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In Revelation 6 we see the breaking of the seals and the consequences that follow.  A seal was a wax stamp with an official emblem.  When affixed to something, it was not to be broken until someone of authority asked for it to be opened.  Jesus, as the ultimate Authority, calls for the seven seals to be broken which allows the unrolling of a scroll revealing God’s will for the earth (Revelation 4-5).

We read that His will is for the earth to undergo a time of judgment preparing us for the coming of the Lord.  The first four seals allow the four horsemen of the apocalypse to bring God’s will to the earth.

When the first seal is broken in Rev. 6:1-2, the White Horseman is unleashed.  I believe that this represents the Church going forth throughout the world with the Gospel.  I will explain why I believe this in another blog.

The second seal brings the Red Horseman on the scene.  This is when peace will be taken from the earth until Jesus returns.

Revelation 6:3-4 (NASB)

3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”

4 And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

This corresponds to the second and third signs of the coming of the Lord found in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:6-7 (NASB)

6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

The word nation is the Greek word, “ta ethne” which means “ethnic group.”  Jesus is telling us that racism will abound leading to wars over ethnicity. Ethnic groups want to kill other ethnic groups.

Kingdom refers to governments.  Jesus is saying that when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, that is the second sign of His coming.  When we see actual battles between ethnic groups and countries, then the third sign is fulfilled.

Some will say that we have always had war.  That is true, but the difference is the magnitude of Wars today.  We saw two World Wars in the last century.  The idea of World War 3 carries with it the annihilation of man from the face of the earth.  War is different now because governments can unleash nuclear weapons that cause destruction like nothing John the Apostle could have known in his day.  By the way, he does describe a nuclear exchange in Rev. 6:12-17!

Today the world is at war.  In 2003 there were 15 major wars being fought.  Today we are down to 8 and there are at least 50 major conflicts raging with hundreds of countries involved.  Adding to this are the ethnic battles that are affecting the lives of millions.  These now spill over into every nation because of the hatred of terrorist extremists.  We hear over and over of the atrocities that are committed because of a desire for ethnic cleansing.

A web site that monitors wars around the globe stated the following,

“Most of these are civil or “intrastate” wars, fueled as much by racial, ethnic, or religious animosities as by ideological fervor. Most victims are civilians, a feature that distinguishes modern conflicts. During World War I, civilians made up fewer than 5 percent of all casualties. Today, 75 percent or more of those killed or wounded in wars are non-combatants.” http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/index.html

In 1986, Pope John Paul the II, sought to bring a day of peace.  He spent millions of dollars and used every bit of influence he had to accomplish this.  He appealed to every religious and government leader he could.  He had Mother Teresa and an army of priests meet with every faction he could.  The day came and the fighting broke out anyway.  I remember watching him be interviewed, where he sadly stated, that he believed that peace had been taken from the earth and we would never know it again.

The Red Horseman is on the move.