'Those Who Are Dead Rise First'

The insight granted by the opening of the fifth seal agrees completely with other scriptures that have to do with the heavenly resurrection. For example, the apostle Paul wrote: "For this is what we tell you by Jehovah's word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel's voice and with God's trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with the Lord."-1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

What a stirring story these verses tell! Those of Jesus' anointed brothers who survive to Jesus' presence, that is, who are still alive on earth during his presence, are preceded into heaven by those who have already died. Such ones, dead in union with Christ rise first. Jesus descends, that is, turns his attention to them, and resurrects them to spirit life, giving them "a white robe." Afterward, those who are still alive as humans finish their earthly course, many of them dying violently at the hands of opposers. They do not, however, sleep in death as their predecessors did. Rather, when they die, they are instantly changed - "in the twinkling of an eye"-caught away to the heavens to be with Jesus and fellow members of the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:50-52; compare Revelation 14:13.) Thus, the resurrection of anointed Christians starts soon after the four horsemen of Apocalypse begin their ride.

The opening of the fifth seal of the scroll has provided good news concerning anointed integrity keepers who have conquered, faithful to the death. But it provides no good news for Satan and his seed. The ride of the Conqueror on the white horse continues irresistibly and culminates in a time of reckoning for the world that "is lying in the power of the wicked one." (1 John 5:19) This is made clear when the Lamb opens the sixth seal.

Next time: Earthquakes In The Lord's Day

The White Robe

After documenting the faith of integrity keepers of ancient times, the apostle Paul said:"And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the fulfillment of the promise, as God foresaw something better for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us." (Hebrews 11:39, 40) What is that "something better" that Paul and other anointed Christians anticipate? John sees it here in vision: "And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been." (Revelation 6:11) Their receiving "a white robe " has to do with their resurrection to be immortal spirit creatures. No longer do they lie as slaughtered souls underneath the altar, but they are raised to be part of the group of 24 elders that worship before the heavenly throne of God. There, they themselves have been given thrones, showing that they have entered into royal privileges. And they are "dressed in white outer garments,"signifying that they have been adjudged righteous, worthy of an honored place before Jehovah in that heavenly court. this is also in fulfillment of Jesus' promise to faithful anointed Christians in the congregation in Sardis: "He that conquers will thus be arrayed in white outer garments."-Revelation 3:5; 4:4; 1 Peter 1:4.

All the evidence indicates that this heavenly resurrection began in 1918, after Jesus' enthronement in 1914 and his riding forth to start his kingly conquest by cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons. Yet, those resurrected anointed ones are told that they must "rest a little while longer, until the number. . . also of their fellow slaves" is filled. Those of the John class still on earth must prove their integrity under trial and persecution, and some of these may yet be killed. Finally, though all the righteous blood shed by Babylon the Great and her political paramours will be avenged. In the meantime, resurrected ones are doubtless busy with heavenly duties. they rest, not by relaxing in blissful inactivity, but in that they patiently await the day of Jehovah's vengeance. (Isaiah 34:8; Romans 12:19) Their rest will end when they witness the destruction of false religion and, as "called and chosen and faithful ones, they accompany the Lord Jesus Christ in executing judgment on all other parts of Satan's wicked seed here on earth. -Revelation 2:26, 27; 17z;14; Romans 16:20.

Next time: 'Those Who Are Dead Rise First'

Continue with 'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded

The situation may also be likened to that in apostate Judah when King Manasseh came to the throne in 716 B.C.E. He shed much innocent blood, probably 'sawing asunder' the prophet Isaiah. (Hebrews 11:37; 2 Kings 21:16) Although Manasseh later repented and reformed, that bloodguilt remained in 607 B.C.E., when the Babylonians desolated the kingdom of Judah, "it was only by the order of Jehovah that it took place against Judah, to remove it from his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and also for the innocent blood that he had shed, so that he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Jehovah did not consent to grant forgiveness."- 2 Kings 24:3, 4.

As in Bible times, so today many of the individuals who killed God's witnesses may be long dead. But the organization that caused their martyrdom is still very much alive and bloodguilty. It is Satan's earthly organization, his earthly seed. Prominent therein is Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. She is described as being "drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus." Yes, " in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth." (Revelation 17:5, 6; 18:24; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28) What a load of bloodguiltiness! As long as Babylon the Great exists, the blood of her victims will cry out for justice. -Revelation 19:1, 2.

