God Is Coming, pt. 10

Hello! Terry’s continued series on Revelation took us into chapter 9. To listen to this teaching, simply click play on the audio player below. I’ve also included some notes and links to Bible Gateway for the verses he references.

God Is Coming, pt. 10

Introduction: Review of the first four trumpet judgments:

• 1st trumpet: 1/3 of the land burned, 1/3 of the trees burned, all of the grass burned
• 2nd trumpet: 1/3 of the seas turned to blood
• 3rd trumpet: 1/3 of all other waters turned bitter
• 4th trumpet: 1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars smitten
• God’s people will be protected, but some will be martyred for their faith. But to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Revelation 9

• v. 1 – the 5th trumpet
  • star = angel (he) was given the key
    • key is to the abyss/bottomless pit/deep = a place where demons have been incarcerated for a long time
• v. 2 – the abyss is opened by the angel
  • terrible smoke rises and darkens the earth
• v. 3 – locusts/demons come out of the smoke
  • GIVEN power
    • allowed/used by God
  • power LIKE scorpions
• v. 4 – God commands the locusts/demons
  • part of God’s retribution/judgment
  • the only part of God’s creation that has free will is mankind
  • mission of these demonic entities is to hurt the unbelievers
    • unbelievers = those not sealed
    • Won’t affect the 144,000 sealed Jews (Revelation 7:3-4) or Christians sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
  • not to damage the earth/grass/trees, etc.
• v. 5 – more instructions to the locusts/demons
  • do not kill the people
  • torment them for 5 months
  • torment is like being stung by a scorpion
• v. 6 – the reaction
  • men will seek death, but they won’t be able to die (not even by suicide)
• v. 7-10 – characteristics of the locusts
  • 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 – Satan & his servants appear as angels of light – but not this time; they will be seen for what they are
  • Like horses prepared
    • crowns like gold
    • faces like men
    • long hair like women
    • teeth like a lion
    • breastplates of iron
    • wings make a horrible noise
    • tails like scorpions to hurt for 5 months
  • This is all to stop our sin/evil behavior & turn to the Lord for salvation.
• v. 11 – King of the Locusts
  • ruling angel of the abyss
  • Hebrew – Abaddon
  • Greek – Apollyon
  • Destroyer – the devil comes to steal, kill, & destroy (John 10:10)
• v. 12 – The first woe has passed (Rev. 8:13).
• v. 13 – 6th trumpet
  • God is in control
  • voice from the horns of the altar before God
• v. 14 – 6th angel
  • commanded by the voice from the altar
  • told to release the 4 angels bound under the Euphrates
• v. 15 – 4 imprisoned angels released
  • to kill 1/3 of mankind
  • nearly 1/2 the rebellions population of the world will have been wiped out at this point in the Tribulation
• v. 16 – Armies numbered
  • 200 million horsemen
  • NOT Armageddon
• v. 17 – Armies described
  • Breastplates
    • fiery red, dark blue, yellow as sulfur
  • Heads of the horses resemble heads of lions
    • fire, smoke, & sulfur from their mouths
• v. 18 – another 1/3 of rebellious mankind killed
  • killed by the fire, smoke, & sulfur from the mouths of the horses
• v. 19 – more description of the horses
  • power from their:
    • mouths (fire, smoke, sulfur)
    • tails – like a serpent with a head that does harm
• v. 20-21 – mindset of those that still reject God
  • did not repent of:
    • worshipping devils & idols
    • murder
    • sorcery/pharmakeia (drug use/witchcraft, etc. – the devil can use people much more effectively if they aren’t in their right mind)
    • immorality
    • theft
  • man is capable of so much depravity apart from God
• God is bringing His kingdom – that is the goal of the Tribulation!