ziggy88 Loc: quincy illinois 62301

The Horsemen of the Apocalypse


Written by: the late J.R. Church - Researched by Pastor Gary Boyd

Intro by Pastor Gary Boyd: A view of Bible prophecy makes it clear that we must be living in the generation that experiences these events. What follows is a very accurate article by the Late J.R. Church, who founded the Prophecy in the News Magazine, that nails it when he puts forth John' vision of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that bring death, famine, disease, war, and a false Messiah on the world stage. It will be a time like no other on the planet, a time of massive suffering, starvation, world plaque, war, and a false Messiah who lead ones who follow him into perdition. This is John's vision when he was lifted up to heaven to record this for all mankind. Read carefully your life could depend on it.

Four Terrifying Scenes
John’s vision of the horsemen of the Apocalypse is one of the most dramatic among the prophets. Riding across the world, these four terrifying scenes will introduce the most significant time in the history of mankind. The biblical Tribulation Period approaches as they make their appearance upon the world stage. They ride under the direction of Jesus Christ, who is shown releasing them as he breaks the seals of a scroll taken from the hand of God, the Father. Through them, God unleashes His judgment upon an unbelieving world at the first of the great tribulation.
The four horsemen represent more than mere men upon simple steeds. They are symbolic of things far greater. Not limited to a particular geographical area, they represent world-shattering events destined to decimate the nations.
Under their command, a fourth of the earth’s population will die. Hundreds of millions more will be injured or maimed. It will be a time more horrible than history has ever witnessed, worse than the dark ages when millions died of the plague, and worse than both world wars that haven darkened the planet back in the day. This will be the mother lode of all horrors.

Exiled in his latter years to the island of Patmos, John was taken into heaven and shown visions of the future. In this vision, the horsemen are symbolic of an era of conflict. They represent what would otherwise be indescribable events, presented in the simple tongue of John’s day. They allowed the prophet to use his limited language to explain a series of complex events which will come to pass just prior to the return of Christ.

Deceiver
As Christ breaks the first seal, John writes:
“And I saw, and 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”
(Revelation 6:2).
We shall call the rider of this first horse the Deceiver. In John’s earlier epistles, he is called the Antichrist. Some day, perhaps soon, this infamous world leader will emerge. He will be honored by governments as the apparent savior of mankind – Mr. Wonderful. He will become the leader of a one-world political and economic system. I believe this world government is presently under development and am convinced we live in those momentous days just prior to the onset of the Tribulation Period.

Messianic Fever

Jews are looking forward to the coming of their long-awaited Messiah. In recent years Jewish groups have become convinced that He is about to appear. Billboards throughout Israel announce their expectation of the Messiah’s appearance. In their haste, they just might accept the Antichrist. The highlight event of the tribulation concerns this false messiah and his dealings with Israel. I am inclined to believe that he will have family ties to one of the tribes of Israel – making him a pretender to the office of Messiah. However, though he may claim to be a descendant from Judah, I think he will be from the tribe of Dan.

My reason for believing this is found in Genesis 49. The dying Jacob gave prophecies concerning the last days. Among his predictions were statements about the Messiah and His enemy:
“Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1).
The dying Jacob looked into the far future – to the last days – and told each son what would befall his tribe. He indicated the Messiah would descend from Judah:
“Judah thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
“Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:8-10).
History attests to the fulfillment of this prophecy, Judah has been the leading tribe throughout the centuries! In fact, every Israeli today bears the name of Judah; he is commonly called a “Jew.” According to rabbinical commentaries, Shiloh refers to the Messiah. I think Jacob gives the definitive statement that He will be a member of the tribe of Judah.
Concerning the enemy, Jacob had these words to say about Dan:
“Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
“Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward” (Genesis 49:16,17). Also keep in mind to deceive Israel into believing he is the Messiah he almost has to be Jewish for this to happen.

In these two verses, the dying Jacob prophesied that the tribe of Dan would bring judgment upon the tribes of Israel, that he would be a “serpent by the way, an adder in the path.” It is here, that we see the trail of the serpent – Satan. We learned this from the first chapters of Genesis, in which the serpent beguiled Eve. Ever since then, the serpent has been symbolic of the devil. Satan is found working in the tribe of Dan. I guess we could call Dan the black sheep of the family.

So wicked was the tribe of Dan, it was eliminated from the twelve tribes recorded in Revelation chapter 7. Those 144,000 Jews are made up of the twelve tribes of Israel, 12,000 from each tribe. They are listed in Revelation 7:5-8 as Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Nephtalim, Manasses, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zabulon, Joseph, and Benjamin. Dan is not listed. Why? Because through him will come the seed of the serpent. Therefore, it is reasonable for us to consider that the Antichrist could be from the tribe of Dan.
Choice 3 - Subscription with book Guardians of the Grail (USA ONLY) - Prophecy in the News item#SUBGG
In my book GUARDIANS OF THE GRAIL, I have an entire chapter on Dan – giving a great deal more information on the subject.

Daniel also writes as if the Antichrist will arise out of one of the tribes of Israel:
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
“But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:37,38).
That statement leads me to believe that the Antichrist will be an Israelite. He has no regard for the God of his fathers – the God of the rabbis.

The Abomination of Desolation

According to Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians, a future Jewish sanctuary will be desecrated by the Antichrist:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (II Thessalonians 2:3,4).
The Bible tells us that when the Holy Spirit, “He who now lets [hinders]” (v.7), is taken out of the way, “the Wicked shall be revealed” (v.8). When the Holy Spirit is taken away, you can be sure that all believers will go with Him. After that, the Antichrist can be revealed. For the end of the article go to http://garyboyd2244.blogspot.com