The Trumpet Judgments of the Great Tribulation

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The interlude between the 6th and 7th Seals is now over and chapter 8 begins with the breaking of the 7th Seal. Its breaking introduces the first Trumpet Judgment. Time-wise, the 7 Trumpet Judgments cover all of the rest of this Earth's history. Now please remember ... the events on earth, released by the first 5 Seals, take place during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Therefore, they were indirect judgments. Also, keep firmly in mind that during the 6th Seal Judgment, God began to pour out direct judgments on the earth ... because, timewise, the earth had arrived at the second 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation ... the Great Tribulation.

The Trumpet Judgments, beginning here in chapter 8, carry out God's direct judgments on earth and they will be increasingly severe and punishing. They are the epitome of God's supernatural interventions on earth. By means of these judgments, God will put down the wicked and put all his enemies under the feet of his Son ... while, at the same time, he extracts out of Satan's dark kingdom every remaining soul who will respond to his Son's gracious offer of salvation to all who ask. So, the breaking of the 7th Seal is a very pivotal point in earth's history indeed. When the Trumpets it unleashes have run their course, Satan and his dark kingdom will have been looted and eradicated! Psalm 46, speaks of these same coming judgments in graphic terms:

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn. The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; he burns the chariot in the fire. " Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

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When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

When the seventh Seal was broken, I suspect John, and all the rest of Heaven, were caught by surprise at what happened next. This being the last Seal, no doubt they expected something immediate and drastic would happen. But, what actually happened ... was, nothing at all! John says, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. So far in this book of Revelation, you may have noticed that Heaven is not exactly a quiet place. It has been full of activity and noise. We have heard the voices of people, angels, living creatures, God, Christ Jesus, and even voices from God's throne itself. In chapter 5, we read that the Living Creatures never cease to cry Holy, Holy, Holy, night and day. Heaven is filled with noises, praises, voices, thundering, singing, and, no doubt, laughter as well. But, when the Lamb broke the seventh Seal from off his scroll, everything and everyone in Heaven became silent. It as the calm before the storm! Considering our God's long-suffering, gracious, and merciful nature ... this great pause is both consistent and predictable. It occurs simply because of what God is truly like ... his mercy endures forever. Therefore, it certainly will take a great deal to tip the scales from his mercy to his justice. This truth is demonstrated before all Heaven by a very long silence before he rises up to pour out his righteous judgments on mankind below.

For he does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. To crush under one's feet all the prisoners of the earth.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Second Peter 3:9

However, although the true and living God is loving, long-suffering and merciful ... make no mistake ... the day will come when he will act and crush under his nail scarred feet all the prisoners of the earth (Lamentations 3:34 above). Here in our text, that future day had arrived. It is the day when the Judge of the Whole Earth will rise (Jesus) and deal with blasphemous and rebellious men and women who have so persistently spurned his sacrifice and polluted the earth with all manner of their evils. Over and over again, both in his Word and through the preaching of his prophets and servants, the Lord has warned the wicked that a day of reckoning will come. When it does, it will be the beginning of God's strange work on the earth (Isaiah 28:21).

Our passage says that the silence in Heaven lasted for about half an hour. We might think that is not very long. Yet ... near thirty minutes of complete silence ... on such an august occasion, and in the presence of so many innumerable hosts ... must have seemed an eternity! Doubtless, the air was electric with anticipation and foreboding as everyone waited to see what God Almighty was about to do. We can almost hear the angels thinking, What will God do to those who have spurned his love and counted the sacrifice of his Son ... of no consequence? All wait. All is silent. Almighty God is about to arise and shake terribly the earth (Isaiah 2:21b).

