English is a funny language. One word can mean many things, or at least a few things. For instance, the word "bow." It can mean to bow down before the Lord. It would mean a bow in a girl's hair. It could mean a battle weapon, or tool with which to hunt or...it could mean an arc, including a colorful, pastel...arc in the sky. A rainbow. So, when we read.....
Revelation 6:2 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.
....we should question which bow is meant for it is a clue as to the identity of the rider on the white horse. We know it isn't one worn in his hair, or to hunt with, or to bow down but...is it a weapon or an arc, a rainbow? It is vital to understand for it is part of how he conquers! So, we go to the Strong's Concordance for the definition:
Bow #5115 ~ toxon, a bow (as the simplest fabric): from the base of #5088 - tikto, a strengthened form of a primary; to produce (from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth) lit. or fig. - bear, be born, bring forth, be delivered, be in travail.
The bow this rider has is a fabric bow and is associated with "delivered, travail." That makes me think of......
Revelation 12:2-4 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Are they connected? Yes, they are. The dragon is the first rider on the white horse with a bow...a fake rainbow. Why is it termed "bow" instead of "rain-bow?" He used the same term, "bow," for the first rainbow...or did He, is that what He is teaching? Is He telling us that the bow He set in the cloud is a rainbow or is Satan, for Satan is His servant and as such would be His "bow," a cheap fabric imitation...
Genesis 9:13-14 I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
The reason I question that is two-fold. The makeup of a literal rainbow is water and sun. Those were both around before Noah's flood. Is He speaking of a rainbow or the bow of Satan that "shall be seen in the cloud?" The "deceitful bow." And two,...this covenant was between God and the earth...not between He and His children but the earth.
Hosea 7:13,16 Woe unto them! for they have fled from Me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against Me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. (16) They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
The true rainbow is of our Savior....
Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire:
The difference in bow and rainbow? One is missing rain.
Jude 12-13 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Those that receive the latter rain are standing under the true bow. The rider on the first horse "had a bow." Which one is it?
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Revelation 6:2 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.
Bow #5115 ~ toxon, a bow (as the simplest fabric): from the base of #5088 - tikto, a strengthened form of a primary; to produce (from seed, as a mother, a plant, the earth) lit. or fig. - bear, be born, bring forth, be delivered, be in travail.
Revelation 12:2-4 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Genesis 9:13-14 I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
Hosea 7:13,16 Woe unto them! for they have fled from Me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against Me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against Me. (16) They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire:
Jude 12-13 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
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