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Horses
Many of the animals in the scriptures are closely
associated with particular bible subjects of bible principles. The
horse in the scripture is very closely associated with the subject of
armies and war. The word, horse, appears 144 times in the scripture and
more than 120 times it is directly correlated to the subject of armies
and warfare. The Lord often uses objects such as bible colors, or bible
numbers, or bible metals, or bible animals, etc. to teach us spiritual
lessons based on their correlation to bible subjects or principles and
he often uses the nature of the object to illustrate those spiritual
lessons.
In our study of the horse and its correlation
to the subject of armies and warfare, we will look at three instances in
the scriptures where that correlation teaches us some great spiritual
lessons:
1. The four horses in Revelation
chapter 6.
2. The four chariots of horses
in the book of Ezekiel.
3. The rider upon a white horse
that leads an army of riders on white horses in Revelation chapter 19.
The four horses in
Revelation chapter 6
In this study we will look at the association between the
bible number, four, and the work of the Holy Spirit and the association
between the bible animal, horse, and the subject of armies or warfare.
This study will consider the four horses in the sixth chapter of the
book of Revelation. 6:1 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.
2 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.
3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the
second beast say, Come and see.
4 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.
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.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a
penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name
that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was
given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword,
and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
In the 5th chapter of Revelation we read of a
book sealed with seven seals that only the Lamb could open. In the 6th
chapter we see the Lamb as he opens the first four seals and we see four
horses and a rider or riders on the four horses. In Zechariah chapter 6
we see a somewhat similar set of four horses and the meaning of the
horses is given to us in verse 5:
5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are
the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the
Lord of all the earth.
Therefore we can conclude that the four horses in
Revelation as well as the four horses in Zechariah represent the “four
spirits of the heavens.” Also we will note but not now prove that bible
colors are also associated with specific bible subjects. The color
white is associated with righteousness. The color red is associated
with war. The color black is associated with sin. The “pale” horse in
verse 8 we are told is associated with Death and Hell. Based on the
above we are brought to understand that the four spirits that the four
horses in Revelation represent are the spirits of righteousness (white),
warfare (red), sin (black), and death and hell (pale).
While I am not an experienced horseman (I have spent less
that 5 min. on the back of a horse in my lifetime), it seems to me that
there are at least two very important things that you want to do when
you ride a horse. You want to stay on the horse without falling off and
you want to complete your task(s). Staying on your horse and completing
your task would seem to make for a successful ride on a horse.
We will now look at possible riders of the horses. It is
easy to see where Adam rode all four horses, however, he didn’t ride
them successfully. Adam began by riding the horse of righteousness, for
God made man upright in the beginning. Adam, in a sense, went forth
conquering and to conquer as he was given dominion of the fish of the
sea, and the fowl of the air, and the beast of the field. He gave names
to all the creatures that God had made. He was doing okay in riding
this horse for a short time, until the serpent engaged him in warfare,
first, indirectly (thru the woman) and then directly. When Adam ate of
the tree of knowledge of good and evil he fell off the horse of
righteousness. He went immediately to the black horse of sin. He,
however, could not complete the task of the rider of this horse as he
could not balance the scale of justice or keep from hurting the healing
ointments. Thus Adam failed to stay on the horse of righteousness and
he failed to perform the assigned tasks. Subsequently, none of Adam
multiplied can successfully ride the horses as Rom. 3:10 tells us,
“There is none righteous, no, not one.” Since we all fell under the law
of sin and death, we cannot, in our natural state, ride the horse of
righteousness.
There remains only one who can and did ride all four
horses successfully. That one is the Lord Jesus Christ. According to
the scriptures, Jesus was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from
sinners. He was born of a virgin and thus was born without sin, being
conceived of the Holy Ghost. He kept the law to a jot and a tittle. He
fulfilled all that was written of him. He rode the white horse of
righteousness successfully. He also rode the red horse of warfare as he
was engaged in the greatest of all wars. He fought successfully against
sin, Satan, death, hell, and the grave. He successfully withstood the
assault of the devil and his angels in all the temptations and trials
hurled at him. He did this by taking the great sword of God’s word and
yielding it against all our enemies. He did all this while
successfully continuing to ride the white horse of righteousness. Next,
he mounted the black horse of sin, not that he ever sinned (he never
did), but the scriptures say that he was “made to be sin for us, who
knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” On
the cross Jesus took our sins upon himself and became sin for us. He
rode this black horse successfully as he maintained the balance of God’s
justice (a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for
a penny), satisfying God’s justice on our account. He also “hurt not
the oil and the wine,” that is the healing ointments as he healed us
from our sins thru his atoning sacrifice. As he mounted the black
horse, he also mounted the pale horse and suffered the wrathful judgment
of God to atone for our sins. God executed his judgment of our sins on
our sin-bearer, Jesus Christ. Thankfully, our Saviour successfully rode
all four horses on our behalf and has made us righteous thru his atoning
sacrifice.
