Author: jdwvaw2

When Jesus opens the seven sealed scroll detailed in Revelation chapter 6, He authorizes and sends out four spirits from His throne figuratively depicted as riders on horses. The apostle John transcribes for us the mission of each of these riders as told to him by the four cherubim surrounding the throne of God. This release signifies the start of God’s last-days judgment of evil on the earth. My previous four posts detail each of their assignments that will cause unprecedented turmoil in the earth. If you haven’t read those, scroll down on my website to access them. Jim’s Eschatological Info – “What I say to you I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37) (eschatontrails.com)

Many prophecy teachers describe the first 3 1/2 years of Daniel’s seventieth week (often called the tribulation) as a time of relative peace in the world. They posit that the time of both Satan and God’s wrath will not be experienced until the last 3 1/2 years (the great tribulation). I believe, however, that this short study of the four horsemen refutes that claim. While the last half of the week may certainly be more intense, this does not diminish the massive effect the judgments given to the four horsemen will have on the earth. As we have seen, from the wars of conquest by the rising antichrist (white horse) to wide-spread death from many causes (pale horse), our world will be anything but peaceful.

From our perspective, all of these things will begin suddenly. We will abruptly transition from a world feeling the “beginnings of birth pangs” to a world subject to the judgments carried out by the four horsemen. (Read the article entitled “Beginnings of Birth Pangs Happening Now”). Beginnings of birth Pangs are Happening Now – Google Docs

Fellow Christians, don’t think for a moment that you will not have to face significant trials of your faith. You will. Soon. If you haven’t already. That’s simply because you’re in this world. Jesus said: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). The apostle Paul, exhorting new disciples said this: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22). We are in a battle that is only going to get worse. We must “fight the good fight of faith” (1Timothy 6:12). Friends, I’m not writing these words to scare you, but to prepare you. Jesus must be our example. Thankfully, He also said this: “But be of good cheer, I’ve overcome the world” (John 16:33). In Christ, we can all be overcomers of everything this evil world throws at us. These four horsemen will cause much havoc on this earth. It’s their mission. Be prepared.

Maranatha, Jim

When John saw Jesus opening the fourth seal of the seven-sealed scroll the fourth cherubim showed him a vision of a fourth horse proceeding from the presence of God. “When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ So, I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:7-8).

Most bible translations use the word “pale” to describe the color of this horse, but the Greek word used here is “chloros” which is used elsewhere as greenish such as new grass shoots. It can also mean light gray-yellowish brown as used in the Septuagint (ancient Greek version of the Old Testament) to describe wind-blown dust. So, pale might be a good choice. I would characterize it as sickly yellowish green that seems to fit well with the rider’s description. Not a very pretty horse or rider for that matter.

The rider on this pale horse is given the name “Death”. He is literally death personified. And this horseman has someone following him called, in the above NKJ version, “Hades”. Hades is the traditional Greek term for the abode of the dead. It is also translated “hell” or the “grave” elsewhere. Here, this follower of the pale horse is the personification of the grave. In a figurative sense it seems Death is the executioner, and Grave follows to scoop up the bodies. Death and Hades are used together as proper names elsewhere in Revelation. Jesus Himself told John: “I am He who lives, and I was dead, and behold. I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”(Revelation 1:18). Also: “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Revelation 20:13-14). There is little question as to the final destiny of Death and Hades. Jesus has the keys to both of them; He is in complete control.

This spirit on the pale horse and his follower are given power (by God) over one fourth of the earth to kill by several methods. This potentially means death for over two billion people based on today’s world population. Staggering! They are to carry out their mission by use of the sword (wars and other murders), hunger (famine from many causes), death (pestilence caused diseases), and beasts of the earth (everything from snakes to rats and large carnivores). This is not the first time God has used death in judgment of His creation. The bible gives many instances of wide-spread death from the flood to judgments on His chosen for deserting His commandments. This last-days judgment carried out by His horsemen will prove larger in scale than ever before and yet comes before His final wrath is poured out wiping out the remaining evil on the earth. We need to remember that death is the inevitable consequence of sin and that we are all sinners. Our only escape is through Jesus Christ who conquered death for us.

