Except from the The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Revealed, by Michael D. Fortner, available at amazon.com for 99 cents.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction
Section 1 – Revelation 4: The Scene in Heaven
Section 2 – Revelation 5: Victory of Christ
Section 3 – First Seal: White Horse
Section 4 – Second Seal: Red Horse
Section 5 – Third Seal: Black Horse
Section 6 – Fourth Seal: Pale (Green) Horse
Section 7 – Bonus — Fifth Seal: Souls of Martyrs
Bibliography

Introduction

The information in this short book will change the study and teaching of Bible prophecy as we know it. Many Christians today have jumped on the quick interpretation bandwagon, the result is that they have become virtually brainwashed into believing in inaccurate teaching.

Anytime you start your study of the book of Revelation with the idea already in your head that the Great Tribulation starts in Rev. 4:1 or 6:1, then you will not be able to come to the correct understanding of the truth revealed in Revelation.

This Prophecy Report #1 will shock you with what it reveals. It presents astonishing new interpretation of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse and a bonus, I also include the 5th seal. Be sure to read other prophecy reports coming soon.

About the Author
The author received a powerful call into the ministry at age 20 but did not become a preacher because he did not think he could speak well enough, but he did begin an in-depth study of the Scriptures, and God has called him to write several books with new insights into difficult to understand Bible passages. He is a trained journalist and historian (a B.A. in communications with minor in history), and is skilled at analyzing written data. He has been researching the Bible for more than 30 years, and has a God given ability to figure things out.

Prophecy Report #1
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

When the apostle John saw the visions of the Revelation, "Apocalypse" in Greek, he faithfully wrote down everything he saw and heard. He did not draw upon the prophecies of Daniel or any other prophecy because he did not write it from his own intellect. It is not a work of fiction or imagination, he merely wrote down what he saw in a massive vision.

(1) Revelation 4: The Scene in Heaven
Revelation 4 is a brief description of the throne room in heaven. The most important thing to notice is that Jesus is nowhere described or even mentioned:

1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (4:1-11)

Many commentators place the Rapture at the start of Rev. 4 because it says, “Come up here.” But there is no mention of a great celebration in heaven, or any mention of the coming of the Kingdom of God, only a mention of the 24 elders and four living creatures. However, in Rev. 11 a loud voice from heaven says, “Come up here,” and dead people come to life and ascend into heaven. This is followed by the coming of the Kingdom of God, rewards for the prophets, and total judgment on the Earth. Which is more likely to be the Rapture? There is no evidence to believe the 24 elders are Raptured saints, but there is plenty of evidence that the Rapture has not taken place in Revelation 4 and 5, as we shall see.

(2) Revelation 5: Victory of Christ
In Rev. 4 Jesus was neither seen nor heard; now in Rev. 5, take careful notice that a search is made for someone worthy to open the book:

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. (5:1-4)

No one in all of heaven or on Earth is found worthy to open the scroll, absolutely no one! It does NOT say, that no one but Jesus Christ was found worthy; it says NO ONE was found. After the search was made in all of heaven and Earth, John wept because no one was found. But he does not just weep, he “wept and wept.” If Jesus had been found worthy why did John weep? He wept because no one was found.

Why did it say that no one was found? Why wasn't Jesus found worthy? Because this is a vision of the entire Gospel Age, beginning at the beginning. Like dreams, visions are not bound by time or space. Though Jesus actually died and rose from the grave many years before this vision was given, his death and resurrection has not yet taken place in this vision. That is why Jesus was not seen in heaven in Rev. 4, and why he was not found worthy to open the book. Only the crucified, resurrected Christ is worthy to open the seven-sealed book.

The KJV says “no man” was found worthy, but because Jesus is divine he can open the book, right? The original Greek says “no one” not “no man.” No one was found, that includes Jesus.

The next verses describe Christ entering heaven for the very first time after his death, burial, and resurrection, after he became worthy:

5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God members of every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (5:5-10)

Jesus has “triumphed,” or literally, overcome. Other translations of 5:5 say, “has overcome” (NAS); “has won a victory” (Beck); “has prevailed” (KJV). He is seen symbolically as a lamb slain as a sacrifice for our sins: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But the Lamb is seen standing, for he has risen from the grave and has taken his rightful place in Heaven. (Lambs were sacrificed for sin during the pre-Christian era. Jesus is the lamb-like sacrifice for the entire world; all those who believe in him have their sins forgiven.)

The wording of the passage suggests that it has just happened. Notice how verse 9 is worded, “you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God” (NIV). Why would that statement be made 2,000 years after the fact; that is, after the Rapture? No, the statement occurs here because Christ has just now died on the cross and purchased people for God. And the word is "men" not "us" as the KJV says. If it were "us" then those in Heaven would have been purchased, so the Rapture could have taken place, but that is not what the original Greek says. Since this scene depicts Christ's ascension into Heaven, great celebration naturally follows:

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Rev. 5:11-14)

Notice the statement, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” The inference is that Christ is just now receiving these things, that is, after his entrance into heaven, not 2,000 years later.

In Rev. 4, the seven spirits of God were seen in the form of lamps. These spirits are represented symbolically on Earth by the golden menorah of the Jewish temple. But because of the victory of Christ, God's spirits are now seen as the eyes of Christ, “sent out into all the earth.” Salvation is no longer just for the Jews but for all mankind.

In Rev. 4 there was only "someone sitting" on the throne. In Rev. 5 it is "him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb." In Rev. 4, praise is given only to God; in Rev. 5, praise is given to God and to the Lamb. Immediately following the praise and celebration, Christ opens the first seal.