John himself witnessed martyrdom in the first century as the cruel Serpent and his earthly seed waged war on the growing congregation of anointed Christians. John had seen our Lord impaled and had survived through the slayings of Stephen, of his own brother, James, and of Peter, Paul, and other close associates. (John 19:26, 27; 21:15, 18, 19; Acts 7:59,60; 8:2;12:2; 2 Timothy 1:1; 4:6, 7) In 64 C.E., Roman emperor Nero had made a scapegoat of the Christians, accusing them of burning the city, to counteract a rumor that he was the guilty one. The historian Tacitus reports: "They [Christians] died by methods of mockery; some were covered with the skins of beasts and then torn by dogs, some were [impaled], some were burned as torches to light at night." A further wave of persecution under Emperor Domitian (81-96 C.E.) had resulted in John's being exiled to the Island of Patmos. As Jesus said: "If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also." -John 15:20; Matthew 10:22.

By the fourth century C.E., that old Serpent, Satan the Devil, had brought forth his masterpiece of deception, the apostate religion of Christendom -a Babylonish system hidden under a "Christian" veneer. It is the principal part of the seed of the Serpent and has developed into a multitude of conflicting sects. Like unfaithful Judah of old, Christendom carries a heavy bloodguilt, having been deeply involved on both sides in World Wars I and II. Some political rulers in Christendom even used these wars as a pretext for slaughtering anointed servants of God. Reporting on Hitler's persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, a review of Friedrich Zipfel's book Kirchenkampf in Deutschland (fight of the Churches in Germany) stated: "One third of them [the Witnesses] were killed, either by execution, other violent acts, hunger, sickness or slave labor. The severity of this subjection was without precedent and was the result of uncompromising faith that could not be harmonized with National Socialistic ideology." Truly, it can be said of Christendom, including its priesthood:"In your skirts there have have been found the blood marks of the souls of the innocent poor ones."-Jeremiah 2:34.

Since 1935 faithful young men of the great crowd have borne the brunt of persecution in many lands. (Revelation 7:9) Even as World War II ended in Europe, in just one town 14 witnesses of Jehovah were executed by hanging. Their crime? Refusal to "learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4) More recently, young men in the Orient and in Africa have been beaten to death or executed by firing squad over the same issue. These youthful martyrs, worthy supporters of Jesus' anointed brothers, will surely have a resurrection into the promised new earth. - 2 Peter 3:13; compare Psalm 110:3; Matthew 25:34-40; Luke 20:37, 38.

Next time: A White Robe

'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded

God's Kingdom rules! The Rider of the white horse is about to complete his conquest! The red horse, the black horse and the pale horse are galloping through the earth! Indisputably, Jesus' own prophecies concerning his royal presence are being fulfilled. (Matthew, chapters 24,25; Mark, chapter 13; Luke, chapter 21) That being so, let us pay close attention as the Lamb, Jesus Christ, breaks open the fifth seal of that scroll. In what further revelation are we now to share?

John describes a moving scene: "And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they use to have." (Revelation 6:9) What is that? A sacrificial altar up in heaven? Yes! It is the first time that John mentions an altar. Already, though, he has described Jehovah on His throne, the surrounding cherubs, the glassy sea, the lamps and the 24 elders carrying incense - all of these resembling features of the earthly tabernacle, Jehovah's sanctuary in Israel. (Exodus 25:17, 18; 40:24-27, 30-32; 1 Chronicles 23:4) Should it, then, surprise us tot find a symbolic altar of sacrifice also in heaven?-Exodus 40:29.

Underneath this altar are "The souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they use to have." What does this mean? These could not be disembodied souls-like those believed in by the pagan Greeks. (Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 18:4) Rather, John knows that the soul, or life, is symbolized by the blood, and when the priests at the ancient Jewish tabernacle slaughtered a sacrificial animal, they sprinkled the blood "round about upon the altar" or poured it "at the base of the altar of burnt offering." (Leviticus 3:2, 8, 13; 4:7; 17:6, 11, 12) Hence, the animal's soul was closely identified with the altar of sacrifice. But why would the souls, or blood of these particular servants of God be seen underneath a symbolic altar in heaven? Because their deaths are viewed as sacrificial.

