In chapter five, the Apostle John saw the sealed scroll in the hand of God. He understood the serious nature of the information in the scroll, but NO ONE under the earth, on the earth, or in heaven was worthy to open the scrolls.
As a follower of Christ, this last statement puzzles me – because I find myself asking, where is Jesus?
John begins to weep as there is none worthy. If there is none worthy, how will we ever find out what is in the scroll? This might lead to another assumption, as there was no one closer to Jesus on earth besides John, and in his vision, he does not see Jesus anywhere.
An elder comes to John, stops him from weeping, and affirms that there is one worthy - the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. This description is distinctly speaking of Jesus Christ, and it is so because Jesus alone paid the price for our redemption.
However, when John turns to see his best friend, Jesus, the majestic and conquering lion, he sees a lamb, as if it had been slaughtered.
Is this cause for dismay? Not at all, for He is the Lion of Judah; the Lamb that was slain – the final sacrifice; and, He is God.
Having someone worthy to open the seals, we begin our look into chapter six.
Revelation 6:1 NASB “Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come."
The opening of this first seal is, according to Dake's commentary, “one of 62 events of Rev. 6:1-20:3 that will be fulfilled during Daniel’s 70th week.”
Daniel's 70th week refers to Daniel 9:26-27, where the Antichrist establishes or makes an existing peace treaty better. The treaty or covenant, made by the Antichrist, is broken halfway through the seven-year treaty period.
[By the way, Israel is NOT mentioned when this peace treaty is made and, therefore may not be the recipient of its benefits.]
Most translations read something like what we see in the NASB version of Daniel 11:23, (After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people,) but look at how the NIRV [New International Reader's Version] states this same verse, “The king of Syria will make an agreement with that prince. But then he will not keep his word. He will rise to power with the help of only a few people.”
When I read something like this my first question is, how did the contributors to this translation come to this conclusion?
If I treated my statement as a question, then the legitimate response is that Daniel 11:23, is a very concise history lesson; a history lesson that is a reference to a future event. Fortunately, God is not random as we are, therefore, we can look at the history of Daniel 11 as a pattern for what is to come and that means that we could be looking for one that is of Assyrian descent to bring about this covenant with the many. (Yes, I changed it from Syrian to Assyrian as the entire region falls under the appropriate category because they are all descendants of Esau and Ishmael.)
The first seal is now broken, and immediately a living creature, who speaks with a voice like thunder, says, come. John is meant to see this.
Revelation 6:2 CJB “I looked, and there in front of me was a white horse; its rider had a bow and was given a crown and he rode off as a conqueror to conquer.”
In most cowboy movies, the rider on the white horse was the good guy, the hero; that is not the case here. An intriguing piece of information is that Islam also puts their hopes in Revelation 6:2, as they believe that this is the only scripture in the Bible that is valid, as, for them, the rider on the white horse is their Messiah.
To the Jews reading or hearing this talk about the rider on the white horse, it is not something new to them. Zechariah 6:7 speaks of horses similar to what we will soon see. The difference is that the Lord sends those in Zechariah. Their mission is to be revealed at a prescribed time; perhaps that time is now. Zechariah 1:7-11 also speaks of horses similarly colored; they report back to the Lord that all is at rest.
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It seems that prophecy is validated in the mind of the Jewish audience through repetition. Seeing as we DO NOT know the entirety of these riders' mission in Zechariah, it leaves a door open to God using them for His purposes, even if it is troublesome.
Dake's commentary declares that this is the Antichrist and gives us seven proofs.
What follows is taken from Dake's commentary, and he provides scriptural references. When I see something like this coming from someone so adept at Eschatology, you might think I could merely take the man's word for it. I have learned otherwise, and therefore, always attempt to validate the information given. Many of the references given DO NOT seem to define what Dake is saying; because of things like what I found with Dake my strong suggestion is to be cautious in your studies and who you pay attention to. Along this line of reasoning, one dear sister that I listen to recently asserted that 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians are depicting sequential events; she went on to explain that the events in 1 Thessalonians must happen before anything in 2 Thessalonians can happen, and she made a bit of a scene, saying, see! One is named as the first and then the second. I put my head in my hands and said dear Lord help her.
I said all this because we are going to examine Dake's seven points.
“Seven proofs that this rider is the antichrist:”
“An individual is referred to.” (Rev_6:2) Many translations use the terminology “he that sat,” to describe this rider on the first white horse.
The terminology “its rider,” as seen in Revelation 6:2, directs us to look for an individual, in contrast to a multi-headed beast, which is representative of kingdoms. See Daniel 7:6-7 for descriptions of some of the beasts.