Finally, something happened. John says, I saw seven angels stand before God. The Greek word translated before here is the word, ἐνώπιον (enopion). I believe this word is designating a special class of angelic beings who are associated with the throne of the Almighty. Its root meaning is to dwell with or camp out with. So, I believe these particular angels to be a unique class. We could call them, Angels of the Presence. Gabriel is such an angel. When he rebuked Zechariah for not believing his message, he said,

I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. Luke 1:19

You can just about read Gabriel's mind there. How could anyone not believe the word of an Angel of the Presence? The 7 angels burning before God's throne here are seven indictors that point to this class of angel. They are the same seven spirits who are before his throne who greeted us back in chapter 1. They are also the same angels who were burning before the throne in chapter 5. John says, to them were given seven trumpets.

Following the handing out of the seven trumpets, John says another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. It is important to keep in mind that there are two altars in this scene. The brazen altar was the altar where sacrifices were laid and burned. It was located just outside the door of the Holy Place in the courtyard. We know this angel was standing at that altar because he took fire from it. The fire on the brazen altar was kept burning twenty-four hours a day. John saw the angel dip his golden censer into the fire and then go into the Holy Place. Twice daily, priests at the temple on earth, took fire from the brazen altar of sacrifice and took it inside the Holy Place to the little four horned golden altar located right in front of the veil before the Holy of Holies. There, they mixed the fire with incense and poured it out on the little golden altar before the Lord. Here, however, you will notice that an additional ingredient was mixed in. Our text says that the angel mingled the fire and incense with the prayers of all the saints ... then we read the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand. This event will be pregnant with meaning the day it actually takes place. Psalm 141:2, says,

Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

This adding in of the prayers of all the saints with the incense ... tell us that the final judgments of God on earth (the Trumpet Judgments) will come as answered prayers of God's people, stored up from all time. Down through the centuries, countless prayers have been sent up to God by God's people crying out for deliverance, help, justice, vindication, intervention, and vengeance. And, as with all yet unanswered prayers, they have not gone unnoticed nor forgotten. Many of these prayers were imprecatory prayers (prayers calling for judgment). The cries of the martyrs under the altar at the breaking of the fifth Seal were imprecatory prayers. They cried, How long O Lord, Holy and True, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? (6:10). There have been many such prayers down through the ages. A good many are found in the Psalms. Here is an example of one from King David's pen.

For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be; and let them know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth. Selah. Psalm 59:12-13

All these prayers, along with countless of others, will one day rise afresh, mingled with incense, from off the little golden altar before the God of Heaven.

As John continued to watch, the angel with the fire came out from the Holy Place carrying his now empty censer. John saw him return to the brazen altar and dip his censor into its fiery coals. This time, however ... suddenly, and unexpectedly ... he turned about and threw the fiery coals down upon the earth. This is striking symbolism. The brazen altar was the place of sacrifice, you see ... the altar where all down through Jewish history, continuous sacrifices for sin were slain and burned. Day after day, month after month, year after year, its sacrifices were a continual picture of the sacrifice of God's Lamb/Son who would one day come into our world and offer himself, once, for the sins of the whole world. Since Earth-dwellers continued to reject Christ's sacrifice ... there was nothing left but to receive fiery judgment for their stubborn rejection. Further, their just punishment will come at the hands of the very Lamb who had laid down his life for them in the first place!

On that future day, when the smoke of the incense, mingled with the prayers of all the saints, goes up, the fire of God's judgments will begin to rain down. When the angel cast the fire on the earth ... John says there were thunderings, flashes of lightening, and ominous noises from God's throne and there was an earthquake. You will remember that these things also occurred at God's throne just prior to the Seal judgments (4:5). They re-occur here, before the Trumpet Judgments begin. [Note: The NKJV translates this word, φωναὶ (phonai) as noises, when it should be rendered voices. It is the same word that is translated voices back in 4:5 in the same context.]

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So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first angel sounded: and hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. [Nu adds and a third of the earth was burned up] and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Our text says the angels with the 7 trumpets prepared themselves to sound. I have tried to picture that. What kind of the angel's preparations did John see? Practicing their notes? Cleaning their instruments? Arranging who would go first, second...? Just asking ... I can't say as I know. There is a very important prophecy in the prophet Micah we should look at before we begin to examine these judgments. Micah said,

As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders. The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall put their hand over their mouth; their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like a serpent; they shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of you. Micah 7:15-17

This prophecy relates directly to the days of the Trumpet Judgments and tells us why they parallel the plagues that God sent upon the Egyptians in Moses' day. Wonders are scheduled for the earth ... wonders chosen specifically by God to be of the same nature as those that occurred when Israel was delivered from the hand of the Egyptians ... wonders that were designed specifically to remind the nations of God's love for ... and special relationship to his chosen people, the Jews.

