studies in end-time revelation

THE HEAVENS DECLARE

Part 22

SAGITTARIUS - THE ARCHER

(continued)

In the grand prophetic drama of GOD'S BIBLE IN THE SKY the fourth scene is called SAGITTARIUS - THE ARCHER. He is a Centaur with the body of a horse and the torso of a man. The human portion of the Centaur is a man with a bow and arrow and he is drawing the bow and aiming the arrow at Atares -- the very heart of the Scorpion. I think it is particularly interesting to note that here is the first picture of Christ the Redeemer going forth to destroy the adversary. His character here is that of the Mighty One, girding Himself with honor and majesty, and going forth to victory. He rides as a King, armed with bow and arrows, shooting down His enemies. The one who is conquered is the Scorpion -- the Prince of darkness, the Lord of sin, sorrow and death. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Conqueror of the Scorpion! This is the picture of One who in refulgent glory rides forth upon a white horse with a bow, going forth as the Conquering King to conquer, and to conquer. The apostle John in his visions of Patmos beheld "a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Rev. 6:2). It is the same divine Hero in both instances. In this celestial picture of the Centaur (body of a horse, torso of a man) in the heavens with a bow and arrows, and in John's vision of the Rider on the white horse carrying a bow, we have the dual-natured Seed of the virgin -- the Son of God as the Son of man, riding prosperously.

John the Revelator, as he entered upon the marvelous visions recorded in the book of Revelation, saw a door opened in heaven and heard a voice as of a trumpet speaking with him, and saying, "Come up hither, and I will show thee things..." The door opened in heaven bespeaks of an entrance granted into a realm beyond the flesh, beyond the physical and psychical senses, into the realm of the Spirit. That is where John entered and that is the character of the things John saw. He beheld heavenly things -- spiritual realities. He saw a throne set in heaven -- he perceived the authority, power and dominion of the Spirit. He saw living creatures in the throne, the principle of life in the Spirit. He saw the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders, the King-Priest ministry of the Melchizedekian Order after the power of an endless life -- the ministration of the divine life unto creation. He saw that the nature of this realm is that of a Lamb. He saw in the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne a book written within and without -- the New Covenant, the living epistles written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God upon the fleshy tables of the heart; the Book of Life, a people having the law (nature) of God placed within their minds and inscribed within their hearts -- the performance of the Covenant of God.

In Revelation chapter six there is a description of the opening of the seven seals by the Lamb which draws upon many Old Testament symbols. John saw four horses. The first horse was white and the Rider had a bow, and a victor's crown was given unto him and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. The second horse was flaming red and the Rider had the power given to him to take peace from the earth and he was given a great sword. The third Rider had a balance in his hand and sat upon a black horse. The fourth horse was ashen or sickly pale and the name of the Rider was Death, and Hades followed with him. He was given authority over a fourth part of the earth to kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.

These legendary Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are, to most minds, one of the Bible's greatest riddles. Nearly two thousand years ago the apostle John first recorded the details of their grim ride, and ever since scholars and ordinary believers alike have wondered what they represent. Much has been written concerning the Four Horsemen, much of it applied to struggles between nations and would-be world conquerors, or to the horrors of tribulation under the Antichrist. Actually, however, the book of Revelation is not concerned with worldly kingdoms and empires except as they become linked with the affairs of God's people. The book of Revelation is a spiritual book addressed to spiritual people, born of the Spirit, who live and walk "in the Spirit." The book of Revelation is not, nor has it ever been, a SEALED BOOK. "And He saith unto me, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this for the time is at hand" (Rev. 22:10). The book of Revelation is, therefore, a SPIRITUAL REVELATION, and a PRESENT REVELATION (for the time is "at hand"), even the revelation of Jesus Christ. Thus, the Four Horsemen and the Four Horses represent, like the figures in the rest of the book, aspects of the on-going unveiling of Jesus Christ in and through His body. These are spiritual realities, touched and known only "in the Spirit." The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are among the most significant of the great symbols in the Word of God because they give the key to the processings of God within us. When you have grasped their full significance, by understanding how the scriptures speak of horses, in order to teach spiritual truth, you will have gained an appreciation of Bible symbolism. The Bible is not written in the style of an ordinary book. It has a method all its own of conveying spiritual realities through picturesque symbols, which is the language of SPIRIT communicated to the conscious mind of man, wisdom expressed in terms comprehensible by people in all ages in different parts of the world and of different degrees of spiritual development.

