How many horses of the apocalypse?

Answer 1

The four Horsemen of the Apocalypse from the book of Revelation are probably symbolic. White horse as conquest, Red horse reprsents war, Black horse is famine and the Pale horse is death.

Answer:

The book of Revelation is another of Jesus' "parables," that is, as stated, filled with symbols. Jesus always spoke to the general public [the multitudes] in parables, so that they "wouldn't" understand what He was saying... though many men teach the opposite [that He spoke in parables so they would understand].

When His disciples came to Jesus privately and inquired of Him why He spoke in parables [Matt.13:10], Jesus spoke plainly:

"This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

"For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the Truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (Matt.13:13-17 NIV)

The book of Revelation is not intended, yet, to be understood by "all the world"... but only by those who are now called by God who belong to Jesus Christ:

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God [the Father] gave Him to SHOW HIS SERVANTS WHAT MUST SOON TAKE PLACE... Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Rev.1:1-3 NIV)

Millions of people have read Revelation since its publication. Everyone tries to interpret what it says. But very few have been able to "take it to heart" and "understand" it.

Jesus spoke to His disciples "privately" when He explained God's Truth to them, so they would "get it"... understand it.

Revelation is a prophecy regarding the events surrounding the time of Jesus' return to earth with the Kingdom of God -- the END TIME [the end of man's rule on earth, and the final phases of God's plan]. And Jesus spoke to His disciples "privately" about the time of the end and His being revealed to the world as its King, in Matthew 24 [the "Olivet Prophecy" as some men call it].

It's in Matthew 24, then, where "Jesus' servants" should be looking to know and understand what the "symbols" of the parable of Revelation mean... in "privacy," prayer and humility.

The "four horsemen" of the Apocalypse [or Revelation] follow the chronological explanation of Matthew 24:4-8.

We are told that these things that are "represented" as "horses" are: "...THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS." (verse 8 NIV]

These horses are the things in the world we live with continually, since the beginning of the world... until Jesus returns: false religion, war, famines, diseases, earthquakes, death.

Like conquering warriors, these things have been on the move and galloping across the planet non-stop and plaguing man to the point where he barely notices them anymore. Man "expects" these things to happen. They aren't out of the ordinary.

World peace would make men stop and take notice. Peace, men do not expect.

Nor will peace come at the hands of men. Their diverse religions keep them separated... suspicious of one another... arguing with one another... hating and fighting with one another.

These are the galloping horses.

Today... one of the world's "white horse"warriors is charging around the earth: "...BENT ON CONQUEST..." (Rev.6:2 NIV) -- seeking to "conquer all the other religions in the world," to establish itself in every nation as the world's sole religion, if it can.

And it's doing it through "war."

The "horses" of Revelation are repetitive and "overlapping global events" that remain in constant motion... until they all escalate into the "parable's" Fifth Seal -- what Jesus calls in the King James Version, "Great Tribulation.

"For then there will be Great Distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now -- and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect [of God] those days will be shortened." (Matt.24:21-22 NIV)

The constant cacophonous lure of religions, the deafening sounds of war, the devastation of famine, the wasting away of pestilence and disease -- man has barely noticed these "horses" of Revelation 6, that have always ridden throughout his generations.

The parable escapes him. He reads about the "horses," but can't see them. The din they make have lulled him to sleep, and he can't hear them. The book has been his to read for centuries... and he can't understand it -- because he doesn't go to Christ, privately, to get understanding.

The "horses" are the internet, TV and other published news of religious upheaval, of nations and people going to war, of starving millions, of diseases, of devastating earthquakes.

The "horses" of Revelation are our daily doses of terror and Horror in the world with which we live and have come to expect as "normal life on planet earth."

The "horses" have been trampling man under their symbolic hooves since Cain murdered his brother... and the world just can't see them.

Answer 2

I believe you mean the four horsemen, in which case it is four. War, death, famine and disease.