"THE FOUR RIDERS"

 

PROLOGUE

God has spoken to this generation in a language which we can understand, but the generations gone before us could not understand God's message (for us) because the horizon of their knowledge was too limited.

Therefore have our teachers postulated many foolish concepts of God's end-time plan, for, to them the words were sealed.

And out of that night and its slumber have been handed down (for us) fantastic ideas of God, literally turning water into blood, and causing strange and various plagues to befall man (Divinely brought about).

Hence have so many - who think - been inclined to skepticism. But now the dawn is breaking. Light is diffusing: now is the language of God an open book unto this generation, that even "he who runs may read."

To that end has this and other articles been written, that the ultra-modern language of God may impinge - lastingly - upon the soul of this generation.

- The Author.

Few - if any - of the Bible prophecies have been dealt with so extensively as has the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. If mere words and beautiful books constitute the all-sufficient treatment of a subject, then assuredly this Article is superfluous. ... Yet the hour is at hand, even late, that something much more than mere volumes of words should be made available, for as yet the human mind is held in darkness by half-truth doctrines conceived in the lurid light of man's night in spiritual waywardness. Although so-called "new books" can be found on the subject, they are mostly - if not all - rehashing of time-worn ideas out of the stygian night. Perhaps, then, as we look afresh at the record of history, and with a prayer for understanding in our heart, we shall glimpse treasures new that our soul may rejoice, and take fresh courage to victoriously walk the last steps of our earth's war-seared mile.

There are two well entrenched concepts concerning the Apocalypse prophecies. Since both are considerably in error, their brief mentioning will here be in place... The first and most misleading is that the Revelation prophecies give but a vision of the struggle between Christianity and the forces of paganism and Judaism: that thus its 'prophecies' have been fulfilled.... The second mishandling lies in the more modern belief that these visions refer mostly to a period of Great Tribulation after His Church has been taken out of the world. And, say they, since His Church is still on earth, manifestly "the Tribulation" is not commenced, and is therefore, entirely future.

The great and consistent error throughout this closing night of darkness has been man's persistence in "limiting the Holy One of Israel." Doubtful is it that anyone previously, and outside of the writer has proclaimed and demonstrated that there is a "great central pattern" unto which everything must be conformed! Therefore are there fragments and portions of Truth, and many varying interpretations. Indeed, considerable portions of Truth are to be found in the concept of the historical, or continuous fulfilment of these prophecies. But only a portion of the Truth. The other, and even greater portion, is the fact that He has conformed everything unto The Pattern. Therefore must there be many phases of fulfilment to these Spirit-inbreathed Revelations, some of which are past, while others are yet to come.

As to the more modern error that He shall first take His Church out of the world, we need but turn back the pages of His record to see what He did and how He dealt with the great antetype of His Church. For, "God changes not." His ideas have not been modified; about Him has been no modern school of psychiatrists to persuade Him to adopt different tactics in the dealing with His children! The end was fully foreseen, and its details were mapped before the commencement of Creation. And throughout, the Master-Pattern was adhered to. Therefor, as He has revealed to us the details unto the very end by means of a vast picture, we have but to look unto such 'types' to positively know His method and general plan.

Briefly, then, we scan the ways of Israel in Egypt. and as they were led out under the hand of Moses. For, ancient Israel in Egypt was but a type of the New Covenant Israel (Christendom) in this world of corruption and sin; whose cry of distress God hears, and raises up a Mighty Deliverer for their emancipation.

Was Israel of old delivered out of Egypt before any troubles befell them? Hardly! First we read how there arose a Pharaoh who "knew not Joseph," (demoting Joseph, recognizing not his authority), and laid upon Israel grievous burdens. So great was their distress that the anguish of their national cry arose before God.

Here some will say: but that is a picture of the weight of sin upon the unconverted before he finds deliverance through Jesus Christ.

True! But the pattern is not changed! For, His Church which is yearning for deliverance from the world is but the greater replica of the individual sinner yearning for deliverance from the taskmaster of Satan. Therefore must God again conform unto the pattern for His Church. Thus, the entire course of His Church is one of distress and tribulation under the Overlord of Darkness who 'knows not Joseph': the Devil who refuses to recognize our Jehovah Savior (Jesus our Salvation).

