The Tribulation Period of seven years begins when the antichrist confirms (makes better, improves) a treaty between Israel and “many,” according to Daniel 9:27. At the same time we see Jesus in heaven opening the first seal of a scroll that was handed to Him, and a rider on a white horse appears. This is the same man, seen in the realm of the spirit, pretending to be a man of peace.
When the second seal is opened, a red horse comes into view:
When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. Revelation 6:3,4
This rider will have the power to cause people to kill one another. No reason is given for the killings, except that peace is taken from the earth. Imagine what life will be like with no peace on earth!
Remember the angels’ message when Jesus was born?
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14
The good news of peace on earth that accompanied Jesus’ birth will fully expire when His body, the church, is taken out of the way, opening the door to rampant lawlessness. We already see it progressing, as even governments ignore or break the very laws that they themselves have made, not to mention God’s laws that are disregarded everywhere. The spirit of lawlessness is hard at work!
And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:6,7
The Holy Spirit empowers us to be the salt and light that work against the decay and darkness of this wicked world, but when the church is taken out of the way, He will also depart, because He never leaves us, according to Jesus’ promise in John 14:16.
When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 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.” Revelation 6:5,6
When the rider of the black horse begins his journey, the earth faces inflation and food shortages. Food is not only expensive, but also scarce, depicted by the scales in the rider’s hand. A worker’s wage for a day will buy him a quart of wheat, or three quarts of barley. These are very basic foods! Oil and wine are also available, but no price is mentioned, maybe because it will be out of reach for most people. Oil and wine are for the tables of elites.
Connecting the dots with the world’s economy today is easily done: prices are sky high, and there is talk of global food shortages. Unusual weather, war, lack of fertilizer, and high fuel prices caused by green policies, are behind the empty supermarket shelves. Is this economy of lack temporary, as we have seen so often in the past? Only time will tell. What is concerning, though, is the convergence of signs that the Bible mentions in connection of the last days of this era. If the opinions expressed by members of the World Economic Forum mean anything, tough times are here to stay. According to them the earth is overpopulated, endangering its resources, and they are making plans to remedy the situation.
As darkness is falling on the earth, the riders of the horses of the Tribulation period cast their long shadows into the present day. There is the Russian/Ukraine war; China threatens to invade Taiwan; Chechnya warned Poland to prepare for war, Iran, Russia, Turkey and the US have military operations in Syria, and Yemen is at war with Saudi Arabia. The world has become very unstable despite diplomatic efforts to restore peace everywhere.
The last horse seen by the apostle John, as he was drawn away in the Spirit, is a green horse, often (erroneously) translated as a pale horse.
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7,8
This is interesting, since there are no green horses; no wonder the translators coloured it pale instead. The Bible gives no explanation of the strange colour of this horse, except that it might indicate the kind of hardship that it will bring with it. We can only speculate at this time, but many people will die of hunger, the sword, and by animals. Unlike the other horses, the rider of the green horse has a name: Death, and Hell follows him. By the time this horse leaves the stable, the world has already been subjected to the calamities brought on by the previous three. Does its unusual colour have anything to do with green policies that are now becoming so popular? Green policies already started to have a negative impact the world’s production of food, and we all know how people behave when food becomes scarce.
The good news in the midst of all the bad tidings that the Tribulation years will bring, is that the church is never mentioned as sharing in its woes. The wrath of God is not destined for believers, but for those who rejected Jesus:
He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. John 3:18-19
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:6
For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10
God explains in very clear terms how you can escape His wrath that is about to fall on those who reject Jesus. Salvation is free, since Jesus paid for it with His own blood, shed on the cross as He took the penalty for our sin upon Himself:
This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11,12
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16
…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9,10
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Ephesians 1:13
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10
For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2
So many hope that life will return to normal, as it was before the Covid-19 event, but that will certainly not happen. World leaders confirm it over and over again, and although they make promises of Build back Better, it is not what they are planning to do. The true timeline of what our future will look like is found in the Bible, where the world’s history is recorded in advance — with great accuracy. In a day where deception, lies and propaganda dominate the news, the Bible is the only source of truth.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