No question, this release of Death and Hades is unprecedented in human history. It will happen when Jesus completely opens the seven-sealed scroll authorizing the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week. I believe we are very close to this key event. Be alert and ready. Above all, cling to Jesus Who gave His all that we might not come under judgment but be accounted worthy to escape all these things coming on the earth.

In my next post, I’ll sum up the total impact the four horsemen will have on the earth.

Maranatha, Jim

When Jesus opens the third seal of the seven-sealed scroll, the third cherubim told the apostle John: “Come and see. So, I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” (Revelation 6:5-6).

The color black is often used to describe want as in famine or drought. (Jeremiah 14:1-2, Lamentations 5:10). This is born out in the vision given to John. The rider of this black horse is seen holding a pair of scales in his hands meant to apportion out goods by weight. This rider is given instruction coming from the “midst” of the cherubim, which implies that his orders were from the very throne of God. (Revelation 4:6). He is literally sent out by God to promote scarcity in the earth.

The currency used here is a “denarius”, a coin that during the time of John’s writing this was roughly a day’s wage. (Matthew 20:2). A “quart” of wheat was about the minimum quantity of food for one man to survive, not sufficient for a family. A denarius would buy 3 times as much barley, but that was a coarser, less nutritious form of grain barely enough for a man and his wife to subsist on let alone a family. Of course, this does not consider money needed for other necessities of life. Interestingly, God tells the rider not to harm oil and wine, luxuries that will then be beyond the reach of the average worker. Evidently, the rich will continue to afford themselves delicacies a little while longer while the average world citizen will find himself in a struggle for mere existence. To put this in perspective, if today’s average daily wage is 100 dollars, a loaf of bread will cost 100 dollars, 25 times what it costs currently here in the US! That’s 2500% inflation!

That scarcity and famine is coming should not be a surprise to Christians. Jesus stated this clearly as a characteristic of the last days: “…there will be famines…” (Matthew 24:7). Famines, at least partially caused by world-wide currency devaluations will provide the perfect opportunity for the antichrist to impose his economic system on the world. These currency crashes will probably play a central role in the demise of the reign of Mystery Babylon at the hand of the antichrist and his allies. It’s certainly easy to see how this could materialize in our near future when one looks at the huge indebtedness of our world’s monetary systems. Much of the entire world seems on the verge of run-away currency collapse.

This rider on the black horse is a spirit being sent by God Himself to facilitate famine on the earth by manipulating the minds of the worlds political and business leaders to do His bidding. Like the other 3 horsemen, he is a part of God’s judgment of the earth. The release of this third horseman is more confirmation of the difficult times coming during Daniel’s seventieth week. God’s judgment is certain and coming soon. Are you prepared?

My next post will deal with the fourth horseman, the rider on the pale horse.

Maranatha, Jim

Immediately after Jesus opens the second seal on the seven-sealed scroll a second cherubim shows John a vision of a fiery red horse. “When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come and see’. And another horse, fiery red, went out, and it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.” (Revelation 6:3-4). As I’ve already stated, these horsemen are four spirits that God is going to use in the final seven years of this age to create turmoil and devastation on the earth in order to test mankind. This second rider is given a “great sword” to take peace from the earth. He does this by pitting people against one another to the point where they are warring and murdering; warring on the national level, and murderous on a personal level. He is given a “great” sword to accomplish his task. As used here in Greek, the word great is megas, or an extremely powerful weapon. Evidently, he will be very successful at turning mankind against each other. Jesus Himself spoke of this time when He said, “because lawlessness will abound, the love of most will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death and you will be hated for My names sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” (Mark 13:12-13).

The color red is defined as the color of flame or fire and the Greek word used, purrhos, is only used one other time in the New Testament describing the “red” dragon of Revelation 12. It’s associated with bloodshed, terror, and death. This second horseman will be influencing the minds of world leaders as well as the general population across the globe to promote discord of all types rather than peaceful pursuits surely assisting the red dragon (Satan). Just as Jesus taught, the thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill, and destroy.

