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

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In biblical literature, the color white often symbolizes purity, victory, and divine presence. The white horse, in particular, is a significant symbol found in various passages of the Bible, representing different aspects of God's plan and the unfolding of divine prophecy.

Revelation 6:2
The most prominent mention of a white horse is found in the Book of Revelation. In Revelation 6:2 , the Apostle John writes, "So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer." This passage is part of the vision of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The rider on the white horse is often interpreted as a symbol of conquest or victory. Some conservative scholars view this figure as representing Christ or the spread of the Gospel, while others see it as a representation of earthly conquest and the beginning of tribulation.

Revelation 19:11-14
Another significant mention of a white horse is in Revelation 19:11-14 , where John describes a vision of Christ's triumphant return: "Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses." In this passage, the white horse is a symbol of Christ's ultimate victory over evil and His righteous judgment. The imagery of the white horse here underscores the purity and holiness of Christ as He leads the heavenly armies.

Symbolism and Interpretation
The white horse, as depicted in these passages, carries deep symbolic meaning. In the context of Revelation, the color white is associated with holiness, righteousness, and divine authority. The rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 is explicitly identified as Christ, emphasizing His role as the righteous judge and victorious King. The use of white horses for the armies of heaven further reinforces the theme of purity and divine power.

Throughout biblical history, horses have been symbols of strength and swiftness, often used in warfare and royal processions. The choice of a white horse for these apocalyptic visions highlights the contrast between earthly power and divine authority. In the conservative Christian tradition, these passages are often interpreted as affirmations of Christ's ultimate sovereignty and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

The white horse, therefore, serves as a powerful symbol within the biblical narrative, representing both the beginning of tribulation and the ultimate triumph of Christ over evil. Its appearances in the Book of Revelation provide a vivid portrayal of the spiritual realities that underpin the Christian faith, offering believers a glimpse of the hope and victory promised in the end times.

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 6:3
And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot spotted and bay horses.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 6:2
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given to him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
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

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

Away in Paris, a Vast Concourse of People were Assembled Round an ...
... wind, the scent of the earth and the colours of the ... who died from a kick from his
favourite horse one day ... I mentioned her name once in the presence of this man ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/xxxii away in paris a.htm

Profit and Loss
... by these magnificent gains I have mentioned, and in ... go fagging along, just like a
pack-horse, without the ... so dreadful, for earth hath not colours black enough ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/profit and loss.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

Tit. 2:06 Thoughts for Young Men
... eyes, and prevent you seeing anything in its true colours. ... to think, like those whom
Job mentioned, "We are ... be a voice within, crying, like the horse-leech in ...
/.../chapter xix tit 2 6 thoughts.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

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... trusted himself to the back of a horse, and it ... that of Kush and of the Uauaiu, is
mentioned repeatedly in ... linen; an innate taste for bright colours, even in ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm