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The Scroll of Redemption
(Revelation 6:1-8)
Chapter 7

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse."                                                                   (Revelation 6:1-2).

The vision of the scroll, and the qualifying of the Lamb to take that scroll and loose the seals thereof, has been awesome.  It is a "scroll of redemption," that is its message, its purpose; and in its outworking we see a further "revelation of Jesus Christ." He is truly revealed as "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world."  (John 1:29).

Now it is time to begin opening the seals, the invitation to further revelation is given, "Come and see." See-- the Greek word is "blepo" meaning: to see, perceive, understand.  May the Lord give us understanding, for this is an outworking of the process of redemption-- that must be clearly understood-- every seal that is loosed from the scroll is vitally linked to the redemption process.

While the Redeemer, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, was also portrayed as a Lamb, now again the figure changes, and with the opening of the seals we have the figures of the horse and Rider.  This, again, is rooted deep in Old Testament symbolism.  The Psalmist cries out, "Gird Thy sword upon Thy thigh, O Most Mighty, with Thy glory and Thy majesty.  And in Thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness."

RIDE PROSPEROUSLY!  Indeed, though "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." (Isaiah 5310).  So says the prophet in his prophetic account of our Redeemer, as He "redeems us to God by His blood."

The PLEASURE of the Lord, literally, HIS PURPOSE, concerns our redemption.  "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."  (Ecclesiastes 3:1), Now it is TIME for the OUTWORKING OF REDEMPTION, and whatever step is to be wrought our next-- He truly prospers in that working, for it is "according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will."  (Ephesians 1:11).

Any gospel that does not acknowledge that our lord, our Redeemer, has already "spoiled principalities and powers, making a she of them openly, triumphing over them in it,"  (Colossians 2:15), would be "another gospel," and is a lie.  He is riding prosperously NOW! Change the metaphor, the message is the same, "He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet."  (1 Corinthians 15:25).  HE IS REIGNING NOW! HE IS RIDING NOW!

"In Christ shall all be made alive." That is the purpose, and it shall be accomplished.  However, it is "every man in his own order."  (1 Corinthians 15:22-23).  So, while we do not see Him reigning/riding in every man at this time, nevertheless there are those who are daily feeling the impact of His inworking, being called out of the world, and unto Himself.  He is prospering in His redemptive process, changing His firstfruits from glory to glory.

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first BEGIN AT US, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God." (1 Peter 4:17).

Judgment-- Greek, krima, or krisis," meaning: the correctional inworkings of the Lord used to bring about a change.

"Behold My Servant, whom I have chosen; My Beloved, in whom My soul is well pleased: I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall SHEW JUDGMENT to the nations.  He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets.  A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth JUDGMENT UNTO VICTORY. And in His name shalt the nations trust."  (Matthew 12:18-21).

Unto victory-- nikos, from same root as prevail, overcome.  He is the Prevailing One, Victorious, riding prosperously.  First the victory was wrought IN HIMSELF, "In all points tempted (tested) like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN."  (Hebrews 4:15).  Now He is able to walk us through all our processing, bringing us into the same OVERCOMING  victory. "Because I live, ye shall live also."

Again the Old Testament establishes the fact that events have often been represented by different colored horses.  This is seen in Zechariah 1:8-11, and 6:2-7, where four colored horses are said to be "The four spirits (or, winds) of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth."  Sent by God to accomplish their specific purpose.  So it is not strange that we see the symbol used again in the opening of the seals.

The horse has long been a symbol of strength and fearlessness.  "He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.  He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword."  (Job 39:21-22).

Again we read, "The horse is prepared against the day of battle."  (Proverbs 21:31).  GOD IS PREPARED TO DO BATTLE IN YOU! Whatever warfare is necessary, still He purposes to redeem you, to cleanse, purify, transform, until IN YOU He hath "made all things new." He who wrestled with Jacob "until the breaking of the day,"  (Genesis 32:24), will wrestle with you for however long it is necessary, until HE WINS.  Yet it is in His winning that you ultimately win.  Sin brings you loss, self-will brings you loss, but being overcome by Christ brings you eternal gain.

If, for a moment, we take a quick peep into events much later in the Book, John writes that "I saw the heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. - And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Revelation 19:11, 14).

It is essential that first He RIDES IN YOU, before you ride WITH Him.  The time will come when the overcomer shares His throne-- and the time comes when a vast company follows Him upon white horses, but that is when He has finished His inworkings of grace, and they have become partakers of His divine nature, conformed to His image, to be ONE IN HIM.  Christ must RIDE TO VICTORY IN US before we ever ride in His triumphal train.

