Were the Four Horsemen released from the 1st century?

Many Bible students believe that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be released in the future. But a careful review of what is found in the Olivet Discourse shows that they were released in the first century, or shortly after Revelation was completed.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have become legendary. Many Christians believe that the first four seals will be opened at the time when the Antichrist appears on the scene, with the first horseman representing the Antichrist.

There are not too many who have actually connected these horsemen with the events in the earlier part of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:4-13). But a close comparison shows a correspondence to the events listed by the Lord Jesus Christ from the time of the destruction of the Temple (70 AD) until the time of the third Temple and the Abomination of Desolation (in the future).

As we can see below, those horsemen have already been released and are already bringing judgments upon the earth.

Revelation
1. White Horse (Rev 6:1,2)
Horseman with bow and crown
“conquering and to conquer"
Olivet
False Christs (including popes) (Mt 24:5)
False Prophets (Mt 24:11)
bow = attacks on Bible truth
crown = usurped authority of Christ

Revelation
2. Red Horse (Rev 6:3,4) Sword = warfare
Horseman with great sword
“take peace from the earth,
kill one another”
Olivet
Wars,
rumours of wars,
nation against nation,
kingdom against kingdom (Mt 24:6,7)

Revelation
3. Black Horse (Rev 6:5,6) = Famine
Horseman with pair of balances
“a measure of wheat for a penny,
Three measure of barley for a penny”
Olivet
...And there shall be famines (Mt 24:7)

Revelation
4. Pale Horse (Rev 6:7,8) = Death
Horsemen; Death and Hades
“Kill with the sword, with hunger, with death, with beasts of the earth”
Olivet
...pestilences, earthquakes, martyrdom, executions, betrayals
(Mt 24:7-12)

Let's take the example of false Messiahs (Christs). "A century later [after Christ] a man named Bar Kochba achieved much better traction in convincing the Jews of his anointed status....

In the mid 5th century, a man named Moses of Crete decided he was the one the Talmud had predicted. Swearing he would, like his biblical forbear, lead his followers through the water and back to the Promised Land, Moses convinced his fellow Jews to leave behind all their belongings and march directly into the sea...

The Karaites are a sectarian movement that rejects rabbinic Judaism, holding sacred only the Hebrew Bible and not the Talmud or other rabbinic writings. Many of the early influencers of this movement led messianic charges, promising to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem so they could return to offering sacrifices (rabbinic Judaism had replaced sacrifice with Torah study and prayer). Needless to say, none of these false messiahs succeeded and many of their followers were slaughtered in battle, deserted by their leaders.
False Messiahs in Judaism | My Jewish Learning

We could go into all the other things listed in the Olivet discourse and see that they have been present since the 1st century, but some have greatly increased in intensity recently. Which means that the revelation of the Anrichrist is getting very close.

I agree with you and believe they happen exactly when Jesus said they would in Mat. 24.

He explained to the people standing there everything that was going to happen. The AOD, destruction of the Temple, and the streets running red with the blood of Israel. Then His disciples looked at Jesus in the face and asked Him, "when will ALL these things take place". He looks at them in the eyes and says " Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

There is absolutely nothing in the text that can be honestly read as "thousands of years in the future this will happen", NOTHING. For Jesus words here to mean anything other than "all these things will happen within 40 years", takes adding to His word. You can't make this mean anything else without bringing your tradition to the text. Period.

There is a progression of revelation from the beginning of the history of man to the end of the age: what is known today may be further revealed later.

For example: Anti-Christ. There is no doubt there were many anti-Christs that entered the world shortly after Christ appeared to His disciples. We know this through scripture. But the world will continue its decline until the appearing of the anti-Christ, with those not in Christ giving the false-Christ power and authority.

Most believers are typically fine with this understanding: small anti-Christs into the eventual anti-Christ.

But what of Christ Himself?

Most believers don't think about Christ as a many-membered Being, a singular Body of believers who live by the Spirit of God. They're fine to extol Him as Lord and Savior but give little thought to how He will appear by the end of the Age.

If He appears in us, and He moves us, by the Spirit, into maturity, then what will the Body of Christ look like at the end of the age? Certainly NOT like it looked during the Crusades or in its fractured, multi-denominational form now. Interestingly enough, the evil thing that contained some of the members of the Body of Christ during the time of the Crusades still exists. We can expect that entity and the other denominations to also remain as the age closes. It is Christ's prerogative to call His people OUT of such things of the world, but not all will heed His Spirit.

