Christ the Mighty Conqueror

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. A measure: the word choenix signifieth a measure containing one wine quart, and the twelfth part of a quart ...: The word chænix signifieth a measure containing one wine quart, and the twelfth part of a quart ...: The word chænix signifieth a measure containing one wine quart, and the twelfth part of a quart And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. unto them...: Or, to him And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. untimely figs...: Or.greene figs And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? - Revelation 6:1-17

    ‘And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer’ (Revelation 6:2)

    Everything we have seen thus far in the book of Revelation has been leading up to and preparing us for the opening of the sealed book in chapter 6. In chapter 1, we saw Christ in his majestic power and glory as our exalted God and Savior. There we were assured of his constant presence with his church. The Son of God constantly walks in the midst of his churches. He cares for, protects, and provides for his own. He holds his messengers, his preachers, his ordained pastors in his own right hand. Who, or what, shall we fear? Christ Jesus, the Son of God, is with us! He holds us in his omnipotent hand!

    In chapters 2 and 3, we read the letters of Christ to the seven churches which reveal the various stages of spiritual declension and revival to which the church of Christ and individual believers are subjected in this world. So long as we are in this body of flesh we must struggle against sin, even the terribly evil sins of apathy and indifference. That which is true of individual believers is true of the church collectively. Therefore, we constantly need discipline, correction, instruction, encouragement, reviving, and grace. These things our Lord faithfully supplies by the gospel and Spirit of his grace. Were it not for his all-sufficient grace keeping us, we would soon wither away and die. But our dear Savior always preserves his own!

    In chapter 4, we are allowed to ascend with John into heaven itself. There we are shown the throne, the symbol of God's sovereign power and dominion; the twenty-four elders, the representatives of the church, the whole body of God's elect; and the four beasts who represent God's faithful gospel preachers in all ages. In that chapter we are allowed to see the representations of God's wisdom, power, glory, and greatness. We are plainly taught that God's ultimate purpose in all things is the glory of his own great Being. When you read chapter 4, you can almost hear the Lord saying to John and to us by him, ‘No matter what you read, see, hear, or experience, you have no cause to fear. My throne is secure. My people are safe. My purpose is unalterable. There is never any cause for alarm or fear.’ Read Isaiah 46:9-10!

    In chapter 5, we are given a vision of the throne, the book and the Lamb. The throne, as stated, symbolizes God's total sovereignty over all things. The book, ‘Written within and on the backside, and sealed with seven seals,’ represents the plan of God for the ages, his eternal purpose and decrees of predestination. But God is unknown, his purpose is secret, a mystery, until the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, appears in the midst of the throne. By virtue of his effectual, sin-atoning sacrifice, he is able and worthy to open the book of God. He both reveals and fulfills all that is written in the book of Divine predestination. The entire universe is ruled by the sovereign throne of God through the mediation of the Lamb, our Redeemer, according to the book of God's eternal, unalterable purpose. Ultimately, in the end, all of God's elect will be saved. There will be no vacant seats around the throne. And all things shall render praise to our God. Essentially, the vision of chapter 5 teaches us one thing: The Lord our God is carrying out his will and purpose for the good of his people and the glory of his own great name. That is to say, ‘The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!’ Therefore, we who believe have no reason to fear in times of trial, trouble, affliction, sorrow, and persecution. God our Savior will protect us, sustain us, and make us triumphant!

    As we come to chapter 6, we see Christ, the Lamb of God, opening the seals of the book, unfolding to us the mysteries of God's purpose and fulfilling his decrees. In this chapter, he opens six of the seven seals. The seventh seal is opened in chapter 8. In my opinion, it is a mistake to make the seals and the horsemen mentioned in this chapter representative of specific times. They rather refer to the many trials and difficulties through which God's people must pass as they make their pilgrimage through this world to their glorious inheritance in heaven. They have reference to the condition and experience of God's church and kingdom in this world in all ages, and once more give assurance of the fact that ultimately the church of Christ shall be triumphant. The purpose of this sixth chapter of Revelation is to assure us that though we must suffer trials, afflictions, and persecutions, Christ our Savior is always in control. He is a mighty Conqueror and we are more than conquerors in him.

