The bizarre opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics have stirred discussions within the Christian community. Various interpretations of the “Pale Horse and its Rider” from both Christians and others have emerged, characterized by creativity, speculation, and a wealth of imagination in attributing significance to it.

The Pale Horse is one of the four symbolic horses described in Revelation 6. Interpreting its meaning requires sound exegesis and understanding of the context of previous chapters, including the timeline of the Christian church.

A Quick Basis for Understanding Revelation Prophecies

Establishing a solid foundation is crucial as we embark on this brief journey of understanding Revelation prophecies.

The following interpretation of the pale horse is derived swiftly from Biblical texts, not from personal creativity, speculation, or imagination. It relies on the principle of letting scripture interpret itself and aligning it with historical events. Some prophecies have been fulfilled in the past, as confirmed by history. However, as time progresses and prophecies continue to unfold, they merge with our present and extend into our future.

At the heart of the Book of Revelation lies its ultimate purpose- to reveal the nature and character of Jesus. Amidst the myriads of creatures and symbols, the central theme remains Jesus, making Revelation a fifth gospel, presented by the writer John in both symbols and literal statements.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, Revelation 1:1

The concept of “time being near” applied to John (the prophecies during or after his lifetime) as well as to those of us living two thousand years later (the prophecies before, during, and after our lifetime). This is because prophecies are dynamic; some have been fulfilled, while others remain to be seen. This idea is exemplified in a passage that describes a beast that “was” (past tense), “is not” (present tense), and “will come” (future tense).

The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. Revelation 17:8 (NIV)

Secondly, John does not confirm the idea that Revelation cannot be understood or is only for those in the future or the past. Indeed, it is actually the opposite.

Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

If this is settled in your mind, you are ready to open your mind to allowing scripture to interpret itself. History confirms what was the future for John but is the past for us. This will give us confidence that those yet to come are accurate.

Let’s get started. Note that this is a brief study without the context provided by previous chapters of Revelation or the book of Daniel, which also describes some of the things that John saw in his vision, such as beasts that rose and fell over time. Note to reader:  An abbreviated Zoom class and Podcast are in the process of being created for the study of Daniel and Revelation.  We have done a couple of Zoom classes in the last few years, verse-by-verse, but we feel we can shorten it without losing the impact.  If you are interested, leave a comment.

Overview of Revelation 6 and the Four Horsemen

Your Bible may have headings. If it does, you will see that the main topic in this chapter is “Seals.” There are seven seals that the “Lamb” opens.

 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals.  Revelation 6:1

Without providing a multitude of proof texts, we can know, with certainty, that the “Lamb” is Jesus Christ Himself. The four horses with their riders are under the first four seals.

1.) The first seal describes the first horse (“white horse “) in verse 2

2.) The second seal describes the second horse (“fiery red horse “) in verse 4

3.) The third seal describes the third horse (“black horse “) in verse 5

4.) The fourth seal describes the fourth horse (“pale horse) in verse 8

These riders have something in their hands and the power to do things. Next time, we will answer the following questions:

1.) What were the horsemen holding?

2.) What power did they have?

3.) What do these symbols represent?

4.) How do the horses and horsemen relate to each other?

5.) Is all of this future, or has some of it already been fulfilled? What is yet future?

See you next time!