The voice is evidently addressed to the personage on the white horse, or to the agencies thus symbolized. It is the signal for their appearance on the stage of action.
The symbol is that of a victorious warrior, armed with weapons of conquest,—success being indicated by the crown given him. As there is no analogous order, except in the religious world, Mr. Lord very properly regards it as a symbol of the body of religious teachers, those faithful soldiers of the cross, who, from the middle of the first to the middle of the third century, as “soldiers of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3), went forth to war “against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” Eph. 6:12. The apostle, when they received their commission, said to them, “Take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and [pg 059] having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” Ib. 13-17.
Thus equipped, they went forth, conquering and to conquer. They assailed the strong-holds of sin and Satan, and planted the standard of the cross in all portions of the then civilized world. And at the end of their warfare thousands of them could say with the apostle: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing,” 2 Tim. 4:7, 8.
The period symbolized under this seal, was distinguished for purity of faith in the church, and devotion to the cause of Christ,—indicated by the whiteness of the horse that the warrior rides.
The Second Seal.
“And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living being say, Come! And there went out another [pg 060] horse that was red: and power was given to him, who sat on him, to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill each other: and a great sword was given to him.”—Rev. 6:3, 4.
This symbol, like the former, is that of a mounted warrior, and must also symbolize a body of religious teachers. The color of the horse, indicates that the doctrine and character of the body symbolized will have lost the original purity of the church, and become more sanguinary; which is also indicated by the great sword given him.
The warfare under this seal is not against outside enemies; for they kill each other. This, then, indicates an era when the church shall be disquieted, and her peace interrupted by internal dissensions. Such was its history during the third, fourth, and fifth centuries. This period was distinguished for the contentions of the clergy; their usurpation of power not conferred by the apostles; their divisions and sub-divisions into parties; their opposing councils; their collisions and distractions; their love of power; their pride, discord, strife, and tyranny; their mutual anathemas and excommunications; the envy, jealousy, and detraction they indulged in, and the other hateful passions which they exercised. Thus they marred the peace of the church; and by causing many to apostatize, killed each other with spiritual death.
The Third Seal.
“And when he opened the third seal I heard the third living being say, Come! And I beheld, and lo, a black horse; and he, who sat on him, had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living beings say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and injure thou not the oil and the wine.”—Rev. 6:5, 6.