What Are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Even people who know little about the Bible have heard about the four horsemen of the apocalypse. But who are they? Or more precisely, what are they?

It is common to hear them described as:

1. War
2. Pestilence
3. Famine
4. Death

But that is not quite accurate. Here is what the actual passage says:

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!” 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.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:1-8)

The first thing to notice is that the four horsemen are a part of a larger narrative. They are the first four of seven seals. Having said that, the four horsemen are:

1. White Horse: Conquering. This first horseman represents war but not just war in general. It is specifically war in terms of the initial conquering of a victorious army. Think of it in the sense of the german blitzkrieg of World War Two. Note that later in Revelation, Jesus returns on a white horse. The symbolism is the same as Jesus returns as a conquering Messiah.
2. Red Horse: Violence. The second horseman also represents war, but now in the sense of systemic violence that takes place after the people have been conquered.
3. Black Horse: Famine. The third horseman is famine. In this context, it is specified that luxury goods are still available but necessary goods are gone.
4. Pale Horse: Death. Although most translations say “pale,” it is more accurately a pale green. Think of a sickly green of a decomposing corpse. Think of a zombie.

Instead of imagining a collection of science fiction or fantasy characters, it is important to see them as the natural stages of an enemy invasion. The first step is the conquering of the enemy, followed by violence against the defeated, this results in famine and all come together in a high death toll.

Seeing the four horsemen in this way may help prevent some unfortunate misinterpretations of this passage.

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