    The Lord Jesus Christ is a mighty, triumphant conqueror (vv. 1-2)

    With the opening of the first seal, we see a Rider upon a white horse. We do not have to guess who he is. This is Christ, our triumphant King, our victorious Captain, our conquering Man of War (Rev. 19:11-16). The first thing revealed here is Christ's glorious sovereignty, his constant triumph over all things, and his sure and certain conquest over all his enemies and ours. We can safely trust the sovereign Christ.

    Our Savior is seen as one riding upon a white horse. White is always used as a symbol of holiness, purity, and righteousness. It refers to that which is holy and heavenly. Our Lord's garments are white. He sits upon a great white throne. He gives his people a white stone of acquittal (3:17). And he will come again upon the white clouds of heaven. White is the color of the horse ridden by a commanding officer when he returns from the battlefield victorious, with all the spoils of victory. Our Savior's conquest is so certain that even as he goes out to battle he rides upon a white stallion! There is a bow in his hand. This is his only weapon. The Son of God conquers his enemies with that one weapon. What does that bow symbolize? It is the everlasting gospel of grace preached by his servants (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 2 Cor. 10:3-5). When his servants preach the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, its precious truths are like pointed arrows flung from the bow of Christ himself, piercing the hearts of chosen sinners. His arrows never miss their mark! ‘And a crown was given unto him.’ This Man of War is the King of Glory, the Messiah, the Christ. By virtue of his obedience to his Father, as the reward of his travail, he was given the right to rule all things, so that he might sovereignly secure the salvation of his people (John 17:2; Rom. 14:9; Acts 2:29-36). ‘And he went forth conquering and to conquer.’ ‘His goings forth have been from old, from everlasting’ (Micah. 5:2). The Son of God came forth in the covenant of grace, before the world began, and stood as our mighty Captain, agreeing to conquer all our enemies and his, and thereby to save all his people. This he will do. ‘He shall not fail!’ (Isa. 42:4). When he died upon the cross, Christ conquered Satan and conquered sin, and by the power of the cross conquers the hearts of chosen sinners (John 12:30-32). Wherever the gospel is preached by faithful men, in the power of his Spirit, he still conquers. And he shall yet conquer (Ps. 2:1-8). Every knee shall bow before him. Every tongue shall confess him. All his foes shall become his footstool (Isa. 45:20-25; Phil. 2:9-11; Heb. 10:10-13). Child of God, as you face your enemies in this world and the many trials and tribulations that beset you, keep the eye of faith fixed constantly upon this mighty Conqueror (Heb. 12:1-2). Trust him. You have nothing to fear. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed, is prevailing, and shall yet prevail!

    Yet we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God (vv. 3-8)

    Sorrow is the common lot of God's people in this world (John 16:33). Not only must we suffer all the sorrows common to others, we also must endure those which are heaped upon us by wicked, persecuting men. These are the things represented by the red, the black, and the pale horse. The red horse is a symbol of war and slaughter. ‘For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter’ (Rom. 8:36). The black horse is the symbol of economic hardship, poverty, and injustice. If there is widespread poverty, famine, or injustice in a land, God's people are not exempted from the hardships they cause. And we are never exempted from persecution of one form or another (Matt. 10:22-36). Yet, two things are certain.

    1. When we do not have plenty, we will still have enough. A loaf of bread may cost a day's wages; but if we have bread enough for today, we have enough. Christ provides for his own (Matt. 6:33).

    2. All the poverty, famine, and persecution in the world can never take away, or even diminish, the oil of his Spirit and the wine of his love and grace. Christ protects his own (Zech. 2:8; Ps. 34:7).

