By Pastor Darryl Woodson
Revelation 6:1-2_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.
We all get very unhappy when we get deceived
and deception can stay and weigh on our minds and lives. Satan is the deceiver
and father of all lies.
From Chapter 5 of Revelation we looked and
saw about the 7 seals on the scroll in the right hand of Him who sat on the
Throne. In Chapter 6, at the opening of every first 4 seals, a judgment is
passed. The White Horse represents victory, mostly as in a war setting.
The one who sits on this white horse was
given a crown, a “garland crown” (stephanos) which
is given as a reward for victory in battles, for great achievements or for
victory in games. While the Hero of Chapter 19, who also sat on a white horse
wears many crowns, many diadems, also
called kingly crowns. The
bow may simply signify that the rider is a great, warlike figure, or there may
be a special significance in the fact that he is armed with a bow instead of a
sword or spear.
The white horseman in chapter 19
represents the Christ whom the beast imitates in chapter 6. They have nothing
in common but for the white horse! The beast is described in;
Revelation 13 especially taking note of verses 5,
7 and 15.
This is the work of the devil that
he deceives,
Revelation 12:9_So
the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan,
who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were
cast out with him.
Jesus speaks of this deception that
will come, and warns that we take heed to not be deceived.
Deception has many arenas, and many
root back to the problem that many Christians think they need to be entertained
which then becomes a snare; addiction to movies and the music. The television
was once called the altar on which many a man, a family is sacrificed. But God
is not interested in our being ‘entertained’! He is interested in the heart and
scripture beckons us to GUARD our hearts.
There is much in the world that is
on the devil’s agenda to deceive. There are the obvious one’s (Beyoncé,
Rihanna) but there are those that are subtle (Shakira, Hanna Montana). These
have a priority target on our children. We know the workings of Satan as in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11. But the
Spirit of God lives in us and teaches us right from wrong.
Let no one say when he is tempted that he is
tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil nor, does He tempt anyone but
it is our desires, desires for entertainment that entice and draw many away.
Those that fall prey are of their father the devil and are not able to listen
to Christ’s Word.
And when these perilous times come, this is
what the children of darkness look like, lovers of money, boasters,
blasphemers…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the
truth.
The world cannot know Truth but from us,
because we were brought forth by the Word of Truth by the Father to be a kind
of ‘first fruit’ of His creatures.
But the devil is not the only one who can
deceive, we can deceive ourselves!
James 1:22_But be doers of the word, and not hearers
only, deceiving yourselves.