When the Red, Black, and Pale Horses Ride [Companion Article]
Episode 6 — Birth Pangs of the End Times
Episode 6 Nonfiction Companion | The Positive Apocalypse Trilogy
What Revelation reveals about global upheaval — and how to stand firm when the world shakes.
What the Bible Says About the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
If you’ve just finished Episode 6 of Birth Pangs of the End Times, your mind may be full of questions. The Book of Revelation can feel mysterious, symbolic, and even unsettling.
But biblical prophecy was not given to confuse people — it was given to prepare them.
Whether you already follow Christ or are simply searching for truth, these questions matter.
They concern the direction of the world and the destiny of every human life.
For a deeper study of the seals in Revelation, go to: https://www.thomasnoss.com/t/bible-books-rev
Why Revelation Still Matters Today
The Book of Revelation describes a future period of global upheaval, conflict, injustice, and ultimate restoration. Some readers approach it as prophecy, others as theology or symbolic literature — but its themes speak directly to power, morality, suffering, and hope.
At its core, Revelation answers a timeless question:
Who truly rules the world — and where is history going?
The Battle You Cannot See: Nations and the Spiritual Realm
Scripture traces a continuous line from the division of humanity after Babel (Genesis 10–11), to their assignment under heavenly beings (Deuteronomy 32:8), to the angelic “princes” influencing empires in Daniel 10, and finally to the New Testament warning that believers still struggle against these spiritual authorities today (Ephesians 6:12).
In biblical thought, nations are not only political — they also have a spiritual dimension.
Are There Really Spiritual Powers Over Nations?
At the beginning of episode 6, Satan held a meeting with the 70 angelic principalities who oversee all nations on the earth.
The Bible presents history as both visible and invisible, with spiritual ‘princes’ assigned to govern the 70 nations in Genesis chapter 10.
Tower of Babel and the Scattering
After the Tower of Babel, the 70 families of humanity (in Genesis 10) were divided into languages and nations (Genesis 11:1–9).
“Sons of God” and National Boundaries
Deuteronomy 32:8 says God set national boundaries “according to the number of the sons of God.” Many Bible scholars understand these sons of God as the heavenly beings who rejoiced at the earth’s creation (Job 38:7).
Spiritual Princes in Daniel
Daniel describes supernatural rulers over earthly nations — the “Prince of Persia” and “Prince of Greece” (Daniel 10:13, 20).
Our Present Struggle
The New Testament teaches that human conflict ultimately has a deeper dimension: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities…” (Ephesians 6:12).
The “Third Box’s Tally” — Does God Count Suffering?
In the story, Satan says “Remember, righteous martyrs will go against us in the third box’s tally.” While fictionalized, this statement reveals a real biblical truth:
God knows every act of faithfulness and every injustice.
And so, when we get to the fifth seal, Revelation 6:9–11 says,
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.
They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
The fifth seal depicts martyrs ‘under the altar in heaven,’ asking when God’s justice will come. They’re told to wait until the full number of those who will be martyred for their witness to God’s word is complete.
God’s Plan
According to Revelation 12, God’s angels will cast Satan down from heaven to earth. According to Revelation 12:11, this will occur because righteous believers conquered Satan, “by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and because the loved not their lives unto death.”
I believe Satan’s down-casting will happen after the number of martyrs in third box reaches the full number referred to in the fifth seal. Then, Daniel chapter 7, verses 26-27 will be fulfilled, which says:
But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’
God’s Timing
In Leviticus 23 God gave us an outline of the sequential events in His redemptive plan.
Jesus was crucified and resurrected exactly on schedule, fulfilling the symbolic celebrations of Passover and Firstfruits (Leviticus 23). Then, exactly 50 days later, the Holy Spirit filled the Church at 9am on the Day of Pentecost.
The Leviticus chapter 23 spring festivals of Passover, Firstfruits, and Pentecost have all been fulfilled, and they were fulfilled on the exact days and hours they were being celebrated by the Jews in the first century.
You can be sure that, in like manner, the autumn feasts will certainly be fulfilled exactly on schedule in our future.
These facts suggest that history unfolds according to God’s divine plan and timetable — it is not haphazard or controlled either by man or Satan. God is in control.
Money, Power, and Global Control
Is a Digital Currency the “Mark of the Beast”?
Revelation 13:16–17 describes a time when economic participation will depend on receiving a specific mark.
A central bank digital currency (CBDC) is not the mark itself. However, such a digital system would provide the global infrastructure capable of unprecedented financial control.
Unlike physical cash, programmable money could allow a government to:
Restrict what can be purchased
Limit access to goods or services
Freeze accounts instantly
Enforce compliance with policies
History shows that economic pressure has often been used to enforce ideological loyalty.
In the Book of Daniel, refusal to worship a state image carried a death sentence (Daniel 3).
Revelation indicates that ‘the mark of the beast’ will involve allegiance and worship — not merely technology (Revelation 14:9–11).
Allegiance and the Meaning of the Mark
If receiving the mark brings severe judgment, it must involve a moral choice.
The mark ultimately represents loyalty — whom a person chooses to serve.
Throughout Scripture, the “hand” and “forehead” symbolize actions and beliefs (Deuteronomy 6:6–8). Revelation contrasts those marked by the beast with those sealed by God.
In practical terms, exclusion from such a system could force people to rely on community, barter, or alternative networks.
The Bible encourages prudence, not panic:
Proverbs 22:3 says, “The prudent sees danger and hides himself.”
What Might the Mark Look Like?
Revelation places the mark on the hand or forehead.
This echoes earlier biblical symbolism, but it could also have a visible component. Modern identification technologies already exist, including:
Ultraviolet tattoos
Palm-vein scans
Implanted microchips
Other biometric identifiers
Such systems could combine identity, health records, and financial access into a single framework.
Some countries already use behavior-based ‘social credit’ scoring systems that reward or restrict their citizens’ ability to participate in society.
The Ten Kings or Regions
The books of Daniel and Revelation describe a final world system involving ten rulers who unite under a central, worldwide authority (Daniel 7:7, 24, Revelation 13:1, 17:12).
While the UN itself is a collection of nearly 200 nations, influential “think tanks” associated with global governance, such as the Club of Rome, published a report in 1974 titled Mankind at the Turning Point. This report famously proposed a model dividing the world into ten political and economic regions to better manage global resources.
How Should We Live in Uncertain Times?
Prepare or Simply Trust?
The Bible does not present preparation and faith as opposites.
Prudence: “The prudent sees danger…” (Proverbs 22:3)
Preparation: Learn from the ant’s foresight (Proverbs 6:6–8)
Trust: Ultimate security rests in God (Psalm 139:1–4)
Wise action and spiritual trust can coexist.
What Is True Success?
Modern culture defines success by wealth, power, or comfort. Scripture offers a different measure:
A clear conscience
Faithfulness to truth
Contentment with provision (1 Timothy 6:6)
Perseverance in hardship (Philippians 4:12–13)
Living for a purpose beyond self (Colossians 3:23)
True success is inward, not circumstantial.
A Final Word of Hope
Prophecy was not given to inspire fear, but endurance and hope.
Jesus said when the birth pangs begin to happen, we should “lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
The world may shake — but God is in control.
Jesus promised ‘the gates of Hades shall not prevail against His church’ (Matthew 16:18).
So stay faithful.
Seek truth.
Let your light shine.
“Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.” — Revelation 13:10
“Nothing… in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 8:38–39