SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 9
THE FIFTH TRUMPET BRINGS THE FIRST TERROR (vs. 1-12)
The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and the sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. During those days men will seek death, but will not find it, they will long to die, but death will elude them.
The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon”
The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
THE SIXTH TRUMPET BRINGS THE SECOND TERROR (vs. 13-21)
The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
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. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
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.
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
John described a locust plague as a foreshadowing the coming of God’s judgment. Locusts were symbols of destruction because they destroyed vegetation. In Revelation, locusts symbolize an invasion of demons who would torture unbelievers. But these demons were still under God’s authority because they could only torment people for five months. These locusts are demons – evil spirits ruled by Satan who tempt people to sin. They are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion. They are corrupt and degenerated so that their appearance reflects the distortion of their spirits. Their purpose on earth is to prevent, distort or destroy people’s relationship with God. It is important for us to recognize their evil activity so we can stay away from them. Avoid any curiosity about them to prevent involvement with demonic forces of the occult.
The locust-demons have a leader whose name in Hebrew and in Greek means “Destroyer”. John showed that those who worshiped the great god Apollo are worshipping a demon.
There are four projections in each corner of the altar in the Temple. These were called the horns of the altar. There are four evil and destructive demons being released to do evil work on earth. One third of all people are killed. Then John saw horses with rider resembling the head of the lions killing a third of mankind by plague of fire, smoke, and sulfur. But the people who survived were hard headed. they did not repent of their sins. They continue to worship demons, idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood. They did not repent of their murders, their magic arts, sexual immorality or their thefts.
There are so many temptations in this world today. Temptations entertained today becomes sin tomorrow, then followed by a habit until death and separation from God forever. So, acknowledge that we need to confess our sins before God and repent!