A War of Ideas

Rev 6:1  And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.  Rev 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.

        Before I look at this verse let me quickly look at verses 3-8.  In these verses we see a prophecy of war, famine, and terror or pestilences.  We are commonly told this is to take place in the first 3 1/2 years of Daniel's 70th week.  When we compare this, however, with Matt. 24:6-13, we see the same things, but in them our Lord repeatedly says the end is not yet.  So it seems rather that these characterize these days.  Can anyone dispute that these days are like those?

        I believe the fifth seal of Rev. 6 describes the great tribulation.  Thus again we see the first four seals like Matthew 24 showing these days.

        What then of verse 2?  Notice that the rider of this white horse has a bow, but there is no mention of any arrows.  What good is a bow without arrows?  Note further that this rider is given a crown, which would seem to represent victory.  Note still further that this rider is said to go forth conquering and to conquer.  This seems to speak of abundant victory.  I know that because he rides a white horse, he has been said to be Christ or some have said The Anti-Christ as a mockery.  In Matthew 24:14 we are told that the Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached through the whole world.  Then it says, "...then shall the end come."  Is this not what Rev. 6:2 is talking about?

        I have been hearing recently that our present wars of terror are a war of ideas.  This seems to be what we have before us in the first seal.  It is a war not won with ammunition – no arrows.  Yet it is a war that is won.  The rider is seen as totally victorious.

        What should we do in light of this?  We must keep on preaching the Gospel.  It will be victorious.  It will not save the world, but it will save every one whom our Lord came to save.  Our Lord's word will not return unto Him void, but it will accomplish that which He pleases and prosper in every thing to which He sends it.  Was Isaiah correct in saying that?  I believe he was. 

        So what should we do?  Let's not water it down.  Let's double down to preach the Gospel even more faithfully than ever before.  We may not be able to stop the shooting and the bombing, but we can win the war of ideas.  Jesus said that everyone whom the Father had given Him would come to Him, and He would not cast them out.