Revelation 9

A WEDNESDAY NIGHT BOOK STUDY
EDGEMONT BIBLE CHURCH
FALL 2009- SPRING 2010
FEBRUARY 03,2010
THE SCROLL IS OPENED! - Part 4
Revelation 9

IX. THE SEVENTH SEAL IS OPENED (Continued from previous week)
F. The Fifth Trumpet sounds v 1

ACTION: John sees a star (angel) fall from heaven to the earth. A key is given to him to open a bottomless pit that is somewhere concealed on earth. No verbal instruction is recorded, but using the key, he opens the bottomless pit. See 2 Peter 2:1-6

RESULT: The bottomless pit opens pouring out smoke as from a furnace. The smoke is thick and heavy, darkening the light of the sun and filling the air. This is occurring as the sun's light has been decreased by 1/3 already or there is 1/3 less day and 2/3 more night and darkness because of the previous trumpet. Out of the smoke come creatures John could only identify as locusts. They are certainly very strange locusts as they have been given power (actually "authority" Greek word exousia: the right to act; might, capability, ability) and it is compared to the power of the scorpion for which see below. They are given authority to hurt people and only those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads. They have a horrific appearance for which see below. They have a specific time of operation and they are led by a king.

EFFECT: As they are released with power and authority to hurt men, they target specifically those without the seal of God in their forehead. Their "sting" is so painful that men wish to die but death is taken from them. For 5 months they continue to spread their pain-filled rampage against the disobedient. This is the first of the three woes pronounced by the angel after the fourth trumpet.

DETAILS: A star (angel): This is a high ranking demon in the Satanic hierarchy whose name is given in verse 11 as Abaddon (Destruction) and Apollyon (Destroyer). He does not live in the Abyss but he is king over those who are in it. He is not being thrown out of heaven for the devil and his angels continue until the war in heaven with Michael is finished (Rev 12). He and the angels with him have no love for any of the human race and in particular those who are specifically God's people. This is his opportunity to bring suffering to those who do not have the seal of God.

Bottomless pit (the abyss): This is the prison of certain of the most wicked demons as in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6-7. This is the place of judgment for demons called Tartaros (some translations call it "hell". Demons feared being imprisoned there as in Luke 8:31. It apparently is located under the earth from what we see in this vision of it being opened.

Scorpion: The power of the scorpion is found in its neurotoxin venom. It kills or paralyzes its prey. Since these scorpio-locusts do not kill their victims we may speculate that it paralyzes them creating an area of dying, decaying flesh that rots away from the area which was injected or stung. Their authority is specific: they cannot hurt the grass or any green thing. They can only hurt humans who do not have the seal of God in their forehead. They do not kill but leave their victims in such pain they wish they were dead. Their death-avoiding pain agent is in their tails. The appearance of these creatures: whatever else is said about them, they appear to be living and not machines. Their overall appearance is that of locusts, the swarming phase of one of the families of grasshopper. So the overall appearance is that of a grasshopper. By using the term locusts, in particular, he is telling us they are swarming out of the pit. Many of them move rapidly in a swarm. Yet, he declares that their likeness (not Gr. morphe "body" but likeness) was like a horse prepared for battle. These creatures are anxious for battle, snorting, moving, tense and anxious. They wore crowns(stephanos not diademos) of something like gold. Their faces looked like men with hair like women, I assume it to mean long hair, and teeth like a lion, sharp tearing type teeth. They had breastplates of iron. As they flew it sounded to him like chariots with many horses running to battle. It is easy to see why some commentators in an attempt to explain this sight compared them to helicopters! It is their tail that is the dangerous part for therein was their sting. They are only going to have this "ministry" for 5 months. Whether this is the true form of every wicked demon is unclear. Demons are probably shape-shifters like other angels and become whatever appears fearful or calming to people as the case requires.

G. The Sixth Trumpet sounds
ACTION: As soon as it sounds, a voice comes from the four horns of the altar under which in the fifth seal had been found the martyrs of the faith. This voice commands that the four angels bound at the Euphrates be released.

RESULT: They are released with the orders to kill 1/3 of the remaining humanity on the earth! Apparently these angels are mounted on horses, a picture of military might, as well. They have with them an army of some 200,000,000 mounted horsemen! It has been said that this is the Army of China but the text does not even say they are human. From the description given this appears to be another demonic horde, not something human. They wear brightly colored breastplates. Their horses have the heads of lions, and out of the horses' mouths come fire, smoke and brimstone. They also have tails that are like serpents that bite and kill.

EFFECT: This horde with the deadly, relentless, fierce horses kills one third of all humanity with the fire, the smoke and the brimstone. Yet, for all this, the rest of humanity who are not killed refuse to repent and continue to rebel against God!

DETAILS: Four Angels: No identity is given to them, but because they are bound it can be assumed they are fallen angels, demons, since holy angels are never said to be bound. These may be the "Princes" of the four great kingdoms Daniel spoke of in his vision - Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. This area of the world is the area where sin began, false religions were created, the rebellion of Babel occurred, and the wickedness of Babylon was centered. They were likely the agents of change for this area.