^9:17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.

The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this:

How do you describe something that is spiritual (evil/demonic, in this case)? Most of us live so closely to the physical world that we seldom experience the spiritual world. And when we do experience the spirtual event, it has been my experience that the event is very real to you but hard to put into words. This sounds like the case for John in this verse. Since, most of us have seen a horse with a rider, that is how John starts.

1. Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur.

   This part John knew for sure. The RIDERS had colorful protective gear of reds, yellows, and blues. What is never described in Revelation is the smells of these visions other than the incense (prayers, Revelation 8:4). And even this is left to our imagination.

   Fire and sulfur leads to God's Judgment

   Sodom and Gomorrah	Genesis 19:24
   Idol-worshipping country	Deuteronomy 29:23
   Bareness or lack of plenty	Job 18:5-15-21
   "Portion of wicked's cup"	Psalm 11:4-6-7
   Breath of the Lord	Isaiah 30:27-33
   Judgment	Isaiah 34:1-9-15
   Prophesy against Gog	Ezekiel 38:17-22-23

   Hyacinth may be the color of the "smoke" of the horses kicking up "dust" as they stomp through mankind and kill them. See that "SMOKE" is inserted between fire and sulfur in the next verse.

2. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions,

   This now is symbolic since the word 'like' is used. Not only are these horsemen protected by breastplates, but they are fearless and powerful like lions. Some scholars who are looking at a physical interpretation indicate this may be a special kind of military tank. However, this probably is the devil prancing around (1 Peter 5:8) trying to imitate the real LION (Revelation 5:5).

3. and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.

   The FIRE and SMOKE and SULFUR is proceeding out of the MOUTHS of the riders. These are three awful destructors or testers.

   Fire has always been used to test a man's work. Otherwise, why would we have "fire departments" to try to save our earthly belongings.

   • Fire makes God's name known (Isaiah 64:1-7).
   • If God is in you, his Word is like fire in your bones, and it won't let you alone (Jeremiah 20:7-9-13).
   • Holy Spirit as the activist came as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4).
   • Those penetrating EYES - Revelation 1:14.

   Smoke is a spirit/demon activity. It is used both to describe evil spirit activity and the strength activity of God.

   • Smoke is allied with evil spirits out of the abyss (Revelation 9:2).
   • As attacking a refuge-seeking Philistia, it is flying down from the north (Isaiah 14:28-31-32).
   • God shows His strength in the smoke from His nostrils (Job 41:12-20-34, Psalm 18:7-8-15).
   Sulfur lays waste. It is like lava; a third of mankind is "melted down".