SATURDAY, December 19 Ember Day

Revelation 6:1-17. I looked, and there was a white horse....another horse, bright red...a black horse....a pale green horse!

The image of four cavalrymen charging throughout the earth spreading conquest, chaos, famine, and death can grip the imagination. Three things to remember:

First, the four horsemen are in the service of the Lamb. This is the Lamb who was slain for the sin of the world. Though they bring destruction, therefore, the horsemen do not represent evil.
Second, the Book of Revelation was written to and for a church oppressed by a tyrant. Its purpose was to inspire Christians of that day to remain faithful and steadfast under torture: appearances notwithstanding, victory does not belong to the emperor. The four horsemen advance the cause of a righteous, loving--and ultimately victorious--Christ.

Third, this and similar passages are not so much peeks into the future as peeks at the present. Some rulers still serve the forces of darkness. The battle between good and evil rages today just as in ancient times. It will probably still rage at the end of time. These are the end times; all times are the end times. Apocalypse is now. Christ still calls his disciples to stand with him, remain faithful, and not lose heart.

PRAY for the Diocese of Yambio (Sudan)

Ps 55 * 138, 139:1-17(18-23); Zechariah 8:9-17; Matthew 25:31-46.

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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Dec 19, 2009 at 8:46 am

Written by Cal Allen,

A Very good observation and very rarely do we see or hear the conservtative view on the book, ESPECIALLY IN THESE DAYS OF TV EVANGICALS and their obsession with the Eminent return, causing them to miss-interpret the point of old Testament teachings of the prophets as well as the lords teachings as recorded in Matt, 24 and the other gospels. Basic hermaneutic rules of WHO IS SPEAKING, TO WHOM, WHEN. and WHY seem to be ignored. John was indeed writing to the people of his day about "things that must shortly come to pass" and that the lord would "come quickly" to bring justice, which would be destruction of the tyrant and salvation for the faithful.

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Dec 19, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Written by CDL,

Thank you for your explanation of this passage. I'll never forget the first time an evangelical friend starting explaining to me her interpretation of the End Times - I was floored! I was brought up in the Lutheran church and went to Sunday School and church faithfully, and never had I heard such odd (to me) beliefs. I'm sure she meant well, and obviously has a lot of company in her thinking.

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Dec 19, 2009 at 1:42 pm

Written by Richard H. Schmidt, Editor, Forward Day by Day,

Thank you, Cal and CDL. I chose to write today's meditation on that verse because it is so well known and so irresponsibly applied to future events, particularly the End Times and the supposed December, 2012 end of the world, based on a Mayan (not Christian) religious belief. I find apocalyptic literature daunting, but I think it's often good to reflect on daunting passages of scripture. I often learn the most by engaging thoughts very different from mine, and those of St. John the Divine are certainly different from mine! Thanks for posting your comments.

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