Now, if you don't have a problem believing the literal, historic and supernatural plagues of the Exodus, you are not likely to have a problem believing the literal, historic and supernatural plagues of the coming Trumpet Judgments. Many have tried to explain away both, by the way. Some time ago, I watched a program on PBS claiming to explain away the miracles of the Bible. Back when I was very young, I attended our church's camp and I recall being ridiculed by two preachers teaching there who said I was a fool for believed that Jonah was swallowed by a whale! Ha! Ha! They then went about telling us that this Bible story was just a myth. Not only did those two skeptics not believe in the miracles of the Bible, but they were ignorant of the Bible's actual presentation of them as well. The Bible says, Now God had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah (Jonah 1:17) ... not a whale, as those two Biblical illiterates assumed. I can only imagine what they might say about the prophecies of the Trumpet Judgments that we are about to read. J. B. Smith, one of the great Bible expositors of yesteryear, commenting on these miraculous judgments, warned, One needs to be cautious how he regards the miracles in unfulfilled passages of divine prophecy lest he undermine his own faith in the miracles of divine history. Hear! Hear!

When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire fell upon the Earth ... just as it had done in Moses day. This time, however, it was far more severe than its ancient counterpart in Egypt. This time it was worldwide and, in addition, it spattered Earth-dwellers with blood. How frightening that will be when it comes. It also destroyed a third of the trees and all the grasses on planet earth. When it happens, it will be very difficult for men to separate this event from the supernatural. It will be yet another slap in the face to mankind's perceived understanding of nature. This judgment is spoken of in other scriptures as well. Psalm 11:6, says,

Upon the wicked he will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.

Let burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

Joel prophesied about the effect this judgment will have on cattleand sheep in that day, saying,

How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate. O Lord, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee. Joel 1:18-20a

The first Trumpet Judgment will be the beginning of an environmentalist nightmare on earth. We need to understand, however, that God has no great concern for his beautiful creation when man, for whom he created it, is in willful rebellion against him. To focus on creation, because this judgment has taken place, would be like a person who's son was killed while riding his bike and then obsessing over the ruined bike! Make no mistake about it, God will not give a rat's eyebrow for all the forests and grasses of Earth if, by means of burning them, just one man or woman might be saved. Notice, however, that no human being was killed by the first Trumpet Judgment. It will be an alarm. Someone has said, God always sounds an alarm before he judges. A third of the forests will perish, but only a third. God will still be exercising his restraint and long-suffering, you see. The God of mercy is measured in his judgments and, even at this late hour, will still be waiting for men and women to turn to his Son and be saved. The first Trumpet Judgment parallels the 7th plague of Egypt found in Exodus 9:23,

And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

If the first Trumpet was an alarm, the second will be a disaster alert! You may have seen the Hollywood movie, Deep Impact. It is the fictional story of a giant comet striking the Earth. If you saw that movie, you will have seen a graphic depiction of something hauntingly similar to the Second Trumpet Judgment and the devastation that will result. Unlike Hollywood's film, however, a comet will not cause this disaster. The description we here is more in keeping with an asteroid accompanied by supernatural effects. Notice it says this mountain-sized object was thrown into the sea. What an awsome impact that will be when comes in that future day.

