In order to distinguish Biblical fact from church fiction concerning this most dangerous of religious beliefs we will read the Words of Jesus Himself as recorded in the books of Matthew and Revelation. In Matthew He is prophesying about coming events using future tense; in Revelation He speaks to and through John concerning those same future events using both present and past tense. Note that John viewed the vision in what to him was real time. He then recorded the events in past tense though they are projected to take place “at the time of the end” of this era. We will now begin to correlate the events described in Matthew 24 with those same events as described in Revelation 6.

The apostle Matthew, in writing about his experiences with Jesus, makes certain that the reader knows that it is Jesus Himself Who is speaking. We will use the opening statement in Revelation 1 to show that it was that same Jesus Who was speaking to John on the Isle of Patmos. John had been exiled to the island as punishment for speaking and writing  about what he had heard and seen during the 3 1/2 years he spent with Jesus. Now, some 60 years later, Jesus is about to reveal to him and His future followers what will come on the earth as the end of the age approaches. Let us begin with Revelation 1:1: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass.” Now that we know that both the Words in Matthew 24 and the Words in Revelation 1 were spoken by Jesus, let us compare them.

Revelation 6:1,2: The Lamb (Jesus) opens the first seal and John sees a white horse. He that sits on him has a bow, and a crown is given unto him. This “king” goes forth “conquering (people) and “to conquer” (more people). Because of this rider’s white robe (signifying righteousness), crown (signifying kingship) and bow (signifying power), many believe this rider represents Jesus Christ conquering the world for God. But let us compare this description to that found in Revelation 19:11-16. Here the Rider sitting on the white horse is called “Faithful” and “True” and is wearing many crowns and a robe dipped in blood. He is bearing, not a bow, but a sharp sword, which is identified as the Word of God. Jesus says in Matthew 10:34 that He will use that “sword” to separate believers from pretenders. The white horse rider of Matthew 24 represents Satan–the Great Counterfeiter who would conquer the masses by deceiving them into joining his various false religions. Jesus warns us about Satan’s ministers in Matthew 24:1-5. Here He is asked when the end of the age would come. His initial response contained a warning about the rider on the white horse and his false prophets. “Take heed that no MAN deceive you. For many (ministers) will come in My name (claiming authority from Him) declaring (that) I am Christ, and will DECEIVE (spiritually conquer) MANY.” What Jesus warned about has come to pass. Satan’s false prophets, his “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15) have come confessing that Jesus is indeed the Messiah and, having convinced the masses that they represent the Biblical God, have “deceived many,” thereby conquering them for Satan while convincing them that they have placed themselves in the hands of God. So effective is the devil that he has lured multiplied millions of God-seekers through his wide gate and along his broad way of Counterfeit Religion (Catholicism/ Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism, etc.) (Matt. 7:13,14). “Few,” Jesus said through Matthew, would “find” the strait (small, difficult) gate and narrow (restricted, regulated) way of His true religion. The question arises as to how the God-seeker knows whom to follow? How does he know which minister is speaking Truth? The answer involves “fruit,” by which one can distinguish between those who point to God’s Way and those who point to Satan’s way. By their fruit, Jesus said, seekers would know whom He has chosen. Their fruit involves the words they speak and the lives they lead. God’s ministers speak His Words, knowing that both the speaker himself and his words will be rejected by the vast majority of hearers. Satan’s ministers speak whatever pleases the hearers, knowing that both they themselves and the words they speak will be accepted by the religious masses. See Bait and Switch. These ministers also warn their followers to beware of God’s messengers who speak God’s Words, who “… contend for the faith (gospel) once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). False prophets portray God’s messengers as misguided souls–heretics who have “fallen from grace”–the exact words used by a local minister to describe this writer. Just as God’s ministers contend for His faith (gospel), Satan’s ministers contend for the faith (religion) of the organizations that pay their salaries. Jude 3 and 4 warn of such ministers: “For certain men have crept in unawares, men who (through their words) turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness (a license to sin), (and in so doing) denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the method by which the rider on the white horse (Satan-Mat. 24) “conquers” the religious masses. One will note that the white horse Rider of Revelation 6 (Jesus) uses His Word to destroy those who, having been conquered by Satan, refuse to obey Him. Before we get into the body of the message, the spiritual condition of Satan’s false prophets needs to be addressed.

The deceived do not know they are deceived. False prophets/”ministers of righteousness” have been deceived by those who taught them, who were themselves deceived by those who taught them, etc., etc., ad infinitim. Satan has for generations blinded the spiritual eyes of God-seekers, thereby preventing them from studying the Word of God for themselves. He has done this by convincing them that their leaders are God-chosen and God-directed. See Ministerial Ordination. Therefore, to remain in good standing with God one need only listen to their words and obey their instructions. So powerful is Satan in this regard that, when confronted with the Word of God, ministers and laity alike summarily reject it, all the while proclaiming from pulpit and podium that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. A key to distinguishing between those who want to please God and those who simply want to get to heaven is summarized by the following. God-seekers, when confronted by God’s Word, will study it in search of His Truth. Upon finding it they will admit their error, believe the Truth and obey it. Salvation-seekers, upon recognizing their errors, will refuse to accept God’s Word, choosing rather to stay their religious course. In the following posting we will summarize and correlate the Words of Matthew 24 and Revelation 6. One will note that nothing relative to a “rapture” is anywhere mentioned in the entire discourse. To be continued. L.J.