    The pale horse is the symbol of death and the grave. These, too, are the common woes of humanity. Death comes by many means: the sword, famine, pestilence, war, wild beasts, etc. But death is sure to come. Our bodies must return to the earth. But the pale horse rider will be to the children of God a welcome visitor (Ps. 23; 2 Cor. 5:1-9). Here are five things that will help you, if you can get hold of them.

    1. As long as we are in this world, pain, sorrow, affliction, and persecution will be our constant companions (Isa. 43:2).

    2. Whatever we suffer in this world, even from the hands of Satan and wicked men, we suffer from the hands of our gracious God and Savior. Notice, ‘power was given to him’ (v. 4). Satan can do nothing without divine permission! And when our trials come, they are always regulated by our Father's decree. ‘Hurt not the oil and wine’ (v. 6).

    3. God uses these sorrows and afflictions to refine, purify, and strengthen his people (Heb. 12:5-11).

    4. In the midst of all your trials, your Savior is with you (Isa. 42:10; 43:1-5).

    5. Our trials will soon be over! Either by the intervention of providence or by calling us home, our God will soon put an end to our sorrow (Rom. 8:35-39).

    However, God will not destroy this world until all his elect are saved

    With the opening of the fifth seal, John sees the souls of Christ's martyrs, men and women who offered their lives as sacrifices upon the altar to Christ. They believed him, confessed him, and followed him, even unto death, sealing their faith with their blood (vv. 9-11).

    These martyrs cry for God's just retribution upon their enemies - Not for their sake, but for Christ's sake. These are people who have been slain, slaughtered as wild beasts and common criminals, because of their faith in Christ. Those who persecuted them to death were, in reality, persecuting Christ (Acts 9:5). Their blood cries out for justice. Christ is honor bound both to avenge their blood and to destroy all who oppose his throne. Persecutors beware! The blood of God's saints cries for vengeance upon the vessels of wrath for the glory of Christ, that he might make known to all his power and justice (Gen. 4:10; Heb. 11:4; Matt. 23:34-35).

    All God's saints in heaven are robed in the perfect white righteousness of Christ and are resting. None can enter heaven except those to whom God has given a ‘white robe.’ That represents the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to every redeemed sinner (2 Cor. 5:21). And those who have entered into heaven have entered into rest (Heb. 4:9). Their trials are over. Their sorrows are ended. Their temptations have ceased. They have finished their work. Now they keep an eternal Sabbath in glory! It is a Sabbath rest that was typified in the law, begun when they trusted Christ (Matt. 11:28-30), and now consummated in his presence (Heb. 4:10-11).

    The number of the martyrs is not yet complete. All God's elect are here referred to as martyrs, those who have been or shall be ‘killed.’ A martyr is one who voluntarily lays down his life in the cause of Christ. In that sense, every believer is a martyr (Mark. 8:35; Luke. 14:26-27). God knows the number of his elect. Christ knows the number of his sheep. It has been fixed from eternity by divine decree. Until that number is reached, until all the elect are saved, judgment will not come. Christ will uphold and sustain this sin-cursed earth until he has gathered out of it all his sheep (2 Peter 3:9). But let no one foolishly imagine that judgment will not come.

    God will avenge himself and his own elect at last (vv. 12-17)

    The sixth seal is opened to introduce the great and terrible day of judgment. In that day, there will be a total dissolution of the physical universe (vv. 12-15). It will be a climatic, not a gradual thing (2 Peter 3:10-12). The entire world of reprobate rebels will be seized with sudden terror (vv. 15-17). ‘In that great and terrible day, there will be a strange prayer meeting. Men will pray, but the men praying will not be saved men, but unsaved men. They will pray not to God, but to the mountains and rocks. They will pray not for life, but for death. And they will pray not that they may see Christ, but that they may be hidden from him!’ (Ron Lewis). When that day comes, the door of grace will be shut forever! Christ will conquer all his enemies, either by the power of his grace or by the power of his wrath; but conquer he surely will (Isa. 45:20-25).