Again, notice the thirds. God limits the destruction caused by this flung mountain of fire. A third of the world's ships go down to Davie Jones Locker. Doubtless, this will be due to giant tsunamis which this hurled object which will generate. A third of all sea life will perish as well ... and ... a third of the sea will be literally turned to blood. These thirds continue to speak of the mercy and long-suffering of God in that future day. Naturally, the question arises, Is this real blood? Again, my mind goes back to those two pseudo-ministers I encountered at church camp in my youth. I recall that they spent a good deal of time attacking the reality of the blood that accompanied God's first plague on the waters of Egypt. The Bible says the waters of the Nile were turned to blood. They answered, that's absurd. Then they explained, Probably, a volcano erupted up-river and then red mud came down making the water of the Nile just look like blood. May I say to you, Eather you believe what Scripture says or you do not. As far as I'm concerned, if the Bible says it was blood, it was blood. When the Second Trumpet Judgment comes, it too will parallel God's first plague on Egypt found in Exodus 7:20-21,

And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

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Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

During the Exodus, God changed bitter water to sweet at Marah (Exodus 15:22-25) so that his Jewish people might have an abundance of fresh water to drink. Here, the opposite occurs. When the Third Trumpet sounds, God will change sweet water to bitter by means of a great star. John saw it fall from Heaven and strike the fresh waters of the earth. He was told the star's name was Wormwood. This is a significant name in Scripture, and it helps us to understand God's reason behind this judgment. In the Old Testament, wormwood is a word that is associated with idolatry. For example, we read in Deuteronomy 29:18,

...so that there may not be among you man or woman or family or tribe, whose heart turns away today from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, and that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood...

Wormwood is a word used in the Bible to describe poor judgment (Amos 5:7) as well as calamities and sorrow (Jeremiah 9:15; 18:15). Used here as the name of this great star suggests that the calamity and sorrow that and results from it has come about because of man's poor choices in choosing to worship idols rather than the true and living God ... which also extends to retribution for all the injustices, sorrows, and pains that man's idolatries and bogus religions have inflicted on the world. The blowing of the Third Trumpet will initiate the most severe judgment yet and bring about the first instance of the loss of human life. John says many men died from the water. The Third Trumpet Judgment also parallels the 1st plague on Egypt found in Exodus 7:20-21 but intensifies the water drunk to bring about death.

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Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, Earth's light sources in the heavens were temporarily turned off ... and utter darkness came for a third of each day and each night. I believe God will send this plague so lost men and women can experience what outer darkness will be like ... separated from God ... in the Lake of Fire. Jesus, warning his Jewish people that they must not get caught unsaved at his coming to earth at the end of the Tribulation, told them,

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 25:29-30

Contrary to popular opinion, the Lake of Fire is a place of complete isolation and darkness. Such darkness is a fearful thing in itself. When I was a youngster, my parents and I went on an excursion to the famous Carlsbad Caverns in southeastern New Mexico. After we had hiked a good way down into the cave, the tour guide sat us all down and told us that he was going to turn off the lights so we could experience total darkness. He then turned out the lights. Immediately, groans began to be heard. The darkness could almost be felt. He instructed us to hold our hands before our faces and see what we could see. We could see nothing. It was as if we had gone completely blind. It was very sobering and we were super-relieved when he turned the lights back on.

On another occasion, my family and I were out camping at Wall Lake in the Gila National Forest (pronounced hee la). I woke up in the middle of the night to discover that the moon had gone down but, to my delight and amazement, I found that the stars themselves were softly flooding the campsite with their light. Being a city dweller, that was something I had never experienced before. During the Judgment of the Fourth Trumpet, all light from heavenly bodies will be quenched for a third of the nights and a third of the days. For four hours during the day and four hours during the night, men and women will be confronted with absolute darkness ... vividly demonstrating what they can expect in eternity without Christ. How terrifying that will be can only be imagined. We are not told for how many days this judgment lasts but, if it persisted very long ... the Earth would freeze. This judgment parallels the 9th plague on Egypt found in Exodus 10.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. Exodus 10:22

For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be darkened in its going forth, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. Isaiah 13:10

And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken [Jesus' words]. Luke 21:25-26

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And I looked, and I heard an [NU replaces angel with eagle] flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

