The red horse (second seal)--6:3-4. The color of each horse corresponds to the mission of its rider. In the symbol of colors red stands for bloodshed; the rider was the persecutor waging war against Christ and his church. This rider had power, and political authority, to take peace from the earth. This symbolized the dwelling place of the nations. The statement that they should kill one another, meant the war of the Jews against Jews, their own flesh and blood kindred. This phase of events was described in Matthew 24:10 in foretelling the Jewish persecutions, the hostilities of the unbelieving Jews against their Jewish kinsmen who professed faith in Christ. And there was given unto him a great sword. To the rider of the red steed of bloodshed and war, a great sword was given, in contrast with the bow, signifying a closer, bitter, relentless and bloody struggle. It was an intensified view of the events in successive symbols. The sword has connotations of both civil authority and military might. Even when it is used as a metaphor for the word of God it is a function of war against sin in the soul and the rebellion of the heart against the will of God. (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12) Moses used the sword as a metaphor of war. “ I will punish you for your sins, I will bring the sword upon you,” (Leviticus 26:24-25), which meant that God would cause war to come upon them. “ Ye shall be delivered into hands of enemies,” he said. Paul used the sword to signify the authority of government. “ For he beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:4) God has ordained the rightful power of government to punish evildoers and defend the good. Jesus used the sword to symbolize capital punishment. “ Put up thy sword into its place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) They that take the sword by their own authority, assuming unto themselves the prerogative of vengeful justice, deserve to be put to death by the sword of authority. It is stated in Genesis 9:6 : "Whoso sheddeth man’ s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” That was and yet is the universal law of requital. The great sword given to the rider of the red horse was not the sword of government, but the sword of persecution. It was a “ great” sword in significance, the survival of the church was involved, the gospel was at stake. It was great in extent--the whole Jewish and Roman world were drawing the sword against the church. It was a great sword in effect--resulting in the martyrdom of the followers of Christ, who would not yield to the coercion of conscience, when their testimony for the truth was sealed by the blood of witnesses; who trusted to the power of the truth, against the sword of persecution, for the success of the cause of the Lamb; and for the universal expansion of Christianity through the blood of its adherents.