A Short Theology of Horses.
The very sight of Horses inspired fear in the heart of a warrior.
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies , and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Horses and chariots took a great amount of military training, and God knew this. God intended to be the nation of Israel's king, and defender. He also wanted Israel to remain a peaceful agrarian society, a model for the surrounding nations. So God forbade horses in Israel.
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Deuteronomy 17:16
God wanted the surrounding nations to fear Him, and not the power of Israels military, of which horses are a center piece.
In the Book of Joshua Israels enemies put on a show of force designed to intimidate the nation of Israel, and discourage their conquest of God's promised land.
"And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went out , they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many." Joshua 11:3,4
The Lord knew that Israels enemies meant to inspire fear in their hearts, so he reassured Joshua
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire." Joshua 11:6
In the book of Judges Deborah and Barak fought against the superior military force of Sisera and his nine hundred horse drawn chariots (Judges 4:13.) By the end of the story the Lord mocks the power of Sisera, and his chariots in the song of Deborah;
"The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?'Judges 5:28
Many people assume Solomon was that first king of israel to break God's commandment not to multiply horses in Deuteronomy 17, but it was Solomon's brother Absolam who first turned his royal attention on the power of horses to impress. In 2 Samuel 15:1 Absolam moved by hatred of his father set's out to usurp his fathers throne. His first step to making himself look like a king, was to impress the people with his majesty and power. He did this by getting horses and a chariot.
"And it came to pass after this, that Absolam prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him." 2 Samuel 15:1
By getting a chariot Absolam appeared strong, and undermined Davids kingship, and ultimately power. One wonders how David must have regretted his treatment of daughter Tamar, and allowed Absolam such freedom as a result. In the end David overlooked the fact that one person was disobeying Deuteronomy 17 so flagrantly, and in doing so making himself look like he is above the kings law, and therefore above the king himself. Once again Horses are a symbol of Power.
Solomon like his brother Absolam took a similar interest in the power of horses, but used horses not for overthrowing the government, but establishing it. Through trade, and a strong military Solomon was able to discourage war, and encourage financial peace in Israels enemies. This peace led to prosperity. It was an endless cycle to Solomon more horses meant a stronger military, a stronger military meant peace, and peace mean more money to go out and buy more horses. In the end Solomon grew very wealthy through this trade.
"And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means." I Kings 10:28
But Solomon's interest in horses, and wealth was in vain. A generation later the kingdom Solomon built up was split by his son Jeroboam. Truly Solomon spoke right when he said "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it" Psalm 127. Solomon should have heeded the warning of Deuteronomy 17 and built his house upon the Gods power and not horses.
In Esther chapter 6 King Ahasuerus seeking to find a way to honor Mordecai asks Haman a question "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Haman thinking the king was seeking to honor him answered "For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!' " In a comical scene Haman is forced by his own words to publicly honor his enemy Mordecai, instead of himself. What Hamans thinking shows is that riding on a horse lifts up the individual on the horse in the sight of those who see him lifted up on the horse, and therefore was seen as a great honor. Here the picture of riding on a horse is a sign of nobility, honor, power, majesty, and an elevated stature.
Job refers to the horse as a symbol of power in Job 39: 19 "Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?" Likewise the Psalms and Proverbs refer to horses as symbols of a strength, and power man is not to put his trust in. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7; "An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength." Psalm 33:17; "He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man." Psalm 147:10; "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD." Proverbs 21:31.
The book of Ecclesiastes says " Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." Ecclesiastes 10:6, 7. The point that Solomon is making is that It is "folly" for a servant to give himself "great dignity" by sitting on a horse, and it is wise for princes who could exalt themselves by riding on a horse to act in humility, and walk as servants upon the earth. The horse is a picture of great dignity in this passage. One does not have to go far to see how Jesus Christ the greatest king came "walking as servants upon the earth", and how great a folly it is when His servants try to "sit upon horses."
In the book of Isaiah the Lord reiterates the folly of Israel trusting in horses.