Indeed, all those who are begotten as spirit sons of God die a sacrificial death. Because of the role they are to play in Jehovah's heavenly Kingdom, it is God's will that they renounce and sacrifice any hope of life everlasting on earth. In this respect, they submit to a sacrificial death in behalf of Jehovah's sovereignty. (Philippians 3:8-11; compare 2:17.) This is true in a very real sense of those whom John saw under the altar. They are anointed ones who in their day were martyred for their zealous ministry in upholding Jehovah's Word and sovereignty. Their "souls [were] slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they use to have."

The scenario continues to unfold: "And they cried with a loud voice, saying: 'Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?' " (Revelation 6;10) How can their souls, or blood, cry out for vengeance, since the Bible shows that the dead are unconscious? (Ecclesiastes 9:5) Well, did not righteous Abel's blood cry out after Cain murdered him? Jehovah then said to Cain: "What have you done? Listen Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground." (Genesis 4:10, 11; Hebrews 12:24) It was not that Abel's blood was literally uttering words. Rather, Abel had dies as an innocent victim, and justice called out for his murderer to be punished. Similarly, those Christian martyrs are innocent, and in justice they must be avenged. (Luke 18:7, 8) The cry for vengeance is loud because many thousands have thus died. -Compare Jeremiah 15:15, 16.

Next time: Continue with the above subject.

The Framework Of The Book OF Revelation

Having progressed thus far in our discussion of the book of Revelation, we begin to see more clearly the book's framework. After its rousing introduction (Revelation 1:1-9), Revelation can be viewed as divided into 16 visions as follows:

1st vision (1:10-3:22): John sees by inspiration the glorified Jesus, who sends warm messages of counsel to the seven congregations.

2nd vision ( 4:1-5:14) : A magnificent view of the heavenly throne of Jehovah God. This One hands scroll to the Lamb.

3rd vision ( 6:1-17): Breaking open the first six seals of the scroll, the Lamb progressively reveals a composite vision of events due to happen in the Lord's day. The four horsemen of Apocalypse ride forth, God's martyred slaves receive white robes, and the great day of wrath is described.

4th vision ( 7:1-17): Angels hold back the winds of destruction until the 144,000 of spiritual Israel are sealed. A great crowd out of all nations attribute salvation to God and Christ and are gathered for survival through the great tribulation.

5th vision ( 8:1-9:21): At the opening of the seventh seal, there are seven trumpet blasts, the first six of which comprise the fifth version. These six trumpet blasts herald expressions of Jehovah's judgment on mankind. The fifth and sixth trumpets also introduce the first and second woes.

6th vision (10:1-11:19): A strong angel gives John a little scroll, the temple is measured, and we learn the experiences of the two witnesses. It climaxes with the blowing of the seventh trumpet, which heralds the third woe for God's enemies - the incoming Kingdom of Jehovah and of his Christ.

7th vision ( 12:1-17): This describes the birth of the Kingdom, resulting in Michael's hurling the Serpent, Satan, down to the earth.

8th vision ( 13:1-18): The powerful wild beast comes out of the sea, and the beast with two horns like a lamb urges mankind to worship it.

9th vision ( 14:1-20): A splendid fore view of the 144,000 on Mount Zion. Angelic messages are heard around the earth, the vine of the earth is reaped, and the wine press of God's anger is trodden.

10th vision ( 15:1-16:21): Another glimpse of the heavenly court, followed by the pouring out of the seven bowls of Jehovah's anger into the earth. This section, too, ends with a prophetic description of the end of Satan's system.

11th vision ( 7:1-18): The great harlot, Babylon the Great, rides a scarlet-colored wild beast, which goes briefly into the abyss but comes forth again and devastates her.

12th vision ( 18:1-19:10): The fall and final destruction of Babylon the Great are announced. After her execution, some mourn, others praise Jehovah, the marriage of the Lamb is announced.

13th vision (19:11-21): Jesus leads the armies of heaven to execute God's wrathful judgments on Satan's system, its armies and its supporters; carrion birds feast on their corpses.

14th vision ( 20:1-10): 20:1-10): The abyssing of Satan the Devil, the Thousand Year Reign of Christ and his fellow kings, mankind's final test, and the destruction of Satan and his demons.

