Topical Bible: The Horse: Colours of, Mentioned: Red

◄ The Horse: Colours of, Mentioned: Red ►

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In the biblical narrative, the horse is often depicted as a symbol of strength, power, and warfare. Among the various colors of horses mentioned in the Scriptures, the red horse holds particular significance, often associated with conflict and divine judgment.

Biblical References:

1. Zechariah 1:8 : "I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse, standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow. Behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses." In this vision given to the prophet Zechariah, the red horse is part of a divine patrol sent to survey the earth. The presence of the red horse among other colored horses suggests a role in the unfolding of God's plans, possibly indicating a period of unrest or judgment.

2. Revelation 6:4 : "Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take peace from the earth, and men began to slay one another. And a great sword was given to him." In the apocalyptic vision of John, the red horse is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The rider of the red horse is given the power to remove peace from the earth, symbolizing war and bloodshed. This imagery underscores the theme of divine judgment and the tumultuous events that precede the end times.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

The red horse is emblematic of war and conflict, often serving as a harbinger of divine retribution. In Zechariah, the red horse is part of a reconnaissance mission, indicating a period of divine observation and potential intervention. In Revelation, the red horse's role is more explicit, as it directly correlates with the outbreak of war and violence, reflecting the broader theme of eschatological judgment.

From a theological perspective, the red horse serves as a reminder of the sovereignty of God over the affairs of nations and the ultimate fulfillment of His divine purposes. The imagery of the red horse challenges believers to recognize the seriousness of divine judgment and the reality of spiritual warfare.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, horses were primarily associated with military power and conquest. The color red, often linked with blood and fire, further emphasizes the destructive and purifying aspects of divine judgment. The biblical portrayal of the red horse aligns with these cultural associations, reinforcing the message of impending conflict and the need for repentance and faithfulness.

The red horse, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a powerful symbol within the prophetic and apocalyptic literature, illustrating the complex interplay between divine sovereignty, human agency, and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan throughout history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 1:8
I saw by night, and behold a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 6:2
In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 6:4
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 to him a great sword.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Savanna of Aripo
... up to her shoulders, as she sat upon her horse. ... Such a variety of forms and colours
is nowhere else ... but not the Chaparro {259b} so often mentioned by Humboldt ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xii the savanna of.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... as remarkable as the Ceiba I mentioned just now. ... them in cotton velvet jackets of
the richest colours. ... which, if broken through, held the horse's leg suspended ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Outward Bound
... feet high; nor at the gorgeous colours, for very ... were told that, in the island just
mentioned, the ... opened, proved to contain the gray horse-nicker-beads ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter i outward bound.htm

Away in Paris, a Vast Concourse of People were Assembled Round an ...
... wind, the scent of the earth and the colours of the ... I mentioned her name once in
the presence of this ... makes it harder for them, should be horse-whipped within ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/xxxii away in paris a.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... trusted himself to the back of a horse, and it ... gauffered linen; an innate taste for
bright colours, even in ... on a passage where Puanit is mentioned as "being on ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The victory of Faith
... his name must be love; are the brethren mentioned, he loves ... like the chameleon, it
hath all the colours of the ... depths of the sea; he is a war horse, that cries ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the victory of faith.htm

The Northern Mountains
... medal from England, and to have his name mentioned, probably to ... than that from the
bite of a horse-leech, we ... songsters, and our eyes on the colours and shapes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xi the northern mountains.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... The sea mentioned in all these tales is perhaps a ... of these"as, for example, the horse
and the ... their equatorial origin in the brightness of their colours. ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men
... They seem to think, like those whom Job mentioned, "We are the ... always be a voice
within, crying, like the horse-leech in ... You do not see it in its true colours. ...
/.../chapter xix tit 2 6 thoughts.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... and heavy stuffs patterned and striped with many colours. ... of richer and finer materials,
dyed red or blue ... water, analogous to the streaming vase mentioned above ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm