Tag Archives: white horse
Revelation 6.1 – Picture of the 1st Horseman of the Apocalypse
Eric, your new pictures are very different from the pictures that you produced in the past.
Yes, they‘re different in a few ways, I’ve got to keep things interesting! With this series of pictures, I’m going far beyond simple digital photography and into the world of image making by integrating my background as a wet media painter with digital art techniques. With these pictures, I am mixing real imagery, enhanced imagery and hand created imagery. I no longer feel constrained by the simple confines of picture taking. This has been an evolution for me over the past few years.
Secondly, I have picked a very controversial topic to illustrate, chapter six and part of chapter seven from the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is a subject on which very few people agree and as they say, fools rush in where angels fear to tread. So, I could not think of a better topic. Art has to be provocative and good art has to rouse emotions.
I started this series when I was just out of college, many years ago (to many years ago!). At that time, I was using acrylic paint on paper. I did one picture and stopped. Now having moved into the digital era, I have more tools at my disposal.
Is the book of Revelation about the end of the world?
The Book of Revelation is amazing when you actually read it. It talks about things that will happen in the future and references things that happened in the past. I think if people knew what was mentioned, they would be amazed. The ideas, in the book of Revelation, are even relevant to the events that are happening today. So this is a perfect topic given that many people believe that 2012 will be the end of the world.
So, the first picture is from Revelation 6.1 – 1st Horseman of the Apocalypse. What is this picture about?
There is a period of time in the book of Revelation called the “Beginning of Sorrows”. The Beginning of Sorrows is not marked by a particular time or date. It is revealed by a series of events. The bible uses very graphic terms to create very vivid word pictures in describing these events. The 1st Horseman of the Apocalypse is one of the first of these biblical word pictures.
This picture is of a false messiah who goes throughout the earth to conquer. He is given a white horse, a bow and a crown. A white horse is the one that the good guy always rides. However, this is not your typical good guy, this guy is a deceiver. Now this imagery in the book of Revelation raises several questions. Who is this person? Why the white horse? Who is he conquering?
Luckily, the answers to these questions are presented in the Book of Matthew. There we find out that he is a false Christ, a fake Messiah and the time period described is end of this world as we know it. Jesus says in Matthew to “Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name (the name of Jesus), saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many”. So this picture presents the beginning of sorrows, a false Messiah.
How is this relevant to us today?
Many religions are looking for a Messiah. For example, the leader of Iran is always speaking about the one who he believes is coming. Iran is behind much of the tension in the world today because some in Iran are trying to hasten the appearance of the Hidden Imam, a Christ like figure, through chaos, war and bloodshed. (For more information, read this article: “Divine mission’ driving Iran’s new leader”). However, the Hidden Imam is not Jesus nor is he mentioned in the Bible as coming with Jesus.
Take the events in Korea; if you want to understand what is happening in North and South Korea, you have to look at Iran. The US is preoccupied in two wars, everyone knows this. Further, Iran is working behind the scenes, with North Korea, Hezbollah, Hamas and Syria, to make sure that they (Iran) have time to complete the development of their nuclear weapons. If Iran is threatened, by Israel and/or the US, they will incite a global struggle and Iran’s first maneuver will be to undermine the ability of the US to fight against them and to separate the US from Israel, hence the need for a conflict between North and South Korea (We have 28, 000 troops in South Korea.). A third US war would overwhelm the ability of the US military and the finances of the US. This has nothing to do with succession in North Korea as some have reported. This is all about Iran’s nuclear program and end time events as described by Iran. There could be a Middle East war before the year is over. Keep your eyes on Iran. But these things do not point to the end of the World. This is, at best, just the Beginning of Sorrows. Stay tuned more to come.
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Notes:
Key Bible Verses
Rev 6:1
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
Matt 24:4-5
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many
Notes (This picture was made from other pictures.)
Horse from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kanegen/2589518103/in/set-72157605512493697/
Lions from
http://www.flickr.com/photos/terryhollis/1410819823/
Birds from