The Four Horsemen - The Rider On The White Horse

Go online and click on your favorite search engine. Type in "Four Horsemen of Revelation" and then click on images. In quite a few images that you find of the four horsemen spoken of in the book of Revelation, you'll find that the rider of the white horse is holding a bow and is pulling the string taut as he prepares to fire an arrow. The majority of the images of this rider also depict him as wearing a golden crown. There's a problem with these images... they're not accurate interpretations of the word of God.

Rider with arrow at the ready.

The book of Revelation states that the rider of the white horse has a bow, but it makes no mention of any arrow. Here, read it for yourself, "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." Rev 6:2.  

Why do most pictures of this rider on the white horse show him ready to fire an arrow? I can only speculate, but you have to admit that a rider ready to let fly his deadly arrow makes for a dramatic scene, right? We also have to consider that artists often take liberties when it comes to creating artwork that pertains to scripture. Many artists may be relying on their own worldly understanding of who or what the four horsemen really are, relying on stories they've heard or images they've seen, perpetuating the false picture of arrows and golden crowns. No matter what the reason, the image does not line up with biblical truth.

Rider wearing a laurel crown.

What kind of crown is the rider of the white horse wearing?  "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." Rev 6:2. There are two words for "crown" in the bible.  One is a "diadem," which is a kingly crown.  The other is a "stephanos," which is a victor's crown. In the case of the rider on the white horse, the latter is used in this scripture.  He's not wearing a gold kingly crown, he's wearing a victor's crown, like a crown of laurel leaves.

We are then told that, "he went forth conquering and to conquer."  That can be a little confusing, since he's not really wielding a formidable weapon, right? I'll explain that in a moment.

Let's paint this picture correctly now, shall we?  

"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow;" The rider on the white horse symbolically has a weapon in his hand, but it is of no threat to anyone because a bow, without arrows, is really no weapon at all. This symbolizes that he will arrive on the scene as a man with a powerful but non-threatening personality. His choice of weapon will not be of military means, but of a personality that exudes confidence and authority, offering sound diplomatic solutions to the world's ills (especially the problems that have dominated the Middle East since the birth of Israel).

"...and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering and to conquer." The laurel crown that the rider is described as wearing is a symbol of the authority that he will have during this critical time in earth's history.  It is an authority that has not been earned by him, but, as the scripture states, an authority that is given to him. Who gives man authority, whether it's you, me or the Antichrist? You know the answer... God. God allows Satan to begin ramping up his end-time plan with the introduction of this rider on the white horse. 

So, what does he conquer? He conquers the minds and hearts of mankind. To the world, he will be seen as a "savior." He attempts to bring the world together in a one world system of government, religion and economics. You are probably telling yourself, "Surely everyone will see through this man." Your assumption would be incorrect. I say that because scripture also states, "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess 2:11-12.

Next time you see a picture of the rider on the white horse, check out the weapon he's holding and the crown he's wearing.  You'll find, like I did, that most of the artistic interpretations of this portion of scripture depict a rider with one or both of these errors contained in their artwork.


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Why I Believe President Obama Is NOT The Antichrist

There are Christians who are absolutely convinced that President Obama is the Antichrist.  I am not one of them.  Although I have never given this theory any serious consideration, I have decided to take another look at this issue.  I will try to approach the subject with an open mind and see whether my personal feelings on the issue were blinding me to the truth, or whether I was correct in my convictions.  I'm going to delve into this and learn along with you.  Here we go.

Where did Barack Obama come from?

The Antichrist will supposedly come from a country that was part of the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great. Gabriel states that following the death of Alexander, the empire will be divided into four parts. From one of those four parts, the Antichrist will arise:

“And the shaggy goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.  ²²And as for that being broken, and four stood up in its place; four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in its power.  ²³And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king, fierce of face, and skilled at intrigues, shall stand up. ²⁴And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. And he shall destroy marvelously, and shall prosper and work, and destroy the mighty and the holy people.”  (Dan 8:21-24  MKJV)

“And they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with it?”  (Rev 13:4 MKJV) 

Most say that Obama was born in Hawaii, but some remain steadfast claiming that he was born in Kenya.  We know that Hawaii wasn’t part of the Greek Empire, but was Kenya?  No, it wasn’t.  Neither was it a part of the Roman Empire.

