The Hideous Horsemen: The Pale Horse

The four biblical horsemen in The Book Of Revelation are tied to the end times but I will leave that discussion for another day, but there is still much we can learn from these examples. Consider the first three horsemen from an individual spiritual perspective: The Pale Horse represents the physical body and its destruction through all forms of addiction, the negative as well as the seemingly positive. The Red Horse brings destruction by our emotions and feelings and The Black Horse destruction through intellect.

To ride the Pale Horse means we have succumbed to addiction. Drugs, alcohol, gambling are obvious addictions, but what of the individual who is addicted to exercise, work or sex? The gym, running/biking trails or the office can become an escape from the world just as powerful as any intoxicant and equally spiritually destructive. The difference being someone using intoxicants has a difficult time “fitting” into polite society while the workaholic is often praised for their accomplishments, even as other areas of their life are sacrificed in the name of success or “providing” for the family. The same family they are never present for, the estranged children seeking acknowledgment, often by acting out negatively, the neglected spouse who ultimately files for divorce, resulting in the workaholic’s lament: don’t they see I am doing it all for them?

Physical activity and exercise in moderation is always a good idea, but when it crosses over into narcissism, it becomes as sure a block to growth as any drink or drug. Sex is part of our nature, so it cannot be bad, yet the stories of lives, careers and families ruined from unchecked sexual desires are legion. The problems begin when obtaining sex becomes the singular focus, living only for sensual escape, having lost sight of the true purpose, that of two people sharing the most intimate of experiences, the touching of two souls in embrace, a shared act of love. To be clear: hard work, the occasional cocktail or glass of wine or enjoying sex with a partner are not the problem, we ride the Pale Horse when these things become the dominate force in our lives causing us to eschew honest relationships or face personal truths, having lost ourselves in the bondage of self, closed off from our true spiritual nature.

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

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