The New Testament was written in Greek. Doctrine | theology based on the conflation of ζωή zoe (life) with ζάω zao (to be alive | to live), is faulty. Think Biblically.

Crowns of Gold

"In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden stéphanos (crowns) on their heads." (Revelation 4:4).

The Greek word used for the color of the red horse [G4450 purrhos] of the second seal in Revelation 6:4 is the same as the word used for the color of the red dragon in Revelation 12:3 - the only two verses in the entire New Testament which use that particular word to describe that color. 

When it comes to the color white in the Revelation, we find the following:-

  • Jesus' head and hair appear white like wool (Rev 1:14). 
  • A white stone with a saint's name written on it (Rev 2:17). 
  • The white raiment of the saints (Rev.3:5 & 18; 6:11; 7:9, 13 & 14). 
  • The white clothing of the 24 elders (Rev 4:4). 
  • The white clothing of angels (Rev 15:6). 
  • The white raiment of the bride of Christ (Rev 19:8). 
  • The Great White Throne (Rev 20:11). 
  • Christ seated on a white cloud (Rev 14:14). 
  • Christ returns on a white horse, leading His armies (Rev 19:11 & 14). 
  • Christ's armies are riding white horses (Rev 19:14).
  • The first horseman of the first seal in the Apocalypse is riding a white horse. He has a bow, but no arrows are mentioned, yet he "went forth conquering, and to conquer", and he is given a stéphanos crown (Revelation 6:2).

TYPES OF CROWNS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

The two types of crowns mentioned in the New Testament are:

(a) stéphanos (crown) [Strongs Greek Dictionary]  04735 στέφανος stéphano:s from an apparently primary στέφω stéphō, (to twine or wreathe).  

Origin of the word: The wreathe given to the victors in the ancient Greek Olympics.

Strong's Greek Dictionary defines the stéphanos as: A chaplet (as a badge of royalty, a prize in the public games or a symbol of honor generally; but more conspicuous and elaborate than the simple fillet, 1238), literally or figuratively:--crown. 

(b) diádēma (crown) [StrongsGreek Dictionary] 01238 διάδημα diádēma: from a compound of 1223 and 1210; a "diadem" (as bound about the head):--crown.

It's a crown worn by royals. This is where we get the word diadem from. The Wikipedia article about the diadem as a crown states that "The head regalia worn by Roman emperors, from the time of Diocletian onwards, is described as a diadem in the original sources. 

1. Stéphanos (a received crown)


"STEPHANOS" (CROWN) MADE OF THORNS 
PLACED ON CHRIST'S HEAD IN ORDER TO MOCK HIM

Matthew 27:29 (parallel Mark 15:17 and John 19:2 & 5):

"And when they had platted a stephanos (crown) of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!"

WORN BY JESUS WHEN HE COMES 
ON A WHITE CLOUD TO GATHER HIS HARVEST 

Revelation 14:14:
"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden stephanos (crown), and in his hand a sharp sickle."

WORN BY THE SAINTS

A stephanos crown is worn by the saints and is a crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19); a crown of righteousness (2  Timothy 4:8); a crown of life (James 1:2; Revelation 2:10); a crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4); a crown of victory (1 Corinthians 9:25); a crown of joy and commendation (Philippians 4:1; Revelation 3:11). 

WORN BY THE 24 ELDERS
(Revelation 4:4 & 10)

WORN BY THE WOMAN 
WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE MESSIAH

Revelation 12:1:
"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a stephanos (crown) of twelve stars."

WORN BY THE FIRST HORSEMAN OF THE FIRST SEAL IN THE APOCALYPSE

"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a stephanos (crown) was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." (Revelation 6:2).

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THE CROWNS SEEN ON THE HEADS OF THE LOCUSTS

Don't let appearances fool you. The locusts are wearing what appear to be stephanos crowns like gold:

The 24 elders
(Revelation 4:4 & 10)		The locusts
(Revelation 9:7)
"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: 

and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; 

and they had on their heads stephanos crowns of gold."
  • The shape of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle.
  • On their heads were as it were stephanos crowns like gold,
  • and their faces were as the faces of men.

The "locusts" of Revelation 9:1-11 will be able to harm "only those men which have NOT the seal of God in their foreheads."

2. Diádēma (royal crown)


WORN BY JESUS

The rider of the white horse in Revelation 19:16 "has on His garment, and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS"; and John saw MANY diádēma (crowns) on His head. *

* Only Jesus is spoken of as wearing both types of crown in the Revelation: a stephanos in Revelation 14:14; and many diadema in Revelation 19:16. 

WORN BY EACH OF THE DRAGON'S SEVEN HEADS 
AND BY THE 10 KINGS OF THE BEAST

The dragon's heads and the beast's 10 kings are wearing diadema (Revelation 12:3 & Revelation 13:1).

It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and He loosens the seals. 

  • Christ returns on a white horse, leading His armies (Rev 19:11 & 14). 
  • Christ's armies are riding white horses (Rev 19:14).
  • The first horseman of the first seal in the Apocalypse is riding a white horse. He has a bow, but no arrows are mentioned, yet he "went forth conquering, and to conquer", and he is given a stéphanos crown (Revelation 6:2).

THE SECOND SEAL: A RED HORSE 
- NO CROWN - but a sword

The second horseman (the second seal) is riding a red (Greek: pyrrhós) horse (which is the exact same color of the dragon in Revelation 12:3).

These two verses (Revelation 6:4: The red horse of the second seal, and Revelation 12:3: The red dragon) are the only two verses in the entire New Testament where the word pyrrhós is used. 

The rider on the red horse is given a great sword and "power was given to him sitting on it, to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another" (Revelation 6:4) * 

  • The rider of the red horse is not given a crown. He is given a "sword" (it's a metaphorical sword) and he uses it to take peace from the earth and to cause people to kill one another.

It's the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and He loosens the seals. 

Jesus will not trick you or anyone else into backing the wrong horse. Those who back the wrong horse only have themselves to blame, because in Revelation 6:2 the imagery of the color white and the stephanos crown is not going to mean the opposite of what it means in every other place in the New Testament,

and the color of the red horse (as well as what its rider does with his sword) is all we need be told in order to know what Jesus is telling us about the first two horsemen of the Apocalypse.

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