You may be thinking, aren’t we seeing these things taking place in our world right now with wars of all kinds, social and political divisions, mass murders, etc. taking place with great frequency? Yes, but to be blunt, we ain’t seen nothing yet! When this horseman is released, “men’s hearts will be failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21:26)

Saints, we must be prepared for coming times of great turmoil. In all these things we are overcomers. Cloth yourselves with Christ and His armor, and you’ll have no problem “enduring to the end”.

My next post will concern the third horseman, the one riding a black horse.

Maranatha, Jim

When Jesus pops the 1st of seven seals securing the scroll that only He is qualified to open, John is shown a vision by one of the four throne cherubim of a rider on a white horse. “And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” (Revelation 6:2). Analyzing this verse will help us identify this rider.

Let’s start with the color of the horse. As mentioned in a previous post, horses are militarily advantageous in war. The color white is biblically a reference to purity and holiness. The only other references to white horses in Revelation are to Jesus Himself riding a white horse when He comes at the end of the tribulation destroying His enemies at Armageddon and the army of heaven that follow Him also riding white horses. “And the armies of heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” (Revelation 19:14). This is why many, if not most, commentators associate this 1st white horse in John’s vision to Jesus. But is that conclusion logical and consistent with scripture? This 1st white horse is released at the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week, while Jesus comes on His white horse at the end of the tribulation seven years later. The primary weapon of this 1st rider is a “bow”, conventional weaponry. Jesus destroys with the “sword ” from His mouth-His Word. He is not in need or lacking a crown, as He already has one as King of the universe. He also does not need to “conquer”, take possession of earthly territory, He will simply destroy his enemies when he comes. Not only that, but if Jesus is this rider, that would be totally inconsistent with the character of these four horsemen whose collective mission is to stir up trouble for mankind on the earth. So, if it’s not Jesus, who is it?

As I’ve stated previously, the four horsemen are all “spirits” that proceed from the throne of God. If not Jesus, the only other logical choice is one of the army from heaven, as no other riders on white horses are mentioned. What then is the purpose of this spirit sent from God? Spirits are sent into the earth by God for many purposes. They interact with mankind consistent with God’s plan for His creation. God’s plan for the final seven years before His Son comes to set up His kingdom includes a period of time when an evil ruler rises to dominate mankind. He uses military dominance and intrigue to establish his reign. With his allies, he destroys the world’s political, economic, and religious system (Mystery Babylon) and replaces it with his own. He, the antichrist, is a man, not a spirit, but is influenced by spirits controlling him. I believe this rider on a white horse is sent to plant ideas in the head of this man, so that God’s plan will be carried out just as prophesied. I believe that this fits very well with the description of this rider. The color white aptly describes his messiah image, after all, he is the “anti” Christ. The books of Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation certainly describe him as a conqueror wielding a “bow”. Ezekiel describes God’s defeat of Gog (antichrist) thusly; “Then I will knock the bow out of your left hand and cause the arrows to fall out of your right hand.” (Ezekiel 39: 3). Of particular note, is the fact that he is given a crown as a king. “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.” (Daniel 11:36). God allows him a crown and permits this evil reign for a short time to test all peoples on the earth.

For these reasons, I believe the first of the four horsemen, the rider on the white horse, is sent to guide and assist the nefarious planning of the antichrist and, perhaps, even possess him, so that God’s ultimate plan will be carried out. Make no mistake, God is on the throne directing events as we approach the end of this millennium and begin the new. This 1st rider on a white horse is but one of the tools God will be using in these last days.

My next post will focus on the second rider, the rider on the fiery red horse.

