Difference between revisions of "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" - New World Encyclopedia

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Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, traditionally understood as either Christ or Antichrist, War, Famine and Death

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are a group of mythical riders described in Chapter 6, verses 1-8 in the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse of John, the last book of the New Testament. The Horsemen each ride on a colored horse—white, red, black, and pale (green)—and represent various dramatic qualities. Regarding three of the Horsemen, there is a basic consensus as to their meaning, with red symbolizing war, black symbolizing famine, and pale representing death and disease. The rider of the white horse is more controversial. Some consider him to represent Christ, while others believe he symbolizes the Antichrist.

The vision of the Four Horsemen describes events related to the Last Days, interpreted by some as relating to the future and by others as describing events occurring in the times when the author of the Book of Revelation was writing, during the pre-Christian Roman Empire. Still others believe that the events should be interpreted allegorically, as spiritual truths rather than specific events from the past or future.

Context

The Four Horsemen appear in the Book of Revelation, in which a heavenly being called the Lamb opens seven seals revealing the events related to the Second Coming of Christ, also referred to as the Last Days. It was written during a period of serious persecution against the Christian church by the Roman Empire. The Four Horsemen are described as each of the first four seals are opened.

The horses and their riders

White horse

The Four Horsemen, with the white horse in the foreground

The first horse is described as follows: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest" (Rev. 6:1-8 NIV).

There are diverse opinions on whether the first horseman, riding a white horse, represents Christ or is the so-called anti-Christ. Until the time of the Protestant Reformation, the traditional view was that the rider of the white horse was Christ. This view is largely based on the presumption that a later reference to a rider on a white horse is the same as the rider referred to above. Revelation 19:11-16 states: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LORDS."

With the Reformation, however, some interpreters have viewed the rider on the first white horse as the antichrist, while the rider of the second white horse is viewed as Christ at the Second Advent.^[1]

Red horse

The Red Horse

The second horseman is described as riding a red horse: "When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come!' Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword" (Rev 6:3-4 NIV).

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 great sword, which represents battle and fighting. The Red horse is also said to represent the planet Mars, the planet of the god of war.

Black horse

The Black Horse

The third horseman is described as riding a black horse: "When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'" (Rev. 6:5-6 NIV).

This third horseman is generally considered to symbolize a great famine, likely as a result of the war that comes from the second horseman. Staple food items such as wheat and barley will be extremely scarce.

Pale horse

The Pale Horse

The fourth horseman is described as riding a pale horse. His named is specifically referred to as "Death." The text reads: "I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Rev. 6:7-8).

The pale color of the fourth horse is thought to represent fear, sickness, decay, and death. The word used to describe the color of the pale horse is the Greek word chloros, or green. It is meant to convey the sickly green tinge of the deathly ill or recently dead. Since the literal translation does not carry these connotations in English. the word is rendered "pale" in most English translations.

The other seals

After each of the first four seals is opened to reveal the Four Horsemen, a fifth seal is opened. It reveals a great slaughter of martyrs persecuted because of their faith in God's word. The sixth seal reveals a great earthquake and heavenly portents such as the sun turning black and moon turning red, as mighty rulers flee from the impending wrath of the Lamb. The author also reports a vision of 144,000 saints who will be sealed by the Lamb to protect them from the coming tribulations (Rev. 7). The seventh seal reveals seven angels, each with a trumpet, which when blown reveals additional calamities. All of this is but a precursor to more disasters, temptations, and finally the Second Coming of Christ.

Interpretations

The Apocalypse as depicted in Saint-Sever, France

There are four basic schools of thought on how the Book of Revelation is to be interpreted. Each of them also has various permutations and applications regarding the issue of the Four Horsemen.

Preterism

The term preterism comes from Latin for "past." It refers to the belief that the events in the Book of Revelation actually occurred in the past. Full preterism describes the belief that these events were fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. by the Roman Empire (which is identified in Revelation as "the beast"), thus initiating the start of the Christian age. The Last Days are thus identified as the time period between the ministry of John the Baptist and the fall of Jerusalem, and the tribulation is identified as the destruction of Jerusalem and the forced exile of its people.^[2] Partial preterism divides the end-times prophecy into several parts. In this view, certain parts of Revelation have yet to be fulfilled, such as the resurrection of the dead and the coming of the heavenly New Jerusalem, while other parts have already happened.

Futurism

This view believes that the Book of Revelation is a prophecy of future events to come, which will occur shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. In this view, none of the Four Horsemen has appeared yet.

Historicism

The historicist view regards the prophecy in Revelation as being in the process of being fulfilled. That process started at the end of the first century and will continue through the Second Coming of Christ.