Antichrist’s birthplace: X

Is Obama a peaceful conqueror?

The Antichrist will show up on the scene as a peacemaker.  The first seal shows him appearing on the scene riding a white horse and with a bow in his hand.  He comes to conquer the world by peaceful means, hence no arrows.

“And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures like a sound of thunder, saying, Come and see. ²And I saw. And behold a white horse! And he sitting on it had a bow. And a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.”  (Rev. 6:1-2 MKJV)

Although Obama campaigned on a platform of hope and change and even though he received the Nobel Peace Prize, he hasn't made it a priority to conquer through peaceful measures.  He’s done exactly the opposite.  We are involved militarily in more countries than ever before and the use of armed drones has multiplied under Obama’s watch.  This is a man with a quiver filled with arrows who conquered through military might and not through peaceful actions.

Obama the peacemaker:  X

The Mahdi has arrived… or is that the Messiah?

The Antichrist would have to deceive many into believing that he is a representation of all religions.  He would have to deceive many into believing that all the religions of the world were just a part of a larger fabric of who God is.  He would need to be charismatic and energetic, handsome and trustworthy, humble yet strong in character.  He must be someone who both Jewish and Muslim alike will accept as the fulfillment of their faith’s prophecies.

The Jewish nation is looking for a man sent by God to be king of Israel, ushering in peace forever.  The Muslim nations are looking for their Mahdi who will come and rule the world through Islam.  This charismatic man will not only deceive those who believe in the Messiah and the Mahdi, but he will also deceive those of other religions as well into believing that he is the manifestation of their god’s promise of peace on earth.

I have a theory.  If the Antichrist is going to lead both the Jewish and Muslim crowd, he would need to come from both cultures.  I believe that the Antichrist will be both Jewish and Muslim (Jewish from his mother’s side, which by tradition would make him a Jew; Muslim from his father’s side, which by tradition would make him a Muslim). 

And where would Christianity fit into all of this?  If the bride of Christ has been raptured by this point, many of those remaining “christians” would be deceived into believing that this was the return of Jesus (especially if the pope was the false prophet).  With everything Christians and Muslims know about Obama, do we honestly believe that the majority of the world would consider him the incarnation of the Messiah/Mahdi?  Not likely.

He’ll be seen as the Messiah/Mahdi:  X

Antichrist revealed!
That’s kind of a misleading headline.  Actually, we can’t be certain of who the Antichrist is until the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and her enemies.  Only then can we be positive.

Example:  Many Christians believed that one of two individuals would be elected as pope because they had the name “Peter” in their name (Tarcisio Pietro Evasio Bertone and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson).  This is in regard to the Malachy prophecy about the 112th pope who would be known as  Petrus Romanus.  I even saw a YouTube video where an individual said he had a dream and that he was led by God to believe that  Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson would become the new pope.  He was so convinced of this that he made a video and put it out on YouTube.  Needless to say, he was utterly confused when the election didn't pan out the way he thought it would.  

So, what happened?  A cardinal that came out of nowhere (as far as the rest of the world was concerned) was elected to the position.  Although he came in second to Pope Benedict in the last conclave, there was no expectation that he would be considered this time around because of his age.  Here, Christians were looking for a clear indication that Petrus Romanus had been elected.  Clearly, they didn’t get what they had expected.

Looking at that example, the same can probably be said about the Antichrist.  We can point our fingers at individuals who exhibit anti-Christ like behavior, but until the peace treaty is signed, we can’t be sure WHO the Antichrist is.  After all, the Antichrist won’t arrive on the scene in such a way that people will call him “Antichrist.”  No.  He will arrive on the scene in such a way that people will call him their “savior.”  Whatever happens, I don’t believe that the Antichrist will be identified until he comes from behind the scenes of peace negotiations and is found to have brokered a peace between Israel and her enemies.

