Revelation 9:1–21

Review…

• OUTLINE…
  • THREE sections – Revelation 1:19
  • THREE events…
  • THREE judgements…
    • The seven SEAL judgments – Revelation 6-8
    • The seven TRUMPET judgments – Revelation 8-14
    • The seven BOWL judgment – Revelation 15-18
    • Seven Trumpets…
  • When the LAMB broke the SEVENTH seal – there was silence in heaven for HALF an hour…
    • SEVEN trumpets were handed to SEVEN angels – the SECOND set of judgements…
    • FIRST trumpet – was the destruction of a THIRD of all the PLANTS…
    • SECOND trumpet – was the destruction of a THIRD of the OCEANS…
    • THIRD trumpet – was the destruction of a THIRD of the fresh WATER…
    • FOURTH trumpet – was the destruction of a THIRD of the LIGHT…
  • Then an Angel flew through heaven – WOE three times – because of the last THREE trumpets…
    • Whereas the first FOUR trumpets bring disaster to NATURE…
    • The last THREE trumpets will unleash HELL – to try and turn men from their SIN!

Hell on Earth…

• 1^st – Fifth Trumpet… vs. 1–12
  • 1^st – Bottomless pit… vs. 1-2
    • The fallen STAR…
      • Then the fifth angel sounded: I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth.
      • STAR – NOT a literal STAR – it is a person [a KEY is given to HIM]
      • There are a couple of possibilities as to WHO this angel might be…
      • BAD angel – who FELL [perfect] to earth in the past – Abaddon – Revelation 9:11
      • GOOD angel – whom God sends to open up the bottomless PIT!
    • The PIT…
      • To him was given the key to the bottomless pit!
      • This PIT is not HELL [ᾅδης] – where MEN wait for the JUDGEMENT – Revelation 20:13
      • It is a common misconception that satan and his demons rule in hell…
      • They are NOT in HELL – they were cast down to earth – Revelation 12:9
      • But some of the fallen angels were put into prison [ταρταρόω] – II Peter 2:4
      • Where these DEMONS are locked up waiting for their JUDGMENT!
      • When Jesus confronted the demon possessed man – LEGION…
      • The demons begged Jesus not to cast them into the bottomless PIT [ἄβυσσος]!
      • Luke 8:31 – “[Legion] begged [Jesus] that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.”
  • 2^nd – The Locusts… vs. 2-6
    • From the PIT… vs. 2-3
      • He opened the bottomless pit – smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace.
      • The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
      • Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth!
      • The moment PIT was opened by the ANGEL – SMOKE came billowing out like a FURNACE…
      • FURNACE [κάμινος] 4x in NT – used to describe eternal TORMENT – Matthew 13:42
      • The result was the SUN [light] went dark – and the AIR became hard to breath…
      • Then from the SMOKE – poured out LOCUSTS onto the earth…
      • LOCUSTS – these are NOT insects – because they do NOT harm plants…
      • They also have a KING – and LOCUSTS do NOT have a KING – Proverbs 30:27
      • They are DEMONIC – fallen angles – who are unleashed upon the world…
      • They are no doubt likened to LOCUSTS because of their NUMBER and destructive potential!
      • God use the picture of LOCUSTS multiple times throughout the Bible to JUDGE…
      • From the EIGHTH plague in Egypt – Exodus 10 – to the prophecy of Joel – Joel 1:4
      • 2020 saw a swarm of LOCUST in Kenya 70 BILLION strong – hundreds of kilometers long…
      • They were so many – they turned day to night – and striped the land of ALL plant life!
    • POWER over unbelievers…
      • To them was given power – as the scorpions of the earth have power.
      • 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!
      • These DEMONS are given [passive] POWER from God…
      • They are NOT allowed to HARM plants [grass or tree] – unlike a LOCUST…
      • But they can HARM men – so long as they do not have the SEAL of God [144 thousand]!