The horse is an animal that men ride. It's like a car -- it's a vehicle. The horse in scripture is a symbol for THE BRINGING OF GOD'S PRESENCE AND POWER IN WARFARE. It signifies STRENGTH AND SWIFTNESS IN BATTLE (Isa. 2:7; 30:16; Jer. 12:5; 51:27; Eze. 38:4; Hos. 14:3; Joel 2:4; Heb. 1:8). "...I have taken away your horses (Strength)" (Amos 4:10). On the negative side, whenever the word horse is used in relationship with fleshly humanity it signifies Human Strength. Isaiah 31:1-3 informs us: "Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots (this is human strength and human ability), because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong...they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord!" Again, "Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses are fleshly (strength), and not spirit." "For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; in returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses (human strength and ability)..." (Isa. 30:15-16). However, the Lord warns, "I will overthrow your horses (human strength and ability) and confound the riders on the horses (those who trust in human strength and ability)" Hag. 2:22; Zech. 10:5). On the positive side, wherever the word horse is used with righteousness, or divinity, or the Lord, or things heavenly, it means heavenly, divine, or spiritual strength. "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...and the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses..." Rev. 19:11,14). That is, they followed Him in heavenly, divine, spiritual strength. In Hab. 3:14-15 the prophet, reminiscing about Israel's deliverance from Egypt, extols the triumph of Jehovah, exclaiming, "You pierced with his own arrows the head of the enemy's hordes...You have trodden the sea with Your horses, beside the heap of great and surging waters." The meaning is dear -- You have trodden the sea IN YOUR DIVINE STRENGTH!

There was a prophet in Israel in the days of Ben-hadad, king of Syria, who lived and walked continually in the spiritual realm. His eyes were open to the reality of the Kingdom of the Spirit, and because heaven was open to him none of the things of either heaven or earth were hidden to him. There was constant war between Israel and Syria through all the years of Elisha, the prophet. And the king of Israel found Elisha a greater help than his horses and chariots. For Elisha was able to frustrate all the plans of Ben-hadad, because he knew by the Spirit even the words the king spoke In his bed chamber (II Kings 6:12). Whenever Ben-hadad told his officers to make an attack upon any place in the land of Israel, Elisha would send word to the king of Israel, saying, "Watch carefully that place, and send men to guard it, for the Syrians are coming to attack it." And then, when the Syrian army came to the place they were sure to find it strongly guarded so that their soldiers could do nothing. This happened so many times that the king of Syria at last said to his nobles, "Someone among you is secretly helping the king of Israel and sending him word of all our plans. Will no one tell me who the traitor is?" And they replied, "No one of us, my lord, O king, has made known your plans; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your own room." Then the king of Syria commanded, "Go and find where that man is, so that I may send an army to capture him." After a time the king of Syria learned that Elisha was staying in Dothan. Then he sent to that place a great army, with horses and chariots. They came by night and stood in a great ring all around the city, ready to seize the prophet. In the morning the prophet's servant rose up early, and he found the city surrounded on every side by a host of armed men with horses and chariots. And the servant cried unto Elisha, "Alas master. What shall we do?" And Elisha answered, "Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." And Elisha prayed and said, "Lord, I pray Thee open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when the Syrian army came down to Elisha, he prayed unto the Lord and said, "Smite this people, I pray Thee, with blindness." And the Lord smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. What were these horses and chariots of fire! One thing is certain -- they represented the STRENGTH AND MIGHT OF GOD IN BATTLE! They signify the almighty POWER OF THE SPIRIT. "They that be with us are more than they that be with them." With what simple words does the Holy Spirit teach us that the strength of the Spirit always exceeds and excels over the strength of the flesh! Thus, horses are symbols given to us that denote the nature and work of the anointing. Horses are figures of overcoming, strength and power, signifying that wherever these horses go, WHATEVER IS IN THEIR WAY IS OVERCOME BY THEM!

THE WHITE HORSE

Nothing can be more vivid and dramatic than the scenes which are successively exhibited as the Lamb opens the seals in the book of Revelation. The four living creatures in the midst of the throne, one after another announce the breaking of the first four seals, with a loud cry of "Come, and see!" These words bespeak of an invitation to revelation. In that blessed moment spiritual entities and spiritual realities were wide open to John as he walked in the presence and glory of heavenly realms. He saw with his eyes and heard with his ears and touched with his hands the things that were beyond the realm of natural men. He entered into a new relationship with God that day. He passed with boldness into the realm of God's spiritual mysteries even while his feet left their imprint on Patmos' sandy shore. It is my deep conviction, dear ones, that the cry of the Spirit to John, "Come, and see!" is the very same invitation to revelation resounding in the spiritual ears of God's elect in this wonderful hour at the end of the age. Only those who have caught a glimpse of the eternal realm where Christ sits at God's right hand can ever rise above earth's turmoil and the shallow vision of fleshly understanding and carnal reasoning to walk with Him in newness of life. I have prayed most earnestly that the spirit of divine revelation will possess those who now read these truths, and I am certain that if we will confess our darkness to Him, He will give us light. It is when men are satisfied with their childish creeds and blinding theologies that God abandons them to spiritual retardation, pronouncing woe upon them who enter not in themselves and forbid them who are entering. The more we are quickened by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him the more trivial become the static doctrines of men and the peevish tenacity with which they argue their childish theories.