Therefore we see that His Church is under the constant onslaught of the Powers of Darkness - as was Israel unto the days of Moses. Then was tribulation increased through Moses' ministry while Israel was still in Egypt. Yet after the three first plagues God severed between Goshen and Egypt so that the last 7 plagues fell only upon the Egyptians. Again, while Israel was in the wilderness, plagues fell hard and fast upon them unto the end that nearly all perished before the final entrance was effected to the Holy Land. Thus in both the panoramic vistas portraying His Church, we find that they were subject to plagues and great tribulation. That is God's answer to the wishful thinkers who proclaim that an indulgent God shall coddle them instead of correcting them! True, God did draw a line of demarcation between Israel and the Egyptians, but first they endured three plagues. Thus must it also be unto His end-time Church. Yet those details are not for this particular study, but only to show that we have no right to look for a full deliverance before all troubles begin. For, according to The Pattern which then He wrot, so shall He also work now - even unto three great wars.

REVELATION PROPHECIES

As we read carefully the 4th, 5th and 6th chapters of Revelation, we find that John was commanded to "Come up hither", and immediately he found himself in the vicinity of the glorious throne.... Aside from the account of the Beasts and Elders and their worship before God, we find the detailing of a "book", or a Roll which was "written within and on the back side" and "sealed with seven seals."

This fact is also mentioned in order that the student of Truth should not be kept in darkness through the false interpretation that the 'seals' of Revelation's 6th chapter will not be broken until the time that His Church has been taken out and up. For, lulled to sleep by that pernicious lie, many shall be found napping when they should be found praying. While still others, looking only for milk and honey, shall find themselves in anguished jeopardy as the mounting waves threaten to engulf....

First, let us take full stock of the fact that this 'book' was no book as we of this age think of a book. For, God speaks always to a people in that language which they can understand. Had John been shown a book such as we know it, he would not have understood what he beheld. But this 'book' was a scroll rolled up, written on both sides of the sheet. Thus, when rolled up it had writing both on the inside and on the outside, or its "back." The scroll was also tied about with 7 separate sealing bands.

We may safely assume that these sealing bands were broad enough to hide the greater portion of the outside surface, for, 5:3 tells us that no one in Heaven or on earth was able to 'look thereon.' Yet all were looking at it, including John! Manifestly then, the words of 5:3 do not refer to the gazing upon the scroll as a unit but, rather, not able to look upon and discern that which was written there. For, inside it could not be seen, while outside the sealing-bands hid from view that which was written.

With this proper perspective in mind, we realize that as soon as the first band (seal) was severed, certain portions of the writings on the back were laid open to view. Therefore is it recorded that as seal by seal was broken, things were said (or read), and immediately John saw in vision the actual things which those words conveyed. We should also bear in mind that as the first 6 seals were broken, the scroll still remained in its rolled up form. In other words, nothing but its back, its outside or external factors could be discerned. Not until the 7th seal was broken could the scroll be opened, revealing its inner contents. Yet there would be portions obscured by the 7th band as well as certain outside portions not discernible until the scroll was unrolled. The evident analysis of this shows clearly that the first six seals deal with outer or worldly conditions previous to the 7th seal (the seal of the Church) being broken. And that in the breaking of the 7th, matters pertaining to His Church are contacted, to the end that its inner secrets shall be revealed, although much of the outer or worldly (back side) remains to be manifested after the 7th seal is broken, due to the rolled form of the scroll.

Although we shall not here study more than the first four seals, it may be of interest to observe that no one could open the seals except "the Lion of the tribe of Judah".... Man may plan, and labor to execute his plans; men may have conferences and secret sessions, and Governments may gear their people for this or that yet His word declares that it is none but the Lamb of God enthroned in the Glory who, is empowered to open - that any of these things may come to pass! We may stand aghast at the A and H- bomb; we may cover our mouths in consternation at the stock-piling of the munitions of war which man is feverishly doing, yet it Is The Lamb upon The Throne Transcendent "who has opened" that these conditions of horror may come to pass! Shall we then quail and panic? Shall we then rave about the madness of the nations' rulers and make it our task to convert them to the sanity of normal and peaceful pursuits? On the surface such an ambition appears laudable, yet when we look behind the scenes we know that the One upon the Throne has decreed an era of judgment, neither shall the puny might of mortal man swerve the course of world judgment one iota off that predetermined....