Time of Distress (6) - Four

Four is the number that represents the earth, so these events will reach to the four corners of the earth.

God promises that he will protect his people through this season.

You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you (Ps 91:5-7).

This psalm is a wonderful promise of hope for those who are faithful to the Lord.

A natural connection links the events symbolised by the four horsemen. The first two horsemen open the way for the third and the fourth horsemen. A decline in faith, leads to an increased warfare. The wasting of war tends to produce death and famine. Shortages of food cause sickness and death. We are seeing beginnings of these events, but we have certainly not seen their complete fulfilment. Before the first four seals are fulfilled, trouble and distress will sweep the earth on an unprecedented scale.

The Four Horsemen mark the beginning of the Time of Distress. Their activities release the conditions that allow a huge concentration of political and military powers. The fear and uncertainty brings human poltical power to a climax, as people give their freedom over to human governments in the hope of finding peace in a troubled world. This is has to happen, so faith in human government can be totally broken at the end of the season. For example, the advance of Islam will fail in its attempts to expand westward, but has already led to a big increase in state power and loss of freedom throughout the western world.