As each seal is opened the Seer beholds a visionary figure pass across the field of view, emblematic of that portion of the scroll which is unrolled. It will be observed that there is a manifest progression in the character of these symbolic representations, which rise in intensity from the first to the last. When the Lamb opened the first seal, John records, "And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Rev. 6:2). Many brethren and teachers are of the opinion that the Rider of this horse is a Counterfeit Christ -- the Antichrist. The contrast is drawn between the Rider of this white horse and the Rider of the white horse in chapter nineteen. The argument is made that the horse in chapter six rides under the first of the seven seals, while on the contrary the horse of chapter nineteen rides after the seven seals have been opened, at the time of the marriage of the Lamb and the glory of the New Jerusalem. The figure in chapter nineteen has "many" crowns whereas the one in chapter six wears but one crown. The Rider in chapter nineteen has a sharp sword coming out of his mouth, that with it he should smite the nations, whereas the Rider in chapter six is armed with a bow. The Rider in chapter nineteen proceeds out of heaven and is followed by the armies of heaven, all riding upon white horses, while the Rider in chapter six is a solitary Rider invading the earth realm. So, they say, the Rider in chapter nineteen is obviously the Christ of God and the Rider of chapter six is an impostor, one posing as the Christ -- Antichrist! With all deference to honored brethren, however, I cannot conceive of the Antichrist riding upon a white horse, even under the figure of a counterfeit! White denotes PURITY -- a purity wrought by the cleansing fire! It is the symbol of the Christ’s purity and divine holiness. Every other place throughout the visions of John it stands for righteousness and purity. And in Zech. 14:20 this purity is connected to horses. "In that day shall the bells of all horses (that is the strength of all) ring out, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. White also bespeaks of light -- illumination. These are the qualities that characterize, not only the firstborn Son of God, but also His many brethren, the sons of God. In the messages to the seven churches the overcomers are challenged, "I counsel thee to buy of Me...WHITE RAIMENT, that thou mayest be clothed" (Rev. 3:18). This is naught but the transfiguring glory of Christ, as it is written, "And He was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His RAIMENT WAS WHITE AS THE LIGHT" (Mat. 17:2). The light is the robe of divine majesty, the effulgence of the Spirit, the incorruptible life of God emanating from the nature of absolute holiness that illuminates and quickens spirit, soul and body. This is the Spirit by which Jesus was raised from the dead, even the spirit of holiness.

Furthermore, this One goes forth "conquering, and to conquer." Special attention must be paid to the peculiar statement of the elder in Rev. 5:5 that the Lamb has "prevailed" to open the book and to loose the seals. The use of the Greek verb "to conquer" occurs more frequently in John's writings than in any other of the books of the New Testament. This is the word here rendered "prevailed." It is the same word used in chapter six, "conquering, and to conquer. It is the same word used repeatedly in chapters two and three of the OVERCOMER where at the termination of each of the messages to the seven churches the Spirit proclaims, "to Him that overcometh....(conquers). We should note its use in Jn. 16:33, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Again, "Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world" (I Jn. 5:4). Paul uses the same root word in Rom. 8:37, "We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." Translated in keeping with its other applications in the Word of God the Rider of the white horse is shown to be going forth "overcoming, and to overcome; prevailing, and to prevail; conquering, and to conquer!" Another sign that this Rider is the Christ -- the evidence lies in the nature of His conquests. Indeed, if this Rider is the Antichrist, then we are in a lot of trouble! The expression "conquering, and to conquer" denotes grammatically AN UNENDING SERIES OF CONQUESTS, UNINTERRUPTED BY ANY DEFEATS. Our Futurist and Literalist friends must confess that their Antichrist at the last meets his Waterloo. But the going forth "conquering in order to conquer" can only point to one interpretation. The "conquering" might be said of any victorious earthly power whose victories should endure for the time then present, and afterwards pass away: but "to conquer" can only be said of a power whose victories should last forever. Final and permanent victory is indicated by the Greek phraseology. Victory we may say on the part of that Kingdom against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail: which Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom which shall never be destroyed. Oh, the wonder of it! How certain, how sure, how complete, how final is His triumph!