Where else? From a careful study of the Bible, without any regard for existing theories and ideas. We all need to study Scripture under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, regardless of what others have said. Some commentaries are fine, others are misleading.

Given what you have stated, is the church still in its infancy?

Let's take the example of "pestilences". There was a time when many pestilences such as measles and smallpox had become almost non-existent. Today the unvetted migrant invanders coming into the USA are bringing all kinds of diseases into the country. Add to that the sinister attempt to create bio-weapons and unleash them on the world, means a further increase in pestilences. The deliberate increase in "gain-of-function" for dangerous viruses is purely evil, and inspired by demons. This means unnecessary diseases and infextions where none existed before.

Looks like preterists have latched on to your study here: so, do you think anything beyond the first four seals belong to the first century?

Conquerors, war, famine, and death have been a thing since OT times; moreover, even the Black Plague wiped out around 50 million shy of a quarter of the world's population. Do you believe, like the preterists, that "the earth" in Rev, really means "the land" (of Israel)?

I see that the woman who goes into the desert and emerges as a prostitute is the false church. Her antecedent is the nation of Israel. God’s people were always people of promise and not of some particular DNA.

So no, the church has been maturing since its inception (of the increase of His kingdom there will be no end) and so has the prostitute. But we are reaching the end of the age. Now is the time of division and separation. The Restrainer has been removed. Now all manner of world and religious amalgamations are emerging. Long-standing groups of believers, once known for their piety, now welcome and promote all kinds of sin, even the murder of their own brethren (like the Russian Orthodox church).

The 4 horsemen are part of the seals.

I believed the seals were over a long period.

The trumpets for a period before the 7 years start but not a long period which appears to be warnings to the world to get right with God, but after the 6th trumpet they still did not repent of their sins which they did not turn to Him but kept trying to achieve peace by their own efforts so He gives them the antichrist to rule over them.

An example is WW1, set up League of Nations, did not turn to God.

After WW2, set up United Nations, did not turn to God.

But this could of been the plan all along since that time to change the world to an occult world, and there is no personal God which is what the antichrist will try to accomplish which he will think to change times and laws.

Controlled conflict brings about controlled change.

fighting was the start causing the nations to divide themselves choosing sides.

Which is a set up for a scare tactic for it is time for a one world government, and to produce the New Age Christ which the new age movement is a Caucasian led plan which the next evolutionary step of humans focuses on the Caucasians.

Which is why WW1, and WW2 involved Europe for it was a set up with them saying it is because of certain things but it was a set up to get the world cooperating to work for peace on earth.

They do not mind laying waste to millions of people which God said their beliefs are of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and their conscious is seared with a hot iron as they believe they are doing the will of nature.

And the vials is for short time which is the wrath of God on earth.

Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

The disciples wanted to know the end of the world.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

This could appear to be for a long period of time.

Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

But this could not be for a long period of time for how could the saints understand these things without technology allowing them to know what is going on in the world.

How would they know that these things are going on in different places on earth if they cannot know about these things without technology.

About all they would know is when they went outside and looked around.

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Daniel did not understand what was told him about the end time but was told to go his way for he could not understand for the book is sealed until the time of the end and then they would understand.

For many shall run to and fro, advanced travel, and knowledge shall increase, advanced technology, which then the saints can see, hear, and know what is happening on earth which then they will know how the world can come together going against the operation of God for they can communicate with each other, and travel to each other.

Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

This also cannot happen until the time of technology for how can they be hated of all nations when the big majority of the world did not know about Christians.

Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

I also believe that this would happen at the time of technology following the theme of technology when this happens as it appears before this that they cannot be fulfilled without technology.

I believe after the destruction of the temple that Jesus is speaking about the end time after that and not what would take place in the first century and after.

It could be the seals started with the Roman Catholic Church the false Christianity whose foundation is pagan, and of the occult.

Which they appeared as the truth but they were going forth conquering for their religion.

Which they will embrace the New Age Christ, antichrist, and the new age movement interpretation of the Bible and Christianity.

