Revelation 6:3
When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.
The red horse rider is given power by God to remove peace from the earth. Is it possible that “the one who holds back lawlessness” has been removed from the earth? “For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Another verse in 1 Thessalonians 2:7 “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them”. For the most part, we live in peace and prosperity in the western world. There is little if anything we lack in terms of material needs and yet we see theft, murder, conniving, sexual immorality, and a lack of reverence for Jesus Christ. This is all happening while the Holy Spirit is holding back the Lawless One. When the Red Horse rider is permitted, all restraint appears to have been removed and with peace removed people act out their sinful nature – “People kill one another”.
There is a mystery of the removal of Christians prior to the opening of the “Seals”. They have been taken away from earth and united with Christ in heaven – “the Rapture”.
This is truly a time no sane person wants to be part of and yet many people live as it will never happen during their time. “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail on a woman with child; and they shall not escape”. They reject the need for forgiveness of their sin, the need for their redemption, the need of a savior, the need to repent, and the need to turn away from that which does not honor and glorify Jesus Christ in their lives. People can do good things but if they are not directed to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ, they are self-serving, self-gratifying, and self-reliant. These good things are nothing but filthy rags in the eyes of Jesus Christ for they are conceived and carried out apart from honor and glory to Him. Relying on being good and doing good will not cover our sin for we are saved by grace, not works, lest in man boast. When the start of breaking the seals has started the end is near and life on earth will begin a time of tribulation that no other generation has seen or will ever see again. It is the beginning of the end, where God’s final judgment begins. Come to Jesus now and live with a deep desire to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, trust and obey Him, for He is worthy of all honor and glory and power.