Deception

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, Come! I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Rev 6:1-2

This is the beginning of the judgments of the wrath of God. There is much dispute as to what this rider on the white horse represents. Some identify him as Jesus, because in chapter 19 Jesus appears on a white horse, wearing a crown and bringing to an end all the terrible series of judgments on the earth. But it is a mistake to identify these two, because the context is different. Here we are looking at the beginning of the judgments of God. The rider of chapter 6 is summoned by one of the living creatures, but it would be unthinkable for a creature to summon the conquering Christ. But it is significant that this rider on the white horse here resembles Jesus in chapter 19. They both ride a white horse; they both wear crowns; and both are bent on conquest. It suggests that this rider is someone who is like Christ, but is not Christ.

This is doubtless the long predicted antichrist, who is yet to appear in the last days. The Man of Sin the Apostle Paul calls him, who is yet to offer himself as though he were God's Christ. He comes like Christ, but in his own name. He is given a bow, but no mention is made of arrows. This appears to be a bloodless conquest he launches. This suggests an overpowering of the minds and wills of men, without physical destruction, done by some form of deceit, by lying that misleads people and thus overcomes them without the shedding of blood.

Today we are hardly aware of how much we are being deceived all the time. Turn on the television and fraudulent ideas, along with a mixture of truth, are poured into your brain. Pick up a magazine and read false claims that certain acquisitions will produce great blessing and liberty. But trying them will soon tell you that it is a lie. We are constantly promised much that is totally unable to deliver. We live in a deceitful age. This rider on the white horse tells us, however, is that the worst is yet to come. We are living amidst great deceit, but it is not as bad as it is going to be. There is coming an even greater lie. Paul wrote, The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

That makes it crystal clear, does it not? This first conquest by evil in the last days is set in motion when God takes off the reins and lets deceit have its way among men until it reaches a climax of delusion.

Father, thank you for giving me your Word, through which I can see through the deceitful lies of the enemy. Amen.