15th vision ( 20:11-21:8): The general resurrection and the great Judgment Day; a new heaven and a new earth appear, with external blessings for righteous mankind.

16th vision ( 21:9-22:5): Revelation is climaxed with a glorious vision of new Jerusalem, the lamb's wife. God's provision of healing and life for mankind flows from that city.

Revelation concludes with warm words of greeting and counsel from Jehovah, Jesus, the angel and John himself. The invitation to everyone is "Come!"-Revelation 22:6-21.

Next time: 'Slaughtered Souls' Rewarded

Continue with The Pale Horse And Its Rider

John's vision mentions wild beasts as a fourth cause of untimely death. Indeed, the four things featured by the opening of the fourth seal - warfare, famine, disease and wild beasts -were in ancient times viewed as predominant causes of untimely death. So they would foreshadow all causes of untimely death today. It is just as Jehovah warned Israel: "So, too, it will be when there will be my four injurious acts of judgment - sword and famine and injurious wild best and pestilence - that I shall actually send upon Jerusalem in order to cut of from it earthling man and domestic animal." - Ezekiel 14:21.

Death by wild beasts has seldom made headlines in modern times, though in tropical countries wild animals have steadily claimed victims throughout the 20th century. In the future, they may claim even more if lands become desolated because of warfare or people become too emaciated by famine to fight off hungry animals. Additionally, there are many humans today who, like unreasoning animals display beastly dispositions quite contrary to those described at Isaiah 11:6-9. These people are largely responsible for the global expansion of sex-related crimes, murder, terrorism and bombings in the modern world. (Compare Ezekiel 21:31; Romans 1:28-31; 2 Peter 2:12.) The fourth horseman reaps their victims too. Indeed, the main point of this prophetic scene appears to be that the rider of the pale horse harvests untimely death of mankind in many ways.

The information revealed by the opening of the first four seal reassures us because it teaches us not to despair at the warfare, hunger, disease and other causes of untimely death that are so rampant today; neither should we lose hope because human leaders have failed to solve current problems. If world conditions make it evident that the riders of the red, black and pale horses are abroad, do not forget that the Rider of the white horse was first to begin his ride. Jesus has become King, and he has already conquered to the extent of casting Satan out of the heavens. his further conquests have included his gathering out the remaining ones of the sons of spiritual Israel and the international great crowd, numbering into the millions, for survival the great tribulation. (Revelation 7:4, 9, 14) His ride must continue until he completes his conquest.

The opening of each of the first four seals has been followed by the summons "Come!" Each time, a horse and its rider came charging forth. Starting with the fifth seal, we no longer hear such a summons. But those horsemen are still riding, and they will continue at the gallop throughout the conclusion of the system of things. (Compare Matthew 28;20) what other momentous events does Jesus reveal as he opens the remaining three seals? Some of the happenings are invisible to human eyes. Others though visible, are yet future. Nevertheless, their fulfillment is certain. Let us see what they are.

Next time: The Framework Of The Book Of Revelation

The Pale Horse And Its Rider

The story is not yet completely told. Jesus opens the fourth seal, and John tells us the result: " And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard a voice of the fourth living creature say: "Come!' " (Revelation 6:7) This is the voice of the cherub that resembles a flying eagle. Farsighted wisdom is indicated and truly John, the John class, and all other earthly servants of God have needed to observe and act with insight in view of what is here depicted. So doing, we may find a measure of protection from the scourges that plague the worldly-wise of today's proud, immoral generation. -1 Corinthians 1:20, 21.

What new horrors are unleashed, then,as the fourth horseman responds to the call? John tells us: "And I saw, and look! a pale horse; and the one seated upon it had the name Death. And Hades was following close behind him." (Revelation 6:8a) The rider of the last horse has a name: Death. He is the only one of the four horsemen of Apocalypse to reveal his identity so directly. Fittingly, Death rides a horse that is pale, since the word pale (Greek, khlo-ros) is used in Greek literature to describe faces that are blanched, as if by disease. Also fittingly, Death is closely followed in some unexplained manner by Hades (gravedom), since Hades receives to itself the greater number of those who fall victim to the ravages of the fourth horseman. Happily, for these there will be a resurrection, when 'death and hades give up those dead in them.' (Revelation 20:13) But how does Death claim those victims?