      • Just as demons cannot touch those who are SEALED during the Tribulation…
      • We are also untouchable and have authority over our enemy today…
      • They have NO power over us – because we have God in us!
      • Luke 10:19 – “Behold – I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions…”
    • Torment men…
      • 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!
      • They HARM like a SCORPION – causing PAIN but not DEATH…
      • The effect of the STING will last up to FIVE months – but it will eventually pass!
      • SCORPIONS have a powerful venom – but it is not meant to KILL…
      • The purpose of their STING – is to inflict maximum PAIN – as a warning to stay away!
      • The wages of SIN is DEATH – eternal separation from God – Romans 6:23
      • Therefore – God ties to get the attention of men by showing them SIN is not worth the price…
      • People think God is being MEAN when we face the HARDSHIPS in life…
      • But it is not MEAN – it is GRACE – God is trying to get our attention…
      • If SIN causes enough PAIN – then maybe men will REPENT – and turn from SIN!
    • No Death…
      • In those days men will seek death and will not find it.
      • They will desire to die – and death will flee from them!
      • In SPITE of their PAIN – most people still do NOT repent…
      • Rather than turn to God – they want to DIE – thinking it is an ESCAPE…
      • But DEATH will run away from them – they will NOT be allowed to DIE…
      • Because DEATH is not an ANSWER – it means there is NO more hope!
      • We are saved by FAITH in the cross of Christ – through His GRACE – Ephesians 2:8-9
      • But FAITH means putting our TRUST in something we do NOT see – Hebrews 11:1
      • Everyone will REPENT when they see the JUDGEMENT seat of God…
      • Not because they have FAITH – but because they do not want to go to HELL…
      • But there is NO purgatory – there are no SECOND chances…
      • Once we DIE – are fate is sealed – we are either going to Heaven or Hell – Hebrews 9:27
  • 3^rd – Describing Demons… vs. 7-10
    • The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle!
      • John goes on to DESCRIBE the appearance of theses DEMONS [locusts]
      • They were LIKE a war horse – READY and EAGER for the battle…
      • As we have seen so many times – we NEED to pay attention to the word LIKE…
      • The word LIKE [ὅμοιος] is used EIGHT times just in the description of these DEMONS…
      • John is trying to describe something – we HOPEFULLY will never have to see…
      • He uses familiar things in this world – to describe something NOT of this world!
    • Their HEAD… vs. 7-8
      • On their heads were crowns of something like gold – their faces were like the faces of men.
      • They had hair like women hair – and their teeth were like lions teeth!
      • The HEAD of these DEMONS looked LIKE men [ἄνθρωπος] – with golden crowns…
      • But they had LONG hair [woman] – and they had SHARP teeth [lion]!
    • Their BODY… vs. 9-10
      • They had breastplates like breastplates of iron.
      • The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to battle.
      • They had tails like scorpions – and there were stings in their tails.
      • Their power was to hurt men five months!
      • The BODY was armored – it looked LIKE it was covered [θώραξ] in IRON…
      • They had WINGS – that were so LOUD they sounded like many HORSES going into battle…
      • And TAILS – LIKE a scorpion – that had the POWER to hurt men [FIVE months]!
      • There have been some over the years who have tried to connect this to MILITARY vehicles…
      • They argue John is trying to describe MODERN warfare – used images familiar to him…
      • An IRON armor covered – LOUD spinning WINGS – with a TAIL…
      • Would be one way for someone TWO thousand years ago to describe a HELICOPTER…
      • Though certainly compelling – it is NOT a strict interpretation of the passage…
      • And we are safer to take text LITERALLY – and understand these as SUPERNATURAL…
      • As we look at the description as a WHOLE – these are FALLEN angels…
      • They look like MEN – with WINGS [angel] – and have been given STINGERS to punish men!
  • 4^th – Abaddon… vs. 11-12
    • 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!
