The White Horse
See also: White horse (mythology)
Revelation 6:1 - 6:2 - "...When the Lamb had opened the first of the seven seals, I heard the first of the four beasts say with a thundering voice, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow: and there was given unto him a crown, and he departed as conqueror and to conquest."

The white horse of the apocalyptic four may represent polar qualities of evil or righteousness, depending on interpretation.[citation needed] The German-language Lutheran Stuttgarter Erklärungsbibel sees him as civil war and internal strife.


[edit] As evil
Some interpret the rider of the white horse to be the anti-christ, or a representation of false prophets, citing differences between the white horse in Revelation 6 and Jesus on the white Horse in Revelation 19. Revelation 19 Jesus has many crowns, but in Revelation 6 the rider has one.[2] In Revelation 19, the rider on the horse is depicted as "The Word of God". The rider of the white horse may represent the second coming of Christ during which the end of the world/judgment day would occur. He may also just represent judgment of the living and the damned.


[edit] As righteous
Besides Christ, the horseman could represent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was understood to have come upon the Apostles at Pentecost after Jesus' departure from earth. The appearance of the Lamb in Revelation 5 shows the triumphant arrival of Jesus in heaven, and the white horseman could represent the sending of the Holy Spirit by Jesus and the advance of the gospel of Jesus Christ[3]


[edit] Red Horse

The Second Horseman.The rider of the second horse is generally held to represent War. The red color of his horse represents blood spilled on the battlefield. He carries a greatsword, which represents battle and fighting.

Revelation 6:4 - "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."


[edit] Black Horse

The Third rider.The third horseman, riding the black horse, is called Famine. The black color of the third horse could be a symbol of the dead.

Revelation 6:5 - 6:6 - “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. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and a quart of wheat for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.’”


[edit] Pale Green Horse
The fourth horseman, is usually said to ride on a pale horse explicitly named Death. Of all the riders, he is the only one whose name is easily distinguishable. Generally, he is usually followed by Hades (Gravedom).

However, the Greek word interpreted as "pale" is elsewhere in the New Testament translated as "green," leading to some confusion in appearance. The horse is sometimes translated as "pale," "pale green," or "green." The greenish color of the fourth horse could possibly represent plague, fear, sickness, and/or decay.

Revelation 6:7 - 6:8 - “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a pale green horse; and he that sat on him was called Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, and that they (the four horsemen) should kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”