Which it is obvious that when the Roman Empire embraced Christianity that they did not get rid of their pagan, and occult ways, and it became their foundation for the interpreting of scriptures.

Because of that they can sway to go along with the world as it changes.

The 7 Churches in Revelation is a prophetic statement to how the Church age would go in major influence, and if any falsehood God always has people in the truth.

3 of the Churches have serious flaws which number 2 is called the synagogue of Satan, number 3 where Satan's seat is at, and number 4 where those in the truth has not known the depths of Satan.

Which the Roman Catholic Church ruled for many years and a major influence.

Then the 5th Church is the Protestant movement but their works were not found perfect and told to correct that.

And then the 6th Church where Jesus did not have a problem with them and said He would deliver them from the temptation that shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell on earth.

How can there be the same temptation that comes upon all people of the earth at the same time.

Which the only thing it can be is when the world says Peace and safety as they go to a one world government saying their operation for the world is right that is contrary to the operation of God for now people have a choice to stay with God, turn to God, or follow the world.

Which the Bible says some shall depart from the faith, and follow the new age movement interpretation of the Bible.

Which the time will come that people will not want to hear the truth of the Bible, but want to hear the Bible according to their own lusts, and be turned on to fables.

Which the Pope Francis, and the Vatican shall support the New Age Christ, as the Pope as the head of the unified religious system with all religions interpreted by the new age movement, and the Vatican as the headquarters.

For it has to be a leader that claims the Bible and has much influence which the new age movement embraces the Bible but interpret the Bible according to the occult and evolution.

Which Pope Francis elected 72% of the Cardinals so they would elect the new Pope who will support the New Age Christ.

And then the 7th Church which they say they are rich, and increased with goods, and hypocritical, which is the prosperity gospel, and rich preachers, and many loving money, and material things.

It could be the start of the seals the first horsemen which the horse is white is the Roman Catholic Church which is an occult interpretation of Christianity which Satan appears as an angel of light which they went forth conquering, and persecuting using physical violence.

Which they are the synagogue of Satan and will support the New Age Christ and the new age movement interpretation of the Bible.

Which the New Age Christ will use a false interpretation of the Bible not only because the Bible is salvation but the Bible is the most popular book of the religions so he can influence more than any other religion.

For all the other religions believe the Bible is truth but they interpret the Bible according to their religion.

Without the Roman Catholic Church whose foundation is pagan, and of the occult, and the Pope of much influence there is no New Age Christ, antichrist.

For the Roman Catholic Church made it happen for the antichrist to have power over the world because the antichrist is of the new age movement and their interpretation of the Bible which the Pope will embrace and be head of a unified religious system and support the new age movement.

When the Roman Catholic Church pushes the agenda of the new age movement and saying Jesus is not Lord and Savior but an ascended master in the occult then the religions will give heed to the Pope.

Except for Islam but they are going to bomb the Arab nations with nuclear weapons plucking them up by the roots, and Christians in the truth will not give heed.

I like the connections.
And maybe the "antichrist" was also in the first century.

" Many antichrists" according to John's epistles. But he also says that one Antichrist will come.

The fifth seal events could also be added. But the events of the 6th and 7th seals will be in the future. No. The earth means the entire globe -- all nations.

My intuition is that the white horse is the church, and the rider is the Holy Spirit.
Ps. 45:5
King James Bible
Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

Acts 2:37
King James Bible
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Zec. 10:3
King James Bible
Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

My intuition is also that the other horses are riding out to oppose the spread of the gospel by the white horse.
The red horse and war may be persecution of the church that began after the death of Stephen.

They definitely were as the Bible teaches the 'last days' began during the 1st century, in case someone is taught differently by a church he/she goes to, I will provide evidence:

Hebrews 1:1-2
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

This is not the only one of its kind.

The last days started at the first coming and will culminate in THE last day.

this is an interesting read through


Have you ever noticed on the Old Testament prophets , God repeatedly warned of the four terrible judgements he would send if they broke his covenant and didn’t repent ? It is actually written foret on the law in the many curses for breaking the covenant. But it’s a repetetive theme of the prophets a repeated warning to israel to repent and stop false diety worship

“And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭26:33‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭5:12‬ ‭


“And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭24:10‬ ‭

“For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭14:21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭7:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬


“Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭5:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭21:3‬ ‭

id say the four horses are somehow related to those four judgements For sin that bring death

“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 ‭6:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is also how I am reading Jesus' own words, in Matthew 24:4-5 and Mark 13:5 (i.e. "many" [throughout the years]... and "one in particular" [at the particular time of the far-future 7 Trib yrs]):



... the wording itself saying...