      • The KING of the DEMONS [locusts] – was THE angel of the bottomless PIT [ἄβυσσος]
      • ABADDON [אֲבַדּוֹן] – his HEBREW name – which means DESTRUCTION…
      • APOLLYON [Ἀπολλύων] – his GREEK name – which mean the DESTROYER…
      • The fact he has a name – and is called the KING – tells us this is a REAL angel…
      • Many speculate that it is SATAN – as he is the KING of the fallen angels…
      • But SATAN is NOT bound in the PIT – he is the god of this world – II Corinthians 4:4
      • More likely it is a LESSER angel – who it the greatest of those who are bound in the PIT!
    • Spiritual Warfare…
      • THIRD of the angels [stars] rebelled along with satan [dragon] against God – Revelation 12:4
      • As a result – God cast them out of heaven – they were banished to the earth…
      • Where they await the final judgment of these fallen angels – Jude 1:6
      • When they will be cast into the Lake of Fire prepared for them – Matthew 25:4
      • Ephesians 6:12 – “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood – but against principalities, against powers – against the rulers of the darkness of this age – against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
      • It is easy for us to FORGET we are in a BATTLE – because we do NOT see it…
      • DEMONS are real – they even have rankings – KINGS and RULERS…
      • And our ENEMY – HATES us – and desires to DESTROY our lives…
      • But too often the people in the FOCUS on the wrong thing…
      • The NT only mentions satan and demons 83 times – but the name of Jesus is used 941 times…
      • If the Bible focuses on Jesus – that is where we should put our focus as well!
    • FIRST woe… vs. 12
      • One woe is past. Behold – still two more woes are coming after these things!
      • The FIRST woe had passed – but that was NOT the worst of it…
      • There are still TWO more WOES to come AFTER these things [Μετὰ ταῦτα]!
• 2^nd – Sixth Trumpet… vs. 13–21
  • 1^st – Four Angels… vs. 13-15
    • Sixth Trumpet…
      • Then the sixth angel sounded:
      • And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God…
      • Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet…
      • Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.
      • The four angels – who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year…
      • Were released to kill a third of mankind!
      • When the SIXTH angel blew their TRUMPET – a VOICE came from the ALTAR of incense…
      • The VOICE commanded [imperative] for the SIXTH angel to release the FOUR angels…
      • Those who had been BOUND [perfect] in the great Euphrates RIVER…
      • The ONLY river that flowed through EDEN that still exists – Genesis 2:14
      • A river that marks the EASTERN boundary of Israel – Genesis 15:18
      • The FOUR angels are likely the same one who were told to WAIT – Revelation 7:1-2
      • But NOW are told this is the PREPARED moment [day – hour – month – year]
      • For them to be RELEASED – and to KILL one THIRD of all men!
      • TWO billion people have already died in the SEAL judgments – Revelation 6:8
      • This marks the death of another TWO billion – HALF the world gone…
      • And this is still just the FIRST three and a half years of the TRIBULATION!
    • Voice from the ALTAR…
      • It is worth asking – who was the VOICE that gave the COMMAND…
      • The ALTAR is where the PRAYERS of the saint come up to God – Revelation 8:4
      • Meaning the VOICE could be SAINTS who are praying for God to continue His JUDGEMENT!
      • When we PRAY for others – we tend to think of PRAYING for blessings…
      • But if people are STUBBORN – and unwilling to REPENT and come to Jesus…
      • Our PRAY should be for JUDGEMENT – so that they will WAKE up…
      • Because it is better for them to be BROKEN here – then CRUSHED in heaven!
      • Matthew 21:44 – “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
  • 2^nd – Massive army… vs. 16-19
    • 200 million…
      • Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million.
      • I heard the number of them!
      • How do the FOUR angels wipe out TWO billion people – with a MASSIVE army…
      • John heard them NUMBERED – they were TWO hundred million strong…
      • The QUESTION – is this an army of MEN – or something SUPERNATURAL!
