In this sermon, Greg expounds on the first broken seal and what it symbolizes. Here we read about the white horse that seeks to ascend through conquering. Some have taught that this represents the rule of Christ, but actually it is the ancient serpent who is merely a Christlike figure.
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The Horse of Perpetual Ascent
• Greg Boyd
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In these verses, we read about the first broken seal, which gives us a peek into the true character and purposes of God. In so doing, we can also see the true nature of evil that opposes God and deceives people.
The command “Come” is not a command given to God’s agents to carry out his will. It is a call to evil agents to come forth, to show their true colors. This rider bears resemblance to Christ, but he is actually the great deceiver, the ancient serpent. When he goes forth to conquer, he does it by pretending to be a Christ-like Savior figure. This pretender has an insatiable need to conquer and thereby ascend. This is tied to Isaiah 14:13 where we read about Lucifer’s need to ascend.
Instead of living to acquire and conquer, love always aims at serving. Being that love is the one eternal reality, only what is consistent with this love can last forever, and everything built on the ascent mindset will eventually crumble.
This ascent mindset is at the root of all conflict throughout the Bible and throughout history. It is perpetual pursuit of being the king of the hill, a way of life that is rooted in the paradigmatic story of sin as told in Genesis 3. The curse of sin is the battle of trying to one up the other. Wherever people are inflicted with the “I will ascend” mindset of the insatiably hungry horse, there will be conflict.
This horse was defeated on the cross, and this defeat will be fully manifest at the end of the age, when this ascending horse will show its true evil colors. But until that culminating battle, resulting in the culminating victory of the Lamb and the transformation of the earth, the Ascent Horse continues to wreak havoc on the world by causing individuals and tribes and nations to be at war with one another.
While we look forward to the coming of the final victory, there are three things that we can do. First, get our “life” from Jesus Christ. St. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until we rest in you, O Lord.” We have a God-built homing device, but under the influence of the ancient serpent, symbolized by the ascent horse, our homing device gets hijacked. Therefore, we must remind ourselves throughout the day that our identity is in Christ. We live, move and have our being in Christ.
Second, practice contentment. We are content with our current circumstances only to the degree that we are getting full from our relationship with Christ. Third, partner with God in the work of healing the world. God’s love descends and it does so by bringing peace. It looks for every opportunity to serve, regardless of what the Ascent Horse does.
These three things are especially important as we navigate daily life that is pervaded by the ascent mindset, where people are constantly trying to one up each other in the pursuit of power.
Hide Extended SummarySermon Series: The Wrath of the Lamb
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The MuseCast: November 12
Focus Scripture:
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Revelation 6:1-2
Then I saw the Lamb break one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.
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