So, one of the living creatures speaks. John says that his voice was “like thunder,” [verse 1]. That may signify any number of things: perhaps it what is being said is a revelation of God; perhaps it might indicate some form of divine judgment about to go forth; or, it most probably simply indicates that the living creature could be heard throughout heaven, and even upon the earth.

His cry is, “Come!” [verse 1]. The King James Version and the New King James Version, as well as a couple of other older translations, add “Come and see!” Well, the “and see” part is not in the transcript. This is not a fatal flaw. I don’t mean to suggest that or imply that at all. But it does affect what is being viewed here, because when the “and see” is added, it would appear that the creature is asking John to “Come and see!” But John is already in the position to look—he’s already seen the seal opened. In reality, what most Bible scholars believe on this matter is that this not an invitation for John to “Come!” It’s not an invitation for the Lord Himself to “Come!” After all, He’s already there—He’s the One Who is involved in opening these seals. Rather, the creature is inviting, yea, perhaps, even commanding the rider on the horse to come forth. This thunderous call that is heard throughout heaven calls each horse and each rider that follows this first horse and rider.

As the living creature calls forth the first horse and rider, what is it that John sees there? He sees a rider on a white horse, [verse 2]. He sees that the “rider had a bow,” and then He is given “a crown.” He came forth “conquering, and to conquer.”

The “white horse” is indicative, if we think about it in a purely secular/military-type way. The “white horse” represents a victorious military battle. Generals of the day, conquering military men, Romans, Parthenians, and others, typically rode white horses. Because of this, and because, also, that that the rider is carrying a weapon—a weapon which can be a weapon of war—there are many who would say, “Well, you see, this has to do with an earthly military battle.” This begins that idea (I don’t want to call it “doctrine”), the thinking, that so many have about the great military battle that is going to take place in the last days.

However, there are a number of things that we can look at in this regard. First of all, thinking about “horses.” I hadn’t really considered that there as much said in the Scriptures, in the Old Testament particularly, as there is about “horses.” Horses, indeed, are a symbol of battle, a symbol of strength, a symbol of speed.

For example, Job 39, beginning with verse 19, God eulogizes the horse [as He chastises Job]. He describes the majesty and the fearlessness of a horse in battle. [Job 19:25: (God said to Job,) “Have you given the horse strength? Have you clothed his neck with thunder? Can you frighten him like a locust? His majestic snorting strikes terror. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He gallops into the clash of arms. He mocks at fear, and is not frightened; Nor does he turn back from the sword. The quiver rattles against him, The glittering spear and javelin. He devours the distance with fierceness and rage; Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded. At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, The thunder of captains and shouting.”]

Also, in Jeremiah, chapter 4, there is a description of the horse in the siege as being “swifter than eagles.” [Jeremiah 4:13: “Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!”] Habakkuk says “Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and more fierce than evening wolves.” That’s Habakkuk 1, and verse 8.

Zechariahwill describe horses of various colors. He describes horses of red, of sorrel, of white. He speaks in Zechariah 1, verse 8 and following of riders patrolling the earth on horses. [“I saw by night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and it stood among the myrtle trees in the hollow; and behind him were horses: red, sorrel, and white. ⁹Then I said, ‘My lord, what are these?’ So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’
¹⁰And the man who stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are the ones whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro throughout the earth.’
¹¹So they answered the Angel of the LORD, who stood among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have walked to and fro throughout the earth, and behold, all the earth is resting quietly.’”]

Later, Zechariah sees red, black, white and speckled horses pulling chariots with riders, symbolizing those that go forth on missions for Jehovah, that “quiet His spirit,” Zechariah 6:1-8. [“Then I turned and raised my eyes and looked, and behold, four chariots were coming from between two mountains, and the mountains were mountains of bronze. ²With the first chariot were red horses, with the second chariot black horses, ³with the third chariot white horses, and with the fourth chariot dappled horses—strong steeds. ⁴Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’
⁵And the angel answered and said to me, ‘These are four spirits of heaven, who go out from their station before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶The one with the black horses is going to the north country, the white are going after them, and the dappled are going toward the south country.’ ⁷Then the strong steeds went out, eager to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth. And He said, ‘Go, walk to and fro throughout the earth.’ So they walked to and fro throughout the earth. ⁸And He called to me, and spoke to me, saying, ‘See, those who go toward the north country have given rest to My Spirit in the north country.’”]