Answer this next question truthfully.  Is it possible that Obama is NOT the Antichrist and that his anti-Christ like behavior is being used by the enemy to divert our attention away from someone else rising to power in some European nation?  Here’s another question.  Do you honestly think that the Antichrist would appear in such a way that it would be easy to identify him?

Antichrist revealed:  X

The Bottom Line
We can play with his name (Baraq “o” bama = Lightning from high places), we can talk about attributes he has (attributes that will only be exhibited by the Antichrist during the “Great Tribulation” period and not at this point in history), we can talk about his false Christianity and his Muslim background, but we’re just being lead around by the nose when we focus on those things.  Those are the shiny baubles being presented by the enemy that are meant to divert our attention.  The truth lies much deeper.

We need to stop trying to fit Obama into biblical prophecy concerning the Antichrist and allow prophecy to point us in the right direction.  Prophecy is our compass and it points to the one who will deceive the nations. 

There are some Christians who believe that they have an “in” with God and they are among the few who know who the Antichrist really is.  To those who think that way, I must humbly rebuke you.  You are allowing yourselves to be deceived by the enemy and you are deceiving others with your videos and blogs.  I ask you to repent!  

Take the time to think things through instead of trying to find a way to pin biblical prophecy on to anything that remotely looks appealing.  I've seen biblical prophecy twisted to the point where it's being used to validate an idea that has nothing to do with the scripture being used.  Stop it!

I hope that this article has been a blessing to someone out there.  Please consider watching the video below.  God bless!

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Is The World Ready For A False Messiah?

It appears the world today is more than ready to welcome in a messiah-like individual who will appear to be able to bring peace and prosperity to the world.  Have we reached that point in human history where the spiritually blind as a whole are ready to welcome such an individual?  I'd like to share with you a few quotes that I think you'll find quite revealing, after which, I would like to share an excerpt from the book, Petrus Romanus.  I must apologize from the outset for the length of this article.  I usually try to keep these articles as brief as possible, but this one will be the exception to the rule. I've included as many links as I could find for the actual quotes listed in this article.

"Barrack's appeal is actually messianic... he... communicates God-like energy. What if God decided to incarnate as men preaching hope and change? And what if we... let them slip away, not availing ourselves... to be led by God!" Steve Davis, Journal Gazette

"He won't just heal our city-states and souls. He won't just bring the Heavenly Kingdom - dreamt of in both Platonism and Christianity - to earth. He will heal the earth itself."  Micah Tillman, The Free Liberal

"Does it not feel as if some special hand is guiding Obama on his journey, I mean, as he has said, the utter improbability of it all?" Daily Kos

"We have an amazing story to tell… "This president has brought us out of the dark and into the light." Michelle Obama

"No one saw him coming, and Christians believe God comes at us from strange angles and places we don't expect, like Jesus being born in a manger."  Lawrence Carter

"We just like to say his name. We are considering taking it as a mantra."  National Review Online

"Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve. They are philosophers and peacemakers of a very high order, and they speak not just to reason or emotion, but to the soul." Mark Morford, SF Gate

"I'll do whatever he says to do. I'll collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear." Halle Berry

"He walks into a room and you want to follow him somewhere, anywhere." George Clooney

"Obama's finest speeches do not excite. They do not inform. They don't even really inspire. They elevate. . . . He is not the Word made flesh, but the triumph of word over flesh . . . Obama is, at his best, able to call us back to our highest selves."  Ezra Klein

"Barack Obama is our collective representation of our purest hopes, our highest visions and our deepest knowings . . . He's our product out of the all-knowing quantum field of intelligence." Eve Konstantine

"The event itself is so extraordinary that another chapter could be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance." Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., Politico

We can see, just by these few quotes alone, how the world seems desperate for someone to follow. Someone to "enlighten" them and "elevate" them; someone to "usher in a new way of being on the planet;" someone who seems to them to have god-like energy."