Allegory

The allegorical, or spiritual view, does not see the contents of the Book of Revelation as literal. Rather its language is symbolic, and each generation can read and interpret it in their own way. The various visions in the Book of Revelation express eternal spiritual truths and struggles that are without any literal or historical application. Revelation is seen as having several levels of meaning, which range from a strict and literal interpretation to an interpretation that cannot be understood and interpreted only on the basis of one's intellect.

Relationship to the Book of Zechariah

The prophet Zechariah's vision of four chariots, anticipating the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bear a marked similarity to the four sets of horses that are similarly depicted in the Book of Zechariah (6:1-8), the second to last book in the Old Testament.

The text in the book of Zechariah (Zech 6:1-5) reads as follows: (Revised Standard Version)

And again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses. The third white horses, and the forth chariot dappled gray horses. Then I said to the angel who talked to me, "What are these, my lord? And the angel answered me, "These are going forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth."

In Zechariah, all of the horses and riders are servants of Yahweh. If these horses are the same four horses and riders as the Four Horsemen, this would suggest that the rider of the white horse in the Book of Revelation is not the Antichrist, who is depicted in Revelation as a servant of Satan.

Significance

The Four Horsemen, at the National Library in Madrid

The Book of Revelation contains an account of several powerful visions. Whether or not these visions were real experiences of the author or simply literary conventions is an open question. The Four Horsemen in particular have presented the Christian world with a fearful sense of apocalyptic foreboding, in which the world will be struck by the horrors of war, famine, plague, and death before the Second Coming of Christ. Periods of wars, famines, and plagues have thus often been interpreted as evidence of the Last Days, stimulating both messianic hope and widespread fear, together with the rise of various millenarianism sects.

This much, however, is certain: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse cannot be adequately understood except against the historical background in which the Book of Revelation was written. Like the Book of Zechariah and other Old Testament apocalypses, it is composed as resistance literature to meet a crisis, which was the ruthless persecution of the early Christian church by the Roman government. This book is thus seen as an exhortation and admonition to Christians of the first century to stand firm in their faith and to avoid compromise with paganism, despite the threat of death. The early Christians were encouraged to wait for the fulfillment of the promises made by Jesus, which would be the triumph of God's sovereignty.

This book remains just as valid for present day Christians, who believe that the prophecies in Revelation apply to events of today. They are thus encouraged, as the first century Christians were encouraged, to remain faithful to the end, in the face of the serious problems confronting today's world, and to have faith and trust in the promise of Jesus, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).

Notes

↑ Glenn Kreider, Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1 (Univ. Press of America, 2004, ISBN 978-0761826705).
↑ Preterism Ligonier. Retrieved October 8, 2022.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Cunningham, Andrew, and Ole Peter Grell. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Religion, War, Famine, and Death in Reformation Europe. Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0521467018
Friesen, Steven J. Imperial Cults and the Apocalypse of John. Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0195131536
Graham, Billy. Approaching Hoofbeats: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Avon Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0380699216
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible. Hendrickson Pub., 2006. ISBN 1598560786
Kreider, Glenn. Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1. Univ. Press of America, 2004. ISBN 978-0761826705

External links

All links retrieved October 9, 2022.

Apocalypse. New Advent.
Who Are the Four Horsemen in Revelation? Their Meaning and Significance Christianity.com.

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[1] Glenn Kreider, Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1 (Univ. Press of America, 2004, ISBN 978-0761826705).

[2] Preterism Ligonier. Retrieved October 8, 2022.

