Killdeer Theology and the End of the World

May 15, 2020 (Friday)

 

While walking one day, I met a Killdeer. It’s a bird with an ear splitting call. It has an interesting trick or two. It will walk away from its nest, slowly. Like it wants to be followed. As I doubled back, it pretended to have a broken wing. It is an impressive distraction to keep a predator from the nest. Very much like theology.

 

In Revelation 6, Jesus opens six of the seven seals attached to the scroll that was in the hand of God (the Father). The first four are what has been call “the four horsemen of the apocalypse.” Traditionally they are called conquest, war, scarcity/famine, and death. (Zechariah 6:1 – 8 includes a similar image of four chariots.) The fifth seal is the martyrs asking God to judge and avenge. The sixth seal is a massive upheaval in creation.

 

It is important to understand Revelation from the point of John and his readers. The small scroll, sealed with seven seals would have been understood as a “will.” This is the legacy one human passes to another. The Bible is clear, we inherit a sinful nature and a cursed world, because of Adam’s rebellion and ours. 

 

The trouble comes when we impose our ideas on the text. Ignoring clear historical understanding, we can easily place these seals as future events disconnected from first century Christians. However, the nature of prophecy is capricious (from our perspective). While addressing one thing, seemingly clear in nature at the time, prophets tended to glimpse darkly into the telescope of the future.

 

Three ideas have been proposed as to the source of this calamity.  It could be caused by humans and could be consequences of war.  The second idea is these are natural events. Finally, the thought is that they are caused by God. 

 

“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 NIV]

The first seal is the white horse: the symbol of a victorious Roman conqueror. The text describes this as “a conqueror bent on conquest.” Possibly, arrogance is implied (riding the white horse before the victory). The picture is of someone holding a bow, which is a weapon of war.  Notice this is not a sword (like the Lamb of God). The bow is a long-range weapon, and in those days it was not a precise weapon but one used in mass. The image includes a crown ("given," not inherited or taken) which is a symbol of power and authority.

 

Irenaeus, (a disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of John) wrote in the 2^nd century, suggested this was the Christ (see Revelation 19:11 – 14). Augustine, following Irenaeus’ line of thinking, claimed this was the advent of Jesus. Others have suggested this is the Holy Spirit and the advancement of the Kingdom of God [Matthew Henry (1662 – 1714) and John Gill (1697 – 1771)]. Billy Graham has suggested it is the Anti-Christ or some sort of false prophet (see 2 Thessalonians 2:9). Throughout history it has been suggested this rider is: Roman Emperor Trajan (John Wesley), Hitler, Cromwell, Gorbachev, Kennedy, Napoleon, Washington, Lincoln, Stalin, Mao, Queen Victoria, Woodrow Wilson, Nixon, Reagan, Putin (turned 62 on October 7, 2014. Get it? Revelation "6:2"... He claimed Crimea in March 2014), and Hillary Clinton (from Pinky and the Brain).

 

Who/whatever this is has the ability to force authority on others, to subject the will of others, and exercise some form of control. The desire is conquest. Thus opens the violence unleashed in the book of Revelation. Could this novel coronavirus be a part or a prelude? Certainty it’s been disruptive and is creating deeper animosity between people, parties, and nations. Remember every generation must read the book of Revelation as if it HAS happened, WERE happening, or ABOUT to happen. Just keep in mind, when making absolute statements, only God knows.