The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
One of the most fascinating depictions of the apocalypse comes from the New Testament of Christianity. The Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament, speaks of four riders known as the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. As their name suggests, their arrival marks the beginning of the end of the world. These horsemen have also left a lasting impact on popular culture, making their way into various forms of art, literature, and entertainment. You may have encountered them in a literary or artistic work or in a piece of entertainment media. Each of these four horsemen has distinct characteristics and symbolism. In this article, you will become more familiar with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Before discussing the four horsemen themselves, it is important to understand how they are set in motion. The Book of Revelation describes a scroll or a book that is sealed with seven seals. A figure known as the Lamb of God breaks the first four of these seals, which leads to the summoning and release of these four riders on their unique horses. Although each of the four figures has their own distinct attributes, they also share some similarities. With the breaking of each seal, one of the horsemen is released. Naturally, all four symbolize the end of the world, each rides a horse, and each represents a specific concept.
The first rider appears on a white horse. He carries a bow and is given a crown. Scholars debate his identity and nature. Some view him as an evil figure, even associating him with the Antichrist. Others, however, interpret this rider not as a symbol of evil but as Christ himself. Additional interpretations suggest that the rider on the white horse symbolizes disease, conquest, or domination.
The second horse is red, sometimes described as "fiery red" in translations. This rider is given a large sword. As a result, the second horseman is often regarded as a symbol of war, with his weapon and the color of his horse representing bloodshed and violence.
The third horseman rides a black horse. Unlike the previous two, he does not carry a weapon but instead holds a set of scales. Among the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, only the black horseman is directly quoted in Revelation. The reference to rising food prices and his scales symbolize famine. Therefore, this horseman is generally seen as the embodiment of scarcity and starvation.
The fourth and final horseman rides a horse described with varying colors, including pale, gray, green, or yellow in different versions. However, the most common description of this horse is "pale," as the fourth rider represents death, and lifeless human bodies often appear pale. Among the Four Horsemen, this is the only one explicitly named—Death. Unlike the first two, he does not carry a weapon, nor does he bear an object like the third. Instead, he is followed by Hades, which in Greek mythology was the ruler of the underworld, but in Christian belief, it represents the realm of the dead.
The Horseman in Buddhism & Hinduism
The Rider on a White Horse
Revelation 19:11–16; The New International Version (NIV)
11 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.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
The Islamic Horseman
This title, which appears in the second passage of the prophecy in the book Upanishad, has been mentioned in the narrations of the infallibles (peace be upon them). Here, we present some examples of these narrations:
In a hadith from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), regarding the blessed reappearance of Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) and his movement from Najaf towards Masjid al-Sahla, he states:
«كَأنِّی بِهِ وَ قدْ عَبرَ مِنْ وادِی السّلام إلی مَسْجِدِ السَّهْلَةِ عَلی فَرَس مُحَجَّل لَهُ شِمْراخٌ یُزهِو وَ هُوَ یَدْعُو و یقول فی دعائهِ...» [1]
"It is as if I see him with my own eyes, passing through Wadi al-Salam near Najaf, heading towards Masjid al-Sahla while riding a white-footed horse with a radiant white forehead, whose brightness is seen like a lamp or a star. And in that state, he is reciting supplications..."
Imam Ja'far al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) also states in this regard:
«كَأنِّی أنْظُرُ إلیَ الْقائِم عَلی ظَهْرِ النَّجَف رَكبَ فَرَساً أدْهَمَ أَبْلَقَ، بَیْنَ عْینَیَهِ شِمْراخٌ، ثُمَّ یَنْتَقِضُ بِهِ فَرَسُهُ، فَلا یَبْقی أَهْلُ بَلْدَة إلاّ وَهُمْ یَظُنُّونَ أنّه مَعَهُمْ فی بِلادِهِمْ» [2]
"It is as if I see the Qa'im (peace be upon him) behind Najaf, riding a dark-colored, black and white horse that leans towards black, with a striking white mark between its eyes. Then, his horse gallops forward in such a way that the people of every city will believe that he is among them in their own land."
In another hadith, Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) says:
«كأنِّی بِالْقائِم (علیه السلام) عَلی ظَهْر النَّجَف لَبْسَ دِرْعِ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صلی الله علیه وآله وسلم) فَیَتَقَلَّصُ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یَنْتَقِضُ بِها فَیَسْتَدِیرُ عَلَیْهِ، ثُمَّ یُغْشی الدّرْعَ بثَوب إسْتَبْرَق، ثُمَّ یَرْكَبُ فَرَساً لَهُ أبْلَقَ بَیْنَ عَیْنَیْهِ شِمْراخٌ، یَنْتَقِضُ بِهِ لایَبْقی أهْلُ بَلَد إلاّ أَتاهُمْ نُورُ ذلِكَ الشِّمراخِ حتّی تَكونَ آیَةً لَهُ» [3]
"It is as if I see the Qa'im (peace be upon him) behind Najaf, wearing the armor of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), which initially appears tight, but he adjusts it until it fits perfectly. Then, he covers the armor with a silk brocade garment and mounts a black and white horse with a radiant white mark between its eyes. As he moves, the brightness of the horse's forehead will be visible from distant cities, and the people of every city will see this light as a sign for them."
Imam Musa al-Kaẓim (peace be upon him) also states on this subject:
"When the Qa'im (peace be upon him) rises, he will ride the best, strongest, and fastest mount among all four-legged animals." [4]
References:
[1] Dala'il al-Imamah, p. 244 – Muntakhab al-Athar, p. 519 – Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 391, hadith 214.
[2] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 325, hadith 40 & p. 328, hadith 48 – Ghaybat al-Nu‘mani, p. 309, hadith 4.
[3] Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 391, hadith 214 – Al-Izam al-Nasib, vol. 2, p. 297 – Ghaybat al-Nu‘mani, p. 310, hadith 5 – Bisharat al-Islam, p. 200.
[4] Yatī ‘Ala al-Nās Zamān, vol. 2, p. 543, hadith 95.
