The mounted horses - Horse #1--6:2. The horse is portrayed in the Old Testament as the noblest of animals. (Genesis 49:17; Job 39:19-25) The beasts of burden were oxen and asses, horses were warriors, reserved for the arsenals of war, used by kings, either mounted or harnessed to chariots. (Exodus 9:23; Esther 6:8) Solomon imported them from Syria and Egypt. (1 Kings 4:26; 1 Kings 10:26; 1 Kings 10:29; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17; 2 Chronicles 9:25) They were here in the apocalypse employed under different colors to represent the character of the event as Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 6:2-6, and to signify the fleetness and the strength to represent angels. Before Solomon’ s time no horsemen were mentioned in the armies of Israel. The kings were forbidden to keep many horses (Deuteronomy 17:16), as a military disarmament plan to prevent oppression and tyranny; and as a domestic policy to prevent unnecessary burdens on the people by the imposition of taxes; and further to discourage trust in horses and chariots by Israel’ s kings, who were exhorted to put their trust in God. (Psalms 20:7) Solomon had horses in great number, which he kept for pomp rather than war. He is said to have had forty thousand stalls for his horses and chariots. It appears that Solomon specialized in horses and wives ! Among the heathen, horses were consecrated to the sun idol (2 Kings 23:11); for the worship of the sun by the easterns prevailed for many centuries, and the horse was consecrated to that deity over all the east. The sun-god was represented as riding his chariot drawn by the swiftest and most beautiful horses, completing every day the journey from east to west, for the communication of light to all mankind. It is worthy of note that the secrets and ceremonies of some fraternal orders today, a certain one in particular, based on the ancient mysteries surrounding the god and goddess of the sun, Osiris and Isis, are not far removed from this ancient deism. At one time the Lord forbade the kings of Judah to multiply horses as an embargo measure to prevent trade between Judah and Israel, fearing that by means of commerce, as a system of communication, Israel would become infected with the Egyptian idolatries. In the Old Testament apocalypses, as in Revelation, the symbols of the horse and its rider were the most graphic, if not the most moving imagery. The striking resemblance in the vision of horses, in the first chapter of Zechariah, to that of the four horses in the sixth chapter of Revelation, parallels the historical events in the fortunes of Old Testament Israel with the corresponding experiences of the New Testament church. The white horse (the first seal)--6:2. “ 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.” The white horse and its rider were a symbol of the invincible Lord; riding a white horse was the symbol of majesty in a war of victory. He (the Christ) that sat on him had a bow: The bow was for distance signifying a long conflict; the sword symbolized the clash of combat in the surge of battle. In the ancient armor, the arms of war were the shield, the sword, the spear and the bow. The bow was the instrument for shooting the arrow. This slender combustible missile shot from the bow was the chief dependence in attack and defence. David refers to “ the sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.” (Psalms 120:4) The fire from combustible juniper wood was conveyed on the arrow tip to its target, and became a symbol of terror from God. (Psalms 38:2; Job 6:4) Along with lightning, thunder and famine, it was employed as a symbol of divine judgment. (2 Samuel 22:15) As a metaphor of the penetrating power of truth the arrow symbolized the word of God. David refers to “ sharp” arrows in hearts causing men to yield to “ the sceptre of righteousness.” (Psalms 45:4-7) In the same figure the bow stands for fidelity and strength, as in Genesis 49:24, and Psalms 44:6. In the hand of the rider of the white horse the bow was the symbol of all these characters of conflict. A crown was given unto him: This is a significant description as it is noteworthy that Vespasian who initiated, and Titus who executed, the Jewish war both received the imperial crown. He went forth conquering, and to conquer: The conquest of Christ was not spontaneous, intermittent or spasmodic; it did not consist in single victories; it was a continuous, progressive conquest of hearts which no might could defeat.