> 00:01:43,620 chapter by chapter. And I've been doing it in conjunction with Pastor Mike Galea of Share the 16 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:50,000 Sun Ministries. And of course, I am Pastor David Bass of New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 17 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:57,459 But we have taken it off of church property, per se, to try to make it more of a community study. 18 00:01:57,599 --> 00:02:05,579 We meet at Starbucks on 17th Street in Idaho Falls. And we've been able to get a good strong cup of 19 00:02:05,579 --> 00:02:11,759 coffee, which I love. I will never turn that down. And we gather around the table and there's anywhere 20 00:02:11,759 --> 00:02:18,580 from eight or nine of us to 15 or 16 of us. And people are sharing their points of view, 21 00:02:18,979 --> 00:02:25,400 their understanding of the book of Revelation. And then Pastor Mike and myself are guiding those 22 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:33,259 discussions. And we're also giving our perspectives and information from our studies. And it's been a 23 00:02:33,259 --> 00:02:39,099 very, very profitable venture for all of us, for all concerned. And so I invite you to join us 24 00:02:39,099 --> 00:02:49,039 on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. at Starbucks on 17th Street in Idaho Falls. We end promptly at 815. 25 00:02:49,460 --> 00:02:54,620 So everybody can get out of there. We have a couple of families with children, too. So we want to make 26 00:02:54,620 --> 00:03:01,039 sure they get to bed in time. But of course, this coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. So we will not have 27 00:03:01,039 --> 00:03:10,479 a Bible study on Thanksgiving. But we will then the following week. And that would be December 5th. 28 00:03:11,759 --> 00:03:19,580 Thursday evening, December 5th will be our next study. And we will see you then, hopefully. Come on out and 29 00:03:19,580 --> 00:03:28,419 join us. It's been so much fun. And we can always make room for a few more. Well, let's continue then 30 00:03:28,419 --> 00:03:34,460 in our study of the book of Revelation thus far. We finished chapter 5 last week. And so we're going 31 00:03:34,460 --> 00:03:42,099 to take up chapter 6 this week. And the title of my message today is Horseman from Revelation 6, 32 00:03:42,159 --> 00:03:50,159 verses 1 through 8. So let me read Revelation 6, verses 1 through 8, and give you a sense for the 33 00:03:50,159 --> 00:03:56,900 text that is under consideration. Here we go. I watched as the lamb opened the first of the seven 34 00:03:56,900 --> 00:04:05,400 seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, come. I looked, and there 35 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:12,020 before me was a white horse. Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown. And he rode out, 36 00:04:12,719 --> 00:04:19,360 conquering and to conquer. When the lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 37 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:25,879 come. Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from 38 00:04:25,879 --> 00:04:32,339 the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword. When the lamb opened the 39 00:04:32,339 --> 00:04:38,819 third seal, I heard the third living creature say, come. I looked, and there before me was a black 40 00:04:38,819 --> 00:04:45,439 horse. Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hands. Then I heard what sounded like a voice 41 00:04:45,439 --> 00:04:51,579 among the four living creatures saying, a quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley 42 00:04:51,579 --> 00:04:58,879 for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and wine. When the lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard 43 00:04:58,879 --> 00:05:05,459 the voice of the fourth living creature say, come. I looked, and there before me was a pale horse. Its rider 44 00:05:05,459 --> 00:05:11,920 was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the 45 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:21,379 earth to kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. Oh, the four horsemen 46 00:05:21,379 --> 00:05:28,220 of the apocalypse. They have been celebrated, have they not, in art and in sports, too. This is where 47 00:05:28,220 --> 00:05:33,920 I'm most familiar with the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Do you know these men? A man named 48 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:43,100 Harry Staldreyer, Don Millard, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden. Oh, these men were, for me, my introduction 49 00:05:43,100 --> 00:05:48,920 to the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They were the backfield for the 1924 squad of the Notre Dame 50 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:56,339 fighting Irish football team. Any of you who are sports fans, football fans, you know this backfield, 51 00:05:56,459 --> 00:06:02,100 don't you? For two years, they beat every opponent, and they won every game but two, breaking records, 52 