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Four Horsemen
by Phil Maxwell 02/23/2005
Updated:
Sunday, 13 July 2008 03:23 PM
Revelation 5-6
Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep greatly, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals." 6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came, and He took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Since this has already been established as a view of future events, consider in relation to anointment of the two witness-prophets of Rev 11:
Rev 11:1 And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 "And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months. 3 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
First, note that when judgment of the people of God goes forth (i.e. the "measuring rod"), only two are found worshipping at the altar...yes, only two! The rest -- both the
unfaithful "believers" and the unbelievers -- are left outside of the
veil of safety put between the sanctified two witnesses in the day of trouble. Overcomers will prevail, but only through great tribulation. As for the two, the word of Yahweh will be on their lips and nothing will withstand it during the days they've been given.
Their prophetic words are and will increasingly become the measuring rod by
which others are judged, just as in the days of Moses and Elijah.
Now, getting back to the unveiling of the word of God regarding the final chapter of this age, the seven great seals (relating to the parallel prophecies of Daniel that were "sealed up until the time of the end") are broken one by one.
Represented in this is the release of judgment set long ago, but withheld until
the time also set long ago by the word of God.
Rev 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer.
The beastly man of sin himself, the antichrist, with the word of God on his side - a man who will succeed at everything he does - launching his march towards becoming the great savior of a world on the brink of destruction. Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived in the U.S. in 1968 and began his rocket climb through two public professions (bodybuilding and acting) before beginning his career as the governor of a state that would measure in the top six nations of the world economically.
Rev 6:3 And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come." 4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.
Someone in a position to cause and perpetuate wars all around the world. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld? Steadily growing in stature within the ranks of government officials since the late 60's. Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq all occurred under his watch as Secretary of Defense. He has also been
Rev 6:5 And when He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." And I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard as it were a voice in the center 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."
Someone in a position to control food supplies through the monetary system. Treasury Secretary John Snow, or, possibly, new Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns? The text and context highlights the flow of money than food, indicating a time where availability of food would be contingent upon a well-controlled monetary system (written at a time where the non-agrarian based economy we know was well out of view). This meshes perfectly with the beast-system later outlined in the book of Revelation, where people must acquiesce to being "marked" or registered in the system (with applicable conditions) in order to buy or sell anything, including necessities of life like food.
Rev 6:7 And when He broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." 8 And I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
Someone over the 2nd and 3rd horseman since they are the ones with power to cause wars, famine, and pestilence, though apparently not until/unless given authorization to do so. President George Bush, or, perhaps, Vice President Dick Cheney acting in his stead?
Rev 6:9 And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also.
Abortion?
Rev 6:12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand? "
Judgment of America-Babylon the great harlot; the beginning of birth pangs.
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