"I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots."  (Song of Solomon 1:9). History records that every one of Pharaoh's horses was a thoroughbred.  There were no mixed stock, they were pure.  No intermingling of other natures, characteristics, weaknesses-- pure bred stock. And such is the qualifications of those who will follow Him on white horses.  Pure as He is pure, holy as He is holy, with no mixture of self or the world in them-- born again, spirit, soul, and body.

 "Behold a white horse: and He that sat on him had a bow and a crown was given unto Him: and He went forth conquering, and to conquer."

The color "white" bespeaks of light, illumination, purify, holiness.  The color reveals what He is doing TO you, or producing IN you.  As important as the color, is, do not let it distract you from remembering Who it is that is riding this horse, and the purpose of His riding, for He is riding it with a view toward REDEMPTION. The scroll is a scroll of redemption,  and that which is now unsealed is furthering that work in you.

The conquest is His! And the reason He is RIDING WITHIN YOU is to bring you to that place where from very atom of your being you cry out, "not my Will, but Thine, be done." The fulness of your redemption will require that every thing within you becomes one IN and WITH the will of God.  This is not some substitute working-- ALL that He does FOR us, but not instead of us.  He died for us-- not to absolve us from dying, but to ensure the fact that ultimately we would all face the cross, the death process, and come through victoriously, even as He triumphed. "We thus judge, that if One died FOR all, then were all dead."  (2 Corinthians 5:14). "That He by the grace of God should taste death FOR every man.  (Hebrews 2:9).  He blazed the trail through the entire process, and conquered, and now He rides in us to make us experiential partakers of that process which results in our being "partakers of His holiness."  (Hebrews 12:10).

His death guarantees that all men shall die out to sin and self, and His resurrection guarantees that all men shall LIVE by His life. "Being made conformable unto His death," is followed by our participation in "the resurrection of the dead."  And in this death and resurrection process HE RIDES PROSPEROUSLY, for "in Christ shall all be made alive."  It is a process which guarantees that we shall BE AS PURE AS HE IS PURE!

Ah, you thought it would be a great spiritual experience, Christ rides in upon a beautiful white horse with glory all around, and you bow and say, "I am all Yours, Lord," in a show of humility and allegiance.  But it doesn't work that way! It is the nitty-gritty of every day living that-- "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass..."  (Matthew 21:5).  Where He finds all these critters, I don't know, but HE RIDES ON THEM, right into the middle of your life-- in the most mundane circumstances.  He says, "If ye SEE ME, I am riding through all this circumstance to bring your will into oneness with My will." And however camouflaged it might appear, yet it is THE WHITE HORSE riding prosperously, to bring you into the fulness of His life, light, purity, and victory.

He has a bow-- "Thy bow was made quite naked... EVEN THY WORD." (Habakkuk 3:9).  It is the WORD OF GOD, quickened by the Spirit, that pierces into our hearts to work a transformation. "Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies; whereby the people fall under Thee."  (Psalm 45:5).  He will subdue and conquer--  "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for His law."  (Isaiah 42:4).

"Conquered by the Christ who died to set me free,
Conquered by the Christ who rose to live in me,
Sovereign, and supreme, He rules eternally,
Rule my spirit, Lord, and master me. (author unknown).

All of this is working to bring forth "a revelation of Jesus Christ" to us, in us, and through us. "It pleased God... to reveal His Son in me..."  (Galatians 1:15-16). And the reason we have this all conquering White Horse riding in us, is to bring us into the fulness of the purity wherein He can be revealed. Praise God!

"And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.  And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to Him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto Him a great sword."  (Revelation 6:3-4).

Now the process intensifies.  Not only has He invaded our life with His light and divine illumination, and begun a conquering work of bringing us one into His will but the process is BY FIRE. Here we have the symbol of a fiery force burning with energy.  The word "red" is the Greek word "purrhos" meaning: fire like, or, flame colored.  It comes from the root word "pur" meaning fire. "Our God is a consuming fire,"  (Hebrews 12:29), and He consumes all our dross. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:12).

"Behold the Lord will come WITH FIRE, and with His chariots like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire.  For BY FIRE and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many." (66:15-16).

When Adam was expelled from the garden of Eden, God "placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and A FLAMING SWORD which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."  (Genesis 3:24). This was not meant as a blockage, to keep man from the tree of life, but rather as a safe-guard, and to keep the way open-- so that whoever passed through the FLAMING SWORD would be qualified to eat of that tree of life.  Now we come to the last book of the Bible, and learn that there are OVERCOMERS who are given the right to eat of the tree of life.  And we learn that the "red horse" rides prosperously in us, to PURge, PURify, lead us through our PURgatory, until in Him we are PURe.  Furthermore, because it is a flaming sword it holds within it a HEALING OPERATION as well as a pruning work.  The sword will cut off all the unwanted debris of the flesh, and then cauterize at the same time, sealing the wound to help hasten the healing.  Those who have been dealt with by the flaming sword know of this know of this glorious dual working, for while it is ever so painful on the flesh, yet there is a sense of healing, deliverance, victory that emerges through it all.

