2025/05/26
197. The Testimony of Revelation, Which Sequentially Prophesied the Formation of the New Testament (The Four Gospels)
In Revelation, when Lamb opened the first four of the seven seals, the "four living creatures" called out one after another, "Come!" In response to each call, four horses and their riders appeared. The descriptions of these horses and riders correspond to the final commands of the risen Jesus recorded in the four Gospels, as described below. From this, we can identify each author as follows.
The First Living Creature (Gospel of Matthew). "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say, as with a voice of thunder, 'Come!' And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer" (Rev 6:1–2) corresponds to the last command of the risen Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mat 28:18–20). The "bow" represents the guarantee that "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" and that "I am with you always, to the close of the age." The "crown" is the sign of victory. "He went out conquering and to conquer," following the command, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."
The second living creature (Gospel of Mark). "When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come!' And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another; and he was given a great sword" (Rev 6:3–4). This description corresponds to the final command of the risen Jesus in the Gospel of Mark: "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover" (Mk 16:15–18). The power to "take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another" will be exerted when the words, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned," divide the people. And the "great sword" signifies the power that "in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
The third living creature (Gospel of Luke). "When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' and I saw, and behold, a black horse, and its rider had a balance in his hand; 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; but do not harm oil and wine!'" (Rev 6:5–6). This description of the breaking of the third seal corresponds to the final command of the risen Jesus in Luke's Gospel: "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high" (Lk 24:46–49). The theme of the expression "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius" is Jesus' words, "[G]ive, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back" (Lk 6:38). The rider on the black horse is holding a balance because Jesus says, "For the measure you give will be the measure you get back." Oil was for the sick (cf. Ja 5:14), and wine for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, so no one should harm them. These things would be fulfilled when "repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations" through Christ's suffering, death and resurrection. And Jesus said, "[S]tay in the city," so that they might wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would fulfil these things.
The fourth living creature (Gospel of John). "When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come!' And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him; and they were given power over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth" (Rev 6:7–8). This description corresponds to the last command of the risen Jesus in the Gospel of John: "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" (Jn 21:22). This statement is the answer given when Peter, seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved, asked Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" (21:21) after Jesus had shown Peter how he would glorify God through his death (cf. Jn 21:19) and commanded him to follow his "death." The disciple whom Jesus loved had preached with Peter after Jesus' ascension, but afterwards, the two took different paths. This disciple, who would be involved in his Gospel and Revelation, could not follow Jesus' death. Therefore, Jesus again told Peter, "Follow me," commanding him to follow his death. The phrase, "its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him," reflects Peter's letter: "For Christ ... being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison" (1 Peter 3:18-19). John was with Peter and must have heard his idea above.
Maria K. M.