The four chariots
of horses in the book of Ezekiel
In this essay we will look at the relationship between
the bible animal, horse, and the subject of armies and warfare, and the
bible number four and its association with the work of the Holy Spirit.
Zec. 6:1 “And I turned, and lifted up mine
eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between
two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. 2 In the first
chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3 And
in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and
bay horses. 4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with
me, What are these, my lord? 5 And the angel answered and said unto me,
These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing
before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which are therein
go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and
the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7 And the bay went forth,
and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and
he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they
walked to and fro through the earth. 8 Then cried he upon me, and spake
unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have
quieted my spirit in the north country.
It will be noted that the horses in this passage are
somewhat different from the horses in Revelation. First the order of
the horses is different. In Revelations the horses are in order, white,
red, black, and pale. In Zechariah the horses are in order, red, black,
white, and grisled and bay. Second, there is no pale horse in
Zechariah, but rather grisled and bay horses. In studying the horses in
Revelation we noticed that only the Lord could successfully ride the
horses there. In Zechariah there are multiple horses in each chariot,
suggesting that many people could ride the horses.
The four chariots came out from between two mountains of
brass. Brass is indicative of affliction and suffering. When God’s
people in their experiences first get a glimpse of God’s holy law they
see themselves under the affliction and suffering of the commandments
contained in that law. The two mountains of brass would be typical of
the law and the prophets.
Red is used in the scriptures to represent the shedding
of blood in warfare. After that a child of God is born of the Spirit of
God he begins to encounter a warfare, whereby the flesh lust against the
spirit and the spirit the flesh. Paul described the warfare this way in
Rom. 7:15 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I
not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not,
I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that
do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is,
in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me;
but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I
would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I
do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth
in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present
with me.”
This warfare takes place because of the two-fold nature
of a born-again child of God. He has a carnal nature that Paul says
“dwelleth no good thing.” He also has a spiritual nature that John says
“whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in
him and he cannot sin because he is born of God.” Thus these two
natures are at war within the child of God. There is an inward longing
within the child of God to get right with God. But with all of his
efforts to do so, sin keeps dragging him down and showing him that he
has failed to satisfy the laws demands.
This leads to the second chariot in which there are black
horses. Black is used in the scriptures to represent sin. The more we
fight to get right with God, the more that we see our sins under God’s
just and holy laws keeping us from accomplishing our goal. We end up
saying as Isaiah said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man
of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips:
for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” We are as the
publican who came to the temple to pray and said, “God be merciful to me
a sinner.” As we engage in this warfare we become more and more aware
that we are sinners under the law. Paul wrote in Rom. 3:19 “Now we know
that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become
guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no
flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of
sin.” This knowledge of sin and the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
eventually leads us to the third chariot.
In the third chariot are white horses. White is used in
the scriptures to represent righteousness. In the second chariot as the
publican we have concluded ourselves to be devoid of any righteousness
of our own, and thus cry out for God’s mercy. It is when we are deeply
convicted of our sins that we begin to see the need of a Saviour. The
scriptures tell us that Jesus came to save sinners from their sin. But
to be able to save sinners from their sin, it was necessary that he be
without sin. As he was born of a virgin by the overshadowing of the
Holy Ghost, he was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.
It was also necessary that he keep the law that we could not keep. He
said in Matt. 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all
be fulfilled.” Thus Jesus fulfilled the law to the very jot and tittle.
Next, it was necessary that he make an atoning sacrifice for the sins of
his people in order to deliver them out from under God’s wrathful
judgment of sin. This he did on the tree of the cross. He suffered the
just for the unjust. As it is written in 2 Cor. 5:21 “For he hath made
him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.” Thus all for whom Christ died are made to
ride in the third chariot of white horses.
The fourth chariot had grisled and bay horses. The word
grisled means spotted and the word bay means deep red. The word, spot,
in the scriptures is associated with sin. However, we have been
redeemed from our sins as stated in 1 Pet. 1:18 “Forasmuch as ye know
that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold,
from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot.” While we walk in this life we know that we are sinners
still, but we also know that we have been sprinkled by the blood of
Christ in the new birth as the following verses show:
1. Heb. 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”
2. 1 Pet. 1:2 “Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit,
unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied.”
Thus we go forth in this life with the knowledge that we
are sinners (spotted) and that we are cleansed by the sprinkled blood
(bay) of Christ.
The rider upon a
white horse that leads an army of riders on white horses in Revelation
chapter 19
Rev. 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and
behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and
True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war."
