White Horse Of The Apocalypse VIII

Here are questions that must be answered in regard to the white horse rider having a "toxon" or "bow."

1. Is the "bow" an archer's bow or some other kind?
2. What is the meaning of "toxon"?
3. Does "toxon" denote an empty bow (empty bow)?
4. If there are arrows, for what purpose and against whom?
5. If the bow has no arrows (an empty bow), why empty? Significance?
6. Why did Strong say of "toxon" - 'apparently as the simplest fabric'?
7. How does "tikto" (root of 'toxon') relate to the idea of a "bow"?
8. Is "toxon" a "ribbon" (as some affirm).

Scholars On "Toxon"

The Greek word translated "bow" is from "toxon." The etymology of this word has not been clearly discernible. The Greek word "toxon" gives us our English word "toxic" (poisonous). Rev. 6:2 is the only time the word is used in the NT. Strong defines "toxon" as: "From the base of G5088; a bow (apparently as the simplest fabric):—bow"

Strong on G5088 (τίκτω tikto):

1) to bring forth, bear, produce (fruit from the seed)
1a) of a woman giving birth
1b) of the earth bringing forth its fruits
1c) metaph. to bear, bring forth

There is some mystery surrounding the meaning of this unique Greek word. Confusion is added when one reads Strong's definition as somehow involving a "simplest fabric." There seems to be some unneeded speculation as to the significance of "toxon."

From my research I see the basic root "tox" as meaning a curve. The suffix, whether "on" or some other, says something about what is curved. An archer's bow is curved. The rainbow is curved. A man curves his body when he "bows" to another. Etc.

I offer my own speculation about how "simplest fabric" and "giving birth to" (tikto) or "producing" may be involved and yet the main idea of an archer's bow remains foremost.

So, how did the archer put the poison on the tips of arrows? Not with his fingers, for the poison would kill the archer. So, he would use some instrument to apply the poison to the arrows unless he merely dipped each arrow in the liquid poison. Application of poison to the arrows could easily be done with a piece of cheap cloth also. Further, who knows but that the bow or some part of the arrows were not of some kind of fabric? Further, a quiver being implied, though not mentioned, it could well be that the quiver was made of "fabric." Perhaps too the feathers on the arrows were of some kind of fabric material. But, these are just speculations. But, so too are the things said by those who make "toxon" to mean "ribbon," "rainbow," etc.

Also, as far as "bringing forth" being the root for "toxon" we could speculate that the reason is due to the fact that analogously the bow brings forth, or shoots forth, arrows. Children in the OT were viewed as "arrows" in a father's "quiver." (Psalms 127: 4-5)

We cannot allow the idea of fabric or birth to become the prominent ideas in "toxon," which is rather a bow with poisoned arrows.

The "toxon" cannot mean "rainbow" (though some teach this) for "rainbow" has its own Greek word. Two times in Revelation it is from the Greek word "iris." Though the same Hebrew word for "bow" was used for both rainbows and for archery bows in the Old Testament, it is different in the Greek New Testament.

Those who say that the "toxon" is the rainbow will use this idea to jump to the idea that the rider has some kind of connection with a covenant. But, this is all false. The rider on the white horse is not carrying a symbol of a covenant (as the rainbow is). The rider is a mighty warrior on a war steed.

Toxon in the Septuagint

Toxon is the Greek word used in the Septuagint for the Hebrew word "qesheth" (translated "bow" in Old Testament). It is used first in regard to the rainbow.

"I do set my bow (toxon) in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth." (Gen. 9:13 and vs. 14 & 16; Exe. 1:28)

Remembering that the basic root of "toxon" simply means "curved" we can see why the rainbow is such. In fact we could translate as "I do set my curve in the cloud." A curve is an arch. But rainbow is not the primary usage of "qesheth" in the OT. It is chiefly used of a man bowing down, or to an archer's bow, used either for hunting or for warfare, or both. Let us look at some OT verses where the Hebrew word "qesheth" ('toxon' in Greek Septuagint) is used and the reference is to a weapon of war.

"And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand." (2Ch 17:17)

Notice in the words "armed men with bow" that there is no mention of arrows. Does that mean that they are not with the warriors? If we use the same logic that many apply to Rev. 6:2 and the supposed absence of arrows there, then we will have to say that they were "armed" with a bow but with no arrows! Is that not absurd? Does it not show how illogical is the argumentation on the supposed absence of arrows in Rev. 6:2? Just as arrows are implied In the words "armed with toxon" so too are they implied in the statement that the white horse rider of 6:2 has a "toxon." Don't you see?

"Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow." (Isa. 41:2)

Again, there is no mention of arrows in this text. Does that mean we are to assume that there are none? Of course not. When the text says "driven stubble to his bow" we know that it does not mean his empty bow! The arrows are implied though they are not specifically mentioned. Further, to exclude the presence of arrows because they are not specifically mentioned is just plain nonsense. A bow is mentioned 78 times in 75 verses in the bible and over 50 times it is mentioned without arrows; And, in none of them is the bow to be assumed as being empty or without arrows!

In Zechariah 9:10 and 10:4 "the battle toxon/bow" is mentioned. It would be foolish to imagine that this battle toxon excluded poisoned arrows! The very word "toxon" carries with it the idea of poisoned arrows. It is from this Greek word that we get our English words "toxic" and "intoxicated."

"The British publisher defines the adjective toxic as “poisonous.” The word first appeared in English in the 1650s. It came from the Latin word toxicus, meaning “poisoned.”

The Latin word itself actually came from the Greek term toxon, meaning “bow.” In ancient Greece, fighters with bows would put poison on the points of their arrows." (here)

On the word "intoxicate" Webster says:

"Etymology: from Latin intoxicatus, past participle of intoxicare "to poison," from earlier in- "put into" and toxicum "poison," from Greek toxikon "arrow poison," from toxon "bow, arrow" --related to TOXIC, TOXIN.

Word History The Greek word toxon means "bow" or "arrow." From this came the Greek toxikon, meaning "a poison in which arrows are dipped." Toxikon was borrowed into Latin as toxicum, which gave rise to the Latin verb intoxicare, "to poison." The English word intoxicate comes from this Latin verb. Intoxicate originally meant "to poison" in English, but now it is almost never used with this meaning. It is related to the words toxic, meaning "poisonous," and toxin, meaning "a poison." Both of these words can also be traced to the Greek toxon." (here)

Notice then that the Greek word "toxon" includes the idea of arrows that are dipped in poison. Therefore those teachers who argue for an empty bow for the white horse rider of 6:2 are simply ignorant it seems of these plain facts.

Wrote one writer about one of the constellations:

"The Greeks called this constellation Toxeutes, the Archer, from Toxon, bow. Modern archers are known as toxophilites or 'bow lovers', toxophily is the sport of archery. The word Taxus, the yew genus and the Latin word for yew, is of the same origin as Greek toxon, bow. In Europe bows were mostly made from yew, and English bows in particular were invariably cut from yew trees. Greek toxicon, neuter of the adjective toxicos, means 'arrow poison' and poisons smeared on arrows were fired from bows (toxa or toxon) derived from the yew-tree. Our verb intoxicate originally meant 'to poison'. The 17th century herbalist Nicolas Culpepper said of Yew toxins: "it is the most active vegetable poison known in the whole world, for in a small dose it instantly induces death." (here)

Hercules wielded an oversized club, a vaunted bow, and poison-tipped arrows.

Can there be any doubt then that the righteous and victorious white horse rider of 6:2 has a bow with poisoned arrows?

Poisoned Arrows

"For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me." (Job 6: 4)

Here God is pictured as an archer with poisoned arrows. Where is Satan or the Antichrist ever pictured as an archer? That he may in some respects be such, as all men are who shoot forth evil words (as we will see), their words being compared to poisonous arrows, it is not that which is generally characteristic of him in holy scripture. However, God and his Son are pictured in numerous places as not only wielding a sword, but as an archer shooting arrows. But, of that we will enlarge upon in upcoming posts.

Empty Bow?

I think we have shown how those who argue for an empty bow are in error. But, why do so many of today's Dispensational theorists not only insist that the bow is empty, without arrows, but that such a supposed fact is significant, denoting "bloodless conquests," a symbol of peace being brought?

As stated in earlier postings the idea of bringing immediate peace is not the chief idea connected with a warrior on a mounted warhorse with crown and toxon, but is conquest by means of the bow. Peace will come as the effect of the work of the white horse rider (in ridding the world of all the wicked, both of men and spirits, and that happens after Rev. 19). In fact, as we see the next three riders bringing death and destruction, peace is not brought but rather "taken from" the world. It is the peace that God has been giving but which he takes away in the day of wrath. In fact, all through the day of wrath and tribulation men are losing peace! "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked." (Isa. 48: 22) And, since the rider on the white horse in 6:2 is leading the charge of the horses that follow, we see anything but "bloodless" conquering.