In addition, we must not overlook the fact that the crown mentioned in this passage is not the kingly crown which the Lord wears in Rev. 19:12. There are two words in the Greek signifying "crown." One means the wreath or garland of victory, which was placed upon the head of a victorious General after the conclusion of warfare. The other means "the diadem," or royal crown worn by kings upon the throne. The crown given to the Rider on the white horse is the former -- the crown of the victor "going forth conquering, and to conquer. Although the conquering is in process, the absolute, complete and eternal victory is assured. And so Jesus Christ, astride of the snow-white charger, is put in a position where He is perpetually celebrating a victory. His march is a victorious march. His movements always meet with success. His plans are fulfilled, and His campaigns unfurl to the breezes the banners of triumph. Jesus Christ is going forth as a conqueror, and He does so with great power. It is no easy campaign upon which He has entered. The action in which He is engaged requires the greatest power; and His movements are energized with tremendous force. The Bible represents Him at times in conditions and possessed of moods where He sits and reclines in repose, already having accomplished His purposes. "But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12). But here in the saddle He is roused, every faculty excited, every source of strength summoned, and He is bearing forward for the purpose of accomplishing something not yet attained. He is going forth as the victorious conqueror over the hearts of His apprehended ones. And He shall ride until every foe is vanquished; until sin, limitation and death has been conquered in every member of His glorious body, and every son of God has joined Him in His triumph, mounted upon their own white horses, riding forth in the Fullness of divine power and might, to subdue all things in all realms, until God shall be All-in-all.

My heart's desire is that all who read these truths may be filled with the conviction that God our Father is preparing a people to share the image of Christ and reign with Him in His Kingdom. Herein is to be found the real meaning, yea, the vital difference between the ministry of the Rider of the white horse in Revelation six and the Rider of the white horse in Revelation nineteen. The Rider of the white horse in chapter six is a solitary Rider, crowned with a single victor's crown whereas the Rider of the white horse in chapter nineteen is crowned with many crowns and is accompanied by an immense and powerful army astride a host of horses from the heavenlies. It should not be difficult for any to understand that the solitary Rider wearing the single crown is none other than the forerunner, our Lord Jesus Christ, in His singular victory over sin, death and hell -- riding forth as the glorious Captain of our salvation to extend that victory into the consciousness and experience of His elect body, the sons of God. He must complete His conquest within our mind, heart and life before we in Him can press the battle onward to creation. When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in chapter nineteen He does not come alone. Even before the flood, Enoch prophesied of this appearing of the promised One, and said, "Behold the Lord cometh WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF HIS SAINTS (or, holy myriads of Himself) to execute judgment upon all" Jude 14,15). John saw, and writes, "The armies, the ones in the heaven, were following Him" (Rev. 19:14). Christ Jesus is the Head and the Leader as He goes before; His holy ones follow in His train, for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God, and these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. They are represented as armies. They come forth as a body of fighters. He has many under His command. The armies of the heavenlies are His, and He does battle with them, by them, through them, and as them, even "the called, and chosen and faithful." There is no infantry. There really is no cavalry, for all of the horses are white, and every one who follows Him is of exalted rank. It is an army of princes, a host of mighty dignitaries. Moreover, they have no weapons, except the sharp two edged sword that proceeds out of HIS MOUTH, which is the Living Word of God. They are dressed in white, for they are all righteous, cleansed by the crimson tide in which His cloak was dipped.

At this point I would share from the anointed pen of George Hawtin as he describes this glorious army. "This is the army of the Saints of God, thousands upon thousands of blood-washed sons, all members in particular of the mystical body of Christ, and though they be so many, yet are they but one Christ. He who rides at the head of this heavenly host, which for six thousand years has been preparing, is the first begotten son of God, the firstborn from the dead , the Prince of the kings of the earth. He is the firstborn of many brethren. He is the eldest in a vast family of God's sons. This, I declare, is the manifestation of the true body of Christ, the manifestation of the SONS OF GOD. These are they who during their life on earth went unto Him without the camp of the world's denominations and systems, bearing His reproach, that they might be received and taught as sons by their heavenly Father. Long ago amid the shadows of earth they heard and obeyed God's call, ‘Come out of her, My people, and be separate; and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' In their obedience God became their Father. As a Father He instructed them, broke them free from the blinding traditions and doctrines of men. He rebuked them as any loving father rebukes his children. He chastised them as a father chastises his son, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? For if we receive not chastening, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards and not sons. As a Father He fed them, and He fed them on His Living Word of Life, they became partakers of the divine mind, the divine nature, and the divine will. The mind that was in Christ Jesus dwelt in them and as it increased they were thoroughly transformed by the renewing of their minds" -- end quote. But now the days of their rebuke and chastisement are over. The great Captain is mounted, and they are mounted too. He comes as Warrior, Judge and King, and they share with Him in the same character. They are warrior judges and kings with Him. They are clothed in fine linen, pure and white, which is the righteousness of the saints. They wear no armour. They are

immortal and incorruptible and cannot be hurt nor stopped.