Isaiah 41:2 speaks of one from the east. It is obvious to me that it is God who has called this “one.” "Who has aroused one from the east Whom He calls in righteousness to His feet? He delivers up nations before him And subdues kings. He makes them like dust with his sword, As the wind-driven chaff with his bow.” (NASB )
Since I am looking for at least two witnesses to validate Dakes's assertion, then perhaps Ezekiel 25:4 will help us to understand this individual.
Ezekiel 25:4 CJB I will let the people from the east take possession of you. They will set up camps and build their homes among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk.
I would think that the people from the East would have a leader.
If this is a definition of this rider, the Antichrist, then why would we be looking to the Roman Catholic Church?
“he comes on a white horse, imitating Christ and claiming to be Him.” (Rev_6:2; Mat_24:4-5; Joh_5:43; Dan_9:27; Dan_11:37).
Let me interject something here; it is obvious that he has a bow and he is on a mission, but the passage does not say anything about him claiming to be Christ. If we pursue the parallels in Daniel, then we have a chance at validating the claims that Dake makes.
Daniel 11 has the strongest correlation to him claiming to be God when it says “he will magnify himself above them all.” The reference is to all gods.
Daniel 11:36-37 NASB "Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. (37) "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.
Notice how the Psalm defines the way the wicked act. All these descriptions fit the man, but they do not exactly say that he will set himself above God.
Psalms 94:3-4 NASB How long shall the wicked, O LORD, How long shall the wicked exult? (4) They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly; All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.
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The (Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury) states, “This seems to be a representation of the person and dignity of Christ, and the mild and beneficent triumphs of his Gospel ...”
Unless you pay attention and look at the context, you might be deluded into thinking this is Christ as well.
Revelation 19 gives us a clarifying parallel when it shows us, Jesus upon the white horse coming to close out the seven-years, kill off those who choose to fight with Him, and begin the millennial reign.
It seems like a stretch to say, “he comes on a white horse, imitating Christ and claiming to be Him,” as we do not see an intentional act of imitation. What we do see, is this rider going on a mission in which he goes “out conquering and to conquer.” Revelation 19 on the other hand, speaks of His faithfulness.
Revelation 19:11 NLT Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
Isaiah 41:2 speaks of a king and it is apparent the God has helped him win his battles.
Isaiah 41:2 NIrV "Who has stirred up a king from the east? Who has helped him win his battles? I hand nations over to him. I bring kings under his control. He turns them into dust with his sword. With his bow, he turns them into straw blowing in the wind.
Keep in mind that scripture tells us that God used Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire, to bring about God's judgment and punishment upon Israel. Jeremiah 21:7 and 22:25 both speak of God giving over Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
Habakkuk 3:8,9 also speaks of a horse and a bow. I point this out because of the prophetic symbolism and familiarity to the Jewish community.
Habakkuk 3:8-9 NIrV LORD, did your anger burn against the rivers? Were you angry with the streams? Were you angry with the Red Sea? You rode your horses and chariots to overcome it. (9) You got your bow ready to use. You asked for many arrows. Selah You broke up the surface of the earth with rivers.
In Dake's reference to Matthew 24:5 (NASB) , where it tells us, "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many,” there is NO specific reference to who will make this claim.
It is ludicrous to think that someone would claim to be Jesus. The more reasonable claim would be for someone to declare that they represent god, which the Mahdi of Islam does.
Revelation 14:14 speaks of the crown.
Revelation 14:14 NLT Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
3. “A bow in symbolic language in connection with man pictures evil designs and conquests (Psa_7:12; Psa_11:2; Psa_37:14; Psa_46:9; Psa_58:7; Jer_49:35). Christ is always symbolized as having a sword, not a bow.” (Rev_1:16; Rev_19:15, Rev_19:21).
Psalms 37:14 NLT The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
4. “Scripture makes it clear that Satan is the one who gives Antichrist a crown.” (Dan_8:24; Dan_11:38-39; 2Th_2:8-12; Rev_13:2, Rev_13:4).
Daniel 11 gives us a clue when it says he will honor "a god of fortresses."
Daniel 11:37-39 NASB "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. (38) "But instead, he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones, and treasures. (39) "He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many and will parcel out land for a price.
Fortresses is an English transliteration of the Hebrew word mâ‛ôz. This word is most commonly defined as strength.
So he is worshiping a god of strength. If this man is a Muslim, then it is no coincidence that Muslims say, Allahu Akbar as the phrase means Allah is greater.
Couldn't I perceive that they believe that their god is strength?
2 Thessalonians distinctly conveys that it is Satan empowering the one who is coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10 NASB (8) Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; (9) that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (10) and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
If you understand that the Dragon of Revelation 13 is Satan, this verse makes sense.
