Who are the four horsemen mentioned in Revelation Chapter 6?

The four horsemen of Revelation do not refer to specific people but to the calamities that the Church experiences as she awaits the fulfilment of God’s victory. That is why it is ambiguous whether the riders are good or evil (they bring evils upon the world, but they come as part of the fulfilment of God’s plan).

The four horsemen represent (1) conquest or pestilence, (2) war, (3) famine, and (4) death. Their descriptions are symbols of the calamities they bring. The bow and crown of the first rider are typical images of conquest; the large sword and red horse of the second rider represent war and bloodshed; the third rider’s scale represents famine (which often followed war), because limited amounts of food have to be measured; the pale green horse of the final rider represents the decay of death.

The most important thing to know about the four horsemen is not their identities, but rather that the woes they bring upon the world will be used by God as a part of his victorious plan. In other words, when we experience war, famine, death, and other disasters, we don’t have to fear, even as they get more and more intense–the “Lamb who was slain” (Jesus Christ) has already won the victory for us and he has authority over the whole world.