The vision enumerates some of the ways: "And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth." (Revelation 6:8b) Not necessarily a literal fourth of earth's population but a large portion of the earth, whether densely or sparsely inhabited, would be affected by this ride. This horseman reaps the victims of the big sword of the second horseman and the famines and food shortages of the third. He reaps his own harvest, too, from deadly plague and also a harvest from the earthquakes, as described by Luke 21:10, 11.

Of current importance here is 'deadly plague." Following in the wake of the ravages of World WarI, the Spanish flu reaped over 20 million human lives in just a few months of 1918-19. The only territory on earth to escape this scourge was the small island of St. Helena. In places where the population was decimated, funeral pyres were lit to burn the piles of bodies. And today there is the frightful incidence of heart disease and cancer, much of which is caused by tobacco pollution. In what has been described as "the ugly decade" of the 1980's, a way of life that is lawless by Bible standards has added the scourge of AIDS to the "deadly plague." At the same of this writing, all who contract this disease die, and it is estimated that in the United States alone 270,000 will be sick with AIDS by 1991; millions appear to be doomed in a Africa. How thankful Jehovah's people are that the wise counsel of his Word keeps them away from fornication and misuse of blood, through which so many diseases are transmitted today!- Acts 15:28, 29; compare 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Next time: Continue with the above subject.

A Black Horse Plunges Forth

Jesus now opens the third seal! John, what do you observe? " And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say: 'Come!' (Revelation 6:5a) Happily, this third cherub "has a face like a man's, depicting the quality of love. Principled love will abound in God's new world, even as that fine quality permeates all of Jehovah's organization today. (Revelation 4:7; 1 John 4:16) We can be sure that the Rider of the white horse, who "must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet," will lovingly remove the calamitous situation that is next brought to John's scrutiny. -1Corinthians 15:25.

What does John see, then, as the third summons to "Come!" is answered? "And I saw, and, look! a black horse; and the one seated upon it had a pair of scales in his hand." (Revelation 6:5b) Stark famine! That is the dire message of this prophetic scene. It points forward to situations early in the Lord's day when food must be rationed out by scales. Since 1914 famine has been a continuing worldwide problem. Modern warfare brings famine in its wake, for resources normally used in feeding the hungry are often diverted to supplying war weapons. Farm workers are conscripted, and battle-scarred fields and scorched-earth policies curtail food production. How true this was during the first world war, when millions suffered from hunger and died! Moreover, the rider of the black horse of hunger did not relent with the end of the war. During the 1930's, five million perished in just one famine in the Ukraine. The second world war was brought in its wake more food shortages and famines. As the black horse continued its gallop, the World Food Council reported in mid-1987 that 512 million humans were starving and that 40,000 children die of hunger-related causes every day.

John has more to tell us: "And I heard a voice as if in the midst of the four living creatures say" 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.' " (Revelation 6:6) All four cherubs are united in expressing a need to watch food supplies carefully - just as the people had to "eat bread by weight and in anxious care" prior to Jerusalem's destruction in 607 B.C.E. (Ezekiel 4:16) In John's time, a quart of wheat was reckoned to be the daily ration for a soldier. How much would such a ration cost? One denarius-a whole day's wage! (Matthew 20:2) What if a man had a family? Well, he could buy three quarts of unpolished barley instead. Even that would feed only a small family. And barley was not viewed as a quality food such as wheat.

What is implied by the statement, "Do not harm the olive oil and the wine"? Some have viewed it as meaning that while many would be short of food and even starving, the luxuries of the rich would not be harmed. But in the Middle East, oil and wine are not really luxuries. In Bible times, bread, oil and wine were viewed as staples. (Compare Genesis 14:18; Psalm 104:14, 15) Water was not always good, so wine was widely used for drinking and sometimes for medicinal purposes. (1 Timothy 5:23) With regard to oil, in Elijah's day the widow of Zerephath, poor as she was, still had some oil left with which to cook her remaining flour. (1 Kings 17:12) Therefore, the command "do not harm the olive oil and the wine" appears to be advice not to use up these basic commodities too quickly bu to be sparing in their use. Otherwise, they will be 'harmed,' that is, they will run out before the famine ends.

