SEVEN SEALS (4)

THE PALE HORSE

REVELATION 6:7-8

"And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and he who sits upon it, his name is Death; and Hades followed with him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth."


The fourth and final horse:  the Pale Horse’ rider symbolizes death that results from war and famine when men turn against men. The rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. 

The Spirit of DEATH, with authority to kill … over a fourth of the earth comes forward. This fourth angel is “Death.” This angel rides a pale horse—the color attributed to a person near death. “Hades” is the unseen world of the dead. This place had two separate abodes, a place where God’s people lived and another area for condemned persons. Jesus called the area of Hades where believers dwelt “Abraham’s side.” (Luke 16:22; AKA “Abraham’s Bosom”) That Hades was following close behind Death meant that following death, people travel to the unseen world. In other words, people die (Death), and then immediately travel to the unseen world (Hades).

Many people will die because of plague or pestilence, a possible reference to disease-causing microorganisms, which are increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatment. This also could be a reference to biological warfare. To kill by wild beasts is reminiscent of the days when the Roman Empire fed Christians to the lions. However, the application here points to soldiers on the battlefield. Ezekiel foresaw wild animals feasting on human flesh.

Son of Man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to every kind of bird and all the wild animals: ‘Assemble and come together from all around to the sacrifice I am preparing for you, the great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel. There you will eat flesh and drink blood. You will eat the flesh of mighty men and drink the blood of the princes of the earth as if they were rams and lambs, goats and bulls. (Ezekiel 39:17-18)

The word "pale" here is the same as the word "green" in Mark 6:39 and Revelation 8:7 and 9:4. Green is the color of vegetables. A green complexion indicates either sickness or death. Therefore, the name of the one riding on the pale horse is "Death." The word "death" in the second part of the verse can be translated "pestilence." Therefore, we interpret it as "pestilence" here also. "Hades" in the original language means the unseen world. Hades here is like a trash can (the dead people are like garbage). One fourth of the people on the earth are killed by the sword of the red horse, by the famine of the black horse, by the death of the pale horse, and by the beasts. "The beasts" indicate a very serious judgment of God (Num. 21:6; Exo. 23:28; Josh. 24:12; 2 Kings 2:24; 17:25) …to be cont’d. 

In Christ,

Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible Stories Theatre o
Fine & Performing Arts
www.biblestoriestheatre.org