In reference to Jacobs forsaking the Lord for the strength of the Philistines... "Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:" Isaiah 2:7
In reference to strong a certain doom...Whose arrows are sharp , and all their bows bent , their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:Isaiah 5:28
In reference to not trusting in the Lord as your strength...Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong ; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!...Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall , and he that is holpen shall fall down , and they all shall fail together. Isaiah 31:1,3
The representative of the King of Assyria mocks the apparent weakness of Israel in comparison to the strength of the Assyrian army...Now therefore give pledges , I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. Isaiah 36:8
Gods the creators power is greater then that of His creation the horse, and the army... I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise : they are extinct , they are quenched as tow. Isaiah 43:15-17
God is all powerful, and man's power is like nothing before Him. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire... And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. Isaiah 66:15;20
The horse is referred to in reference to power in the book of Jeremiah and Ezekiel as well.
Jeremiah 4:13 "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled ."
Jeremiah 6:23 "They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy ; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion."
Jeremiah 8:16 "The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come , and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein."
Jeremiah 12:5 "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst , they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?"
Jeremiah 17:25 " Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever."
Jeremiah 46:4;9 Harness the horses; and get up , ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines...Come up , ye horses; and rage , ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth ; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow."
Jeremiah 50:42 "They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy : their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array , like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon."
Jeremiah 51:21 "And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider ; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider."
Ezekiel 26:7;10-11 " For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people...By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach . 11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground."
Ezekiel 38:15 "And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:"
Ezekiel 39 20 "Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD."
Notice in Ezekiel 27: 14 Horses, and mules are associated with trade; "They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules." Christ came on a mule, a trade God made His righteousness for our sin.
The minor prophets spoke of horses in reference to God's power being greater then them.
Hosea spoke of God's mercy being a surer , and more powerful thing to desire then the strength of horses. God would deliver his people, but not by not by the strength of their own hand.
Hosea 1:7 "But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen."
Hosea 14:3 "Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy ."
Joel speaks of strength in reference to horses : The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run." Joel 2:4
Amos speaks about horses in reference to power; "Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself."
Amos 4:10 "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD."
Through the prophet Micah God speaks of cutting off mans strength in horses. "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:" Micah 5:10
Nahum refers to the strength of the horse in chariot in Nahum 3:2-3 " The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots. 3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses"
The prophet Habakkuk spoke of the Chaldians, who's great strength laid in the swiftness and fierceness of their horses. "Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat ." Habakkuk 1:8
In reference to the strength of the kingdoms Haggai refers to horses. "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down , every one by the sword of his brother." Haggai 2:22
Zechariah is the last book of our Old Testament to mention horses, it has with 10 references to horses. Apart from Zechariah's visions of horses, the horse is a symbol of power.
Zechariah 9:10 "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off : and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."
Zechariah 10:3; 5 "Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds , and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle...And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight , because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded ."
Zechariah 12:4 "In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness."
Zechariah 14:20 "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar."
In the end of the book of Zechariah the Lord ends with a promise of Bells with the inscription "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" Bells were worn and used by priests (exodus28:36.) This passage speaks to a new holy use for horses apart from war. In the end horses, and all instruments of war will ultimately be converted into instruments of peace forever (Isaiah 2:4.)
The greek word for horse (Hippos) is mentioned 16 times in the New Testament, one time in the book of James (James 3:3,) and 15 times in the book of Revelation.
"And I saw , and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering , and to conquer ." Revelation 6:2
In order to explain the significance of the horse riders in Chapter 6 of the book of Revelation you must first understand the significance of horses in the Bible.
A person who sits on a horse sits above their enemy, and has the tactical advantage of the high ground. Strength, power, and majesty are all attributed to the horse and rider.
In the Old Testament the word for horse (soos) is mentioned 131 times in 27 different books.
In Exodus 14 the children of Israel were at a tactical disadvantage to say the least, they were on foot, and Pharaoh was faster, and stronger then them.
And the Egyptians pursued , and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Exodus 14:23
The Deliverance of the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh was seen as a victory of the weak over the strong and nothing less then miraculous, a sign of God's deliverance.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake , saying , I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously : the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Exodus 15:1
In the Old Testament the word for horse (soos) is mentioned 131 times in 27 different books.
In Exodus 14 the children of Israel were at a tactical disadvantage to say the least, they were on foot, and Pharaoh was faster, and stronger then them.
And the Egyptians pursued , and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Exodus 14:23
The Deliverance of the children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh was seen as a victory of the weak over the strong and nothing less then miraculous, a sign of God's deliverance.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake , saying , I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously : the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. Exodus 15:1
The very sight of Horses inspired fear in the heart of a warrior.