Revelation 13:2 NASB And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.
5. “Antichrist is the only person predicted in Scripture as going forth "conquering and to conquer" at this particular time, beginning Daniel’s 70th week....” (Dan_7:7-8, Dan_7:20-21, Dan_7:23-24; Dan_8:23-25; Dan_9:27; Dan_11:36-45; Rev_6:1).
Daniel 7:7 speaks of "the fourth beast." This beast devours, crushes, and tramples down; this describes the Antichrist as well. We have been clinging to Rome and the Catholic church as the fourth beast, in doing that we have prevented ourselves from considering Islam as the fourth beast.
Daniel 7:7-8 NASB "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (8) "While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.
This horn that we see in verse eight is the only thing here that identifies a person.
Verse eight, however, speaks of a mouth uttering great boasts. You can't have a mouth without having a body, but this does not mean that the “little horn” and the mouth uttering great boasts are the same person. We are looking for a false prophet as well, and this mouth may well fit that description. I say that, but in reading other translations I can see how this might be a descriptive of the Antichrist.
Daniel, desirous to understand the meaning of the fourth beast, just as we all do, prayed for an answer; this is what he received.
Daniel 7:23-25 NASB "Thus he said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. (24) 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
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(25) 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
“The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth,”
Unlike the first three empires, this does not have to be sequential, and even if you must insist that we should be looking for the Roman empire, it too was non-sequential. If you consider the Grecian empire's end, it ended under the rule of two generals Ptolemy and Seleucus.
The Seleucid Empire, which was most anything North of Egypt, encompassed many kingdoms, one of which was the massive Assyrian empire. When you think about the Assyrian empire, think about the Persians or the Islamic world.
In terms of being different, most conquering kingdoms/empires did not try to change the people's religion; they sought to dominate those captured and do away with their faith if necessary.
Daniel 8:23-24 is another reference Dake gives us. This one is quite specific.
Daniel 8:23-24 NASB "In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue. (24) "His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
While the terms “going forth, conquering and to conquer,” are not explicitly mentioned, we do have the phrase “destroy to an extraordinary degree.”
Destroy is the Hebrew word shâchath and means to ruin.
An extraordinary degree is the Hebrew word pâlâ and means a surpassing action. It does not carry the violence we have come to expect and perfectly fits this global vaccination scheme.
What does Islam do? It forces all captured nations to bow their knee to Allah.
“This rider will cause the wars, famines, pestilences, death, and the horrors of the following three seals.” (Rev_6:3-8).
Revelation 6:3-8 NASB When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come." (4) And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another, and a great sword was given to him. (5) When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. (6) And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine." (7) When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come." (8) I looked, and behold, an ashen horse, and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.
The reference to He is to the Lamb, not the rider on the white horse. Keep in mind, “He” is opening the seals. There are other horses, but these are independent of the white horse rider.
The rider on the red horse removes peace from the earth.
The rider on the black horse causes astronomical inflation.
The rider on the ashen horse has the name Death. This rider has the power to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts of the earth.
Go back to Revelation 6:2, and you will see this, “he went out conquering and to conquer.” Conquer is the Greek word nikaō and means to subdue.
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How he subdues people is not defined, although many will see the word bow and say, see, he subdues through archery.
What if this "vaccine" is how he subdues?
7. “If this is not Antichrist, then we do not have him mentioned in Revelation before the middle of the week (Rev_13:1-18). Were that the case, we should have two men going forth to conquer at the beginning of the week—one is clearly pictured in Dan_7:23-24; Dan_8:23-25; Dan_9:27; Dan_11:36-45, and one here. Without these passages in Daniel, the sphere of conquest, the number of nations conquered, the conqueror's identity, his rise to power, and other facts could not be defined. But putting these passages with Rev_6:1-2; Rev_13:1-18; Rev_14:9-11; Rev_16:13-16; Rev_17:1-17; Rev_19:19-20 we have the complete revelation of the one man. If we do not take the one in Daniel and the one here as being identical, then we can know nothing regarding the identity of the white horse rider.”
Allow me to restate this opening assertion that Dake makes; If this rider on the white horse is not the Antichrist, then we DO NOT see him until we get to Revelation 13:1-18.
42 months is a key to understanding the Antichrist as it is three and one-half years into the time of God's wrath.
Revelation 13:5 NASB There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
A logical question, if you have been following the chain of events, is where does the Antichrist go to at this point, or perhaps a better question is, what becomes of him?
This is where we will take a momentary break, for the next thing I want you to see is Revelation 13:1-18, and I will post this shortly.
