What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "Is the rider on the white horse in the first seal (Revelation 6) identical to Jesus in Revelation 19, despite the difference between the victor's wreath (Stephanos) and crowns?"
Answer
The supplied documents identify the rider on the white horse in the first seal primarily as a symbol of the victorious advance of the Gospel and the purity of the first‑century apostolic church. While some interpreters view the rider as Christ Himself in His power and triumph, others emphasize that the symbols (bow and wreath/Stephanos) represent the aggressive forward movement of Christian truth against error.
Although there is a clear distinction between the victor's wreath (Stephanos) of the first seal and the many crowns of Christ at His second coming (Revelation 19), certain scholars link the two passages by calling the rider of the first seal the Word of God, which attains rule through its victory over sinful hearts.
The White Rider as a Symbol of the Gospel
»The first symbol, a white horse and the rider who carries a bow and is given a crown and who goes out to conquer so that he may triumph, is an apt picture of the triumphs of the Gospel in the first century of this salvation era. The whiteness of the horse denotes the purity of faith in that age; and the crown given to the rider, and his going out to conquer and make further conquests, represent the zeal and success with which the truth was proclaimed by its earliest servants.«
Identity of the Rider with Christ
»And I saw, and behold, a white horse": the emblem of the Gospel. "And he who sat on it had a bow"; a weapon of war for the conquest of the rebellious sinner. "And a crown was given to him": he was to rule over those he defeated by the word of His grace. "And he went out to conquer so that he might triumph." This seal was opened when the Gospel was preached. The same person is spoken of [in Revelation 19]: "And he who sat on it was called Faithful and True," "King of kings and Lord of lords," etc.«
Christ as the Victor in the Gospel
»The four riders are interpreted as Christ Himself, who rides the white horse in power and triumph and bears his bow of the Gospel, whose arrows pierce the heart (signifying the preaching of the Gospel by the apostolic congregation); the red horse, ridden by the devil, represents wars, persecutions, and bloodshed.«
Transformation of the Crown at the Second Coming
»Instead of that thorns crown that disfigured his head, he wears a crown within a crown. ... On his garment and at his waist a name is written: "King of kings and Lord of lords". ... But when he comes a second time, the deity is no longer hidden. He comes as one who is equal to God.«
The Royal Diadem at the Second Coming
»When leaving the temple, before the pouring out of the plagues, the Son of Man exchanges his priestly garments for those of a king. The royal diadem is placed on his head – the head that was once pierced by a thorns crown. ... From the temple an angel flies and calls to him, the one crowned as king: "Strike with your sickle and reap".«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
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