White Horseman of the Apocalypse, Who Is It?
Revelation 6:1-2 Then 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.” 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.
Who is the rider on the white horse? This is a source of controversy. Some say it is Jesus. Some say it is the antichrist. The verses above show there are two people involved. One is the Lamb. The second is the rider of the white horse. Notice, the rider of the white horse is obedient to the command of the Lamb. The Lamb says “come” and the rider on the white horse is on his way.
The Lamb is the One who opens the seals to all four riders of the colored horses. The seals are opened in Heaven. Revelation 6:3 When He (Lamb) broke the second seal…
Revelation 6:5 When He (Lamb) broke the third seal…
Revelation 6:7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal…
The Lamb is in Heaven the entire time the seals are being broken. The Lamb is the One breaking the seals. The rider of the white horse is sent to Earth.
Who is the Lamb? Scripture says it is none other than Jesus. The point of Revelation 5 is defining Jesus as the Lamb. Revelation 5:12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Jesus has been called the Lamb of God before the creation of the world. His death on the cross was planned before the Earth was formed. Believers in Christ were chosen before the world was made. Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
1 Peter 1:20a For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world…
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love…
The rider of the white horse has a bow, but no arrows. The modern day equivalent would be having a gun but no bullets. Think of the symbolism of the white horse and the bow. He is a man of peace who gives conquest without war. We know initially in the tribulation there is no bloodshed because that comes with the next horseman in Revelation 6:3, the red horse. The wars and rumors of wars will initially be avoided. He will probably win the Nobel Peace Prize.
There is a hint in the type of crown the rider wears in Revelation 6:2. The rider of the white horse wears one crown. In the original Greek, the term is stephanos. Per Strong’s Concordance it is defined as: a mark of royal or (in general) exalted rank, the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games, that which is an ornament and honor to one.
Compare this to the crowns (plural, as compared to single crown) worn by Christ in Revelation 19:12b …and on His head are many diadems. In the original Greek, the term is diadema. Per Strong’s Concordance it is defined as: the kingly ornament for the head, the crown. This type of crown is for a king.
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