Maranatha, Jim

In a previous post about the seven-sealed scroll opened by Jesus to authorize the events and judgments that will take place during Daniel’s seventieth week, I stated that it begins with the release of the four “horsemen”. It’s my opinion that all four of these horsemen are released immediately upon the full unfurling of this scroll. Jesus then authorizes them to go out in all four directions into the earth to accomplish their tasks. John is shown these horses sequentially in vision form as Jesus pops the seven seals. Horses in scripture are generally depicted as instruments of war, militarily advantageous to their riders. The horses ridden by these four are no exception. Their goals are to conquer, foster war, promote economic hardship, and to kill mankind. Morbid goals indeed, but God is going to exercise His judgment as He sees fit.

The number four is used often by God in prophecy. In this instance, the four horsemen are introduced separately by four cherubim to John as the first four seals on the scroll are opened. These four “living creatures”(cherubim) that surround and support the throne of God are, perhaps, other than the Godhead, the most powerful beings in the universe. According to Ezekiel Chapter 1, these living creatures have four faces, four wings, and move above four “wheels”. The communication to John describing the horsemen come from the thunderous voices of these cherubim. Elsewhere, the prophet Zechariah also depicts four horsemen dispatched by God in chapter 1 of his book. Here, they are described as sent to “walk to and fro throughout the earth” keeping a watch on mankind. Later, in chapter 6 of Zechariah, we see described four chariots pulled by horses also going “to and fro throughout the earth”. These charioteers are said to be “four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth.” (Zechariah 6:5). The prophet Daniel also describes something similar: “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds (spirits) of heaven were stirring up the great sea” (Daniel 7:2). In Revelation we read this: “I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds (spirits) of the earth.” (Revelation 7:1). In my opinion, all of these foursomes described in Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation, are all the same or, at least closely related. They are all spirits (they’re active in the spirit realm) sent from God’s throne to accomplish His purposes on the earth, from simple observation to the stirring up of wide-spread war. The four horsemen unleashed by Jesus when He opens the seven-sealed scroll are sent out to begin the process of God’s judgment of evil on this earth. It’s a seven-year process, ending with Jesus’s return.

Of note is the fact that these horses are of different colors, both in the old and new testaments, indicative of their different functions. In my opinion, it won’t be long until we start seeing the handiwork of these horsemen as they stride to and fro across our earth stirring up trouble amongst men. In my next post, I’ll focus on the mission of the first horseman, the one riding a white horse.

Maranatha, Jim

The resurrection of Jesus back to life from death after 3 days in a tomb was the greatest miracle this world has ever witnessed. Not only that, but this event is the very bedrock of our Christian faith. The apostle Paul said this: “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty.” (1 Corinthians 15:13-14). Thankfully, Jesus’s resurrection is not only biblical fact, but historical fact, provable on many levels. No, our faith is not empty. In fact, our own coming resurrection is based on His resurrection. “But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christs at His coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:20,23)

The apostle Paul made attaining his personal resurrection paramount in his earthly struggle. Everything else in his life gained through his own work, he considered rubbish and loss. “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ…that I might gain Christ…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8-11).

Like Paul, our goal should and must be the same, attainment of resurrection from the dead. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3). If we’re truly “in Christ”, belonging to Him, it’s a sure promise of life eternal. Jesus was and is our prototype. We’re promised a resurrection body just like His. We have a glorious and fantastic future ahead of us. I hope you are all as excited as I am as we close in on that time. Let’s focus on these things instead of what the god of this world is doing as we celebrate what Jesus did for us this Passover weekend.

Happy Resurrection Day, Jim

For the past ten years, Orthodox Jewish Rabbis have been performing a ritual sacrifice of a lamb on the feast of Passover. These reenactments are in anticipation of the time when the Israeli government and whoever else in authority will allow an actual sacrifice to take place up on the temple mount in either a rebuilt Jewish temple or at least an outdoor altar constructed specifically for this purpose. This year (2023) was no different.

