[:en]SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 9
“During those days, men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die but death will elude them” (Revelation 9:6)
“The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts” (Revelation 9:20-21)
These are what John saw:
When the Fifth Angel sounded his trumpet: (vs. 1-6)
- A star fell from the sky to the earth
- The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss
- A smoke from a gigantic furnace arose from the Abyss when it was opened
- The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss
- Locusts came down upon the earth with power like that of scorpions of the earth but were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree
- The locusts will harm those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They have no power to kill them but only to torture them for 5 months.
Description of the Locust (vs. 7-11)
- They looked like horse prepared to battle
- They resembled human face with something like crowns of gold on their head
- Their hairs were like women’s hair and their teeth like lion’s teeth
- They had breastplates like breastplates of iron
- Their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle
- They had tails and stings like scorpions and their tails had power to torment people for 5 months.
- Their king is the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, and in Greek “Apollyon”.
When the Sixth angel sounded his trumpet, he releases the 4 angels who are bound at Euphrates River to kill 1/3 of mankind. These angels bring along armies of horsemen totaling 200 million soldiers.
Then John saw a vision of horse and rider like these:
- Their breastplate were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow like sulfur.
- The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions. Fire, smoke and sulfur came out of their mouth to kill 1/3 of mankind with 3 plagues – FIRE, SMOKE AND SULFUR.
- Their tails were like snakes, and their head will inflict injury
But the rest of mankind that remain did not repent. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols. They continue their sinful acts of murder, magic arts, sexual immorality and thefts.
SUMMARY:
Several critical events will take place during the Tribulation. When the 5th angel sounded his trumpet, the army of hell will be released. Locust will torture those people who did not have the seal of God for 5 months. When the 6th angel sounded his trumpet, the 4 angels bound at the Euphrates River will be released to kill 1/3 of the earth’s population. They would bring into battle armies of horsemen totaling 200 million in number. They use fire, brimstone and smoke as their chief weapons to kill mankind.
The goodness of God in sparing those who remain on earth does not lead them to repentance. Instead, they continue their idol and demon worship.
This is a vivid picture of today’s world. We have widespread idolatry, sorcery, witchcraft and spiritism. The word “sorceries” is “pharmakeia” in Greek, which is the English word “pharmaceutical” It means having to do with “drugs”. Today, the use of drugs has become pandemic. It is high time for people to know Christ. Let us offer them God’s gift of salvation NOW!
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