John comes closer. We read in verse 2, “And I saw and behold.” Are we getting closer, too? What is going to follow next is so important for us to know. We read, “A white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him.”
John sees a white horse with a rider. The rider has a bow, and He is given a crown. We read further, “and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” The picture is clear. White is the color of purity, holiness, and peace. White is the color of heaven and the inhabitants of heaven. He who rides this white horse has been given a crown. Who else could this be but the Lamb, standing as slaughtered? He received the crown of victory when He had let justice prevail in perfect obedience to God, His Father. In Him is both salvation and judgment. He has received the crown of glory. He has all power in heaven and on earth. We also encounter Christ this way in Revelation 19:11-16. Then the end time has come to its end. Here in Revelation 6, the fulfillment of the end times begins. It is Christ who surrounds that time and holds that time in His hand. It is His time! We are also reminded of the image in Zechariah 1:8, “The Man among the myrtle trees.” There, too, were horses of various colors. There, too, Christ led the way and had power. So, too, here. At first glance, it may seem miraculous that Christ has a bow here. Usually, we read that He has a sword, the sword of His word. Well, here it is about the bow of His word. That image is taken from Psalm 45:5, “Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies.” But in that Psalm, the bow's arrows, like the sword, are image speech for His word. This is confirmed in verse 4: “Ride prosperously because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness.” But note! The bow in the Bible is also, and much more often, an image of God's wrath, of His judgment. We find that in many places in the Old Testament. Well, so it is with God's Word. God's Word is law and gospel. It is saving and redeeming but also punishing and judging. That He has a bow means He will execute justice with His Word, saving and judging.
But what a comfort it is for us to know that the end times are in Christ's hands! And may we not know of His love and mercy? Two things happen at the end times. First, the word of the gospel goes out savingly. But secondly, the word goes out to judge. Whoever does not bow down to Him will be judged by Him. Whoever will not be saved will perish in His judgment. But how glorious it is that the word of the gospel comes first in the end times!
We also find this clearly in the Lord Jesus's end-time discourses in the three synoptic gospels. The main characteristic of the end-times is that people are saved. When the last is inflicted, He comes again to judge the living and the dead. Let us go out to Him and believe in Him.