Topical Bible: Horse: Color of

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In biblical times, horses were significant animals, often associated with warfare, power, and status. The color of horses is mentioned in several passages, each carrying symbolic meanings that contribute to the narrative or prophetic imagery.

1. White Horses: White horses are often associated with victory, purity, and divine intervention. In Revelation 6:2 , a white horse is ridden by a conqueror, symbolizing triumph and conquest: "I looked, and behold, a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer." Similarly, in Revelation 19:11, Christ is depicted riding a white horse, representing His righteous judgment and victory over evil: "Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war."

2. Red Horses: Red horses are symbolic of war and bloodshed. In Revelation 6:4 , the red horse is associated with conflict and violence: "Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take peace from the earth, and men began to slay one another. And a great sword was given to him." This imagery underscores the destructive nature of war and its impact on humanity.

3. Black Horses: Black horses are often linked to famine and economic hardship. In Revelation 6:5-6 , the black horse's rider holds a pair of scales, indicating scarcity and the high cost of basic necessities: "And when the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' Then I looked and saw a black horse, and its rider held in his hand a pair of scales. And I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine.'"

4. Pale Horses: The pale horse, often associated with death and pestilence, is described in Revelation 6:8 : "Then I looked and saw a pale horse. Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth." The pale color, often interpreted as a sickly green or ashen hue, symbolizes the presence of death and the grave.

5. Dappled Horses: In Zechariah 6:3 , dappled horses are mentioned as part of a vision involving four chariots: "The third chariot had white horses, and the fourth chariot had dappled horses—all of them strong." The dappled horses, along with the other horses in the vision, are part of a divine patrol sent to survey the earth, representing God's sovereignty and watchfulness over the nations.

The colors of horses in the Bible are not merely descriptive but carry deep symbolic meanings that reflect the spiritual and prophetic messages conveyed through the scriptures. These colors serve as a visual representation of the themes of victory, judgment, conflict, scarcity, and divine oversight.

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Zechariah 1:8
I saw by night, and behold a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Scope of the Apocalypse is Indicated by Its Place in the ...
... The color of the horse and the fact that no arrow is seen attached to the bow, suggests
bloodless victories, for he goes forth "conquering and to conquer ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the scope of the apocalypse.htm

Whether Our Intellect Understands Corporeal and Material Things by ...
... opinion or assertion, because an apple is not essential to color, and therefore
color can be ... of a material thing, such as a stone, or a man, or a horse, can be ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether our intellect understands corporeal.htm

Wesley in the Fens
... So I borrowed a horse and rode forward; but not far, for all the grounds were under ...
The leaf of green tea is both of the color, shape, and size of a bay leaf ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/wesley/the journal of john wesley/wesley in the fens.htm

Augustin Returns to the Question, Whether Each Person of the ...
... that is, some substance, there would be none who could be called relatively a master;
and if there were no horse having a ... For it is not as it is with color. ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 1 augustin returns to the.htm

The Second Seal.
... The color of the horse, indicates that the doctrine and character of the body
symbolized will have lost the original purity of the church, and become more ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the second seal.htm

The Return of Christ to the Earth Itself.
... Our Lord comes seated upon a "white horse.". The Greek word intimates a-war-horse
or "charger." Note its color. In Scripture, colors are used emblematically. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/7 the return of christ.htm

Greek and Jew
... At the summit, he drew up his horse suddenly with a quick intaking of the ... the Great
Pool, the Serpent's Pool and the Dragon's Well reflected the color of the ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter viii greek and jew.htm

Imperial Caesar
... The superb color-bearer bore on his hip the staff supporting the Imperial
standard. ... Behind came a detachment of six hundred horse. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter vii imperial caesar.htm

And Judas Iscariot
... G. Woolley has said, "it is like a man with a stubborn horse saying, 'I will paint
the outside of the barn a nice mild color to influence the horse within.'". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapman/and judas iscariot/and judas iscariot.htm

The Strife for Precedence.
... just as a boy breaks his top, or a balked rider shoots his horse, or an ... the midst
of the plebeian Atlantic, and a man holds his distinction by the color of the ...
/.../chapin/humanity in the city/discourse iii the strife for.htm