White horse of the Apocalypse... not Jesus??

by In 10 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  In

  Revelation talks about four horses. The verses in NWT say a seal is opened, and four horses ride forth. The first is on a white horse. He is given a bow, and a crown, and he goes forth conquering, and completing his conquest.

  Now, NOTHING in this verse identifies him as Jesus. In fact, the Lamb (Jesus) opens the seal, so it seems kind of odd that the horseman is then Jesus. The Society's published Revelation book says because the horseman wears a crown, he must be Christ. Weak logic really.

  Consider this: the horseman is the FIRST of four horseman, the other three of whom represent horrible consequences upon mankind including war, famine, and death. Does it not make sense that the first one also represents something horrible?

  Here's the kicker: I heard it suggested that this horseman is an antichrist, perhaps a governmental entity since he wears a crown, who pulls people away from Christ and truth. He conquers the world with his lies, and fools them with his seeming 'innocence/purity' which is pictured by the white color.

  Every seal broken in Revelation is some new manisfestation of God's anger towards man, so how can Jesus just randomly appear in the middle of all of it...? Doesn't make sense.

  Comments/relfections on this subject welcome.
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  Mad Sweeney

  It fits the WT theology because he appears first, in 1914, then the others follow with the world wars, spanish flu, etc. They're wrong but they'll never change it.
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  In

  Well of course they won't change... otherwise I'd be discussing this with some of my "friends".
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  EndofMysteries

  The first horse has a CROWN GIVEN it. This would be the "holy ones", "elect", "chosen ones", "warriors of God", a TRUE message of God being declared. Between all the early prophets down to Revelation, it seems to fit and make the most sense so far.
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  In

  A crown given it... because he is elected or chosen by others... a government or ruling entity, yes?
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  donuthole

  Yes there is nothing explicit in that verse to identify the rider of the horse as Jesus with the exception of the white horse. (Later in Revelation Jesus is specifically mentioned as riding on a white horse.)

  The part of revelation dealing with the four horsemen says they are give authority over the four parts of the earth to kill a fourth of mankind in four ways

  famine
  disease
  civil war
  wild beasts

  So maybe literal wild beasts or more likely some governmental entity.

  Crowns simply denote rulership. The rider of the white horse does not have the diadamos kingly crown of Jesus but rather the laurel military crown. Other unholy entities in Revelation are also depicted with crowns such as the Dragon and the locust/scorpions that come from the Abyss.
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  RR

  Russell and the Bible Students as well as mostr protestant groups of that time period, believed that the white horseman was the antichrist, and that the antichrist was Papacy. Bible Students today still teach this, as well as some protestant groups. In fact the forewords of many KJ Bibles of that time period stated so in their forewords.

  
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  truthlover

  Didn't Jesus explain this in Matthew prior to Revelation being penned?

  The WTBTS links Matt 24:7 and REV 6:6 with the red horse, but the first white horse is not referred to by the WTBTS as Anti-Christ. why not? Jesus gave the run down in Matthew what will happen and revelation spells it out clearly for us - especially since The Lamb, Jesus is the only one to open the scroll with one of the four living creatures doing his bidding and the creature says "Come" to each of the horsemen... Does Jesus look at himself? Then gets on the horse, it does not say that, instead, there is already a rider on the horse

  Matt 24:4 and 5 -- many will mislead you saying " I am the Christ"-(can definitely be the white horse in Rev 6 :2 being the antichrist.. )

  Matt 24:7 -wars --(second horse fiery color-at Rev 6:4 ( slaughter) followed with famine and disease = black horse at Rev 6:5. Famine and disease usually follows all the wars being fought

  So I cant and do not follow the society's reasoning on this one at all.... religions are in turmoil today -with a lot saying their way is the way to Christ and listen to them - new age groups, etc...

  Anyone going to the hall agree with this logic of mine??? Just asking to see if I am off base here

  TL
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  N.drew

  I have come to the same conclusion. What is too science fiction to consider is the rider on the white horse (wolf in sheep cover is similar) is that which causes ALL the tribulation from the time of the burning swords gaurding the way to the Garden of Eden. Impossible, that is correct. "To come out" of the Great Tribulation is same as "get out" of "Babylon the Great". The Great Tribulation is not a time period, it is the result of the rider going forth to conquer. It involves all the time that the humans have been led astray.

  He has a bow. What else is a bow used for? He has no arrows. Bows are used to start fires.
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  truthlover

  Never thought of that about the bow - interesting