Passover sacrifice reenactment takes place adjacent to the Temple Mount – Israel365 News

The significance of this sacrifice cannot be understated. It’s the most important ritual commanded in Mosaic law. And, with certainty at some point in the near future, it will commence. When it begins, it will mark the start of one of the most important end-time events of all, the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week. Of course, this seven-year period ends with the return of Jesus to set up His kingdom. You may be wondering; what could possibly happen to allow such a sacrifice to take place? The prophet Daniel gives us a strong clue. “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.” (Daniel 9:27). Though controversial, I believe the “he” in this verse to be non-other than the antichrist. The “covenant ” he confirms I believe to be the Mosaic covenant, which would then (in his deceitfulness) allow temple sacrifices to commence in fulfillment of prophecy. However, true to his devious ways, he does not permit this to go on for long. “But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” (Daniel 9:27). After three-and one-half years, he shows his true colors as the abomination he actually is.

As Christians, we know that the real sacrificial Lamb was Jesus on that Passover 2000 years ago. However, orthodox Judaism has yet to acknowledge this fact. By the time this seven-year period is completed they will recognize the One they pierced as the Messiah. For now, we must keep abreast of events leading to the restarting of this Passover sacrifice such as the preparation of a red heifer necessary for ritual purity. All of these prophetic events are near or already in motion. We’re living in the last days. Stay tuned.

Maranatha, Jim

God the Father, sitting on his throne, was holding something in His right hand. It was a scroll the creator of the universe had personally authored. The apostle John attests to this in a vision. “And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1). John then weeps much because no one was deemed worthy enough to open the scroll. But one of the “elders” around the throne informed John that the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Jesus) was worthy to open the scroll because of His sacrifice on the cross. (Revelation 4:5,9). “Then He (Jesus) came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” (Revelation 4:7)

In the days when Revelation was written, official scrolls containing privileged information were sealed with a wax seal embossed with a royal impression denoting authority. Unauthorized removal resulted in severe punishment. This scroll was sealed with seven such seals, an indication of the importance and perfection of what was written therein. These seals were placed there by God Himself. Only one person in all the universe other than the Father could unseal this document. The Son. In Revelation chapter six, we see Jesus opening the scroll.

The timing of the unfurling of this scroll is critical. It marks a change in God’s focus toward mankind. Judgment is beginning. It represents the commencement of the prophesied 70th week of Daniel, the “time of Jacobs’ trouble”, a seven-year period often called the tribulation. It’s the final stage of human government on this earth prior to the establishment of Jesus’ kingdom. It is marked by the pinnacle and end of Mystery Babylon’s rule and the God-permitted rise of the antichrist to his position of power. The beginning of this seven-year period coincides with the “confirmation of the covenant” mentioned in Daniel 9:27. It ends with the battle of Armageddon, the resurrection of those belonging to Christ, and Jesus’s physical return to reign on the earth.

All this is authorized by Jesus to commence when He opens the scroll. All the turmoil caused by evil mankind, the dominance of the antichrist, and the judgments from God, beginning with the release of the four horsemen and ending with the horrific bowl judgments are set in motion. I’ll address these “four horsemen” in a subsequent post. As Jesus pops each one of these seals, John sees a vision of a particular event occurring during this week. Keep in mind that these events are not happening immediately as each seal is broken, John’s visions are what is happening. He sees a sequence of events beginning with the release of the first of the four horsemen and ending with God’s full wrath poured out on the ungodly. These events cannot begin to happen until the scroll is fully opened and unfurled and Jesus’s approval of the actions and judgments contained therein is given.

At present, we are nearing the end of the sixth millennium since creation. The events and judgments described in this seven-sealed scroll take place over the last seven years of this millennium. Then comes the seventh millennium, the kingdom reign of Christ. This means we’re close. We’re fast approaching the time when Jesus takes the scroll from His Father’s hand. Are you ready?

Maranatha, Jim

This winter’s bible study of the book of Romans is now complete with all 13 sessions posted on YouTube. If you choose to watch these and study with us, just remember that this a “home” bible study. That means not professionally done. So, please judge the content, not the delivery or deliverer. Questions and comments are always welcome and encouraged.

The Los Amigos Bible Study – YouTube

Maranatha, Jim