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies , and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Horses and chariots took a great amount of military training, and God knew this. God intended to be the nation of Israel's king, and defender. He also wanted Israel to remain a peaceful agrarian society, a model for the surrounding nations. So God forbade horses in Israel.
But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way. Deuteronomy 17:16
God wanted the surrounding nations to fear Him, and not the power of Israels military, of which horses are a center piece.
In the Book of Joshua Israels enemies put on a show of force designed to intimidate the nation of Israel, and discourage their conquest of God's promised land.
"And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went out , they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many." Joshua 11:3,4
The Lord knew that Israels enemies meant to inspire fear in their hearts, so he reassured Joshua
"And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire." Joshua 11:6
In the book of Judges Deborah and Barak fought against the superior military force of Sisera and his nine hundred horse drawn chariots (Judges 4:13.) By the end of the story the Lord mocks the power of Sisera, and his chariots in the song of Deborah;
"The mother of Sisera looked through the window, And cried out through the lattice, 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why tarries the clatter of his chariots?'Judges 5:28
Many people assume Solomon was that first king of israel to break God's commandment not to multiply horses in Deuteronomy 17, but it was Solomon's brother Absolam who first turned his royal attention on the power of horses to impress. In 2 Samuel 15:1 Absolam moved by hatred of his father set's out to usurp his fathers throne. His first step to making himself look like a king, was to impress the people with his majesty and power. He did this by getting horses and a chariot.
"And it came to pass after this, that Absolam prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him." 2 Samuel 15:1
By getting a chariot Absolam appeared strong, and undermined Davids kingship, and ultimately power. One wonders how David must have regretted his treatment of daughter Tamar, and allowed Absolam such freedom as a result. In the end David overlooked the fact that one person was disobeying Deuteronomy 17 so flagrantly, and in doing so making himself look like he is above the kings law, and therefore above the king himself. Once again Horses are a symbol of Power.
Solomon like his brother Absolam took a similar interest in the power of horses, but used horses not for overthrowing the government, but establishing it. Through trade, and a strong military Solomon was able to discourage war, and encourage financial peace in Israels enemies. This peace led to prosperity. It was an endless cycle to Solomon more horses meant a stronger military, a stronger military meant peace, and peace mean more money to go out and buy more horses. In the end Solomon grew very wealthy through this trade.
"And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means." I Kings 10:28
But Solomon's interest in horses, and wealth was in vain. A generation later the kingdom Solomon built up was split by his son Jeroboam. Truly Solomon spoke right when he said "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it" Psalm 127. Solomon should have heeded the warning of Deuteronomy 17 and built his house upon the Gods power and not horses.
In Esther chapter 6 King Ahasuerus seeking to find a way to honor Mordecai asks Haman a question "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Haman thinking the king was seeking to honor him answered "For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then parade him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him: 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!' " In a comical scene Haman is forced by his own words to publicly honor his enemy Mordecai, instead of himself. What Hamans thinking shows is that riding on a horse lifts up the individual on the horse in the sight of those who see him lifted up on the horse, and therefore was seen as a great honor. Here the picture of riding on a horse is a sign of nobility, honor, power, majesty, and an elevated stature.
Job refers to the horse as a symbol of power in Job 39: 19 "Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?" Likewise the Psalms and Proverbs refer to horses as symbols of a strength, and power man is not to put his trust in. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God." Psalm 20:7; "An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength." Psalm 33:17; "He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man." Psalm 147:10; "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD." Proverbs 21:31.
The book of Ecclesiastes says " Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." Ecclesiastes 10:6, 7. The point that Solomon is making is that It is "folly" for a servant to give himself "great dignity" by sitting on a horse, and it is wise for princes who could exalt themselves by riding on a horse to act in humility, and walk as servants upon the earth. The horse is a picture of great dignity in this passage. One does not have to go far to see how Jesus Christ the greatest king came "walking as servants upon the earth", and how great a folly it is when His servants try to "sit upon horses."
In the book of Isaiah the Lord reiterates the folly of Israel trusting in horses.