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-{{Started}}
+{{Images OK}}{{submitted}}{{approved}}{{Paid}}{{copyedited}}
-==Summary==
+[[Image:Apocalypse vasnetsov.jpg|thumb|400px|Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, traditionally understood as either Christ or Antichrist, War, Famine and Death]]
-The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is contained in Chapter 6, verses 1-8 in the Book of Revelations, also known as the Apocalypse of John, the last book of the New Testament. The identify of its author is not known, other than the fact that his name is known as "John". Many believe that it is referring to the same John that wrote the Gospel of John. Other scholars disagree. Regardless of who this person is, there are several interpretations. Some regard it as a story about the end times of the world and the destruction of mankind still to come, or, according to others, it describes events that have already taken place during the time of the Roman Empire. There are also several other schools of thought on how this part of the Book of Revelations is to be interpreted.
+The '''Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse''' are a group of mythical riders described in Chapter 6, verses 1-8 in the [[Book of Revelation]], also known as the Apocalypse of John, the last book of the [[New Testament]]. The Horsemen each ride on a colored [[horse]]—white, red, black, and pale (green)—and represent various dramatic qualities. Regarding three of the Horsemen, there is a basic consensus as to their meaning, with red symbolizing [[war]], black symbolizing [[famine]], and pale representing [[death]] and [[disease]]. The rider of the white horse is more controversial. Some consider him to represent [[Christ]], while others believe he symbolizes the [[Antichrist]].
+{{toc}}
+The vision of the Four Horsemen describes events related to the [[Last Days]], interpreted by some as relating to the future and by others as describing events occurring in the times when the author of the Book of Revelation was writing, during the pre-Christian Roman Empire. Still others believe that the events should be interpreted allegorically, as spiritual truths rather than specific events from the past or future.
-The word "apocalypse" comes from the Greek word "apocalupsis" which in English means "revealing, disclosure, to take off the cover". Apocalyptic literature is further defined as that literature that uses symbols, images, and numbers to depict future events. Outside of the Book of Revelation, examples of apocalyptic literature in the Bible are Daniel chapters 7-12, Isaiah chapters 24-27, Ezekiel chapters 37-41, and Zechariah chapters 9-12
+==Context==
+The Four Horsemen appear in the [[Book of Revelation]], in which a heavenly being called the Lamb opens seven seals revealing the events related to the [[Second Coming of Christ]], also referred to as the [[Last Days]]. It was written during a period of serious persecution against the Christian church by the [[Roman Empire]]. The Four Horsemen are described as each of the first four seals are opened.
-The The Four Horseman are described as four different riders on four different horses of  different colors —White, Red, Black, and Pale. Due to the symbolic language, it is not possible to definitively state its intended intepretation, although there are several, which is discussed in this article.
+==The horses and their riders==
+===White horse===
+[[Image:BritLibAddMS35166ApocalypseFolio016rFourHorsemen.jpg|thumb|350px|right|The Four Horsemen, with the white horse in the foreground]]
+The first horse is described as follows: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest" (Rev. 6:1-8 NIV).
-This last book of the New Testament is the only biblical book that is entirely composed of apocalyptic literature.  Because of the difficultires of interpreting the meaning of this book, and the perceived danger for abuse, many bishops argued against including this book in the New Testament canon when the books of the New Testament were being assembled. In the end it was accepted as cannon, but it remains as the only book of the New Testament that is not read within the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
+There are diverse opinions on whether the first horseman, riding a white horse, represents Christ or is the so-called anti-Christ. Until the time of the [[Protestant Reformation]], the traditional view was that the rider of the white horse was Christ. This view is largely based on the presumption that a later reference to a rider on a white horse is the same as the rider referred to above. Revelation 19:11-16 states: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war… On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LORDS."
-==Authorship==
+With the Reformation, however, some interpreters have viewed the rider on the first white horse as the [[antichrist]], while the rider of the second white horse is viewed as Christ at the Second Advent.<ref>Glenn Kreider, ''Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1'' (Univ. Press of America, 2004, ISBN 978-0761826705).</ref>
-There is no consensus as to who is the author, other than the fact that his name is referred to as “John”. Several early church Fathers, including Justin, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Cyprian, and Hippolytus, claim that this person was the same person as John the apostle, the author of the Gospel of John, although this claim is never made by the author of the Book of Revelation. This identification, however, was denied by other Fathers, including Denis of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Cyril of Jerusalem, Gregory Nazianzen, and John Chrysostom. The vocabulary, the grammar, and the style make it doubtful that Revelation was written by the same person(s)responsible for the fourth gospel. Some scholars speculate that John the Apostle, John the Evangelist, and John of Patmos refer to at least three separate individuals, and that the book was written at an earlier date, AD 68 or 69, in the reign of Nero or shortly thereafter.