"But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire, and the like fuller's soap.  And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness." (Malachi 3:2-3). Does He ride prosperously? Yes! Every one that is purged BY FIRE brings their offering to Him IN righteousness.

Significant also that it is given to the Rider "to take peace from the earth."  What does this mean? It means that He will invade your earth and whereas you might have once thought things were peaceful in your flesh-realm, now it all becomes so meaningless, empty, unsatisfying. You see the vanity of the word for what it is, and you begin to loathe those very things which you once thought desirable.  Houses and lands, new cars, fine foods, and expensive clothes, whatever the "things" wherein we found our enjoyment, all become secondary when He takes peace from your earth.  Whatever form of peace you once had is gone, and now your only true peace is found in Christ. Temporary moments of earth-peace are taken away, that the true peace from above might be established in you, and in HIM you learn to be content, regardless of the circumstances, even as Paul said, "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11).

Remember, all of this serves to bring forth another expression of  "the revelation of Jesus Christ." And He said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother... and a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:34-36).

He is the Prince of Peace, yet He brought a sword.  It is the GOSPEL OF PEACE, but men war against it.  The truth, by reason of men's opposition to it, will cause much variance, even between nearest relatives. "And that they should kill one another," is a difficult word, yet persecution, in one form or other, is necessary to the completion of the Christian character: for "he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me."

Even the Psalmist experienced measures of this, "For my love they are my adversaries..." (Psalm 120:7).  So when this happens in your life, just consider that the "red horse" is riding, and using it all to purify unto Himself a people that shall be found to His praise.  And the promise remains, the day shall come when "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:4). AMEN!

When He had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Com and see.  And I beheld, and to a black horse; and He that sat on him had a pair of balances in His hand." (Revelation 6:5).

"Come and see..." Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord..."  (Hosea 6:3). It is a progressive revelation for, for an outworking of the REDEMPTION PROCESS-- we must keep us.  "He is able also to save us to the uttermost..."  (Hebrews 7:25).  The severity of the processing cannot dim the hope of our being made partakers of His divine nature, being conformed to His image, and entering into the joy that is set before us.

It is also essential that the first seal would be of the "white horse" bringing light and divine illumination to us, shewing us the purity of that to which we are called, before we face this "black horse"  with all of its inworkings.  The holy Spirit quickens various aspects to different individuals, we share the two points He impresses upon us-- black, and balances.

One of the reasons for His riding these black experiences into our life, is to bring us into BALANCE.  Why does He "set men in depression?" (Psalm 90:3, Ferrar Fenton).  Why this BLACK MOOD that settles upon some?  Why the dark night of the soul?  Because in divine wisdom He incorporates the night with the light, and  calls it "a day." "And the evening and the morning were the first day."  (Genesis 1:5).  And the sequence is most proper-- for however dark the night might be, yet the process ends with the dawning light of that perfect day. "For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5).  Through it all He brings a balance to the inner man.

Change the metaphor for just a moment, for we find in Jesus Christ the perfect illustration for a balanced life.  In the Old Testament it speaks of offerings made to the Lord "of fine flour."  He is that Perfect Offering! In fine flour not one particle is more predominant than any other particle, there is no unevenness.  In Christ we see every grace in perfectness, none out of place, none wanting.  His firmness never degenerated into obstinacy.  His calmness never became stoical indifference.  His gentleness was never a weakness.  In Christ no one thing is singled out, all is even-- in perfect balance.  And such He would work in us today.

HE RIDES WITH A BALANCE IN HIS HAND-- "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord."  (Luke 3:5-6).  Salvation! Redemption! The black horse rides for this! The ultimate goal is total restoration for every creature!

What a shout of victory shall be heard, when the overcomers are manifested in the glory of HIS BALANCE.  The song of the ages which has long been buried deep within shall be heard again-- as "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." (Job 38:7).  What praise, what worship shall arise as sweet incense unto Him who has wrought such a glorious redemption under the cover of the dark night of the soul.  Truly,  "The darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee."  (Psalm 139:12).

