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
      • 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]!

But God does NOT give up – He is still just getting STARTED!

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