-Those who favor the later date appeal to the testimony of the Christian father Irenaeus (AD 185) who received information about this book from those who claim to have seen John face to face during the time of Domitian's reign (A.H.5.30.3). The majority of evidence has been used to place it under Domitian, who persecuted Christians that were unwilling to engage in emperor worship, as evidence of their allegiance to him. Christians, for whom there was only one God, refused to participate in this idolatry, and therefore suffered persecution in the form of arrest, loss of possessions, economic boycott, and in many cases, death.
+===Red horse===
+[[Image:BritLibAddMS35166ApocalypseUnkFolio2SealRedHorse.jpg|thumb|400px|The Red Horse]]
+The second horseman is described as riding a red horse: "When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come!' Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword" (Rev 6:3-4 NIV).
-Although the personal identity of John is not known, it is certain that the Book of Revelation was written from the small isle of Patmos, a Roman penal colony in the Aegean Sea about thirty-seven miles south and west of Miletus, on the western coast of what is present-day Turkey. This area was one of the most important areas in the development of early Christianity, and it is frequently mentioned in the various letters attributed to apostle Paul.
+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 great sword, which represents battle and fighting. The Red horse is also said to represent the planet [[Mars]], the planet of the god of war.
-The author of the book calls himself John (Rev 1:1, 4, 9; 22:8), who because of his Christian faith has been exiled to the rocky island of Patmos, a Roman penal colony. Nevertheless, there are definite linguistic and theological affinities between the two books. The tone of the letters to the seven churches (Rev 1:4-3:22) is indicative of the great authority the author enjoyed over the Christian communities in Asia. It is possible, therefore, that he was a disciple of John the apostle, who is traditionally associated with that part of the world. The date of the book in its present form is probably near the end of the reign of Domitian (A.D. 81-96), a fierce persecutor of the Christians.
+===Black horse===
+[[Image:BritLibAddMS35166ApocalypseUnkFolio3SealBlackHorse.jpg|thumb|right|400px|The Black Horse]]
+The third horseman is described as riding a black horse: "When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!'" (Rev. 6:5-6 NIV).
+This third horseman is generally considered to symbolize a great famine, likely as a result of the war that comes from the second horseman. Staple food items such as wheat and barley will be extremely scarce.
+===Pale horse===
+[[File:Apocalypse - BL Add MS 35166 f008v - Forth horseman.jpg|thumb|400px|The Pale Horse]]
+The fourth horseman is described as riding a pale horse. His named is specifically referred to as "Death." The text reads: "I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth (Rev. 6:7-8).
-==An Overview of The Horses and Their Riders==
+The pale color of the fourth horse is thought to represent fear, sickness, decay, and death. The word used to describe the color of the pale horse is the Greek word ''chloros,'' or green. It is meant to convey the sickly green tinge of the deathly ill or recently dead. Since the literal translation does not carry these connotations in English. the word is rendered "pale" in most English translations.
-===White Horse===
-The first horseman is described as riding on a white horse: "I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." There are 2 interpretations of who this is. Many believe it is referring to the antichrist, who as an imitator of Christ, will obtain earthly authority and use it to conquer those who oppose him. (Revelation 19:11-16).
-[[Image:duerer-apocalypse.png|left|thumb|222px|[[Woodcut]] of the Four Horsemen by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]
+===The other seals===
-Opinions differ on whether the first horseman, riding the white horse represents the Antichrist or False Prophet, on the one hand, or a Godly monarch, in some way reflecting Jesus, Who later on in the Apocalypse shows all the same details, plus signs of personal Deity. Among protestants, the popular consensus is that he is the Antichrist, with the seemingly peaceful work of the Antichrist seen in the first half of his rule somehow being shown in this rider (however, this requires dissecting the rider in a way the passage mentioning him does not). There is, in service to this idea, an emphasis on the lack of arrows mentioned where the bow used for conquering is brought up. However, the Greek word for the crown he wears is "Στέφανος ''(Stephanos|Stéphanos)''," the very name of the first Christian Martyr, and also the crown awarded to all Martyrs by Jesus, as well as worn by the 24 Elders mentioned in the same Apocalypse. It is clearly not said that the rider acts in his own interest, and he is significantly not said to wear a crown of royalty (Greek "Διάδημα ''(diadem (personal wear)|Diádēma)''") which we would expect Christ to wear - which is consistent with not possessing the presumption of Antichrist, but the humility of one acting as an agent of the Lord Himself. He, unlike the little horn that is generally interpreted as Antichrist in some way, is not described as boasting, nor as wearing blasphemous names or titles, to contradict what is written on Jesus' thigh when He returns with the Armies of Heaven on a White Horse.<ref>Pocket Oxford Classical Greek Dictionary, edited by James Morwood and John Taylor. Oxford University Press, 2002.</ref>
+After each of the first four seals is opened to reveal the Four Horsemen, a fifth seal is opened. It reveals a great slaughter of [[martyr]]s persecuted because of their faith in God's word. The sixth seal reveals a great [[earthquake]] and heavenly portents such as the sun turning black and moon turning red, as mighty rulers flee from the impending wrath of the Lamb. The author also reports a vision of 144,000 saints who will be sealed by the Lamb to protect them from the coming tribulations (Rev. 7). The seventh seal reveals seven angels, each with a trumpet, which when blown reveals additional calamities. All of this is but a precursor to more disasters, temptations, and finally the [[Second Coming of Christ]].
