The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Four Horsemen of the apocalypse appear in the book of Revelations when Christ, as the Lamb of God, opens the first four of the Seven Seals of the Holy Spirit. Each seal was believed to represent events that will take place on Earth prior to Christ's second coming. The fifth seal spoke of the martyred souls crying out for vindication, the sixth seal described a great earthquake, the sun turning black, the moon turning red, and the stars falling from the sky, while the seventh seal said that there was silence in heaven for half an hour. The opening of the first four seals are as follows:
Revelations 6: 1-2
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Revelations 6:3-4
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
Revelations 6:5
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
Revelations 6:7-8
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.