Note that Rev. 6:8 above, says that the four horsemen represent the sword, hunger, death and beasts. Ezekiel 14:21 says God's four severe judgments are the sword , famine (the same as hunger), beasts, and pestilence (the same as death). Jeremiah 15:3 calls God's four forms of destruction the sword (war), birds (the result of pestilence, since birds eat the dead), dogs (dogs roam in times of famine), and beasts. There are a multitude of passages that refer to these four horsemen. Sometimes beasts are substituted for "captivity" because when one beastly nation carries another into captivity, the land is emptied and filled with beasts. Pestilence is sometimes called death and sometimes called birds. In one place the sword is substituted for arrow. Famine is sometimes substituted with "dogs" or "waste". Below is a chart that will illustrate this.

Today, every time a famine strikes, the black horse is riding. It is one of God's four severe judgments. Every time there is war, the red horse is riding. Every time there is captivity and oppression, the white horse is riding. Every time the pale horse rides there is pestilence, plague, and death. Pestilence is defined as natural disasters such as locusts, floods, and other such catastrophes. These horsemen cannot ride unless God lets them. In one sense, since God is sovereign, God is pictured as being the rider of all four. Was Your wrath against the sea, that You rode on Your horses, your chariots of salvation? Your bow was made quite ready; oaths were sworn over Your arrows. (Hab.3:8,9)

The white horse goes forth "conquering and to conquer". Beasts like to devour other beasts instead of planting corn and producing by the sweat of their own brow. The Bible teaches that those who oppress and carry into captivity are destined to captivity themselves. REV 13:10 He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. This truly is the patience and the faith of the saints, because we can be assured of liberation without using the sword or violent revolution. Some think that liberty can only come by overthrowing the oppressor. This is false. God sent the oppressor because of sin. Only repentance can overthrow the white horse! If My people...will...then...I will heal their land. (2 Chron 7:14). If you find it hard to believe that only God can send these four severe judgments, remember from where the command to pour out the seven last plagues came. REV 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." All oppression, famine, war, and plagues come from God's command. To deny this and blame it on the devil is to believe in dualism. Satan is only a tool in Almighty God's hand. Satan must always ask God's permission before he can plague mankind. The God of the Hebrews is the Sovereign Lord of the armies.

Now let us carefully examine some of the Scriptures that mention these four severe judgments and forms of destruction.

REV 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see."

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see."

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine."

7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see."

WHITE RED BLACK PALE

(OPPRESSION) (WAR) (FAMINE) (PESTILENCE)

BEAST SWORD FAMINE DEATH

(WHITE HORSE) (RED HORSE) (BLACK) (PALE)

(WHITE HORSE) (RED HORSE) (BLACK ) (PALE)

EZE 5:17 'So I will send against you famine and wild beasts, and they will bereave you. Pestilence

and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.' "

PS 91:5,6 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

JER 32:24 'Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it!

JER 34:17 "Therefore thus says the LORD: 'You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and every one to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim liberty to you,' says the LORD--'to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine! And I will deliver you to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth.

JER 38:2 "Thus says the LORD: 'He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes over to the Chaldeans shall live; his life shall be as a prize to him, and he shall live.'

JER 38:3 "Thus says the LORD: 'This city shall surely be given into the hand of the

king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

EZE 6:9 ,11 "Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried

captive...For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence

EZE 7:15 ,16 The sword is outside, and the pestilence and famine within. Whoever is in the field will die by the sword; and whoever is in the city, famine and pestilence will devour him. Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, Each for his iniquity.

EZE 12:15 ,16 "Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.

"But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence..."

When one nation takes another into captivity or slavery, we also call that oppression. It is also possible for banks and leaders of nations to oppress the people as beasts. Let the church not be deceived into thinking we can overthrow captivity and oppression any other way than the way it was done when Judah returned from Babylon. It was not done by the sword. It was accomplished by prayer and submission. The white horse is a judgment sent by God just as much as war, famine, and plague.

Some have tried to imagine that Jesus is the white horse. No, Jesus does not oppress in a beastly fashion. He sets the captives free. However, there is a sense in which the Lord rides all four horses since He is the One who sends these demonic forces as His four severe judgments.

These horsemen ride in every generation to bring judgment on the nations that

disobey God. Note the protection covenant keepers have according to Psalm 91(above).

We are promised that if we abide under the shadow of the Almighty, "no plague will come

near our dwelling." However, there are exceptions to this such as Job's example and Paul's shipwreck. But in these cases Satan is allowed to go so far and no farther. Those who

abide under the shadow of the Almighty find comfort in spite of afflictions. They rise

above their circumstances to sit with Christ in heavenly places. They rule and reign with

Him. Those who do not remain in the secret place of the Most High find turbulence of

spirit. Their water is, as it were, turned to blood. Their world is darkened. They try to

drown out the sound of the hoof beats with other noises or false comforts. They cry for

the rocks to hide them. They attempt to cover their nakedness with various types of fig

leaves. They keep going back to Jacob's well. They hew out cisterns...broken cisterns

that cannot hold water or satisfy their souls. Some want to kill the witnesses that torment

them. Only through submission to the Almighty can deliverance come.