Originally posted by whattheh
Good thread, if we are talking about the end of the world we should discuss the first text I know of to talk about it:

I think these riders are metaphors for time periods.


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


This is the waring times of man before we came up with metallurgy and used bow and arrow to fight. We followed kings, hence the crown and we rode out like conquerers.



When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a huge sword.
— Revelation 6:3-4 NIV


This is the waring time frame of man after we learned to forge metals. We now had swords to fight with.


When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
— Revelation 6:5-6 NIV


This is the Financial times. The days of man that brought money and economics. When we became more civilized and worked instaed of war, as much anyway, we never seem to stop the wars. The scales are to weigh goods and money.



When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
— Revelation 6:7-8 NIV



This is the final timeframe of man. How long it will last is another interpretation. But when it is over so are we. I am not sure exactly what Hades is. I don;'t believe it is death as some say because it is mentioned with death in other places as well. Death and Hades. Some say it is hell.

Notice none of the riders are given a name except the last one Death. Notice he is not carrying any weapon. We had a bow, a sword, and scales (money is used as a weapon), and the last one has nothing except POWER. The power to kill with all the weapons, Sword, Famine, plague, and the beasts.

Death is the only one left to arrive in my opinion.

The question is, are we still on the third horse, or has the financial wars ended yet? We still fight with economic sanctions so maybe the fourth horse has not yet arrived.

So is this virus the plague mentioned in the end of days prophecy? Well we know there will be a plague.

There is so much more in revelations if you try to look at scientifically.

It's the poisen locust I don't want to see. You will be sick for five months and hope to die but won't. That does not sound good. Now is this a plague, a religion, a group of people, a virus, or a bioweapon?