Jesus said to Peter, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."  (Luke 22:31-32).  Why the sifting?  To sift out all the uneven particles-- the doubt, the unbelief, the self-will, etc. until only "fine flour" remains.  We get so tossed and shaken we think all balance is gone-- but all of this is working that He might bring us into HIS balance.  And don't forget, He says, "I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not."  Fail not-- literally, the Greek text reads, "will not go into an eclipse."  HIS PRAYER SHALL BE ANSWERED! His faith in us shall rise up and overcome.  "The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me."  (Galatians 2:20).

The message came to Belshazzar, "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting."  Daniel 5:27).  Likewise we look at ourselves and we see such lack, such need.  But He rides within to balance out our need with His sufficiency, our lack with His fulness. "He maketh peace thy borders, and filleth thee with the finest of wheat." (Psalm 147:14). He is the One that "bindeth up our wounds, pouring in oil and wine."  (Luke 10:34).  He is that Great Physician, He is our Healing Redeemer!

Far too long we have fastened our attention upon the blackness of the night, but now it is time to look only on the Rider-- "The Author and the Finisher of our faith."  He will ride prosperously through the night, and joy will come in the morning.

"And when He had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and His name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.  And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." (Revelation 6:7-8).

"Come and see..." By degrees the revelation unfolds, and we glimpse more of the mystery of our redemption-- to bow in awesome wonder, and say with Paul, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"  (Romans 11:33).

What an outworking of redemption in us-- the white horse, the red horse, the black horse, have ridden so prosperously in the areas of their purpose, that now as we come to this fourth horse we see its ministration is to "the forth part of the earth." This signifies the success of the preceding processes, and the conclusion of His work over what remains.  When this horse had ridden through, it will have finished the purging, purifying, ending of the old realm of carnality, that we might be filled with His life.  He has all the equipment necessary for accomplishing the task-- for ALL power is given into Me in heaven and in earth."  (Matthew 28:18).

"I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND OF DEATH." (Revelation 1:18).  All power-- all authority, and all ability, HE HAS IT! And "death and hell" are now under His death to help us die out to the carnal mind, to self, to sin. "I kill, and I make alive; wound, and I heal; neither is there any that can deliver out of My hand." (Deuteronomy 32:39).

"Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up."  (Hosea 6:1).  No mention of the devil" here, no glorifying of negative forces-- because HE IS IN CONTROL. "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling His Word."  Psalm 148:8) He knows just how much of the DEATH PROCESS is needed at any given time, and truly, "The way of the cross leads home."

Death came as an enemy, the result of when man turned away from God, to the minding of  self and the flesh.  Now God makes death overcome itself.  It is by death that death is rendered powerless, and there shall arise a new life-- His.  It takes death to destroy death, and thus Christ "did taste death for every man, - that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."  (Hebrews 2:9, 14-15).

How clear is the Word Jesus gave, "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils."  (Luke 11:21-22).  Once the devil had "the power of death," and so as a thief he come "to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."  But then A STRONGER than he came and took away his armour-- rendered him powerless, and now CHRIST ALONE has the keys of death and of hell.  To deny this is to blaspheme the triumph of Calvary.  The Rider of the "pale house" has total authority over death and hell, and now can use them for the furtherance of His process of REDEMPTION.  Thus, by His enablement, we conquer the death of the carnal mind by dying to it.  Only God could use such a process to bring victory and release His new life in us.

"To kill with the sword..." "Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations."  (Revelation 19:15).

"For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and shaper than any twoedged sword." (Hebrews 4:12).  Thank God for this sword which kills-- and yet quickens us anew with His life.

"And with hunger..." What lusts within, what passions, what desires are starved to death," that He might give us the desires of His heart.  We get so hungry for fellowship we think we'll die, and yet when He has finished His inworking we desire only HIS true fellowship-- He let that hunger rage within us until it burned itself out, and now we hunger and thirst only after Him, and such, He said, "shall be filled."

"And with the beasts of the earth..." In a way so unique and amazing.  He is able to marshall the bestial nature of men about us, so that they are His instruments to put to death in us that which is not pleasing to Him.  They might well be termed "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction."  (Romans 9:22, but they are under His control. "For Thou, O God, hath proves us:  Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.  Thou broughtest us into the net; Thou laidest affliction upon our loins.  THOU CAUSED MEN TO RIDE OVER OUR HEADS; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place."  (Psalm 66:10-12).

Is He properous!  Yes, the end result is that He brings us INTO A WEALTHY PLACE. The Hebrew word means: fulness.  And the same word is used in the verse, "Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over."  (Psalm 23:5).  Wealthy, running over-- such is the abundant life we have in Christ.  For, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."  (Psalm 16:11).

Ride on, O Redeemer! Whatever the process, however hot the fire, however dark the night, however sharp the sword, however long the fight-- the victory is secure in Thee. amen!