An Overview of ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation)’:

In Revelation 5:9 The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one found “worthy to open” ‘the Seven Seals’ of the Scroll (“the Book”), which includes the Revelation of ‘The Four Horsemen of the first four “Seals.”

“And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” (Revelation 5:2 (KJV)
“And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” (Revelation 5:9 (KJV)

As you will note, the trials described in the verses below applying to the first four Seals with their related ‘Four Horsemen’ have been common throughout human history since the fall of Adam. However, they will become more widespread and intensified such that 25% of the world’s population will suffer due to them during the time of ‘The Four Horsemen.” Therefore, the terrible suffering of the 7-year Tribulation period begins from the start of the Tribulation period.

1. White Horse (1^st Seal): The appearance of the Antichrist on the world stage as who we know to be the false messiah begins to “conquer” the world:

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

2. Red Horse (2nd Seal): The onset of global conflict (with Antichrist involved in these conflicts):

“⁴ 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.” (Revelation 6:4 (KJV)

Wars often lead to famines, pestilence, and death on a large scale of civilians as well as the warriors. Stalin in WWII starved about four million Ukrainians among the total of 12 million of his own people. All toll over 50 million died in WWII, including 6 million Jews as result of Hitlers effort to annihilate them.

3. Black Horse (3rd Seal): The arrival of extreme famine:

“⁵And 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. ⁶ 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.” (Revelation 6:5-6 (KJV)

It’s worth noting that wheat, rice, soybean, and barley prices would need to be many times greater than they are today to achieve the type of famine described in the third seal.

4. Pale Horse (4th Seal): Widespread disease and death will come upon a great number of 25% of the world’s population.

“⁸ And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell [the grace] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part [25%] of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:8 (KJV)

As seen above, twenty-five percent of the world’s population will suffer and many will die from the events of the 4^th Seal’s Pale Horse. It’s hard to fathom nearly 2 billion of people dying in such a short amount of time. That many deaths will thereby alter families, relationships, politics, economics, societies, and much more.

The Timing of the Four Horsemen:

The events of the four horsemen will occur in the first half of the 7-year Tribulation Period, also known as Daniel’s 70^th week and as the time of “Jacob’s [Israel’s] Trouble.”

• Today, the first seal remains unopened as it corresponds to what the Antichrist will do with the start of the Tribulation period when he signs and “confirms the covenant.” (Dan. 9:27). The covenant could have its roots in the Trump peace deals being established between Israel and here Arab enemies.
• After the first 4 Seals we have the fifth seal relates to the “Great Tribulation,” which will be the worst persecutions in history of the world. The actual “Great Tribulation” will actually begin at the midpoint of the Tribulation, some 3-1/2 years into the Tribulation period.

The whole Tribulation period is going to be 7 years in length. The terrible events of ‘The Four Horsemen’ will take place during the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation. Although it will be a terrible time as described above, a small window of opportunity will still exist for people to prepare for ‘The Great Tribulation’ of the last 3-1/2 years, even while the events of ‘The Four Horsemen’ take place.

• The Antichrist is unlikely to immediately persecute many who oppose him on religious grounds during the first 3-1/2 years as he will be busy assuming more and more power, building his empire.
• The punitive “Mark of the Beast” system will not be in place until the middle of the 7 years since Antichrist would not yet have the control over the world and revealed his hand.

In other words, in the first 3-1/2 years the Antichrist will focus upon gradually amassing power rather than using his power to make life miserable for those who oppose him. Once Antichrist gains control of the world he will then persecute and seek to kill his enemies with the full force of the power he will have gained.

We can safely say that it will still be a terrible time on the earth in the time of ‘The Four Horsemen’ of Revelation. Again, billions of people will die in that time. However, global conditions will get even worse after the events of ‘the Four Horsemen’ of Revelation, especially for those who then will oppose the Antichrist.

It is only in the 2^nd three and one-half years of the 7-year Tribulation period, called the “Great Tribulation,” when Antichrist is exposed to be who we as Bible students know him to be … the world’s most evil anti-Semite, when he stops sacrifices in the 3^rd Temple and occupies Temple ‘as god.’ (cf. 2Thes. 2:4, below)

“And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [starting the 7-years]:

and in the midst of the week [at 3-1/2 yrs.] he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [offerings in the Temple] to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate [empty of the worship of God], even until the consummation [through then end of the Tribulation], and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” “Daniel 9:27 (KJV)

“⁴ [Antichrist] Who opposeth [God] and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he [Antichrist] as God Sitteth In The Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV)

“And the king [Antichrist] shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall Speak Marvellous Things Against The God Of Gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. ³⁷ Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” (Daniel 11:36-37 (KJV)

Then the intensified “the wrath of God” seen in the form of unusual miraculous catastrophes such as are described as Asteroids striking the earth, massive earthquakes, and then also plagues, and pestilence similar to but greater than that which came upon Pharaoh when Israel left Egypt. These sufferings be added to the general enslavement of all those who WILL Take “the Mark of the Beast” and simultaneously killing those who refuse to take “the Mark of the Beast.”

In total 2/3 of the earth’s population will die by the time the Tribulation ends with ‘the Battle of Armageddon.’ It will be a time when men’s “hearts shall fail them” (Luke 21:26) and their ‘flesh and eyes will melt in their sockets,’ likely speaking of a nuclear catastrophe.

“And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” (Zechariah 14:12 (KJV)

The Scripture says it will take “seven months to bury the dead” (Eze 39:12) and ‘destroy the weapons’ (cf. Eze. 39:9).

The false premise of the ‘Pre-Wrath’ view of the delayed Rapture is based on the assumption that the Bible does not teach that the pouring out of God’s “vengeance” and “wrath” will occur during the whole seven years of the Tribulation Period. They say the out-pouring of God’s “vengeance” and “wrath” only occurs with ‘the sixth seal,’ toward the middle of the 7 years, and not during the preceding first three and a half years.  However, the Book of Revelation clearly reveals the “vengeance” and “wrath of God” upon the earth begins with the start of the seven years of Tribulation and with Antichrist “conquering” during the first Seal. Things get worse until the fourth Seal Judgments during which time 25% of mankind will suffer greatly and no doubt many of them will die.

The ‘7 Seal Judgements’ we are discussing are to be followed by;

• the 7 Trumpets Judgments (Rev. 8:7-9:21, 11:15-19) and then the subsequent and final
• 7 Bowl (Vial) Judgments (Rev. 16:1-21).

As each judgment is released upon the earth, they grow in intensity with ever increasing devastation.

There is no doubt that the last 3 1/2 years of the 7-year Tribulation period will be the worst, thus it is referred to by Jesus of Nazareth as “the Great Tribulation” (Matt. 24:21).