-Historically, the view of the rider of the white horse as having some connection with Christ is the general one, with the contrary view arising late in Christian history, among fringe thinkers, then among protestants, soon afterward. Even among this minority there has been some residual remembrance of the ancient view, as evinced even among Jonathan Edwards, among others.<ref>Kreider, Glenn. Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1. Univ. Press of America, 2004.</ref>
-Arguments against this horseman representing Christ include the release of each horsemen due to the opening of a seal opened by Christ and the unambiguous description of his return in Revelation 19:11-16. An argument that it might be Christ states that the Horsemen represent events which happen in specific time, as the seals represent things that should be opened in specific time.
-However, it is not a matter of either Christ Himself being this rider, or it having to be none other than Antichrist. It is most logical to recognize the rider as one riding in service of Christ. After the victories of this rider, the Saints have enough authority over enough nations for the later appearing Antichrist to have to physically and militarily go to war with them to overcome them. That they are then said to endure as Saints, thus not being spiritually defeated, pinpoints none other than a temporary defeat for the Saints that is in warfare. Only by subduing the world as left by the rider on the white horse - only by defeating the Saints, without overcoming their spirits - does the Antichrist dominate the world. In Daniel chapter 7, we see the little horn described, who there also is said to overcome the Saints, only to later be defeated and destroyed by the Saints in their later battle victory.
-[[Image:B Facundus 135.jpg|222px|left|thumb|Illuminated parchment, 1047 C.E., The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Other scholars do not interpret this figure as either Christ or Antichrist.  M. Eugene Boring's commentary on ''Revelation'' suggests that the image is drawn from the current events of the first century which the Christians in the Roman Empire would have recognized (see also Preterism).  In AD 62, the Parthians had beaten a Roman army in the Tigris valley and people throughout the empire viewed them with the same dread as westerners in more recent times had for the yellow peril.  The Parthians were the only mounted archers of the 1st century, and white horses were their mount of choice.  The passage can thus be interpreted as "conquest from without" without assigning any specific identity to the rider.
-Yet other Christians see a similarity between events of the four horsemen and those of the beginning of birth pains which Jesus described in the Olivet discourse, (Matthew {{bibleverse-nb||Matthew|24:7-8}}). This view holds that the events of the four horsemen, once begun, will lead quickly to the end of the age and the return of Christ.
-===Red Horse===
-The second horseman is described as riding on a red horse: "Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword." This second horseman is generally symbolic of a terrible warfare that has already broken out or will take place in the end times. (Rev. 6:4) 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 great sword, which represents battle and fighting. The Red Horse is also said to represent the Planet Mars. According to astrological beliefs, Mars has quite an ill effect on the Earth when its position is behind us to the Sun, especially when the Moon, The Pale Horse, is between Mars and the Earth. The red planet also represents the God of War in many pre-Christian religions, specifically the Mars (mythology)|Mars]] of Roman mythology and the Ares of Greek mythology.
-===Black Horse===
-The third horseman is described as riding on a black horse: “...and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!’” This third horseman is generally used to mean that a great famine will take place in some future period of time (or it has already taken place), likely as a result of the wars from the second horseman. Food will be scarce, but luxuries such as wine and oil will still be readily available. (Rev. 6:5-6)
-<!-- This section is linked from [[List of Megami Tensei Monsters, Bosses, and Creatures]] —>
-===Pale Horse===
-The fourth horseman (on the pale, or sickly horse, which may be the source of the notion of "pestilence" as a separate horseman) is explicitly named Death.  Although Death is popularly represented carrying a scythe, this is not mentioned in the original text.
-The Greek word interpreted here as "pale" is elsewhere in the New Testament translated as "green."  The horse is sometimes translated as "pale," "pale green," or "green."  The pale greenish color of the fourth horse could mean fear, sickness, decay, and death.
-The fourth horseman is described as riding on a place horse: "I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth." The fourth horseman is generally interprted to mean that death and devastation that came as a result of the famine that took place as a result of the black horse that was described in the preceding verse. This fourth horseman will bring further warfare and terrible famines with plagues and diseases.(Rev. 6:8). (Note: the word used to describe the color of the 'pale' horse is the Greek word chloros or green.  It is meant to convey the sickly green tinge of the deathly ill or recently dead.  Since the literal translation 'green' does not carry these connotations in English the word is rendered 'pale' in most English translations)
-==Horses and their riders==
-In summary, the horses and their riders as described in the Bible are as follows:
-{| class="wikitable"
-! Horse
-! Horse Represents
-! Rider
-! Power
-! Rider Represents
-! Original Greek Description
-|-
-|-
-| White
-| Victory; Pure Warfare