" And behold a white horse" is a phrase used
to indicate a warrior going forth to war. In the scriptures, the horse
is an instrument of warfare:
1. Ex. 15:1 "Then sang Moses and the
children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will
sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his
rider hath he thrown into the sea."
2. Ex. 15:19 "For the horse of Pharaoh went
in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD
brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of
Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea."
3. 1 Kings 10:29 "And a chariot came up and
went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an
hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the
kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means."
White is associated with righteousness in the
scriptures. Therefore, one who rides a white horse would be a warrior
that goes forth fighting a righteous war. Since we know that the rider
is Jesus Christ, we know that he is the one who fought the battle of
righteousness on behalf of his people.
"And he that sat upon him was called
Faithful." God is faithful to his promises. He keeps his promises.
God promised before the world began to save his elect from their sins
and because he is faithful they will all stand before God saved from
their sins.
"He that sat upon him was called True." The
word "True" comes from the Greek word "alethinos" meaning truthful. It
also carries with it the meaning of being genuine or authentic.
Certainly all of this applies to our God. There are not shades of
truth. God is true in all of his ways.
Christ is described as being the true light, vine,
branch, bread, and God. When coupled with the fact that Christ is
faithful we see that he will keep his promises and accomplish everything
that he sets out to do.
"And in righteousness he doth judge and make
war." There is an old saying that anything goes in love and war. That
certainly is false when it comes to our Lord Jesus Christ. What he
does, he does in righteousness. The Lord said, "For verily I say unto
you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." All God's judgments, both
timely and eternal, are righteous judgments. God is just. Similarly,
all God's warfare is righteous warfare. When he did war against our
sins, he restricted himself to keep the whole law and to fulfill all
prophecy. Likewise, when he leads us in our daily battles, he does so
in righteousness. There are no shortcuts with God.
Rev. 19:14 "And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean."
The following verses speak of the army of heaven:
1. Dan. 4:35 "And all the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the
army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can
stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
2. Rev. 19:14 "And the armies which were in
heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean."
3. Job 25:3 "Is there any number of his
armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?"
4. Joel 2:11 "And the LORD shall utter his
voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that
executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible;
and who can abide it?"
Just as the captain rode on a white horse, so do the
armies, which follow him. However, the Captain was righteous in his own
right, the armies which followed him were righteous through the imputed
righteousness of Jesus Christ. Since the horse is associated with
warfare and in Righteousness Jesus, does judge and make war, so the
armies, which follow, judge according to the judgment that God has given
them and make war according to the directions of their Captain.
In modern day warfare, the Generals send the men out to
do battle and hazard their lives while the Generals stay behind to
strategize the war in a much safer environment. Our Captain has gone
before us into the very forefront of the battle and we follow him.
The warfare and the armies referred to above are engaged
in a timely warfare here on earth. There will be no warfare in the
glory world even as there will be no armies in the glory world. The
armies in heaven spoken of in the scriptures are the armies in the
kingdom of heaven here on earth. There are numerous verses of
scripture, which speak to the fact that the church comprises the armies
of heaven:
1. 2 Tim. 2:3 "Thou therefore endure
hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth
entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him
who hath chosen him to be a soldier."
2. 2 Cor. 10:3 "For though we walk in the
flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ."
3. 1 Tim. 1:18 "This charge I commit unto
thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on
thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare."
4. Rev. 12:17 "And the dragon was wroth with
the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
5. Rom. 13:12 "The night is far spent, the
day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let
us put on the armour of light."
6. 2 Cor. 6:7 "By the word of truth, by the
power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on
the left."
7. Eph. 6:11 "Put on the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you
the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your
loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of
righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel
of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall
be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the
helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints."
8. 1 Tim. 6:12 "Fight the good fight of
faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and
hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."
9. 2 Tim. 4:7 "I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"
10. 1 Cor. 9:7 "Who goeth a warfare any time
at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit
thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the
flock?"
The armies are clothed in fine line, clean
and white. Verse 8 tells us, "to her was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints." The Lord has made us righteous through his
shed blood and now we are to go forth and fight the good fight of faith.
Ass
The ass, in the scriptures, has reference to what we call
today a donkey. There are four main Hebrew words that are translated
“ass” in the Old Testament:
1. “chamowr” – This is the male
donkey and the Hebrew indicates that it was red in color.
2. “'athown” – This is the
female donkey.
3. “pere'” – This refers to a
wild donkey that has not been broken.
4. “'ayir” – This is the young
donkey or otherwise referred to as a colt.
The word, ass or asses, appear in the scriptures over 130
times. Most of the time, they are presented as a beast of burden.
Their main function appears to be to carry a burden. Moreover, they
provided a sure, but slow, means of transportation.
