Churchwork
11-12-2010, 06:36 PM
The more I research your Revelation white horse as being different from the other three, the more I come back to reoccurring patterns in the Bible concerning bows and blessings.
Please note that kings carry swords and confer honor with swords. The earliest archers in the Bible are Ishmael Gen. 21:20, who did not receive Abraham's blessing, and Esau Gen. 27:3, who likewise did not receive Isaac's blessing. Please note, in Greek, he is wearing a crown found on a victorious General, not a crown for a king or a Messiah.
More: Hosea 7:16 They return, not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.
Jer 51:3 Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
Hab 3:9 Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
People's New Testament 1) THE HORSE. He was never used by the Jews or Orientals as a beast of burden. The ox and the ass were devoted to that office, and the horse was reserved for war. Whenever the horse is mentioned by the prophets it will be found in connection with warlike employments. That the horse is always associated with war can be seen by consulting Job 29:25 Ps 76:6 Pr 21:31 Jer 8:6 Eze 26:10. Hence this symbol points to a period of war, though it alone does not declare whether the conflict is carnal or spiritual, is triumphant or disastrous.
(2) THE WHITE COLOR. As there are three more horses in succession under the three following seals, each of different colors, the color must have a meaning. White must have a different significance from red, or black, or pale. What is indicated by the color of the first horse? White is the color of prosperity, of happiness, and triumph. Whenever a Roman General was given a triumph his chariot was drawn by milk-white horses. In Re 19:11 the Mighty Conqueror who wears many crowns is seen riding on a white horse. Commentators are agreed that the white horse signifies prosperous, victorious wars.
(3) THE RIDER. His significance is due to his arms, his crown, and the white horse he rides. It is enough to state here that he represents either some conqueror, or a conquering age. (4) THE CROWN. A crown was given to him. This crown is not the diadem ( diadema ) but the garland crown ( stephanos ). The last was the crown given as a reward for victory in battle, for great achievements or for victory in games. The Hero of chapter 19 wears many diadems, kingly crowns (Re 19:12), but this rider wears the garland crown, the stephanos. It is important to note this distinction.
(5) THE BOW. He is armed with a usual weapon of war in that age. The bow may signify that the rider is a great, warlike figure, or there may be a special significance in the fact that he is armed with a bow instead of a sword or spear.
Sure Hagar and Ismael received Abraham's blessing, just not as the line through which Messiah would be born. That's an inappropriate and negative application you are employing that doesn't fit the context that you try to relate to the first seal. "But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too" (Rev. 21.12). "But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, 'Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.' Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. [B]And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt" (vv.17-20). God grew up with the Antichrist?
In Gen. 27 Isaac and Rebekah practiced deceit while Esau was doing his father's will with the bow and arrow. They were greatly punished for this and not Esau. Remember Isaac was sent away.
"They are like a crooked bow that always misses its target" (Hos. 7.16). The bow in the first seal is not crooked.
Jer. 51.3 is not a negative comment on bows and arrows.
Hab. 3.9 is God's judgment, "You were commanding your weapons of power!" or "Your bow was made quite ready" or "Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word." The cross is the judgment.
"The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has conquered" (Rev. 5.5) by the cross: "a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (6.2). Do you see how the conquering is first established by the cross which looks like a bow and arrow to then go further conquering, and to conquer. Does your God have this power in the accomplished fact of the matter? Moreover, would Jesus wait 2000 years to open the seals or even 100 years? No! He does so right away by the immediate power of the cross.
Notice neither the white horse in Rev. 19 or Rev. 6 is carrying a chariot so no "burden" as it were, but the rider rides on the white horse and is not being pulled by it. Amen.
His arms? No, since there is no chariot and thus, no flappy straps. The focus is on the bow and arrow that looks like a cross with the arrow that has been shot because that is the power of the cross giving Satan a deadly wound in one fell swoop. Have you allowed Jesus to take you to that sure death and be punished with Him on the cross, co-crucified with Him? Thus, rendering the flesh powerless along with your old man as the new man in Christ.
Strong's G4735 - stephanos. All of these definitions apply to Jesus. Jesus is not crowned king yet because the victory is not yet concluded till Revelation 19. Jesus is a servant right now. He is not reigning with a rod of iron that amillennialists and other historicists teach. Notice too Jesus is standing in Revelation 5.6 and not sitting as would a king, yet the 24 archangels are sitting. It's because the millennial kingdom has not started yet. "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth" (Rev. 5.6). He is going to defeat the Antichrist in due time. So at this point in the Scriptures I think this particular crown is more appropriate in the context.
1) a crown
a) a mark of royal or (in general) exalted rank
1) the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games
b) metaph. the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: the crown (wreath) which is the reward of the righteousness
c) that which is an ornament and honour to one
Your last point leaves out the very important fact that the bow is without the arrow signifying a wound has been inflicted by the cross in the shape of a bow and arrow; and not with many arrows, but one arrow, for Jesus is the once-for-all sacrifice.
Concerning the four horses, only in 6.4 is the word "another" used, thus intimating that the first horse is different from the later three horses.
The priority in God’s plan is that His Son shall conquer—and His conquest is the victory of the gospel. That should be your focus now. (One of the four living creatures says "Come" [in some old manuscripts it is rendered "Go"], for the living creatures themselves do not speak with the tone of command - hence, this is not a war but the authority of the cross.)
Given these considerations, Jesus is the only plausible candidate for the rider on the white horse, the same rider in Revelation 19.