-| Carries a bow, wears a crown
-| Conquest
-| The Antichrist
-| '''ίππος λευκός''' (híppos leukós), [The] White Horse
-|-
-| Red
-| Blood spilled on the battlefield
-| Carries a sword
-| War
-| War
-| '''ίππος πυρρός''' (híppos purrós), [The] Fiery Red Horse
-|-
-| Black
-| Desolation
-| Carries scales
-| Famine, Persecution
-| Injustice to the poor and scarcity of food
-| '''ίππος μέλας''' (híppos mélas), [The] Black Horse
-|-
-| Pale
-| Paleness of skin in death, decay
-| Followed by Hell
-| Kills by war, hunger, plagues, etc.
-| Death
-| '''ίππος χλωρός, θάνατος''' (híppos khlōrós, thánatos), [The] Pale Green Horse, [named] Death
-|-
-|}
-</gallery>
 ==Interpretations==
+[[Image:ApocalypseStSeverFol108v109r4Horsemen.jpg|thumb|400px|The Apocalypse as depicted in Saint-Sever, France]]
-There are 4 basic schools of thought on how the Book of Revelations is to be interpreted. These diverse interpretations make it virtually impossible to arrive at a precise understanding.
+There are four basic schools of thought on how the [[Book of Revelation]] is to be interpreted. Each of them also has various permutations and applications regarding the issue of the Four Horsemen.
-==='''Preterist''' view===
-The term '''Preterism''' comes from Latin, and it means "past". The followers of Preterism are known as '''Preterists'''. '''Preterists''' are divied into two schools of thought—full preterists and partial preterists.
-Full '''Preterists''' believe that the Book of Revelation is a prophecy of events that was fulfilled with the fall of Jerusalem and the Jewish temple by the Roman army (which is identified as "the beast") and the start of the Christian age. The "last days" is identified as the time-period between the ministry of John the Baptist and the fall of Jerusalem, and the tribulation is identified as the destruction of Jerusalem and the forced exile of its people. <ref>This view is held by the majority of Catholics{{Fact|date=June 2007}}. ((seeciteeb|url=http://www.catholic.com/library/Whore_of_Babylon.asp|title=The Whore of Babylon|publisher=Catholic Answers|accessdate=2007-05-11}}</ref> Within the group of full '''Preterists,''' there are some who see the second half of Revelation as dealing with Rome, and its persecution of Christians and the fall of the Roman Empire.
-Partial '''Preterists''' divide end-times prophecy into several parts. It believes that certain parts of Revellation have yet to be fulfilled, such as the resurrection of the dead and the physical resurrection of Jesus. Partial '''Preterists''' also believe that part of the Book of Revelation is literal while other parts are symbolic.
-==='''Futurist''' view===
-This view believes that the Book of Revelation is a prophecy of future events to come, which will occur shortly before the second coming of Christ. Futurist interpretations predict a resurrection of the dead as well as those who have not yet reached an age of accountability, and a rapture with Jesus. All "true" Christians will be gathered to Christ at the time God's kingdom comes on earth.
-==='''Historicist''' view===
-The historical view regards the prophecy in Revelateion as being in the process of being  fulfilled. That process started at the end of the first century and will continue through the second coming of Christ.
-Under this school, historical interpretations apply the symbols of Revelation to the gradual division and collapse of the Roman Empire, the emergence of a divided Europe in the West and a Muslim empire in the East, and the collapse of the Eastern Empire while Europe attempts to reunite and recreate the Roman Empire. According to historical interpretations, the second coming of Christ occurs about the time that a partly reunited Europe starts to wage war against Israel. This view is held mainly by Fundamentalist Protestant Christians.
-Historical interpretations see the expansion of the Church, despite its persecution. However, they see the majority of people throughout the world as gradually evolving into  disbelief, in which true Christians will be a persecuted minority. This view is associated with an Antichrist system which exists for much of history rather than expecting a single Antichrist in the last days. Tghe "beast" in Revelation 13 was commonly interpreted to be the papcy of the Roman Catholic Church. A number of prominet people were in the historicst camp: Martin Luther, John Wesley, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, John Calvin, John Knox, Isaac Newton, Charles Finney, C.H. Spurgeon, and numerous others.
-===Spiritual or Idealist view===
-The '''Spiritual''' view, also called Idealist view, does not see the contents of the Book of Revelation as literal. Rather its language is symbolic, and each generation can read and interpet it in their own way. The various visions in the Book of Revelations express eternal spiritual truths and struggles that are without any literal or historical application. Revelation is seen, as well as all of scriptures, as having several levels of meaning, which range from a strict and literal interpretation to an intepretation that cannot be understood and interpreted only on the basis of one's intellect.
-==The Relationship of the Four Horsemen to the Book of Zechariah==
+===Preterism===
-Four sets of horses are similiarly depicted in Chapter 6, verses 1-8 in the Book of Zechariah, the second to last Book in the Old Testament. Zechariah's writings are filled with Messianic references and passages that deal with the end of times, as was understood at that particular period of time. Zechariah is quoted in the Book of Revelation more than any other book in the Old Testament. The first nine chapters of Zechariah are considered apocalyptic like the Book of Revelation. This Old Testament writing is also quoted frequently by many other New Testament authors.  The verses in Zechariah are sometimes used to determine whether or not the rider of the white horse in the Book of Revelation is the Antichrist.  In Zechariah, all of the horse and riders are servants of the Lord.  If these are the same four horses and riders as the Four Horsemen, this would suggest that rider of the white horse in the Book of Revelation is not the Antichrist, and possibily that the Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelation is an adaptation of the Book of Zechariah.
