James, the apostles believed the end would not come until the great falling away and revealing of the man of sin had occurred. They viewed that event, future to them, as signalling the time of the end. They also looked forward to the final out pouring of the Holy Spirit at the latter rain.

It makes sense doesn't it that if the final demonstration of Satan's power through spiritual Babylon is future, that God will in mercy give fair warning through His Spirit? This final gospel warning and invitation is symbolized by the three angels in Rev 14. So far they have been muted because of the Laodicean condition of the church but the testimony of the True Witness will not return void. It will accomplish it's work. Laodicea will be judged by the truth of this Witness and the messages of the three angels will be proclaimed in the latter rain power of Elijah. The white horse of Revelation 6 is the same as the white horse of Revelation 19 and parallels the messages of Revelation 14. This horse is called forth by the first beast, the one resembling a lion, because the rider on this horse is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

The "man of sin" spoken of by Paul is the "abomination of desolation" spoken of by Jesus in Matthew. Jesus also described the falling away saying, "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand." (Mat. 24:24) Jude speaks of it this way, "For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." (v.4)

That falling away led to the burning of the Christians in Rome and the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD. Don't you read the Bible and the history books anymore?

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James Christ says: "If any man wills to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God" and if he obeys the truth it will "set you free".

The four beasts are the four covering cherubs that are the living throne of God. Rev. 4:7-11. The psalms say God is enthroned between the cherubim and also that God inhabits the praises of Israel. Ps 80:1, 99:1, 22:3. This is the same picture in Revelation 4. The four living creatures lead the praises of the angels and men. They ascribe holiness and honor to God and their praise strikes an answering cord in the redeemed represented by the 24 elders. Heaven and earth resonate with their anthems. As we join in the rapturous atmosphere of heaven by faith, we will become prepared to endure the glory and unfolding Providences of God at the opening of the book.

Hi bro. Mark, sorry for the delay in getting back with some answers for you. I've marked them down and will address each.

"And what's VH's view of the four horses of Rev 6?"

As already posted, VTH showed how the standard SDA teachings of Rev. 6 (horses and symbols) cannot be showing the prophetic events of the Christian dispensation. It goes back to the beginning of the earth's history. That being understood we can now get a summary of what the 4 horses symbolize.

1) White horse -- "..the white horse, the first in the symbolism identifies the world's first state of being -- pure and sinless with a Divinely-crowned ruler (rider), who at first had no goal but to subdue the earth and to fill it with eternal God-like beings."

"The rider and his white horse (God's crowned king, Adam, and his peaceful government, his white horse) are, therefore, the first to be weighed on the balances, the first to come in review before the Judicial Throne.

Hence, we are again reminded that this character-searching event, the Judgment, is the very thing that was to take place "hereafter" from John's time, years after the first century of the Christian era."

2) Red Horse -- "Since the white horse and its crowned rider represent the first period of mankind, then the red horse and its murderous peace-destroying rider, must represent the next period, the period in which murder and war for the first time broke out."

"..the historical truth that wars for the first time broke out after the confusion of tongues, shows that the red horse and, in particular, its rider, depict the period in which the tower of Babel was annihilated, and in which peace gave way to wars.

Moreover, another anchor to the proof, is the phrase, "To take peace from the earth," for it obviously implies that there was peace before that time."

3) Black Horse -- "As we have seen, the white horse represents man's government of earth while still pure and free. And now, since black is the opposite of white, the black horse must represent man's government in spiritual darkness and captivity -- a condition opposite to that represented by the white horse."

"This is confirmed by history: Even as far back as Abraham's time, only about three hundred years after the flood, idol worship had overwhelmed the inhabitants of the world. It was then that Abraham left Haran, his father's house and country (Gen. 11:31; 12:1). His descendants, Israel, at length became slaves to Pharaoh, and afterwards to Nebuchadnezzer, King of Babylon."

4) Pale Horse -- "Since the pale horse falls in the same period as does the non-descript beast of Daniel 7:7, 8 (see pp. 16, 17), the period subsequent to the third seal, they consequently resemble each other."

"Indeed, its color being faint, wanting, not having a specific or definite hue or character, the horse is in the last analysis non-descript, too. Very evidently the rider of the pale horse is synonymous with him who spake against the Most High, with him who was to wear out the saints, "and think to change times and laws." Dan. 7:25.

"He is seen to represent the climax of idolatry. The ancient Roman government is fittingly symbolized by the non-descript beast, because in truth its administration was an admixture of civil and religious laws, of Pagan and Christian doctrines. No one could actually tell whether the Roman government was Pagan or Christian, Jewish or Gentile."

"The rider's name, "death," also perfectly fits the then persecuting spirit and cruelties of both the Jews and the Romans. History and prophecy alike confirm that the Roman subversive power "devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet." Dan. 7:19.

(Taken from Tract 15, p.39-50)

This is just a synopsis of the Rev. 6 horses. We can see that although "horses" are used in both Zech. 6 and Rev. 6 , the symbolism is different and the lessons as well.
We do however notice that in both symbolisms,

we find that --

Red coloring of the horses represent --bloodshed.