      • PRACTICALLY – this was an IMPOSSIBLE number in the days of John…
      • The total population of the world was only around TWO hundred million…
      • And that number did not change much for the next TWO thousand years…
      • The world population did not pass ONE billion until the 1800s…
      • Since then – the world population has EXPLODED – passing EIGHT billion in 2023…
      • But there is still a PROBLEM – this ARMY is described as HORSEMEN…
      • And it is estimated – even today – there are only SIXTY million horses on earth!
    • The Army… vs. 17
      • I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them…
      • [They] had breastplates of fiery red – hyacinth blue – and sulfur yellow.
      • The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions.
      • And out of their mouths came fire – smoke – and brimstone!
      • Perhaps amazed at what he saw – John emphasizes it was a VISION [only here in Revelation]
      • He goes on to DESCRIBE who he saw SITTING on the HORSES…
      • They had on ARMOR [θώραξ] decorated in THEE colors…
      • RED fire [πύρινος] – BLUE hyacinth – and YELLOW brimstone [sulfur]
      • And their HORSES – had the heads that looked like a LION…
      • And out of their mouth came FIRE – SMOKE – and SULFUR!
    • The Plague… vs. 18-19
      • 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.
      • 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!
      • With these THREE – FIRE – SMOKE – and BRIMSTONE – one THIRD of all MEN will die…
      • The power of the HORSES – was in these things coming out of their MOUTH and TAIL…
      • They are like a SERPENT [move quick and strike] – and do HARM!
      • Many again read into this and see MODERN machines…
      • If someone were to describe a MODERN war – TWO thousand years ago…
      • They would see lot of FIRE – SMOKE – SULFUR – coming from TANKS – MISSILES – GUNS!
      • Which although not impossible – is at BEST speculation…
      • And missed the MAIN point of the VISION – which is WHY did God allow it!
  • 3^rd – No Repentance… vs. 20-21
    • Worshiping idols…
      • 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.
      • Idols of gold – silver – brass – stone – and wood – which can neither see nor hear nor walk!
      • God will BRING hell to earth – unleash DEMONIC power on men…
      • In an effort to show them they should NOT worship DEMONS [δαιμόνιον]
      • FIRST – by bringing great suffering from the LOCUSTS – but for those who do NOT listen…
      • SECOND – by bringing an ARMY of two hundred million – who kill one THIRD of all men…
      • NOW – there is an INNUMERABLE multitude who have gotten saved –
      • BUT – those who are NOT saved – and SURVIVE – are NOT part of the one THIRD…
      • Rather than TURNING to the God who LOVES them and can save them…
      • They REFUSE to REPENT – and continue to worship the very things KILLING them!
      • The definition of insanity – is doing the same thing and expecting different results…
      • Yet people keep going back to their IDOLS – to try and SAVE them…
      • IDOLS who no POWER [δύναμαι] – who cannot SEE – HEAR or WALK – Psalm 115:4-8
      • Isaiah 44:19-20 – “The person who made the idol never stops to reflect – Why it is just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a chunk of wood?”
      • We might think we do NOT have idols anymore…
      • But people still put their FAITH – in GOLD and SILER – invest for the FUTURE…
      • People still look to LAND [stone] – and WOOD [paper money] to SAVE…
      • Yet these things are the PROBLEM – they BLIND us so we cannot see the answer!
    • Immoral lives…
      • They did not repent of their murders – their sorceries – their sexual immorality – their thefts!
      • Why do men INSIST one putting their FAITH in demons rather than Jesus…
      • Because they REFUSE to turn [repent] from their SIN…
      • They are ANGRY – violent towards and even MURDER those they dislike…
      • They live for DRUGS [φαρμακεία] – even making them LEGAL…
      • They are IMMORAL [πορνεία] – look at what they want – sleep with who they chose…
      • They will TAKE [κλέμμα] what they want – because they deserve the BEST!
      • And because they LOVE their SIN – they do NOT want to turn to Jesus – John 3:19
      • But God does NOT give up – He is still just getting STARTED!