Revelation: The Red Horse

 Revelation: Justification by Faith

The Red Horse

Revelation 6:3–4 (ESV):

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

The second living creature in Revelation 4 was the calf.
Here we see the second strike against Satan’s kingdom. It is a red horse that takes away peace with a great sword.
Jesus spoke about this sword:

Matthew 10:34–39 (ESV):

Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

And in Hebrews:

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV):

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God’s Word and the gospel of His kingdom often bring division, even to the point where people kill one another. Those who follow Christ are usually the ones who suffer in this.
Satan has his own kingdom, and in his pride, he hates any other rule. When God comes with His kingdom of righteousness, Satan uses all his power to wipe it out—thus there is much division.
Sin hates righteousness, and darkness has not understood the light.
Those under Satan’s power will either switch over to this other kingdom or, as good citizens of Satan, they will hate this kingdom.

It often happens that Satan then blames the gospel and the Word of God for the division.
He claims there was much more unity before this gospel came, and that things were better when he ruled completely.
He says the Word should not speak as it stands written, but wants to twist it himself to make it fit with his kingdom.
His followers speak likewise.

But the division is not inherent to the Word of God.
The Word of God only brings division because of the sinfulness and hardness of Satan’s kingdom.

The horse is depicted as red.
The word "red" used here suggests a fiery red—this is the meaning of the Greek word behind it.
Jesus says:

Luke 12:49–53 (ESV):

I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.
For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.
They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

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