Black represents bondage/slavery.

White represents liberty/freedom.

Pale/grisled represents undefined color or more understood- lack of purity or clear definition.

Next we'll look at the horns question.

The Revelation is too hard for you, I suspect. Let's step back a bit and consider Humpty Dumpty instead. What do you think the nursery rhyme really means? Must it really take more than ALL the king's horses and ALL the king's men to put Humpty Dumpty together again? It doesn't add up now, does it? There's obviously a deeper meaning. What do you think?

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"GLL do you see a parallel between the four horses and the four horns in chapter 1? How does the Shepard's Rod and Victor Houteff view the horns?"

We begin with brother Houteff's explanations then add some comments at end.

"Moreover, the Scriptures plainly point out that
--THE GENTILES WILL BE DRIVEN OUT OF THE HOLY LAND.

"Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns. And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem. And the Lord shewed me four carpenters.

Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to scatter it." Zech. 1:18-21.

Here we see, first, that the heathen powers in their scattering of God's ancient people, are represented as four horns, and later, in their casting out the Gentiles, they are represented as four carpenters. Thus it is predicted also pictorially that "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, [only] until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21:24.(Tract 12, p.49-50)

NOTE- as Zechariah speaks of the temple to be built in the future it is important that we lay some foundation for the horns.

"In erecting the second temple, Haggai and Zechariah prophesied and strengthened the hands of the people by the Word of God. The writings of both prophets bear evidence in every line, that the perfect fulfillment of their prophecy is to be realized in the last days of this world s history.

As they have interwoven these predictions with the construction of the second temple, it is obvious that the literal model of the stately edifice has a spiritual meaning for the church in the closing work of the gospel.

Zechariah, looking forward to the time of the spiritual temple (the last section of the church) and its construction, says: "Behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build the temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord, and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you." (Zech. 6:12, 13, 15.)

"He shall bear the glory." To Christ belongs the glory of redemption for the fallen race. "Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.... to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever." (Rev. 1:5, 6.) He "shall sit and rule upon His throne, and He shall be a Priest upon His throne." (Zech. 6:13.)

"Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the kings of the earth." (Rev. 1:5.) "He shall be a Priest upon His throne." It is obvious that the time predicted is some time after the crucifixion and before probation has closed; for He is "a priest."

Christ, "the branch," "shall grow up out of His place"; that is, He was to spring up from the Jewish nation, "and He shall build the temple of the Lord." Therefore, the temple that "He shall build" could not have been the literal temple in ancient Jerusalem, for it was a temple that He is to build after His birth.

"And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord." As this was untrue with the literal temple, the words must apply to the anti-typical one. At that time the prophet says: "And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people." (Zech. 2:11.)

"In that day;" that is, in the time of the "Loud Cry," a great multitude shall be converted to the church. In Zechariah 13:8, it is stated that one-third of the inhabitants will "come," and they are the ones who shall "build in the temple of the Lord," of which the literal one was a type.

Zechariah then saw the powers that had "scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem" (the type, also the anti-type), symbolized by "four horns." Immediately afterward he saw the same horns as four carpenters (read Zech. 1:18-21), representing the agencies used by the Lord in restoring His people and the house of His worship, both in type and anti-type; that is, the Gentiles who scattered the church shall also come and build the same.(Shep. Rod, vol. 2, p.259-260)

So to answer your question there does not appear a direct connection of the horses of Zech. 6 and the horns of Zech. 1. These are two different prophecies with different lessons.

The new testament explains many things from the old Testament.

Hebrews talks much about Christ sitting on the right hand of God's throne. Christ as our High Priest in a temple not made with human hands.

Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken [this is] the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

The New Testament also speaks of the earthly counterpart --

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.



"And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord."

Many times the New Testament explains this:

Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition [between us];
2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross,
2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];
3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body,


This became a reality when Christ came.
Paul and the other apostles were preaching this far and wide in the first century AD. The message spread across the face of the earth.

So indeed the spiritual "temple" is built up of "lively stones" consisting of both Jews and Gentiles and people from all nations who have accepted Christ the corner stone.

1/3 percent?

An interesting observation:


So 32 percent -- that's 1/3 of earths population have heard and profess Christianity --

Of course, just like the Jews, it's not enough to "belong" to the race, or belong to a group that calls itself Christians, it must be a relationship with Christ --

That's why there is an Investigative judgment -- to verify who is clothed in the white robe of Christ's righteousness (see Rev. 3:5) and the great gathering occurs at the second coming when the angels go forth to the four winds (directions) of the earth and gather the elect.

Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Bro. Mark, let me know if I missed any of your questions. if not then I'd like to start a new thread on Zech.4 (Golden bowl) and it's symbolic meaning.

As mentioned Zechariah's lessons are similar to Revelation, in that they break away during the chapters to give separate lessons and not necessarily sequential in their story line and time line. As we'll see Chapter four's lesson is very different as to meaning than chapter 6 lesson. And chapter one's lesson is not connected to chapter six's in most respects.