There are at least four noteworthy occasions or things in
which we are taught significant spiritual lessons through the use of the
animal known as an ass:
1. First, in the case of the
prophet Balaam, God caused the dumb ass to speak and forbid the madness
of the prophet (Num. 22:21-30). This showed us that God is all powerful
and even to make an animal that otherwise is incapable of speaking to
speak with man’s words and to speak in man’s language and logic. It
also shows us that God is a God of providence and able to bring about
what He pleases, even when man may have other ideas or purposes.
2. Man is compared to a wild
ass’s colt: Job 11:12 “For vain man would be wise, though man be born
like a wild ass's colt.” A wild ass’s colt has to be broken before it
is suitable for the work it is designed to do. For a man to be a
servant of God, requires that man must be broken before he is fit for
that service. A good example for us in this regard is the man of
Gadarea: Mark 5:1 “And they came over unto the other side of the sea,
into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the
ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean
spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind
him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with
fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and
the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.” We are
all like this man spiritually. Until we have been born of the Spirit we
cannot be tamed by the fetters and chains of law service. Moreover, we
are dead in trespasses and sins, thus having our dwelling among the
tombs.
When Jesus came on the scene he cast out the unclean
spirits out of the man and afterwards the man was clothed and in his
right mind and desired to be with Jesus: Mark 5:15 “And they come to
Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the
legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were
afraid.” Likewise, after Jesus has caused us to be born of the Spirit
we are clothed with the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ and given
a spiritual mind to know the Lord.
3. The Lord as he went up to
Jerusalem, he fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy and sat upon an ass’s
colt on which no man had ever sat:
a. Mark 11:2 “And
saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as
soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never
man sat; loose him, and bring him.”
b. John 12:14 “And
Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's
colt.”
c. Zec. 9:9 “Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy
King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and
riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
There are several lessons brought out to us on this
occasion. First, Jesus was not riding upon a mule as was the custom of
Old Testament kings. Jesus is different from any other kings just like
his kingdom is different from any other kingdom. We normally think of
Kings as being high, yet Jesus comes as the meek and lowly lamb of God.
Second Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies,
just as he said he would: Matt. 5:18 “For verily I say unto you, Till
heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from
the law, till all be fulfilled.”
Third, Jesus demonstrated his great power when he sat
upon the wild ass’s colt and immediately the colt was tamed. This is in
harmony with #2 above.
Fourth, Jesus coming up to Jerusalem this way was not
only fulfilling a prophecy but was also a sign given to the children of
Israel that they might know for a certainty that this was the promised
king: Matt. 21:5 “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an
ass. Instead of paying attention to the signs given, the children of
Israel rejected Jesus as the promised King.
4. The male ass, which is the
one which was most often used as a beast of burden was red in color.
The color, red, is associated in the scriptures with blood and warfare.
The male ass, is like the Lord’s disciples. We are to be servants and
laborers in the Kingdom of God. But before we were worthy of being
servants and laborers in the Kingdom of God it was necessary that a war
be fought and blood shed. Jesus fought our war for us as he redeemed us
from our sins at the cross of Calvary. He got the victory for us over
our enemies: sin, death, devil, hell, and the grave. Thus, we have been
sprinkled with the blood of Jesus and made righteous in God’s sight.
Mule
The mule is mentioned in nineteen verses in the Old
Testament. While there are a couple of references to the mule as a
beast of burden (2 Kings 5:17; 1 Chron. 12:40) the most significant use
of the mule seems to be the favored riding animal of kings and of the
kings sons:
1. 2 Sam. 13:29 “And the
servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all
the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and
fled.”
2. 1 Ki.1:33 “The king also said
unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my
son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:”
3. 1 Ki. 1:38 “So Zadok the
priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the
Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride
upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.”
4. 1 Ki. 1:44 “And the king hath
sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have
caused him to ride upon the king's mule:”
There are two types of animals referred as mules in the
Old Testament. Those mentioned above have the Hebrew word, “pered.”
Also, there was another beast referred as a mule and carrying the Hebrew
word, “rekesh.” These “rekesh” mules were used to carry the post and
are also called dromedaries and were considered swift beasts:
1. 1 Ki. 4:28 “Barley also and
straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they unto the place
where the officers were, every man according to his charge.”
2. Est. 8:10 “And he wrote in
the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent
letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and
young dromedaries:”
3. Est. 8:14 “So the posts that
rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed
on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the
palace.
4. Mic. 1:13 “O thou inhabitant
of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the
beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of
Israel were found in thee.”
The mule, whether used to carry the king and his sons or
the swift beast to carry the post, does not appear to be used to convey
any significant spiritual lessons. The word, mule, does not appear in
the New Testament.
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