"I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war." (Revelation 19:11)
In Revelation 19, the apostle John describes seeing a white horse and its rider. There is virtually no disagreement among biblical scholars that this rider is Jesus Christ himself.
The Unique Interpretation of the World Mission Society Church of God
The World Mission Society Church of God presents a unique interpretation regarding Jesus as the rider on the white horse. They claim that, since horses symbolize the flesh in the Bible, the "Jesus riding a white horse" in Revelation refers to the Second Coming of Jesus in the flesh.
As biblical evidence, they cite Isaiah 31:3
"But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together." (Isaiah 31:3)
They extract the phrase "their horses are flesh" from Isaiah 31:3 to support their claim that, biblically, horses symbolize the flesh.
Examining the Context of Isaiah 31
While interpreting Scripture by comparing passages is a valid method, it is crucial to consider the context. The phrase "their horses are flesh" in Isaiah 31:3 must be understood within its context.
"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord. Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against that wicked nation, against those who help evildoers. But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, those who help will stumble, those who are helped will fall; all will perish together." (Isaiah 31:1-3)
Isaiah 31 is a prophecy concerning the impending national crisis Judah would face due to Babylon's expansion. Some Judean nobles, instead of obeying God's will, advocated for an alliance with Egypt to resist Babylon, trusting in Egypt's military strength.
Isaiah 31:1 states, "who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen." This reveals that some placed their trust in Egypt's military might. The prophet Isaiah points out that relying on "horses" symbolizes a misplaced trust in physical, earthly power rather than in the spiritual power of God. He warns that such reliance will ultimately lead to disaster and destruction.
The phrase "their horses are flesh" in verse 3 means that Egypt's mighty military strength is merely physical and cannot compare to the power of the spiritual God. This meaning is clear when the context from verse 1 is considered.
The Issue with Isolating "Horses Are Flesh"
Despite the context, the World Mission Society Church of God continues to claim, by isolating the phrase "horses are flesh," that "horses symbolize the flesh" in the Bible. This is a misinterpretation that ignores the broader context.
The Proper Interpretation of the Rider on the White Horse
Having established that the claim "horses symbolize the flesh" is unfounded, the question remains: How should we interpret the depiction of Jesus as the rider on the white horse?
To interpret this correctly, we should not look to Isaiah 31 but rather to Revelation 6, where riders on horses appear multiple times within the same book.
"I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest." (Revelation 6:1-2)
In Revelation 6, the Lamb (Jesus) opens the seals and reveals visions to John. When the first seal is opened, John sees a rider on a white horse. As subsequent seals are opened, he sees riders on a red horse, a black horse, and a pale horse.
As noted earlier, the number of horsemen was a measure of a nation's military strength, and the rider on a horse typically symbolized a military leader. Even among infantry, the leading general would ride a horse.
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The Symbolism of the Rider on the White Horse
The riders in Revelation 6 symbolize the state of the church throughout different historical periods. The first, the white horse, represents the era of the Ephesian church (AD 30–106), which maintained the purity of the truth. The red horse symbolizes the era of the Smyrna church (AD 106–313), marked by persecution and martyrdom. The black horse represents the Pergamum church (AD 313–548), which compromised the truth under Roman political influence.
If the riders in Revelation 6 symbolize the state of the church in each era, then the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19 should also be understood as representing the church in the last days that upholds the pure truth of the early church.
If one were to interpret the final rider on the white horse as Jesus coming in the flesh, then one would also have to interpret the riders in the Ephesian and Smyrna church eras as Jesus coming in the flesh, which is not possible.
Jesus, the Head of the Church
After the crucifixion and ascension, Jesus has always been the head of the church through the Holy Spirit.
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)