00:06:02,100 --> 00:06:08,000 and amazing the nation. There's a famous picture of the Mount Horses, too, each holding a football 53 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,839 cradle in his arm, and adding to their prestige, of course, they were coached by the famous 54 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:20,579 Newt Rockne. They were made famous by the sports writer George Strickler of the Chicago Tribune, 55 00:06:21,100 --> 00:06:27,959 who penned this lead one day in his sports column. He says, outlined against a blue-gray October sky, 56 00:06:27,959 --> 00:06:34,300 the four horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore, their names are Death, Destruction, Pestilence, 57 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:39,980 and Famine, but these are aliases. Their real names are Staldreyer, Crowley, Miller, and Layden. 58 00:06:40,500 --> 00:06:46,639 They formed the crest of the South Bend Cyclone, before which another fighting army team was swept 59 00:06:46,639 --> 00:06:53,180 over the precipice at the polo grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon 60 00:06:53,180 --> 00:06:59,899 the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below, unquote. Pretty melodramatic, 61 00:07:00,139 --> 00:07:04,980 but that's characteristic of a sports writer, isn't it? And just for your information, I wasn't 62 00:07:04,980 --> 00:07:10,920 there to see that in 1924. I just grew up as a young boy in the 50s and 60s, loving all things 63 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:16,600 football. Nothing was more famous in college football, of course, than Notre Dame and Newt Rockne 64 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:22,100 and the four horsemen of the apocalypse. They destroyed defenses that conquered other teams 65 00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:29,120 as if they were mere pins before an unstoppable bowling ball. Well, hearing this and seeing this 66 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,920 as a young boy, imagine my surprise when I first encountered the four horsemen of the apocalypse 67 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:37,980 in the book of Revelation. And my first reaction was, wow, the Bible is actually mimicking football. 68 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:42,699 It's describing what God does, just as what Newt Rockne did with his football team. 69 00:07:42,699 --> 00:07:49,819 At first, I didn't think it could be any other way. After all, even the sports writer George 70 00:07:49,819 --> 00:07:54,220 Strickler had said, in dramatic lore, their names are death, destruction, pestilence, and famine, 71 00:07:54,319 --> 00:08:00,740 but these are aliases. Their real names are Stolder, Crowley, Miller, and Layden. To a young mind 72 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:07,240 steeped more in football than the Bible, and that was my case as a young boy, that's the way it had 73 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:12,319 to be. The four writers of Notre Dame came along before the four writers of Revelation. 74 00:08:12,699 --> 00:08:15,680 Their real names are Stolder, Crowley, Miller, and Layden. 75 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:21,000 Yet, of course, dear listener, in reality, it was the other way around, isn't it? The Bible 76 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:28,339 came first. Notre Dame came some 2,000 years later. But my simplistic experience is also that 77 00:08:28,339 --> 00:08:36,519 of so many others who read the book of Revelation. So many modern contemporary readers read their 78 00:08:36,519 --> 00:08:43,960 experience into the Bible and assume it is that which was the Apostle John's as well and of what 79 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:49,500 he spoke. It is true the text before us today can mean only what today's headlines tells us it means 80 00:08:49,500 --> 00:08:54,500 to so many people. Wars, famine, pestilence, and conquest can only mean what's going on in the world 81 00:08:54,500 --> 00:09:01,419 today. But is that so? Oh, dear listener, might not Revelation tell us something of what Christ was 82 00:09:01,419 --> 00:09:07,419 doing in John's own day as well as ours. Well, let's look to our text today to find out. First of 83 00:09:07,419 --> 00:09:16,279 all, verses 1 and 2. Verses 1 and 2, dear listener, we have. Then, verses 1 and 2, it reads, 84 00:09:16,379 --> 00:09:23,759 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. He has the will and testament in his hand now 85 00:09:23,759 --> 00:09:28,039 or does, and he opens this first seal. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice 86 00:09:28,039 --> 00:09:33,899 like thunder, come. I looked in there before me. It was a white horse. Its rider held a bow. He was 87 00:09:33,899 --> 00:09:43,700 given a crown, and he rode out, conquering and to conquer. Well, our text opens then with that telltale 88 00:09:43,700 --> 00:09:51,759 phrase that indicates a change of venue. Now, I watched when, right, the action of our scene originates 89 00:09:51,759 --> 00:09:59,440 in heaven, but issues upon the earth. This is that process that we call oscillation. We're all through 90 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:08,840 the book of Revelation and apocalyptic literature in general. That means books like Ezekiel or Daniel, 91 00:10:09,340 --> 00:10:16,100 the book of Revelation as well. In the apocalyptic, we have this process of oscillation where we go 92 00:10:16,100 --> 00:10:22,360 between heaven and earth, and this action of our scene is prompted by all that we've seen that has 93 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:28,559 transpired before. That is, John, after receiving the messages to the church as a whole and the letters 94 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:33,279 to the seven churches of Asia, remember that John is transported to the heavenly perspective 95 00:10:33,279 --> 00:10:38,580 to witness the ground upon which all that precious promise and threats given in those letters 96 00:10:38,580 --> 00:10:44,919 to those churches are based. And what is that solid ground? Of course, it is. As we saw last week, 97 00:10:44,919 --> 00:10:51,600 the last two weeks, really, the seven-sealed scroll, the will and testament of the father to a son who 98 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:58,240 is worthy to open it and then receive the promised inheritance. We know this because we know that a 99 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:04,440 seven-sealed document in the ancient world could be none other than a will and testament. You may 100 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:09,320 remember one of my favorite commentators, a man named Zahn, puts it this way. He says, 101 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:14,379 the word biblion itself permits of many interpretations. That was the Greek word 102 00:11:14,379 --> 00:11:20,679 for the seven-sealed scroll. Biblion, that word biblion itself permits of many interpretations. 103 00:11:21,059 --> 00:11:26,159 It could be a book of destiny or a book of providence or maybe a deed of purchase to. 104 00:11:26,820 --> 00:11:33,220 But then Zahn goes on to say, but for the readers of that time, it was designated by the seven seals 105 00:11:33,220 --> 00:11:40,059 on its back. Beyond possibility of mistake, the most simple member of the Asiatic churches knew 106 00:11:40,059 --> 00:11:47,480 that a biblion made fast with seven seals was a testament that is a will. And so, the only one 107 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:53,580 worthy to open the seals of such a document was he who earned that right by dying the death of the 108 00:11:53,580 --> 00:12:01,340 testator. Remember? We understood this too. Remember what Hebrews tells us about ancient wills and 109 00:12:01,340 --> 00:12:09,980 testaments in the Roman culture of that time. He says, for where a will is involved, the death of 110 00:12:09,980 --> 00:12:17,379 the testator who made it must be established. For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not 111 00:12:17,379 --> 00:12:24,799 in force as long as the one who made it is alive. Right? Jesus died that death of the testator of a 112 00:12:24,799 --> 00:12:31,019 new covenant. And by that death, he bought a people for himself by ransom. Remember, that was the theme of 113 00:12:31,019 --> 00:12:39,080 the song of the 24 elders. Because Christ bought a people for himself by ransom from every nation, 114 00:12:39,259 --> 00:12:45,440 tribe, tongue, and people. And this is why he alone is worthy to take the scroll from the hand of the 115 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:52,860 Father and begin to take possession of that inheritance and do it now. Oh, dear listener, from here on, 116 00:12:52,860 --> 00:13:00,759 our narrative kicks into warp drive in the model of Joshua and the conquest. Yes, we'll see that 117 00:13:00,759 --> 00:13:07,980 unfolds from here on in. Yeshua, that is Jesus, is the new Joshua. And now the conquest is the new 118 00:13:07,980 --> 00:13:16,419 paradigm. The conquest of Canaan in the book of Joshua, it is the type, the anti-type, is now the conquest of 119 00:13:16,419 --> 00:13:23,379 all creation by the new Joshua. But that conquest is still the new paradigm. And of course, creation, and not 120 00:13:23,379 --> 00:13:30,059 just Canaan is the inheritance now. And it's not only his inheritance, but ours as well. Because the Bible 121 00:13:30,059 --> 00:13:37,299 tells us, Paul tells us, especially very affectionately, that we are Christ now. And we are sons, sons by 122 00:13:37,299 --> 00:13:46,259 adoption. And if sons, then heirs, co-heirs with Christ. So John's first observation then is the one 123 00:13:46,259 --> 00:13:54,080 worthy opening the first seal. Oh, that first seal pops. Do not run past too quickly. That it's one of 124 00:13:54,080 --> 00:14:01,779 the four living creatures, these creatures who preside in the great council, right? We see the great 125 00:14:01,779 --> 00:14:08,100 council, the God, where God is declared to be the God of gods in the Psalms, for example. Or the sons of 126 00:14:08,100 --> 00:14:16,460 God gathered together with God to deliberate and to determine what will go on in the world. And the 127 00:14:16,460 --> 00:14:22,799 prophets as well. The great council then, one of the four living creatures. One of these then is the one 128 00:14:22,799 --> 00:14:29,220 declares what is coming out in the first seal. He is closest to the throne, which four creatures 129 00:14:29,220 --> 00:14:36,139 symbolize dominion over the four corners of creation too. Numbers in apocalyptic are symbolic. And the number 130 00:14:36,139 --> 00:14:43,879 four is the number of comprehensiveness. Comprehensiveness either of heaven or of earth or of 131 00:14:43,879 --> 00:14:49,600 all creation. And here the number four, the four creatures are comprehensive of the four corners 132 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:56,240 of creation, like the four points of the compass. And this one whose voice thunders then the summons 133 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:02,259 of the first horseman. And once more, without context, we lose the meaning of the text, don't we? 134 00:15:02,259 --> 00:15:07,960 Our Lord is relying upon us to remember what four horses meant in the book of Zechariah, 135 00:15:08,279 --> 00:15:15,440 for example, another apocalyptic book, four horses in Zechariah. Go read chapter one of the book of 136 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:21,679 Zechariah, and you'll see where John is relying. In chapter one, these four horsemen were sent, 137 00:15:21,860 --> 00:15:28,000 these four horses were sent out to patrol the earth and then report back peace in a pagan world. 138 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:36,019 And what is promised in Zechariah chapter one is that peace the Lord would promptly remove in judging 139 00:15:36,019 --> 00:15:42,080 favor of his city that is Jerusalem. Oh, and then in chapter four of Zechariah, we have, or chapter 140 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:48,860 six of Zechariah, excuse me, we have four chariots with horses. Substantially, these horses are the same 141 00:15:48,860 --> 00:15:55,639 color as these here in Revelation. It's a deliberate illusion that's meant to trigger our understanding. 142 00:15:55,639 --> 00:16:01,340 And these four chariots went out to the four winds of heaven, that is to the extent of creation, 143 00:16:01,799 --> 00:16:07,879 after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth, that is being commissioned for the divine 144 00:16:07,879 --> 00:16:14,799 council for their task. Oh, this is the rich tradition from the book of Zechariah upon which 145 00:16:14,799 --> 00:16:21,799 John is drawing in his understanding now in the book of Revelation as the four horsemen of the 146 00:16:21,799 --> 00:16:28,500 apocalypse are loosed. And the idea of patrolling the earth in Zechariah too. Very important to 147 00:16:28,500 --> 00:16:34,980 understand the context for the four horsemen of the apocalypse in Revelation, and they have their 148 00:16:34,980 --> 00:16:40,480 roots in Zechariah. And the idea of patrolling the earth in Zechariah is identical with that in 149 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:48,460 Revelation. That is maintaining the interests of the great king and executing his will in judgment. 150 00:16:48,460 --> 00:16:56,679 In Zechariah 6, remember, chariots issued for two mountains of bronze, which fiery metal bronze, 151 00:16:57,039 --> 00:17:03,120 fiery bronze, glistening bronze, is almost always associated in apocalyptic literature with a 152 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:09,160 judgment of God. And we had the example earlier in the letters, right, of our Lord's feet of burnished 153 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:18,119 bronze, symbolic of his all-knowing, omniscient sense in which to judge. So these four horsemen 154 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:24,380 will inaugurate the conquest of our Lord's inheritance by bringing judgment upon the present 155 00:17:24,380 --> 00:17:33,079 inhabitants, occupying his claim, even as Joshua and Israel expelled and exterminated those dwelling 156 00:17:33,079 --> 00:17:40,880 on the land in Canaan and made it Israel, didn't they? Our Lord and we as the church, as the new 157 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:49,099 Israel, we accompany him, and we are co-heirs. And so we help to take ground from the imposters, 158 00:17:49,619 --> 00:17:57,000 from the claim jumpers, if you will, who are inhabiting our inheritance. And then who better 159 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:03,779 to inaugurate that subjection of the land than the Lord himself? This is the first rider, I submit to 160 00:18:03,779 --> 00:18:09,759 you. This is the first rider, the rider on a white horse. And we know this because apocalyptic genre 161 00:18:09,759 --> 00:18:19,500 regularly employs the technique of recapitulation. That is, a theme is brought back multiple times 162 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:28,579 to