Book of Revelation Chapter 9 Sounding of the

Book of Revelation: Chapter 9 Sounding of the Last Two Trumpets

Revelation 9: 1 “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. ”

Revelation 9: 2 “And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. ”

The Fifth Angel • Star falls from heaven (personified) • Given the key to the bottomless pit • The pit was open. • Smoke like the smoke of a great furnace escaped from the pit. • The great smoke darkened the sun and air.

The Fifth Angel • The fifth trumpet sounds the warnings as the devilish and Hadean forces are unleashed. • They shall torment those who do not have the “seal of God on their foreheads” (saints). • Punishment is unleashed on those who have committed heinous crimes against God and His people.

The Fallen Star • The star “a messenger” came from heaven to earth. • Key to the “abyss” (bottomless pit) • This is the abode of demons. (Luke 8: 31) • Preliminary punishment for fallen angels, the beast (17: 8) • Final abode for Satan himself (20: 3) • Satan has control over the demonic forces.

Revelation 9: 3 “Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. ”

Revelation 9: 4 “They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ”

The Tormenting Locusts • Tormenting locusts arise from the pit out of the smoke. • Power over only those not numbered with the 144, 000 (sealed) • Given power as the scorpions on earth have power • They are not to eat the earth’s vegetation, grass, or any green thing. • Their mission is to hurt and torment.

The Smoke and Darkness • Smoke and darkness tend to “blind” men. • This plague of evil causes men to be blind to their sins. • Sin has a vicious sting—it hurts, but it is not yet fatal. • Those who subjected God’s people to much torment will receive much worse in return!

Revelation 9: 5 “And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. ”

Revelation 9: 6 “In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. ”

Mission of the Locusts • Power is limited for only “five months. ” • Commanded not to kill—just torment • Torment is like a scorpion’s sting. • For some extended period of time, men will experience something worse than death. • Death would be preferred, but it cannot be found. • Could it be the “inner corruption” that

Revelation 9: 7 “The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. ”

Revelation 9: 8 “They had hair like womens’ hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. ”

Revelation 9: 9 “And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. ”

Revelation 9: 10 “They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. ”

Descriptions of the Locusts • The locusts: – Were shaped like horses prepared for battle. – Wore something shaped like golden crowns on their heads. – Had faces like the faces of men. – Had breastplates like breastplates of iron. – Had wings that sounded like chariots with many horses running into battle. – Had tails like scorpions and stings in their tails. – Had power that was limited to “five months. ”

Descriptions of the Locusts • • Like horses prepared for battle—(powerful) Wore crowns (like victors) Had faces of men (intelligent) Had hair like the hair of women (strong) Had teeth like the teeth of lions (powerful) Wore breastplates of iron (protection) Had wings that sounded like many chariots Had tails like scorpions (tormenting power)

Revelation 9: 11 “And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. ”

Revelation 9: 12 “One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. ”

Their King • Hebrew—Abaddon • Greek—Apollyon • Both names means “destruction and destroyer. ” • Wrecker of everything that is fine and holy • Abyss is on earth not in heaven—abode of all ungodly BEFORE judgment! • Luke 16: 23; 2 Peter 2: 4; Jude 6

Summary • God has now used two instruments to cut down the oppression of His people: – Natural calamity – Internal decadence • Rome fell for Satan’s lies. • Internal decay was one of the reasons for her fall. • ONE down—two to go!

Revelation 9: 13 “Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. ”

Revelation 9: 14 “Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. ’”

Sixth Angel Sounds • A voice calls out from the horns of the golden altar in heaven. – Altar of burnt incense (Exodus 30: 1 -10) – Souls under the altar (6: 10; 8: 3 -5) – Altar is before God—power of the requests of the saints • Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates

Sixth Angel Sounds • River Euphrates stands for the military might of the enemy. • Homeland of the Parthians—the world’s most dreaded cavalry (fought Rome in 53 and 62 AD) • These ARE NOT the angels in 7: 1, who were restraining the four winds. • Being bound means not permitted to act until God permits.

Revelation 9: 15 “So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. ”

Revelation 9: 16 “Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. ”

The Army • The angels prepared for the time of their release. • Predetermined by God for this very hour • Remember, “ 4” is the world number. • This judgment being released will be a world-wide judgment. • Against all wicked and unregenerate men • God prepared these angels for this certain time.

The Army • Two hundred million!! A tremendous host. • Figurative number representing a vast, inconceivable force—invincible. • If literal, the normal formation would be one mile wide and 85 miles long! • Scare the enemy and assure God the victory! • Forces assemble to do God’s bidding— external invasion.

Revelation 9: 17 “And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. ”

Description of Riders/Horses • In the vision, horses and riders are presented as one: – Riders as having breastplates (armor) with fiery red, hyacinth blue (smoky), and sulfur yellow – Horses heads were like the heads of lions – Out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone – Striking because it aligns them with their horses out of whose mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and brimstone

Revelation 9: 18 “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed-by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. ”

Revelation 9: 19 “For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm. ”

Three Plagues • Plagues were symbols of divine visitation in judgment. • One/third of mankind is killed by fire, smoke, and brimstone. • This is a great destruction but not a total one. • Power in their tails suggests the ability to march and inflict terrible hurt. • Picture—a culture collapsing on itself

Revelation 9: 20 “But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. ”

Revelation 9: 21 “And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. ”

Would Not Repent! • The rest of mankind, not killed, were not brought to repentance. • God sends judgment in hopes of turning people away from their sins—but they refused His mercy. • First woe—internal decay--had blinded them to the first four trumpets of natural calamity; no changes were made!

Would Not Repent! • War and destruction are used here to warn the unrighteous to cease sinning. • They cast off judgment and fate and fail to repent. • They continue to engage in the worship of “stupid idols” and to serve them. • Second woe—external enemies--should have softened their hearts; yet, they became hardened by the deceitfulness of

Would Not Repent! • This empire’s principal sin was idolatry. • God’s mercy is seen in the midst of this frightening scene. • They were worshipping the emperor instead of the true God. • Immorality and idolatry go hand in hand. • Rome has gone too far to be saved now. • Sin has compounded upon sin. • All that’s left—unleash the final woe against the evil kingdom and the beast!