You, precious saint of God, are being prepared to rule and reign with Christ. We need to grasp the full implication and reality of what we are called to. Long centuries ago amidst blazing fire and quaking mountains God revealed His purpose for His elect. "Ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine: and ye shall be unto Me A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS" (Ex. 19:5-6). Since kingship was virtually the only type of government or state known in the ancient world, "kingdom" could well be translated today as a "government" or "state." A GOVERNMENT OF PRIESTS! A PRIESTLY STATE! A HOLY NATION OF PRIESTS! A VAST COMPANY OF KING-PRIESTS! God offered to Israel this glory of being a "kingdom of priests." ALL the tribes were to be priests. Because of their failure to enter the land at Kadesh-barnea and because they made and worshipped a golden calf while Moses was on the mountain receiving God's law, only one tribe was chosen to be a priestly tribe -- and that not on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of the unbelieving, rebellious people of Israel! God's purpose remains, however, to have an entire nation of priests in the fullness of what priesthood means. Israel collectively was to be a royal and priestly race, a dynasty of kings and priests, each member uniting in himself the attributes of king and priest. Every man a king! Every man a priest! A kingdom of priests!

The Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) states that they were to be "a priesthood of kings." It was intended to be the way of life, the office, the nature, the ministry of all Israel, not just a selected few. Israel's would be a priestly way of life, with priestly dignity, priestly power and authority, priestly holiness and priestly character. God's kingdom people were to be a priesthood set at the crossroads of the world to minister to all tribes and nations the things of God. They would become the holy people, the mediating nation for all the other nations. Ah, beloved, there is a realm of living and ministry that goes beyond just being a christian, or attending church, or going through the motions of so many religious activities. God has always wanted a Kingdom of Priests. Priests and Kings -- just like Jesus! One of the chief reasons for the weakness and immaturity of the popular church is the mistaken idea that the saint's happiness and blessing is the main object of God's grace. A fatal error! God's aim is far holier and far higher. He chooses out of the nations a people, in works into them all the triumph of HIS REDEMPTION, all the victory of HIS LIFE, that they in turn shall carry out His redemptive purposes on behalf of the whole creation. A Royal Priesthood! Ah, that is God's aim, His purpose.

The purpose of your quickening by Christ was to make you a part of Himself, to give you a calling to glory, to a place where God by His Spirit can express Himself through you, so you can bring righteous judgment to the earth. That's what this white horse is all about. Your life and everything that happens to you is given to train and equip you for a royal position in God. The only reason the heavenly Father sent you here from the realm of spirit, lowered into the bondage of corruption, was to process you, to groom you for a position in God, to be one in the Saviour and become a Saviour. This is the day when everything we have hoped and dreamed of in God will be realized in our experience. We have so limited God in the way we have thought about Him. I'm telling you that we stand on the threshold of an outworking of God that is so powerful that it will bring an absolute end to the downward spiral of sin and death in humanity. It will put a blockade in the road to the flesh. That manifestation of God through His sons which is immediately before us will turn creation around. We shall manifest unto mankind a life and victory and power that will shake the very foundations of the earth, an action that will alter the course of the world, bringing correction and righteousness. Jesus Christ shall be revealed in and through His people as LORD. A people in this hour are being raised, not out of the cemetery, but out of the grave of their mind, out of the grave of carnal, mortal consciousness, raised up to the place where they can become the manifestation of the totality of the personality of God. We are being raised to become the expression of the substance of His Person. This company is Christ the Head riding forth upon a white horse followed by Christ the body, all the sons of God riding with Him upon white horses bringing the rule of the Kingdom of God upon earth.

But when the Rider of Revelation six comes there are none with Him -- He rides alone. Ah -- is it not within the corridors of your own soul, precious friend of mine, that you must hear the hoof beats of this great white steed thundering! He must ride right into YOUR EARTH, conquering all the territory of YOUR LAND. Don't you hear the clatter of the hoofs of that gallant charger as he bounds through that world which you are, carrying its Rider to grand battlefields and glorious victories within? Christ the Conqueror goes forth to conquer. He hath a bow, and His bow is bent still and He is riding the white horse, and the arrows of Divine Conviction are piercing our hearts, and every enemy within spirit, soul and body falls down before Him; all opposition is shattered to pieces; the strongholds and defenses are torn away as paper walls; the radiant brilliance of His glory flashes its dazzling light upon the eyes of the understanding, piercing effectively every cherished tradition, human interpretation, and carnal concept. I see Christ conquering! Though all men are His by right of creation and redemption, yet He must do battle to make conquest of the human heart. He must fight His way inch by inch into the human soul until He possesses that which He purchased, until the citadels of mind, will, emotion and desire have been taken and brought under the dominion of Truth. His victories are victories of peace over conflict, of joy over sorrow, of faith over fear, of righteousness over unrighteousness, of love over hate, of truth over error, of holiness over sin, of health over sickness, of power over weakness, of the image of God over the subterfuge of self, of life and immortality over corruption and death. Of the triumph of His life within the overcomers the Lord says, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from My eyes" (Hos. 13:14). God is the enemy of death. And He is the enemy of the grave. God right now is waging a war against the death and the grave that is in your mind , dear one. "For to be carnally minded IS DEATH" (Rom. 8:6). The Spirit of the Christ within witnesses, "Grave and death -- you're not going to have any victory!" "For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. And the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death" (I Cor. 15:25-26). The last enemy that shall be destroyed in you and in me is death. When the Lord prophesies this victory over death in Hos. 13:14 He closes His statement with these words: "Repentance shall be hid from My eyes. God says, "There is no way that I am going to change My mind about My purpose -- when I come forth out of the realm of Spirit and commence making war with death and hell I will not stop until every foe is vanquished." In Himself the victory is already attained, fully and forever. "I am He that liveth and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." God is not turning back, the hour for the manifestation of sonship is at hand, and He that hath begun a good work in us shall complete it. The day of death is over. Its time to live! Hallelujah!