show a different or similar aspect of it. It's like examining the different facets of a fine gem, 163 00:18:28,700 --> 00:18:36,220 right? And we see this then, the rider on a white horse here, the white horse symbolic of victory 164 00:18:36,220 --> 00:18:43,180 and being a champion and being a king, right? Here, the rider on a white horse with a crown and sword 165 00:18:43,180 --> 00:18:53,180 bent on conquering. The same image is brought back for us for our consideration back in future in chapter 166 00:18:53,180 --> 00:19:01,660 19. Yes, chapter 19, we see this rider on a white horse, do we not? Chapter 19, verse 11 of Revelation, 167 00:19:01,660 --> 00:19:09,119 I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful 168 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:15,960 and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many 169 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:22,559 crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe, dipped in 170 00:19:22,559 --> 00:19:27,519 blood, and his name is the word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses 171 00:19:27,519 --> 00:19:33,400 and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth came a sharp sword with which to strike 172 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:40,660 down the nations, right? This rider in chapter 19 then is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. All the 173 00:19:40,660 --> 00:19:46,859 characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ we see all through Revelation, and he is also then here 174 00:19:46,859 --> 00:19:56,400 in chapter 6 too, because apocalyptic as a genre, as a type or kind of writing, regularly does this. 175 00:19:56,599 --> 00:20:03,839 They recapitulate previously established themes. Chapter 19 will do that, and we'll see this also 176 00:20:03,839 --> 00:20:10,480 in other places too, where this very same image of our Lord Jesus Christ as a conquering king, 177 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:18,539 riding forth to capture and to conquer, will be reprised as well, but formally and most fully 178 00:20:18,539 --> 00:20:25,299 recapitulated then in Revelation chapter 19. Now, other contenders for who this first rider is just 179 00:20:25,299 --> 00:20:31,500 don't fit the context. I'm sorry, especially Hal Lindsey's choice. Dear listener, if you're a follower 180 00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:38,039 of Hal Lindsey, David Chilton puts it this way. He says, amazingly, the run-of-the-mill dispensational 181 00:20:38,039 --> 00:20:44,359 interpretation claims that this rider on the white horse is the Antichrist. Showing where his faith 182 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:49,740 lies, Hal Lindsey goes all the way and declares that the Antichrist is the only person who could 183 00:20:49,740 --> 00:20:59,079 accomplish all these feats, unquote. Oh, really? The only one? Do you see how important it is to have a 184 00:20:59,079 --> 00:21:07,220 proper grasp of a book's genre, its type or kind of writing, and it is apocalyptic. Without 185 00:21:07,220 --> 00:21:15,339 understanding its genre, where you have this technique of recapitulation, solidly identifying 186 00:21:15,339 --> 00:21:22,359 this rider on the white horse as Christ, without context and without a grasp of a book's genre, 187 00:21:22,759 --> 00:21:30,519 you get these egregious errors of interpretation that come to polar opposite understandings, right? 188 00:21:30,619 --> 00:21:37,200 That couldn't be further from the truth. One of these has to be wrong. Either the rider on the 189 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:43,319 white horse here in chapter 6 is either the Lord Jesus Christ or the Antichrist, and he can't get 190 00:21:43,319 --> 00:21:50,539 more polar opposites. So important to have a grasp of the genre of apocalyptic, because by its very 191 00:21:50,539 --> 00:21:59,079 nature, it is symbolic and spiritual, not literal and plain in its meaning. Let me underline that for 192 00:21:59,079 --> 00:22:07,359 you. The genre of apocalyptic, by its very nature, is symbolic and spiritual, as we have seen time and 193 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:15,059 time again, even thus far. And the genre of apocalyptic is not literal and plain in its meaning, 194 00:22:15,420 --> 00:22:22,779 as dispensational pre-millennialists like to assert. So, lest there be any doubt as to his mission, 195 00:22:22,779 --> 00:22:29,140 John then erases any doubt with his inelegant Greek. He says, he came out conquering, that is, 196 00:22:29,180 --> 00:22:35,119 in the present, and to conquer, that is, into the indefinite future, that is, until everything is in his 197 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:43,220 hands. He will conquer until there's nothing left to conquer. But in this, he is aided by other 198 00:22:43,220 --> 00:22:51,400 horsemen. And we have here, then, another horseman in verses 3 and 4, that is, issuing from God's throne 199 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:59,339 conflict and confusion are ordained for