+The term ''preterism'' comes from Latin for "past."  It refers to the belief that the events in the [[Book of Revelation]] actually occurred in the past. ''Full preterism'' describes the belief that these events were fulfilled with the fall of [[Jerusalem]] and the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] in 70 C.E. by the [[Roman Empire]] (which is identified in Revelation as "the beast"), thus initiating the start of the Christian age. The [[Last Days]] are thus identified as the time period between the ministry of [[John the Baptist]] and the fall of [[Jerusalem]], and the tribulation is identified as the destruction of Jerusalem and the forced [[exile]] of its people.<ref>[https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/preterism Preterism] ''Ligonier''. Retrieved October 8, 2022.</ref> ''Partial preterism'' divides the end-times prophecy into several parts. In this view, certain parts of Revelation have yet to be fulfilled, such as the resurrection of the dead and the coming of the heavenly New Jerusalem, while other parts have already happened.
-The text in the book of Zechariah (Zech 6:1-7) reads as follows: (Revised Standard Version)
+===Futurism===
+This view believes that the [[Book of Revelation]] is a prophecy of future events to come, which will occur shortly before the [[Second Coming]] of Christ. In this view, none of the Four Horsemen has appeared yet.
-"1. And again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze.
+===Historicism===
-. The first chariot had red horuses, the second black horses.
+The historicist view regards the prophecy in Revelation as being in the process of being fulfilled. That process started at the end of the first century and will continue through the Second Coming of Christ.
-. The third white horses, and the forth chariot dappled gray horses.
-. Then I said to the angel who talked to me, "What are these, my lord?
-. And the angel answered me, "These are going forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth.
-. The chariot with the black horses goes towards the north country, the white ones go toward the west country, and the dappled ones go toward the south county.
-. When the steeds came out, they were impatient to get off and patrol the earth. And he said, "Go, patrol the earth. So they partolled the earth".
-. Then he cried to me, "Behold , those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country".
-Note: In the King James version, the color of the fourth horse is described as "grisled and bay". Matthew Henry, in his Commentary, states that the traditional interpretation given to his this passage was that the four chariots, drawn by horses, each with a different color, represented four different monarchies: the Babylonbian monarcy, the Persian monarcy, the Grecians, and the Romans. However, Henry had a different opinion: He believed that the vision represented the administration of the kingdom of Providence in the government of this "lower" world. The fact that there are so many conflicting interpreatations underscores the inability to have a consensus on how to interpret this particular passage in Zechariah and the Book of Revelations.
+===Allegory===
+The allegorical, or ''spiritual'' view, does not see the contents of the Book of Revelation as literal. Rather its language is symbolic, and each generation can read and interpret it in their own way. The various visions in the Book of Revelation express eternal spiritual truths and struggles that are without any literal or historical application. Revelation is seen as having several levels of meaning, which range from a strict and literal interpretation to an interpretation that cannot be understood and interpreted only on the basis of one's intellect.
+==Relationship to the Book of Zechariah==
+[[Image:Four-chariots.jpg|thumb|300px|The prophet Zechariah's vision of four chariots, anticipating the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse]]
+The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bear a marked similarity to the four sets of horses that are similarly depicted in the [[Book of Zechariah]] (6:1-8), the second to last book in the [[Old Testament]].
-Evaluation/Significance
+The text in the book of Zechariah (Zech 6:1-5) reads as follows: (Revised Standard Version)
-This book contains an account of visions in symbolic and allegorical language borrowed extensively from the Old Testament, especially Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Daniel. Whether or not these visions were real experiences of the author or simply literary conventions employed by him is an open question.
+<blockquote>And again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses. The third white horses, and the forth chariot dappled gray horses. Then I said to the angel who talked to me, "What are these, my lord? And the angel answered me, "These are going forth to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth."</blockquote>
-This much, however, is certain: symbolic descriptions are not to be taken as literal descriptions, nor is the symbolism meant to be pictured realistically. One would find it difficult and repulsive to visualize a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes; yet Jesus Christ is described in precisely such words (Rev 5:6). The author used these images to suggest Christ's universal (seven) power (horns) and knowledge (eyes). A significant feature of apocalyptic writing is the use of symbolic colors, metals, garments (Rev 1:13-16; 3:18; 4:4; 6:1-8; 17:4; 19:8), and numbers (four signifies the world, six imperfection, seven totality or perfection, twelve Israel's tribes or the apostles, one thousand immensity). Finally the vindictive language in the book (Rev 6:9-10; 18:1-19:4) is also to be understood symbolically and not literally. The cries for vengeance on the lips of Christian martyrs that sound so harsh are in fact literary devices the author employed to evoke in the reader and hearer a feeling of horror for apostasy and rebellion that will be severely punished by God.