In reference to Jacobs forsaking the Lord for the strength of the Philistines... "Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:" Isaiah 2:7
In reference to strong a certain doom...Whose arrows are sharp , and all their bows bent , their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind:Isaiah 5:28
In reference to not trusting in the Lord as your strength...Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong ; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!...Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall , and he that is holpen shall fall down , and they all shall fail together. Isaiah 31:1,3
The representative of the King of Assyria mocks the apparent weakness of Israel in comparison to the strength of the Assyrian army...Now therefore give pledges , I pray thee, to my master the king of Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them. Isaiah 36:8
Gods the creators power is greater then that of His creation the horse, and the army... I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise : they are extinct , they are quenched as tow. Isaiah 43:15-17
God is all powerful, and man's power is like nothing before Him. For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire... And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. Isaiah 66:15;20
The horse is referred to in reference to power in the book of Jeremiah and Ezekiel as well.
Jeremiah 4:13 "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled ."
Jeremiah 6:23 "They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy ; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion."
Jeremiah 8:16 "The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come , and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein."
Jeremiah 12:5 "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst , they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?"
Jeremiah 17:25 " Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever."
Jeremiah 46:4;9 Harness the horses; and get up , ye horsemen, and stand forth with your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines...Come up , ye horses; and rage , ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth ; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow."
Jeremiah 50:42 "They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy : their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, every one put in array , like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon."
Jeremiah 51:21 "And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider ; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider."
Ezekiel 26:7;10-11 " For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people...By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach . 11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground."
Ezekiel 38:15 "And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:"
Ezekiel 39 20 "Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD."
Notice in Ezekiel 27: 14 Horses, and mules are associated with trade; "They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules." Christ came on a mule, a trade God made His righteousness for our sin.
The minor prophets spoke of horses in reference to God's power being greater then them.
Hosea spoke of God's mercy being a surer , and more powerful thing to desire then the strength of horses. God would deliver his people, but not by not by the strength of their own hand.
Hosea 1:7 "But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen."
Hosea 14:3 "Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy ."
Joel speaks of strength in reference to horses : The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run." Joel 2:4
Amos speaks about horses in reference to power; "Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself."
Amos 4:10 "I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD."
Through the prophet Micah God speaks of cutting off mans strength in horses. "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots:" Micah 5:10
Nahum refers to the strength of the horse in chariot in Nahum 3:2-3 " The noise of a whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping chariots. 3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcasses; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon their corpses"
The prophet Habakkuk spoke of the Chaldians, who's great strength laid in the swiftness and fierceness of their horses. "Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat ." Habakkuk 1:8
In reference to the strength of the kingdoms Haggai refers to horses. "And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down , every one by the sword of his brother." Haggai 2:22
Zechariah is the last book of our Old Testament to mention horses, it has with 10 references to horses. Apart from Zechariah's visions of horses, the horse is a symbol of power.
Zechariah 9:10 "And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off : and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth."
Zechariah 10:3; 5 "Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds , and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle...And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight , because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded ."
Zechariah 12:4 "In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness."
Zechariah 14:20 "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD'S house shall be like the bowls before the altar."
In the end of the book of Zechariah the Lord ends with a promise of Bells with the inscription "HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD" Bells were worn and used by priests (exodus28:36.) This passage speaks to a new holy use for horses apart from war. In the end horses, and all instruments of war will ultimately be converted into instruments of peace forever (Isaiah 2:4.)
The greek word for horse (Hippos) is mentioned 16 times in the New Testament, one time in the book of James (James 3:3,) and 15 times in the book of Revelation.
In Revelation 19:11 Christ is pictured as the conqueror, riding His horse to victory. The picture calls back images of Roman Generals who posed on horses, conquering their enemies. Leaders from Alexander the Great to Napoleon have posed on horses to portray themselves as great military conquerors.
"And I saw heaven opened , and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war ." Revelation 19:11
In His second appearing Christ will come to conquer the nations, and rule them with a rod of Iron as it is prophesied in Scripture(Psalm 2:9.) We must remember before He could be exalted to rule over the nations the Christ first had to come in humility to defeat the greatest of all enemies the curse of sin, and death. The first time Christ came He came in accordance with Scripture, and humility. His humility was pictured by what he rode on.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9
Jesus fulfilled this prophesy.
"saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me." Matthew 21:2
Jesus defeated the greatest of all enemies on a donkey. So we see both humility, and majesty are ascribed to pictures of the Christ on an animal. The point is that humility must come before glory. "The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master." Matthew 10:24. If we wish to ride a white horse and rule with Christ, we must first follow him in humility.
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron." Revelation 19