conquest in a red horse. Oh, yes, in verses 3 and 4, 200 00:22:59,759 --> 00:23:04,400 now we proceed like good Presbyterians in good order, that is, the form of action is the same. 201 00:23:04,759 --> 00:23:10,299 The second seal is opened by the Lamb, and the second creature of dominion on the divine council 202 00:23:10,299 --> 00:23:18,559 calls forth a blood red horse, also evocative of Zechariah. There may be chaos and confusion on the 203 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:24,779 earth, but not in heaven. New. All is orderly proceeding. Red is the color for bloodshed in 204 00:23:24,779 --> 00:23:31,000 apocalyptic, and this rider delivers, too. Just as Zechariah's horse and rider in chapter 1 had a 205 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:37,660 mission to take peace from Israel's enemies, so this rider does the same kind of mission on the 206 00:23:37,660 --> 00:23:43,920 Lamb's claim. That is all of creation. It's characteristic of a land about to be subdued by a foreign enemy, 207 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:49,420 right? Canaan was thrown into conflict and confusion at the appearance of Joshua in Israel. 208 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:55,859 The peoples were in great fear, and heretofore unseen alliances were made. Cities shed to one 209 00:23:55,859 --> 00:24:01,220 another's blood, like the northern alliance's attack on Gibeon, right? And Jerusalem was thrown 210 00:24:01,220 --> 00:24:08,079 into conflict and confusion at the appearance of the Roman legions. In AD 66, Josephus records the rivers 211 00:24:08,079 --> 00:24:13,720 of blood that ran in the streets of the city during the siege, when conflict and confusion reigned 212 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:19,680 supreme. Such that, as he says, if the Romans had not cut short those days, no one would have 213 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:25,940 survived. All the inhabitants would have perished, right? And of course, the entire Roman empire was 214 00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:31,460 thrown into conflict and confusion at the appearance of the barbarians on the frontiers of the empire. 215 00:24:31,940 --> 00:24:38,559 And for almost two centuries, a battle of attrition ensued, characterized by bloodshed. Once again, 216 00:24:38,559 --> 00:24:46,319 the blood red horse of the apocalypse, right? Bloodshed, conflict and confusion then as the Roman empire 217 00:24:46,319 --> 00:24:53,200 collapsed. Revelation will predict both of these calamities. We'll see this in the future. But what 218 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:59,559 will arise in each of these cases is a new order of things, too. Instead of an earthly temple, the heavenly 219 00:24:59,559 --> 00:25:06,559 one will reign supreme. Instead of a colloquial Israel, the people of God will be the church purchased by 220 00:25:06,559 --> 00:25:12,160 Christ's own blood from every tribe and language and people and nation. And of course, upon the ashes 221 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:18,160 of the old Roman empire will arise a new civilization based on Christian principles emerging from the 222 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:26,000 dark ages into what we now know as Western civilization. As imperfect as it is yet, right? In each case, 223 00:25:26,059 --> 00:25:32,619 though, Christ will have conquered and he will have extended his dominion a little further. Dominion is 224 00:25:32,619 --> 00:25:39,200 our destiny, dear listener. This is the theme of revelation. The conquest is the new paradigm. On and 225 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:45,279 on we will proceed with every new generation, with every child born and baptized, with every new pagan 226 00:25:45,279 --> 00:25:51,279 convert and foreign mission established. We'll take a little more ground. Dominion is our destiny, 227 00:25:51,500 --> 00:25:57,900 dear listener. Oh, this has been Pastor David Bass at New Geneva Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 228 00:25:57,900 --> 00:26:04,279 We will continue our study then of this precious chapter of the four horsemen of the apocalypse 229 00:26:04,279 --> 00:26:10,140 next time we get together. But until then, I invite you to join us on Sunday morning. I'm preaching 230 00:26:10,140 --> 00:26:17,079 through the book of Revelation. Join us for worship. We meet for holy worship on Sunday at 10 a.m. at 231 00:26:17,079 --> 00:26:23,839 101 4th Street on the corner of 4th and Boulevard. Join us. Come cross our threshold. You've been thinking 232 00:26:23,839 --> 00:26:29,640 about it for a while. This is a good time then to explore us, to check us out. We're preaching 233 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:36,599 through the book of Revelation. And we meet for holy worship on Sunday at 10 a.m. at 101 4th Street 234 00:26:36,599 --> 00:26:45,819 on the corner of 4th and Boulevard. And you can call us for more information at area code 208-523-0196. 235 00:26:45,819 --> 00:26:50,359 That's 208-523-0196.