"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (Rev. 19: 11-15)
From this passage we now look at --
Other Additions in Rev. 19
(as compared with 6:2)
1. Rider is named and has a written title on him
Rather than this being a proof that the rider is different from that in Rev. 6:2, there are some good reasons why it is given in the latter appearance of the rider than in the first appearance.
Since the coming of the Lord is an "apocalypse" (unveiling, disclosure, revelation), and an "epiphany" (appearing) and "parousia" (coming, arrival, or presence), we may well see how that visualization will be progressive (like when an army is approaching and one sees more and more details of that army and of the leader of it). Armies see each other from afar before they see each other up close. As they get closer, and when they actually begin the battle, more they will see of each other. Also, as they get closer their weapons will change. As stated previously, it was natural to begin with the bow (long range) and to end with a sword (close range).
Men may question, in the outset of the day of trial and judgment, who it is that is bringing such calamities on the whole world, but by the end of that day they will know his name. That is what I see of the significance of the absence of the name in 6:2 and its presence in 19:11-15.
2. Rider's eyes and clothing are mentioned
Again, this added description in 17:11 should not force us to conclude that the riders are different. As I have shown, this is not a necessary inference nor the only reasonable interpretation for the reason behind the difference. Many of the things said in answer to the above question apply in answer to this question.
There was nothing said about the "eyes" of the white horse rider in 6:2. Does that mean he didn't have eyes? Or, that the failure to mention the eyes in 6: 2 somehow proves that he cannot be the rider in 19? No doubt the attention of John is called to the eyes of the white horse rider in chapter 19 because they are now a "flame of fire." If one studies the battles occurring between 6:2 and 19:11-15 he will easily see why his eyes are at the end a burning flame.
Again, though the archer in 6:2 has no attire mentioned, while the latter in 19:11 does ("clothed with a vesture dipped in blood"), we cannot assume that he had none. What is different is the fact that the later vision of chapter 19 has his clothing "dipped in blood," no doubt from the killing he has been doing since 6:2.
3. Rider is not alone (as is the case, seemingly, in 6:2)
but with heaven's armies
But the fact that the rider in 6:2 appears alone, while the rider in 19:11-15 does not, is no proof that the two riders cannot be the same person. Other reasons are quite possible.
It is natural to think of the commander of heaven's armies and forces should first appear at the head, or vanguard, of those forces. At the head of a military is the general, leading into battle. He has forces behind him, who will all come in their ordered ranks to execute their orders. And this is what we see occurring after Rev. 6:2 and up until the scene in chapter 19. He will, however, not only lead the charge of heaven's brigades, but will "fire the first shot" with his bow and toxic arrows.
4. The enemies are named
No enemies are mentioned in 6:2 but in chapter 19 the enemies of the rider are "the nations," who he will "smite" with his verbal sword. including kings, captains, mighty military men, etc. But, does this fact prove that the riders are different? Is that a logical necessity? Of course not.
The enemy is implied in 6:2 however. What else would a righteous heroic leader be fighting but the enemies of righteousness and justice? Why would such a mounted warrior not fight against all the enemies of truth, especially of evangelical truth? Why would such a pure leader not arise to rid the world of all impurity?
5. The type of conquering or making war is described
It is true that the kind of conquering in 6:2 ("he went forth conquering and to conquer") is not specifically mentioned. It is for this reason that many commentators have come up with several different kinds of conquests, such as political, social, military, etc. It is also true that the kind of conquering of the rider in chapter 19 is alluded to, such as the slaughter of the followers of Antichrist and the obtaining of their various territories and sovereignties. But, this difference in description and scene does not in the least prove that these two riders are not the same.
Does the context of 6:2 give any hint as to the type of conquest and victory the rider obtains? Again, since he is a bringer of truth, righteousness, and justice, of which the color white is a symbol, it would seem to necessarily imply that the things to be conquered are some enemy, or some evil, surely something unrighteous and unjust.
From what follows the entrance of the white horse rider in 6:2 we see who the enemies are. It is wicked and unrepentant man, with an evil world, with the Antichrist, and finally with death itself.
Some argue that the fact that the first white horse rider has a singular crown while the second has "many crowns" ("and on his head were many crowns") proves that they are not the same rider. But, again this is just not reasonable. It is not a necessary inference. I argued the same with regard to the difference in the type of crown on the head of each. Some argue that the rider on the white horse in 6:2 cannot be Christ because he has the "stephanos" crown while the rider in chapter 19 has many diadems. I showed how that was false. However, I did not add this scripture, right in the Apocalypse, that shows Christ clearly with a stephanos crown.
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown (stephanos), and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Rev. 14:14)
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Revelation 6:2. All the figures of this verse are those of victory,—the horse and its whiteness, the crown, and the distinct statement at the close of the verse (comp. chap. Revelation 19:11; Revelation 19:14). The bow expresses the fact that the Conqueror sees and strikes down His enemies from afar.
The great question is, Who is this rider? On the one hand it might seem as if it cannot be the Lord Himself, for how in that case shall we preserve a perfect parallelism between the first vision and the three that follow it? Can Christ be named in the same category with War, Famine, and Pestilence? On the other hand, if it be not the Lord, how shall we draw a line of distinction between the first and the second vision? Both will symbolize war. Besides which, the last words of the verse to conquer so clearly point to complete and permanent victory that it is difficult to limit them to any lower object than the triumphant Saviour."
I agree.
"In the Old Testament, too, the judgments of God are three, not four, in number, ‘the sword, the famine, and the pestilence’ (Ezekiel 6:11, etc.), exactly those found in the three following riders. We are thus led to see here our Lord in His cause and kingdom ‘riding prosperously (as in Psalms 45), because of truth and meekness and righteousness, His arrows sharp in the heart of His enemies, and His right hand teaching them terrible things.’ It is His kingdom, first in Himself and then in His people, who are one with Him and in Him, that passes before the Seer’s eye,—a kingdom which shall yet prevail over every adversary. By looking at the matter in this light we preserve the analogy of the four riders, not one of whom is strictly speaking a person, while at the same time we render full justice to each part of the figure. ‘Wars’ and ‘famines and pestilences’ are foretold in the same order by our Lord in Matthew 24:6-7."
I totally agree. But, more on this in the next posting.
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