"Take heed, lest anyone [G5100 - tis - a Grk word which CAN mean: 'A CERTAIN ONE'] deceive you.
FOR MANY shall come in my name saying, ..." - Matt24:4-5 (so He's contrasting the "many" which will come [throughout the years] with the "one in particular" He's warning them in particular about--In the SAME WAY that the epistles of John do! And similarly to how Paul in 2Th2 also does!)

-- https://biblehub.com/matthew/24-4.htm , https://biblehub.com/matthew/24-5.htm


-- https://biblehub.com/mark/13-5.htm , https://biblehub.com/mark/13-6.htm





So, while I AGREE that "the beginning of birth PANGS" ARE the first SEALS of Rev6, I do NOT hold to a "preterist view" of these, but rather understand them ALL to be "future," taking place IN/WITHIN the future 7-year-period... for several reasons (all fitting together):


--Paul says "the Day of the Lord" ARRIVES "exactly like [hosper] the INITIAL "birth PANG [same word Jesus used, but Paul uses it in the SINGULAR]" that COMES UPON a woman, 1Th5:1-3 (and later basically makes the point that "the day of the Lord" will not be present without its "main character," the man of sin);


--Revelation 1:1 [/1:19c / 4:1] is making the point that the things John is going to be "SHEW[n]" are "things which must come to pass IN QUICKNESS [NOUN]" Rev1:1--NOT things which would unfold over the course of some near-2000 years (as the Historicists have it); one can even trace out the "calendar-dates" between Rev4-5's courtroom scene TO Rev19's scene which can be seen (on a calendar, those dates sum to) equaling precisely "2520 days" (i.e. the 7 year period, i.e. the "70th Week" of Daniel)... and even see the mid-point's calendar date;


--the SEQUENCES ISSUES of the Olivet Discourse indicate that there are TWO distinct "SEE-then-FLEE" instances (this impacts how we understand the "timing issues" of Matt24 and "the beginning of birth pangs" [in all three of the Olivet Discourse accounts]);


--the matter of Lk21:32's "TILL ALL shall have taken place" and how this "ALL" must necessarily INCLUDE the "of-lengthy-duration" items v.24 had just spoken of (this also impacts how we understand the "timing issues");


--all of these matters, and more, bring us to the conclusion that EVERYTHING from Matt24:4 / Mk13:5 ONWARD is what takes place FOLLOWING "our Rapture" (other that the fact that "many" shall come throughout history);






--I've made posts in the past about the correlation between the description of "the four living creatures" (associated with the first four seals and their opening) to that of the four-directional plotment of Israel in OT times, so I believe these seals (with Jesus Himself opening them, when He will "STAND to JUDGE" [Isa3:13, Rev5:6]) relate to the idea of redeeming the land [the world], FOR the promised and prophesied EARTHLY Millennial Kingdom age (etc) which will SOON after that-point-in-the-chronology COMMENCE--similarly to the "sealed" mention in the following OT passage:


Jer 32:14
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.
Jer 32:15
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

^ (to go with my previous post)

To be clear (if my previous post wasn't), I disagree with the above statement, and believe instead that the "four horsemen" will be released in the "future" time-period we commonly call the 7-year Tribulation Period (aka "the 70th Week" of Daniel), i.e. released FOLLOWING "our Rapture" event. I do not believe they were released in the first century.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree with Divine watermark with exception of the timing of the rapture. In opening a scroll that has been sealed would be done fairly quickly. So, I propose the following:

7 Seals ---------7 months
7 Trumpets---35 months #
---------------------------------
Total-----------42 months---to the middle of the Tribulation or 1260 days

# Since in Rev. 9:5 the 5th Trumpet Judgement is 5 months

Were the Four Horsemen released from the 1st century?

No, I don’t believe so. I believe the four horsemen symbolize the first 4 seals in the book of Revelation, which is for the end times. Daniel chapter 12:9-12 also refers to this time.

Revelation 6:1-8
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

Daniel 12:9-12
And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.