The Way of the Four Horses and Their Riders

It can be an invitation.

It can be a personal invitation.

“Tell the joyful news wherever man is found,

‘whosoever will may come.’

‘whosoever will, whosoever will’

Send the proclamation over vale and hill;

Tis a loving Father calls the wand’rer home

‘whosoever will may come.” (Words and music by Philip P. Bliss)

It can be a hopeful invitation.

“Come thou long-expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us;

Let us find our rest in Thee…” (Words by Charles Wesley; music by Rowland Prichard)

It can be a questionable invitation.

“Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be Messiah, can he? They left the city and were on their way to him.” (John 4:28-30)

This invitation to “Come and see…” was given to the people of Sychar in Samaria by a woman with a questionable reputation. So, yes, it was a questionable invitation, but it was an invitation that would change their lives forever.

It can he a long-desired invitation.

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

When evil is having its day, and when injustice abounds, and when the suffering becomes unbearable, the believer might join John in declaring, “Come, Lord Jesus!” For his coming again means the evil of today stops, God’s justice will be served, and the trials, tribulations, and troubles of this life will end.

It can be a life-changing invitation.

“The next day John (John the Baptist) again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come and see.’”

(John 1:35-39)

The invitation to “Come and see,” changed their lives forever; for they became disciples of Jesus, and were instrumental in introducing Jesus the Christ (the Messiah) to the world.

“Y’all come see us.”

“Why don’t you come to church with us?”

“You’re invited to the birthday party Saturday.”

“Come, join us at the beach.”

“Please come to our wedding celebration.”

“Come sit a spell, why don’t ya?”

Invitations.

Sometimes we take them for granted.

Sometimes we ignore them.

Sometimes we simply fail to respond.

And sometimes we follow through and find the joy and richness of life by responding to the invitation, “Come!”

But…it can be a command.

When John received the Revelation, and was shown the throne room of heaven, he saw the Lamb as if it had been slaughtered open the seals of a scroll that had been in the right hand of the One on the throne. With the opening of each seal, an action followed. Today, we concern ourselves with the first four seals.

When the first seal was opened, John saw a white horse with a rider who came to conquer, the second seal revealed a bright red horse whose rider brought war, the third seal revealed a black horse whose rider brought death by human-made famine, and the pale horse whose rider brought death by violence, starvation, and disease. (See Revelation 6:1-8)

In each case—the white, the bright red, the black, and the pale horse—a command was given.

“Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out as with a loud voice of thunder, ‘Come!’ I looked and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came conquering and to conquer.” (Revelation 6:1-2)

The command came from one of the living creatures to each of the four horsemen of the apocalypse—“Come!” And each time, the orders were followed and the horses and their riders brought the wars of conquest and annihilation, and the famines and violence, and diseases.

Why? Why do these four horsemen still ride the globe leaving a path of death and destruction in their wake? Why does God allow it? Indeed, we might ask, with the orders given by the four living creatures, does God will it, does God cause it?

We humans have a choice. Unfortunately, we have chosen the way of the four horses and their riders.

The reasons why we choose the paths of death and destruction are many and varied, but we have chosen this way. The carnage lays all around us from the baby abused in its crib, to the atrocious acts of terrorist, to the bombs of war, and all that is in between.

But what we see now—the four horses and their riders—is not the end of the story. Lest we forget, there is always more to the story than the story.

In times of darkness, fear, sorrow, and pain—whatever the cause—hear God’s invitation:

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’

And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’

And let everyone who is thirsty, come.

Let anyone who wishes take of the water of life as a GIFT.” (Revelation 22:17)

God’s invitation…

You can ignore it, put it off, deny it, mock it, or accept it.

The decision is up to you.