How happy we can be that the Rider of the white horse will soon rein in that galloping black horse! For it is written concerning His loving provision for the new world: "In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more. . . There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountain there will be an overflow." -Psalm 72:7, 16; see also Isaiah 25:6-8.

Next time: The Pale Horse And Its Rider

Continue with Behold, The Fiery-Colored Horse!

There had been many wars before 1914, the year when the Rider of the white horse received his crown. But now the rider of t he red horse is given "a great sword." What does this imply? With the eruption of World War I, human warfare becomes more sanguinary, more destructive than ever before. During the 1914-1918 bloodbath, tanks, poison gas, airplanes, submarines, huge cannons and automatic weapons were used either for the first time or on an unprecedented scale. In some 28 nations, whole populations, not just professional soldiers, were pressed into the war effort. Casualties were horrendous. More than nine million soldiers were slaughtered, and civilian casualties were astronomical. Even with the end of the war, there was no return to real peace on earth. More than 50 years after that war, German statesman Konrad Adenauer commented: "security and quiet have disappeared from the lives of men since 1914." It was, indeed, granted to the rider of the fiery-colored horse to take peace away from the earth!

Then, with his thirst for blood whetted, the rider of the red horse plunged into World War II. Instruments of slaughter became ever more fiendish, and casualties skyrocketed to four times those of World War I. In 1945 two atom bombs burst over Japan, each one annihilating - in a flash-tens of thousands of victims. During the second world war, the rider of the red horse reaped a huge harvest of some 55 million lives, and even then he was not satisfied. It is reliably reported that at least 19 million souls have fallen under the "great sword" since World War II.

Could we call this a triumph for military technology? It is, rather, a testimony that the merciless red horse is at the gallop. And where will that gallop end? Some scientists forecast mathematically that an accidental nuclear is virtually certain to take place within the next 25 years -let alone a planned nuclear conflagration! But happily the conquering Rider of the white horse has other thoughts about this.

As long as society is based on nationalistic pride and hatred, mankind must continue to sit on keg of nuclear peril. Even if the nations out of desperation, should scrap all nuclear firepower, they would retain the know-how. In short order, they could reproduce their murderous nuclear devices hence, any war with conventional weapons could soon mushroom into a holocaust. The pride and hatred that envelop the nations today must lead to humanity's suicide, unless -ah, yes, unless the Rider of the white horse should head off the mad gallop of the fiery-colored mount. Let us be confident that Christ the King will ride, both to complete his conquest over the world controlled by Satan and to establish a new earthly society based on love-love of God and neighbor-a force for peace, far, far superior to the shaky deterrents of our maddened times.-Psalm 37:9-11; Mark 12:29-31; Revelation 21:1-5.

Next time: A Black Horse Plunges Forth

Behold,The Fiery-Colored Horse!

Toward the end of Jesus' ministry on earth, his disciples asked him privately: "What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?" In reply, he foretold calamities that would be "a beginning of pangs of distress," said Jesus "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages,and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs." (Matthew 24:3, 7, 8; Luke 21:10, 11) The things that John sees when the remaining seals of the scroll are opened provide a remarkable parallel to that prophecy. Watch now as the glorified Jesus opens the second seal!

"And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say: "Come!' " (Revelation 6:3) It is the second cherub, with the appearance of a bull, that issues the command. Power is the quality here symbolized, but power used righteously. In contrast, though, John is now to see a hideous, death dealing display of power.

How, then, is this second summons to "Come!" answered? In this way: "And another came forth, a fiery-colored horse; and to the one seated upon it there was granted to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another; and a great sword was given him." (Revelation 6:4) A grim vision indeed! And there is no doubt as to what it pictures: war! Not the righteous, victorious warfare of Jehovah's conquering King but cruel, man-made, international warfare with needless bloodshed and pain. How appropriate that this rider is mounted on a fire-red horse! Certainly, John would want no part with this horseman and his headlong ride, for it had been prophesied concerning God's people: "Neither will they learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4) Though still "in the world," John and, by extension, the John class and the great crowd today are "no part of this bloodstained system. Our weapons are spiritual and "powerful by God" for actively proclaiming the truth, apart from carnal warfare. -John 17:11,14; 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4.

Next time: Continue with the above subject.