It is significant to note that the term "redemption" means in the Greek "loosing." We are now entering the day of loosing (redemption) and our spirit joined to the Lord's Spirit is beginning to express more of His life than ever before. The only hindrance is the dominion of the soul -- our own will, mind, emotion and desire. In order for Christ to be fully revealed in us, these negative attributes of the carnal nature must be effectively dealt with. Before the One who has purchased us for the base of His operation can take full possession of His inheritance in us there must be the dispossession of all that hinders the expression of the Spirit. Just as the children of Israel were commanded to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, so must the giants that usurp our land be conquered. This, my friend, IS THE MINISTRY OF THE FOUR HORSEMEN! The events surrounding these Four Horsemen all portray conflict, war and destruction. The Four Horses are war horses -- and are representations of the activities of the Christ sent forth into our earth to dispossess the usurpers -- the carnal mind, the will of the flesh, the desires of the flesh, the emotions of the flesh and the works of the flesh. It is the taking possession of our earth by the Christ of God. It is the gathering of the firstfruits of His redemption. The Four Horses and their Riders present a picture of God's dealings, strippings, purgings, prunings, and processings by which we are reduced to God. Swift, powerful, irresistible ruin is visited upon our outer world of illusion, and our inner heart of deceit. As the seals of the revelation of Himself are opened, we note that what comes forth represents that which is within us -- the power of life symbolized as horses. These are symbols of great strength, power and overcoming (Zech. 10:3; Joel 2:1-6; Rev. 19:11-14). "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." These horses are sent, not to overcome the world outside, but to overcome the world within. These things begin to happen when we discover the book within, when we lay hold upon the Spirit realm; then there will follow an unsealing of those seals that have been closed so long, and as the seals are broken there is an unfoldment of the triumphant nature of the Christ within. As the outer dimension of our life is stripped away, the inner vitality of the Christ emerges into view. HE becomes revealed! This is God's intention -- not to rapture us away to some far-off heaven somewhere, but to unseal the book of life within us, for we have this treasure in earthen vessels and the earthen vessel has veiled the reality of what lies within -- the fullness of God in Christ in us! He is actually sending forth the Spirit of His Word in a triumphant over flowing which will not cease until our heavens and our earth have been purged from all that stands in opposition to the image of God in man. This is the Centaur, the horse and his rider in the heavens armed with a bow, SAGITTARIUS sending his arrows into the heart of the Scorpion. This is CHRIST THE CONQUEROR!

This is the conquest that is going on right now in that inner world of our hearts, minds and bodies. May the Holy Spirit deeply impress upon you this important truth: YOU WILL NEVER CONQUER UNTIL YOU ARE CONQUERED! You see, in the army of Christ all the vanquished have enlisted, and all of those that were once enemies, such as Saul of Tarsus who once opposed Christ and who now is one of the leaders of that army beyond the veil. As we look at the triumph of Christ we see that the vanquished and the conquerors merge as one. Saul of Tarsus went forth to war against Jesus, but he was struck to the ground outside Damascus, the sword was smitten from his hand, and he was conquered by the Son of God. But in that conquest Paul was to realize his greatest victory and he, too, was to become a part of the ongoing triumph of Christ -- a triumph which is even now proceeding into the heavenly city. We don't have to wait until "some glad day after while" because the battle is going on right now. GOD ALWAYS CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST (II Cor. 2:14). I want to tell you that is a life-changing concept and, yet, some who read these lines have never yet even begun to touch the hem of its garment. Our Captain, our King, our General has won the victory! He has conquered death! He has conquered hell! He has conquered all the powers of evil! And now He brings that triumph to us! And we can receive the spoils of His warfare! How can we be winners and partakers of that victory? First of all we need to know that we can never be part of those that conquer with Christ until we have been conquered by Christ. It was not until Saul had been knocked to his knees in the dust and all his own struggles and battle had been lost, that he entered into the victorious army of Jesus Christ. In that conquest Saul of Tarsus was slain and Paul the apostle rose up to take his place. Perhaps you are struggling in your spiritual life, trying to overcome, but the problem is you have never completely surrendered to Jesus Christ. That surrender cannot be simply by word. It must be in reality. There are those who offer Christ their praise and speak great swelling words of revelation in the gatherings of the saints, but go out and know that their life is not conquered by Christ the Lord.

When Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington he came up to Washington and his aides, each dressed in their finest military garb. Cornwallis began to extol Washington's virtues as a commander and military strategist and told him how impressed he was with the incredible maneuvers he had used. He continued in this way until suddenly Washington interrupted him and said, "Your sword, sir!" At another time, in another place, after the Hellespont was crossed, and he was making ready to march through Thrace, the king of Sparta commissioned heralds to the authorities of the countries through which he was about to move, asking them if he should come as an enemy or as a friend. "By all means as a friend," replied nearly every one. The king of Macedon, however, answered, "I will take time to consider." Immediately the king of Sparta sent the message, "In the meantime we march; we march! So the great King of kings sends us His heralds as He approaches, and asks you, "Shall I come to you as a friend or an enemy?" Gladly He would be your friend. Most of you say with whatever will you can muster, "Let Him come as my Friend." Some may say, "We will take time to consider." Others will say, if not in words, truly by actions, "I want Him to come as my Friend -- to bless me -- but I reserve the rights to this or that area of my life." In the meantime the great King marches towards us. He is coming. He is coming conquering, and to conquer! He will conquer you, my friend! He will ride into your world swiftly and powerfully and will shoot His arrows into your heart until every knee bows and Christ is Lord of all! We will not experience the victory until first we have been vanquished by Christ and have surrendered our carnal weapons. The power of His Kingdom must reign supreme within. Our hearts are the seat of the throne of God, because there He reigns. The royal seat is the image of God in the heart; and where this throne is established in the heart it extends over the whole soul and body.

You who have not yet surrendered to Him as King of kings, you who know Him as Saviour, as Healer, as Baptizer, as Blesser, but have not crowned Him Lord of all within, don't you hear His trumpet pealing in your ears, sounding down through all the chambers of your soul's fortress? You who have tried to be a good christian, faithfully performing the religious activities of the man-made church systems, but have not hitherto heard the call to come out of her and come up higher into the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus -- why do you stand out longer? Why not draw in your colors this day, and invite HIM to the supreme place in your heart and life, and enroll yourself among His followers from henceforth, to follow Him to the heights of Mount Zion; and then, when He celebrates His last victory, be among those who come with songs and everlasting joy to share the fruits of His victory and show forth His praise forevermore. Amen!

THE RED HORSE

"And when He had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, Come and see! And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword" (Rev. 6:3-4). As these seals are opened, as the clatter of the hoofs of the horses is heard, as you experience these wonderful unveilings of Christ charging into your land to accomplish their purpose, let it be said, these are not haphazard, unplanned, or hit-and-miss dealings, these are processes and experiences, instruments and forces that have been prepared, working progressively, steadily, and meticulously to accomplish the plan and will of God in our lives. The white horse is Christ riding forth out of the inner realm of Spirit invading the outer dimensions of soul and body, initiating His march of conquest. He enters our domain first with light and illumination, quickening our spirit by His Spirit, giving the understanding that comes from the light of His countenance. The horse is the embodiment of speed. He who is mounted can get over a greater distance, do quicker work, than on foot. Thus with Jesus Christ. He carries on His conquests with great rapidity. With great vigor and velocity He moves down upon the enemy; and wheeling His forces into line, charges upon the opposing ranks, overcoming them by the impetuous energy of His movements, before they have recovered themselves from the surprise of His sudden and swift attack. And no sooner does He attack upon His white horse of illumination and righteousness, than He appears upon His red horse, pressing the battle ever forward.

Words utterly fail me to describe the scene of the Rider upon the red horse! It is so heavenly, so divine and wonderful, so terrible and awesome, that it completely defies all human description. The Christ pursues His battle upon a magnificent red horse -- not the color red, as paint or dye -- for the Greek word is PURRHOS meaning fire like or flame coloured. It denotes no color at all, but an appearance, a condition, a manifestation of fire and flame. PURRHOS is from the root PUR -- the Greek word for fire. It is interesting to note that a derivative of this Greek word for fire (PUR) is the Latin word PYRA (pure) and the English word PYRE -- the place for the burning of a corpse. PYREX also comes from the same root, PYR or PUR, meaning a fire, and REX, meaning a king -- that which is king, thus ruling over the fire, hence a "heat-resistant" glassware. All our English words having to do with that which is pure are related to the Greek word PUR, indicating clearly that that which is pure is so because it has been cleansed BY FIRE! Consider: PURe, PURity, PURify, PURification, PURitan.

OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE, the scriptures affirm. I understand not why fire has been represented to us as something so terrible, so frightening, so hideous that we should try to avoid it. If our approach back to God is through fire, as revealed by the flaming sword placed at Eden's gate, why do we always try to get out of the fire? Why do we evade the fire? Why expend such energy and effort to try and pray ourselves out of the fire! Fire, in the Word, symbolized two things: judgment and cleansing. But God is not schizophrenic in His nature - one side of His character disposed to forgive, save, heal, redeem, deliver and restore, while the other side of His nature is bent on vengeful destruction and the sadistic torture of His enemies. His action in fire, as His action in grace, is pure, harmonious, and balanced, directed towards the purging that will lead to restoration. His fire cleanses the believer that he may qualify for God's highest. His action of fire towards the unbeliever is to the same end, conditioning and preparing that one for good results, when, having been broken and purged from pride and rebellion, he bows low before the Saviour, penitently receiving the gracious gift of life. The fire does not save him, but it removes the hindrance that separates him from the kind mercy of the Lord.

The crude idea that a wise and loving and righteous Creator from eternity designed and decreed endless torment in undying flame for His creatures who are the work of His hands does dishonor to the name and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; nay, it does more than dishonor, for it is a horrible blasphemy against both His wisdom and His love. It is incredible that any man who has tasted of the goodness of the Lord could ever believe that the compassionate Saviour of mankind could ever have intended us to read such a meaning into His words. The eternal fire is the truth, the Righteousness, the Love of God in a word, it is the nature of God. Any careful reader of the Old Testament will be aware that fire is often used therein as a symbol for the presence and manifestation of God. "Our God is a consuming fire," says the scripture, and the apostle adds, "God is love." God IS! He is fire and He is love. It is no straining of metaphor to say that the love of God and the wrath of God are the same thing described from opposite points of view. Every father who has had to put the rod of correction to his son understands this! How we shall experience God’s love depends upon the way we come up against it. God does not change; it is man's moral state that changes. The wrath of God is a figure of speech to denote God'ff be beaten into thin sheets. No one likes a ring that turns their finger green! No, gold and silver as they are found in nature do nor have, in themselves, much usefulness. They must first be separated from all the impurities that naturally accompany them. And the process for doing that is by FIRE. Our lives, dear ones, are like that. There is so much that is worthwhile in us, but so much that is worthless. There is so much that is of God, and so much that is of self. There is the image of God in man's spirit and incorruptible life and omnipotent power; but it is buried in consciousness beneath the outer veil of mortal mind, sense-knowledge, and corruption. So what does the great and eternal miner have on His hands? He has a mixture. And that is why there has to be the furnace of fire. The ore which we are, in that mixed, raw, unrefined state, brings no pleasure at all to the Refiner, nor does it fill any useful purpose in His plans. Of sons in this state He says, "With them I am not well pleased." Our Father in His sovereign purpose sees us, but He cannot use all that He sees. The ore is wonderful relative to its pure metal content but it is disgusting relative to the impurities that are mingled therein. He is unable to use us in that condition of mixture, so He comes to us as a refiner's fire. And immediately we wonder what is happening! What is happening is that HE is appearing, and, I might add, He is showing up in a FORM that we did not expect. Yes, 'tis the same Jesus who rode into our land on the white horse, giving illumination and quickening, bringing us out from the dominion of darkness into His glorious light of revelation. But He comes now, not to bless and coddle and wink at all our carnality and foolishness, but He comes as the Rider upon the red horse, riding swiftly and powerfully in flaming fire. The hoof-beats of the red horse will echo through your kingdom, my beloved, carrying its Rider into grand and glorious battles within until all that stands in opposition to the law of the Spirit of Life goes up in conflagration and Christ is Lord of all!

How long will this process continue? I would like to promise you some respite, but I dare not. Psm. 12:6. says, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, PURIFIED SEVEN TIMES. Seven is the number of perfection. It reveals the truth that God's own nature will be produced in the fire. He will heat up the furnace until you have been perfectly cleansed and purified, nothing remaining but HIMSELF. That which the Lord is receiving unto Himself cannot be of an inferior quality to Himself. The gold -- ah, it is HIM. The silver -- ah, it is HIM. It is PURE SPIRIT, DIVINE NATURE. How marvelous is the grace that birthed us out of His own Spirit-substance, for He is the Father of the spirits of all flesh. Only the dross must be removed. Thank God that the Christ comes to us not only on the white horse, but also on the red horse to carry the issue onward to victory!

The question follows -- Who may abide -- endure -- wait for -- the day of HIS COMING? For He is like a refiner's fire. Ah, this is not the blessing realm, it is something beyond the gifts and benefits obtained by faith. This is the purging, cleansing and purifying realm! It is the realm of qualifying for sonship, of preparation for immortality, of readiness to rule and reign in life with Christ as a King-Priest after the Order of Melchizedek. And who shall stand -- or who can withstand -- who can stand against it, who can stop or prevent His appearing as the refiner's fire? No one, may I answer, shall be able to withstand or stand against His coming when He appeareth!

Charge on, O horse of fire!