“And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.” (Revelation 6:2) Yes, in answer to that thunderous “Come!” a white horse charges forth. In the Bible, the horse often symbolizes warfare. (Psalm 20:7; Proverbs 21:31; Isaiah 31:1) This horse, likely a beautiful stallion, gleams with a whiteness that indicates unblemished holiness. (Compare Revelation 1:14; 4:4; 7:9; 20:11.) How appropriate this is, for it portrays warfare that is clean and righteous in Jehovah’s holy eyes!​—See also Revelation 19:11, 14.

Going Forth Conquering

6. (a) Why must the Rider go forth conquering? (b) Through which years does the ride of conquest continue?

⁶ Why, though, must the newly crowned King ride forth to war? It is because his kingship is established in the face of bitter opposition from Jehovah’s chief adversary, Satan the Devil, and those on earth who​—knowingly or unknowingly—​serve Satan’s ends. The birth of the Kingdom itself calls for a major war in heaven. Fighting under the name Michael (meaning “Who Is Like God?”), Jesus overcomes Satan and his demons and hurls them down to the earth. (Revelation 12:7-12) Jesus’ ride of conquest continues through the opening decades of the Lord’s day while sheeplike humans are being gathered. Though the whole world still lies “in the power of the wicked one,” Jesus lovingly continues to shepherd his anointed brothers and their companions, helping each to achieve the conquest of faith.​—1 John 5:19.

7. What conquests has Jesus made on earth in the first decades of the Lord’s day, and what should be our resolve?

⁷ What other conquests has Jesus made during the past 90-and-more years of the Lord’s day? Around the globe, individually and as a congregation, Jehovah’s people have experienced many hardships, pressures, and persecutions, similar to those described by the apostle Paul in giving proof of his ministry. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) Jehovah’s Witnesses have needed “power beyond what is normal,” especially in theaters of war and violence, in order to endure. (2 Corinthians 4:7) But even in the most trying situations, faithful Witnesses have been able to say as did Paul: “The Lord stood near me and infused power into me, that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished.” (2 Timothy 4:17) Yes, Jesus conquered on their behalf. And he will continue to go forth conquering in our behalf, as long as we are resolved to complete our conquest of faith.​—1 John 5:4.

8, 9. (a) In what conquests has the global congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses shared? (b) Where has growth of Jehovah’s Witnesses been truly outstanding?

⁸ The global congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses has shared in many conquests under the guidance of its conquering King. Outstandingly, he protected these Bible Students from annihilation in 1918, when they themselves were ‘conquered’ temporarily by Satan’s political organization. In 1919, however, he broke prison bars to rescue them, and he then enlivened them to proclaim the good news “to the most distant part of the earth.”​—Revelation 13:7; Acts 1:8.

⁹ Before and during World War II, the dictatorial Axis powers tried to wipe out Jehovah’s Witnesses in many lands where religious leaders, particularly those of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, gave open or tacit support to oppressive dictators. But the 71,509 Witnesses who were preaching when the war started in 1939 became 141,606 by its end in 1945, even though upwards of 10,000 had spent long years in prisons and concentration camps, and about 2,000 had been killed. The number of active Witnesses earth wide has expanded to over six million today. Growth has been outstanding in Catholic lands and in countries where persecutions were most bitter​—such as Germany, Italy, and Japan, in which the Witnesses are now reporting a total of well over 600,000 active field ministers.​—Isaiah 54:17; Jeremiah 1:17-19.

10. With what victories has the conquering King blessed his people “in the defending and legally establishing of the good news”?

¹⁰ Our conquering King has also blessed his zealous people by leading them to many victories “in the defending and legally establishing of the good news” in courts of law and before rulers. (Philippians 1:7; Matthew 10:18; 24:9) This has been on an international scale​—in Australia, Argentina, Canada, Greece, India, Swaziland, Switzerland, Turkey, and other lands. Among 50 legal victories gained by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the United States Supreme Court have been those guaranteeing the right to declare the good news “publicly and from house to house” and to desist from idolatrous patriotic ceremonies. (Acts 5:42; 20:20; 1 Corinthians 10:14) Thus, the way has been kept open for an expanding global witness.

11. (a) How does the Rider “complete his conquest”? (b) What effect should the opening of the second, third, and fourth seals have upon us?

¹¹ How does Jesus “complete his conquest”?c This he does, as we shall see, by disposing of false religion and then hurling every remaining segment of Satan’s visible organization into a symbolic “fiery lake” of destruction, in vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty. Confidently, we now look forward to that day at Armageddon when our “King of kings” will gain the final victory over Satan’s oppressive political organization! (Revelation 16:16; 17:14; 19:2, 14-21; Ezekiel 25:17) In the meantime, the invincible Conqueror on the white horse continues to ride forth as Jehovah keeps adding honesthearted ones to His righteous nation on earth. (Isaiah 26:2; 60:22)