There are so many people who consider themselves "spiritual" and "religious" but who do not have that personal relationship with the Creator of the universe. They don't have that one-on-One relationship with their Father, with their Savior, with the Holy Spirit. There are also those who are not looking for a spiritual experience, but instead are looking for a inspirational figure they can put their trust in.

If individuals reject God as He is revealed in the bible, then they must come up with another "god" to worship and follow. By their words and actions, they show that they are eager to follow any light they see (other than the true Light). What they don't realize is that the light they choose to follow is the false light of a corrupt messiah... an anti-Christ.  

Take a look at this brief video.

The president uses the word "epiphany" in this video.  The word actually means, "the sudden realization or comprehension of an appearance of deity to man."  This video reveals to me the disturbing and misguided desires that people have in searching for "the one" who promises to bring them physical salvation instead of the One who can truly give them eternal salvation.

Surely those who profess to be Christians will not be blinded by this false light, right?  Here is an excerpt from the book, Petrus Romanus:

"Though at this time... it appears likely Obama will only assist in the rise of the superhuman superstar the world has been hoping for, if symbolic gestures are any indication, there certainly were plenty of religious folks during his march into the White House that were ready to accept him as 'The One.' Dozens of churches and faith groups, including mainline Protestants, organized activities to mark Obama's inauguration as a 'spiritual' event. Randall Balmer, professor of religion in American history at Columbia University, admitted he had never seen anything like it before. CNN went so far as to compare Obama's inauguration to the Hajj - the journey by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca, an obligatory pilgrimage that demonstrates their dedication to Allah. 

In Des Moines, Iowa, an inaugural parade for Obama included a simulation of the triumphant entry of Christ in which a facsimile of Obama rode upon a donkey. As the reproduction made its way down the streets, palm branches were handed out to onlookers so that they could wave them like Christ's adorers did in the twenty-first chapter of Matthew. Several ministries, including the Christian Defense Coalition and Faith and Action, came together to perform what was heralded as the first for US presidential inaugurations - applying anointing oil to the door posts of the arched doorway that Obama passed through as he moved to the platform on the West Front of the Capital to be sworn in. Congressman Paul Broun (Georgia) was part of the ritual, joining Rev. Bob Schneck, who said, 'Anointing with oil is a rich tradition in the Bible and... symbolizes consecration, to setting something apart for God's use.' Even the conventional prayers, which have been historically offered during US presidential installation ceremonies, carried an unparalleled New Age flavor this time around. Rick Warren, considered America's Christian pastor, rendered a blessing in the name of the Muslim version of Jesus (Isa), while the bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson, invoked the 'God of our many understandings.'

Not only did the country elect Obama in 2008, they also elected him again in 2012! This reminds me of a particular portion of scripture: "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen." Romans 1:25 (NASB)

So, is the world ready for a false messiah? From the quotes I've read, from listening to Obama's own words and seeing the reaction of the crowds, from the attack on Christians around the world, including increased verbal and legal attacks on Christianity in the US, I can only believe that the time is near. We must be patient and we must not fear. God is our strength and our refuge and His timing is perfect.

As a final note, I want to make clear that I do NOT believe that President Obama is the Antichrist. You can read more about my thoughts on this by clicking on this link: Why I Believe President Obama Is Not The Antichrist.

Acknowledgement:  Photo - Earth Man: http://hdwallpapersmk.blogspot.com/2012/06/earth-man.html

If you like this article, or any of the other information on this web site, please consider following me. You'll be one of the first to be notified when I create new content! You'll find the section at the top of the right hand column on this page. It says, "Follow Tribulation Harvest by Email." After entering your email address, you may be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Thank you!!!

Repent and be forgiven! Believe and be saved!

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