The First of the Five Horsemen

Positing that the first horseman in Revelation 6 represented the antichrist John Walvoord said that there weren’t any scriptures identifying him as the antichrist, but he seemed to fit into the picture at that point. The other popular assumption is that the first horseman is another representation of the fifth horseman in Revelation 19, Christ returning. Oddly both assumptions point to the similarity between the first and fifth horseman behold a white horse: and he that sat on him to support their assumption. In one case the similarity makes the horsemen the same; in the other case the similarity makes the first a counterfeit of the fifth, although gives the first a Christian crown (stefanoV -

stephanos) as opposed to the world’s crowns (diademaV -diademas)..

What is missed is that neither Christ nor the antichrist fit into the picture at that point. Christ returns to defeat the antichrist. But something else occurs before He returns:

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.^{Ps.
110:1}

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.^{Matt.
22:44}

The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.^{Mark
12:36}

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.^{Lk
20:42-43}

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool^{Acts
2:34-35}

Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.^{Heb.
1:13}

After he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.^{Heb
10:12-13}

If you were counting, it is in scripture 7 times, but it isn’t in anyone’s doctrine. The Lord does not return until His enemies have been made His footstool; so, His enemies have been made His footstool before the antichrist arises. Are we reading the scriptures breathed by God or are we reading books and articles about Scripture? It’s a rhetorical question; the answer is obvious.

Didn’t anyone notice in Daniel’s prophecy of Michael, the great prince which stands for the children of thy people^{Dan
12:1} wasn’t standing? Michael isn’t standing because the Lord’s enemies have been made His footstool. Then there is a rebellion: when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.^{Rev.
6:3-4} And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.^{Daniel
12:1}

It is then that the Lord returns And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ^{Rev 19:11-16}

The first horseman is prophesied in the Old Testament, but no one ever looked for him. In the law [Torah: Penteteuch: Genesis through Deuteronomy] we find Judah is a lion's whelp,^{Gen.
49:9} and in Revelation the whelp is full-grown and is Christ: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,^{Rev.
5:5} the fifth horseman: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.^{Rev.
19:11}

There is another lion’s whelp in the law. In Deuteronomy we also find Dan is a lion's whelp,^{Deut
33:22} who also is fully grown in Revelation and makes the Lord’s enemies His footstool And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.^{Rev.
6:1-2}