21st Century Revelation's premise is that we are living in the End Times right before the Tribulation. Zechariah 1 and 6 describe four horses at rest during Babylonian captivity. The key to the horses is to understand the colors of the end time powers. A world map shows four horses as end time regional powers on the run before the Tribulation.

I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him there were red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what are these? These are they whom the LORD has sent to walk to and fro through the earth. ... all the earth sits still, and is at rest (Zechariah 1:8-9, 10-11).

Revelation 4-5 describes the throne of our sovereign God and Creator of the universe. In His right hand is a scroll with seven seals, the title deed to earth. Who is worth to open the scroll? No angel or mere human was found worthy. Then John saw the Lion from the tribe of Judah as the Lamb of God. Because of His perfect sacrifice on the cross, Jesus Christ is worthy to inherit the earth.

They sung a new song, saying, Thou are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals: for thou were slain, and has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, tongue, people and nation (Revelation 5:9).

Revelation 6 and 8 describe seven seals. Four are called "Four Horses of the Apocalypse." To understand the horses, focus on color and start with red.
.
Seal 2 - Red Horse of War (Revelation 6:3-4) One definition of red is communism and socialism. In 1462, Ivan the Great tripled the size of the Russian Empire. In 1848, Karl Marx wrote Communist Manifesto. The red horse took control of Russia in 1919 and China in 1949 and ran loose during World War I, World War II and the Cold War. After hibernating, the Russian bear is back to its old Soviet ways (Daniel 7:5). See China and Russia.

Seal 3 - Black Horse of Trade (Revelation 6:5-6) In accounting, the opposite of red is black. The opposite of communism is capitalism. There is no famine but people live paycheck to paycheck. Wheat and barley are bought with a day's wage (Matthew 20:1-2). In 1588, the British lion defeated the Spanish Armada and controlled a quarter of earth. After the World Wars, the United States eagle became the economic superpower. The eagle is on the US seal and pair of scales is on the Treasury seal.
.
Seal 4 - Green Horse of Death (Revelation 6:7-8) Bible translators have difficulty with chloros. See Translations. Like communism and capitalism, this is a major world view. Chloros is translated green, the color of Islam. In 610, Mohammed founded Islam that spread to Spain by 711 and today controls a quarter of the world's population (~2 billion). The green horse fought the black horse during World War I, Iran Hostage Crisis, Iraq Wars, Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. See France Attacked.

Seal 1 - White Horse of Conquest (Revelation 6:1-2) Islam is false religion while the white horse is apostasy within the Catholic and Protestant churches. In 313 AD, Constantine proclaimed religious toleration in the Roman Empire. By 380, Christianity was the official religion as church and state merge. The white horse was on the run during the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition but lost ground to other horses during the last few hundred years. The False Prophet combines apostasy and false religion into the 2nd Beast (Revelation 13:11-12).

Look at a world map to see the horses on the run today. The red horse of communism rules China and Russia. The black horse of capitalism rules Australia, Canada, India, United States and parts of Far East Asia. The green horse of Islam rules North Africa, Southeast Asia and Middle East. The white horse of apostasy rules Central Africa and Latin America. The European Union rules a mix of views. All wars are political, religious or economic conflicts.

The four horses of Revelation 6 are fighting but later unite. At the beginning of his reign, the Antichrist merges communism, capitalism, Islam and apostasy into the one-world political, religious and economic system. See Unholy Trinity.

The Horses of the Apocalypse are on the run today (Matthew 24:5-6, 7-8).

Four seals are fulfilled but three seals are future.

Seal 5 - Martyrs (Revelation 6:9-10, 11) Martyrs faithful to God have been around since Cain murdered Abel. The martyrs in Revelation 6 are Saints redeemed during the Tribulation and wait impatiently for God to bring justice. They are given white robes and are told to rest for a while. God's primary goal is to redeem the world but a secondary goal is to bring judgment against those who reject His Son and persecute His people.

Seals 6 & 7 - Second Coming (Revelation 6:12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 8:1-2, 3-4, 5) The final two seals occur at the end of Armageddon and the Tribulation. Seals, trumpets and bowls end with lighting, thunder, great hail, earthquakes as mountains and island move.

The book of Revelation is not sequential but a spiral of parallel events that have shorter time spans until the return of Jesus Christ. Seals begin at the merger of church and Roman state. Seals, trumpets, Tribulation, Antichrist, bowls, Mystery Babylon and Armageddon end at the Second Coming.

Since we are over one hundred years into the Laodicean period of the Church Age, we can see horses on the run and trumpet sounding before seven years of Tribulation begins. Wake up Laodicean church!

References: 21st Century Revelation: World Wars, Iraq Wars & End Wars - Chapter 20: Players in the Game, Chapter 21: Four Horses on the Run, Revelation Outline, Timeline of the Tribulation, Tribulation Articles, Revelation Articles, Covenant Articles, Chronology of Man, Hebcal, Endtime Ministries