We Are the Four Horsemen (Part 12)

A lot has been covered within this article series, and there is a lot more that could be said. As a kind of conclusion to this series, I would like us to focus on trusting in Jesus Christ.

If we trust in Jesus and the ability of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin, teach us, and strengthen us towards righteous doing, then why do we need “horsemen” and “kings?”

It is so easy to place regulations on people that mimic what we think righteousness is, but doing so is a lack of faith and it is foolishness because such a mindset neglects the liberty we are given in Christ—a liberty that allows us to better serve one another in love.

If we trust in Jesus and strive to put Him first, we will naturally learn what is most important for Christian living and we will grow in these things. We will cast off sin, little by little. We will cast off loyalty to all manner of “kings” as we learn humility and love that transcends these rulers. We will understand that God is in control of all things, even these “kings,” and all things are working together for our ultimate good.

We might not like what is happening in this world, especially within the Christian world. We might find it all confusing, become full of unrighteous zeal, and start taking matters into our own hands in an unproductive way. Instead, trust in Jesus and find the peace and patience of His good will and perfect timing.

Think about David and Saul.

Saul is the first “king.” Saul was not a king that God would have ordained, but he ascended to power as one appointed by men who wanted a wordly king instead of trusting in God. However, God did anoint Saul as king. David knew this. So, even when Saul was persecuting David, David trusted in the Lord. David even had an opportunity to kill Saul but refused because He knew that God had a purpose in Saul.

As sincere Christians, we should do the same. We do not want to be like Saul who desires to take up kingship for ourselves and according to the wisdom of men that looks at the outer man. We do not want to be like Saul who disobeyed God. We do want to be like David whose inner man contained a heart after God, who trusted in the Lord, who repented of sin, and who was appointed king after God destroyed Saul according to His perfect timing.

There will come a time when Jesus—the king of David—returns. He will overthrow the kings, and we will reign with Him as sons and joint heirs of the kingdom.

All things have a purpose. Instead of worry and fear or trying to fight what God has ordained, seek to our own growth. When we do this, we come into better union with the Spirit—not in denomination or some other worldly structure created by man.

Christian unity does not require the abolition of denominations because that likely results in a Babylonian, Whore-like church. Consider the distinction of Spiritual Israel and Physical Israel given in Part 8 of this series.

Our unity is given by a greater power, and though we do not easily see our unity, we know that all things are under the feet of our King and we are His people. We can disagree on things and have the same larger focus: growing in the things of Jesus and helping our brothers and sisters do the same.

We will help one another grow, not exalting some above others as “kings” over us, but as brothers and sisters in Christ we will build each other up according to the gifts we are each given.

We will patiently wait on the Lord to help us on our journey of spiritual growth, and we will patiently wait on the judgment of God towards those who are among us but not of us. We will not fall for the devises of Satan: The Accuser and Destroyer. We will follow after mercy, judgement, and faith as we continue to be examples of Jesus to a world that hates Him. Jesus will raise us up and defend us.

And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city.

Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.

And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them (Isaiah 1:26-31).