The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are among the best known images found in the Revelation, but they are, in fact, also some of the easiest to understand. In fact, the idea of riders on different colors of horses can be found in Zechariah chapter 1, verses 8-10. Zechariah sees a similar image in chapter 6 verses 1-8. In each of these visions, the horsemen are sent by the Lord Himself to patrol the earth. They are thus agents of God.

So, what is their mission? On this point, John’s vision is clear. The rider on the white horse is sent to conquer. The rider on the red horse brings war to the earth. The rider on the third horse brings terrible famine. And the rider on the forth horse brings death in a variety of ways.

It is thus not going too far to say that these four horsemen are simply a visual way of expressing the same truth that Jesus spoke to His disciples when they asked Him what the signs of His coming would be: “Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:6-8. See also Matthew 24:5-8 and Luke 21:8-11).

So, what is the lesson Jesus wanted His disciples to learn from the false Christs, the wars, the famines and the other terrible events that comprise most of world history? “See that no one leads you astray” (Mark 13:5). In other words, don’t overreact even when the most horrible things happen – they aren’t necessarily signs that Christ’s return is imminent. Instead, Jesus says they are only “the beginning of the birth pains.” And on this Veterans’ Day we can give sober assent to the fact that these sorts of things have indeed happened over and over again for all of the 2000 years that have passed since Jesus’ ascension into Heaven – and they will doubtless keep on happening until He returns.

But there’s another, much more comforting lesson we can learn from these Four Horsemen: in both Zechariah’s and John’s visions, these agents can only do what God specifically tells them to do. In Revelation 6:6, for example, the voice telling them to spread famine on the earth comes directly from the throne of God. And this is a central truth of the entire passage: after all, Jesus is the One Who is opening the seals of the book of history.

So, when the next false religion or the next war or the next famine or the next plague shows up – and it will – let’s remember Who is really in charge. Not even the worst events of history catch Him by surprise or are beyond His control. After all, He told us all these things would happen, didn’t He?

Revelation 6:1-8 (ESV)

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”
2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
4 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.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand.
6 And I heard what seemed to be 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 wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”
8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.