+In Zechariah, all of the horses and riders are servants of [[Yahweh]]. If these horses are the same four horses and riders as the Four Horsemen, this would suggest that the rider of the white horse in the Book of Revelation is not the Antichrist, who is depicted in Revelation as a servant of Satan.
-The lurid descriptions of the punishment of Jezebel (Rev 2:22) and of the destruction of the great harlot, Babylon (Rev 16:9-19:2),are likewise literary devices. The metaphor of Babylon as harlot would be wrongly construed if interpreted literally. On the other hand, the stylized figure of the woman clothed with the sun (Rev 12:1-6), depicting the New Israel, may seem to be a negative stereotype. It is necessary to look beyond the literal meaning to see that these images mean to convey a sense of God's wrath at sin in the former case and trust in God's providential care over the church in the latter.
+==Significance==
+[[Image:B Facundus 135.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Four Horsemen, at the National Library in Madrid]]
+The [[Book of Revelation]] contains an account of several powerful visions. Whether or not these visions were real experiences of the author or simply literary conventions is an open question. The Four Horsemen in particular have presented the Christian world with a fearful sense of apocalyptic foreboding, in which the world will be struck by the horrors of war, famine, plague, and death before the Second Coming of Christ. Periods of wars, famines, and plagues have thus often been interpreted as evidence of the [[Last Days]], stimulating both messianic hope and widespread fear, together with the rise of various millenarianism sects.
-The Book of Revelation cannot be adequately understood except against the historical background that occasioned its writing. Like Daniel and other apocalypses, it was composed as resistance literature to meet a crisis. The book itself suggests that the crisis was ruthless persecution of the early church by the Roman authorities; the harlot Babylon symbolizes pagan Rome, the city on seven hills (17, 9). The book is, then, an exhortation and admonition to Christians of the first century to stand firm in the faith and to avoid compromise with paganism, despite the threat of adversity and martyrdom; they are to await patiently the fulfillment of God's mighty promises. The triumph of God in the world of men and women remains a mystery, to be accepted in faith and longed for in hope. It is a triumph that unfolded in the history of Jesus of Nazareth and continues to unfold in the history of the individual Christian who follows the way of the cross, even, if necessary, to a martyr's
+This much, however, is certain: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse cannot be adequately understood except against the historical background in which the Book of Revelation was written. Like the Book of Zechariah and other [[Old Testament]] apocalypses, it is composed as resistance literature to meet a crisis, which was the ruthless persecution of the early Christian church by the Roman government. This book is thus seen as an exhortation and admonition to Christians of the first century to stand firm in their faith and to avoid compromise with paganism, despite the threat of death. The early Christians were encouraged to wait for the fulfillment of the promises made by Jesus, which would be the triumph of God's sovereignty.
-The Book of Revelation had its origin in a time of crisis, but it remains valid and meaningful for Christians of all time. In the face of apparently insuperable evil, either from within or from without, all Christians are called to trust in Jesus' promise, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). Those who remain steadfast in their faith and confidence in the risen Lord need have no fear. Suffering, persecution, even death by martyrdom, though remaining impenetrable mysteries of evil, do not comprise an absurd
+This book remains just as valid for present day Christians, who believe that the prophecies in Revelation apply to events of today. They are thus encouraged, as the first century Christians were encouraged, to remain faithful to the end, in the face of the serious problems confronting today's world, and to have faith and trust in the promise of Jesus, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
-== Notes ==
+==Notes==
-<references />
+<references/>
-WebSites
+==References==
+* Cunningham, Andrew, and Ole Peter Grell. ''The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Religion, War, Famine, and Death in Reformation Europe''. Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0521467018
+* Friesen, Steven J. ''Imperial Cults and the Apocalypse of John.'' Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0195131536
+* Graham, Billy. ''Approaching Hoofbeats: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse''. Avon Books, 1985. ISBN 978-0380699216
+* Henry, Matthew. ''Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible''. Hendrickson Pub., 2006. ISBN 1598560786
+* Kreider, Glenn. ''Jonathan Edwards' Interpretation of Revelation 4:1-8:1''. Univ. Press of America, 2004. ISBN 978-0761826705
-http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/revelation.html
+==External links==
-http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01594b.htm
+All links retrieved October 9, 2022.
-http://www.ambs.edu/LJohns/APJN.htm
+* [https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01594b.htm Apocalypse]. ''New Advent''.
-http://www.directionjournal.org/article/?1400
+* [https://www.christianity.com/wiki/end-times/who-are-the-four-horsemen-in-revelation-their-meaning-and-significance.html Who Are the Four Horsemen in Revelation? Their Meaning and Significance] ''Christianity.com''.
-http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/bible/revelation/intro.htm
 [[Category:philosophy and religion]]
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