Please note that kings carry swords and confer honor with swords. The earliest archers in the Bible are Ishmael Gen. 21:20, who did not receive Abraham's blessing, and Esau Gen. 27:3, who likewise did not receive Isaac's blessing. Please note, in Greek, he is wearing a crown found on a victorious General, not a crown for a king or a Messiah.
More: Hosea 7:16 They return, not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.
Jer 51:3 Against [him that] bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against [him that] lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
Hab 3:9 Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
People's New Testament 1) THE HORSE. He was never used by the Jews or Orientals as a beast of burden. The ox and the ass were devoted to that office, and the horse was reserved for war. Whenever the horse is mentioned by the prophets it will be found in connection with warlike employments. That the horse is always associated with war can be seen by consulting Job 29:25 Ps 76:6 Pr 21:31 Jer 8:6 Eze 26:10. Hence this symbol points to a period of war, though it alone does not declare whether the conflict is carnal or spiritual, is triumphant or disastrous.
(2) THE WHITE COLOR. As there are three more horses in succession under the three following seals, each of different colors, the color must have a meaning. White must have a different significance from red, or black, or pale. What is indicated by the color of the first horse? White is the color of prosperity, of happiness, and triumph. Whenever a Roman General was given a triumph his chariot was drawn by milk-white horses. In Re 19:11 the Mighty Conqueror who wears many crowns is seen riding on a white horse. Commentators are agreed that the white horse signifies prosperous, victorious wars.
(3) THE RIDER. His significance is due to his arms, his crown, and the white horse he rides. It is enough to state here that he represents either some conqueror, or a conquering age. (4) THE CROWN. A crown was given to him. This crown is not the diadem ( diadema ) but the garland crown ( stephanos ). The last was the crown given as a reward for victory in battle, for great achievements or for victory in games. The Hero of chapter 19 wears many diadems, kingly crowns (Re 19:12), but this rider wears the garland crown, the stephanos. It is important to note this distinction.
(5) THE BOW. He is armed with a usual weapon of war in that age. The bow may signify that the rider is a great, warlike figure, or there may be a special significance in the fact that he is armed with a bow instead of a sword or spear.
Sure Hagar and Ismael received Abraham's blessing, just not as the line through which Messiah would be born. That's an inappropriate and negative application you are employing that doesn't fit the context that you try to relate to the first seal. "But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too" (Rev. 21.12). "But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, 'Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.' Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. [B]And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt" (vv.17-20). God grew up with the Antichrist?
In Gen. 27 Isaac and Rebekah practiced deceit while Esau was doing his father's will with the bow and arrow. They were greatly punished for this and not Esau. Remember Isaac was sent away.
"They are like a crooked bow that always misses its target" (Hos. 7.16). The bow in the first seal is not crooked.
Jer. 51.3 is not a negative comment on bows and arrows.
Hab. 3.9 is God's judgment, "You were commanding your weapons of power!" or "Your bow was made quite ready" or "Thy bow was made quite naked, [according] to the oaths of the tribes, [even thy] word." The cross is the judgment.
"The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has conquered" (Rev. 5.5) by the cross: "a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (6.2). Do you see how the conquering is first established by the cross which looks like a bow and arrow to then go further conquering, and to conquer. Does your God have this power in the accomplished fact of the matter? Moreover, would Jesus wait 2000 years to open the seals or even 100 years? No! He does so right away by the immediate power of the cross.
Notice neither the white horse in Rev. 19 or Rev. 6 is carrying a chariot so no "burden" as it were, but the rider rides on the white horse and is not being pulled by it. Amen.
His arms? No, since there is no chariot and thus, no flappy straps. The focus is on the bow and arrow that looks like a cross with the arrow that has been shot because that is the power of the cross giving Satan a deadly wound in one fell swoop. Have you allowed Jesus to take you to that sure death and be punished with Him on the cross, co-crucified with Him? Thus, rendering the flesh powerless along with your old man as the new man in Christ.
Strong's G4735 - stephanos. All of these definitions apply to Jesus. Jesus is not crowned king yet because the victory is not yet concluded till Revelation 19. Jesus is a servant right now. He is not reigning with a rod of iron that amillennialists and other historicists teach. Notice too Jesus is standing in Revelation 5.6 and not sitting as would a king, yet the 24 archangels are sitting. It's because the millennial kingdom has not started yet. "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth" (Rev. 5.6). He is going to defeat the Antichrist in due time. So at this point in the Scriptures I think this particular crown is more appropriate in the context.
1) a crown
a) a mark of royal or (in general) exalted rank
1) the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games
b) metaph. the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: the crown (wreath) which is the reward of the righteousness
c) that which is an ornament and honour to one
Your last point leaves out the very important fact that the bow is without the arrow signifying a wound has been inflicted by the cross in the shape of a bow and arrow; and not with many arrows, but one arrow, for Jesus is the once-for-all sacrifice.
Concerning the four horses, only in 6.4 is the word "another" used, thus intimating that the first horse is different from the later three horses.
The priority in God’s plan is that His Son shall conquer—and His conquest is the victory of the gospel. That should be your focus now. (One of the four living creatures says "Come" [in some old manuscripts it is rendered "Go"], for the living creatures themselves do not speak with the tone of command - hence, this is not a war but the authority of the cross.)
Given these considerations, Jesus is the only plausible candidate for the rider on the white horse, the same rider in Revelation 19.