Hail The Conquering Christ!

A few years ago, a member of the church asked me who I thought the individual was on the white horse in Revelation 6:2 KJV. She thought that it was Jesus Christ, but had heard from other sources that it was not.

The following is my response:

The "white" in the phrase, "white horse," is a heavenly color which indicates purity or holiness. The rider of the white horse symbolizes a heavenly mission of conquest, i.e., "a crown was given unto him." The crown that was given is the "stephanos" or victory crown (cf. Zechariah 6:11; Revelation 14:14).

Note the phrase, "and he that sat on him had a bow." The bow was the vehicle for shooting arrows, and were used in attack of an enemy (Psalm 120:4). They became a symbol of God's terror (Job 6:4; Psalm 38:2) as well as God's judgment (2 Samuel 22:14-15). David refers to "sharp" arrows in the hearts of men causing them to yield to "the sceptre of right" (Psalm 45:6). The bow also stands for fidelity and strength (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 44:6).

Christ's mission on the earth was not to "send peace but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). The very essence of the gospel Christ, is designed to separate the righteous (those who are truly seeking to do God's will) from the wicked (those who are not seeking to do God's will (Matthew 13:10-17). When "right" goes forth into a world of "wrong," there must of consequence be war. Truth and error cannot co-exist. As the sword is symbolic of judgment, so is the bow in Revelation 6:2. Those who do not adhere to the gospel of Christ, will be judged by that gospel (John 12:48).

Also of significant is the phrase, "and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." The conquest of Christ and the gospel is here portrayed as a continuous and progressive conquest of the minds of men "unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20 KJV) or "the consummation of the age" (footnote, ASV). From the symbolic uses of horses, bows, and arrows, it is evident that this is a picture of the conquering Christ. In this verse, He is portrayed as going forth to conquer, not in military strength or war, but in the gospel to "conquer" the souls of men according to God's divine plan of salvation (Romans 16:25-26; cf. Romans 10).

Hail the conquering Christ! (Revelation 19:11-16)

 —Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

Related Article:

• The "Rod of Iron" — What Is It?