Before the fifth Trumpet sounded, John witnessed a prepared eagle go forth to circumvent the world crying out a message to every earth-dweller. Its bone-chilling words were, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound! Lange, in his commentary, pictures this as a spirit being that soars at great altitude so that it is visible to the far meridian of Earth. However, I take it for what it says. A talking eagle? you ask. Exactly. God gave a message to Balaam by means the mouth of a jackass, did he not? (Numbers 22:28). God can use any instrument he chooses to get his Word out. What language will the eagle speak? We are not told. But doubtless, it will be universally understood. The Greek words for woe here are Οὐαὶ οὐαὶ οὐαὶ (Owiiiiiii! ... Owiiiiiii! ... Owiiiiiii!). The eagle's cry will pierce the skies with this ominous onomatopoeia ... followed by its sobering prophetic word. No doubt, this will impart quite a jolt to Earth-dwellers as they see and hear this macabre phenomenon. Will anyone give heed to his cry? I believe they will. After all, this eagle will be speaking the Word of God and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).

The final three Trumpet Judgments that God's eagle will be referring are called woes because they will bring unprecedented ruin to the earth and to its remaining unrepentant peoples. The Fifth Trumpet will be the first woe, the Sixth Trumpet will be the second woe, and the Seventh Trumpet will be the third and final woe. Dr. McGee points out that there are over six hundred warnings about Hell in the Bible. He says, If you were driving your car down the road and you read over six hundred signs that said, 'TURN BACK, THIS ROAD LEADS TO DESTRUCTION', would you keep on going down that road? Could you blame someone else or sue the Highway Department if you suddenly drove off a cliff? Talk about having no excuse! Earth-dwellers of that future day will have more opportunities to get saved and avoid disaster than all the other generations of human history ... combined! However, as we will shortly see, multitudes will simply harden their hearts the more ... and stiffen their necks the more ... and in adamant unbelief reject God's merciful warnings. Proverbs 29:1, will be fulfilled in spades in that future day upon all who obstinately continue to refuse the grace God that is being offered to them.

He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

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Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And 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. And 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. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. And 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. One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

When the fifth angel blew his Trumpet, the first woe commenced down on Earth. John says he saw a star fallen from heaven. This symbol refers to a person. We know that because of the personal pronouns he and him that are used here. As we have already discussed, a star is sometimes a symbol of an angel in the Bible. I believe that is the case here. But just who is this angel? His identity is clarified by the tense of the Greek word fallen that is used here. It is in the present tense which means something that was completed in the past, but whose effects continue on down to the present. In other words, this star was fallen, is fallen, and always will be fallen. Jesus said,

This fallen angel is Satan himself. At the sounding of the Fifth Trumpet, he will be given the key to the bottomless pit to go and release a multitude of fallen angels (demonic beings) who have long been imprisoned there. The Greek word translated bottomless pit here is, ἀβύσσου (aboussoo), from which we get our English word abyss. This is the first of 7 mentions of the abyss in Revelation. We learn from Luke 8, Jude 6, and Second Peter 2, that the abyss is the holding place for fallen angels (there are at least 2 groups being held there: 1. Angels who followed Satan when he fell before the creation of the world [Isaih 14:12-15; Revelation 12:3-4] ... and 2. Angels who fell much later in history, during the time of Noah and the Flood [Second Peter 2:4-5]). Demons who are currently loose on Earth today are fallen angels who followed Satan at his fall before the creation of the world. Regardless of which group a demon might belong, however, they all have a horror and a deep aversion to the abyss. We see that in Christ's encounter with some of them in Luke 8. There ... the demons he cast out of the wild man of Gadara begged him that he would not command them to go out into the abyss. Consider the following scriptures also.

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment... Second Peter 2:4

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Jude 6

The abyss is for real. Apparently, it is located somewhere in the bowels of the earth. At the sounding of the Fifth Trumpet, Satan will be allowed to release a large number of long incarcerated spirits from there ... spirits who will come forth aching for action and yearning to do Satan's bidding.

John says that when the abyss was opened the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. I witnessed the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in the state of Washington in 1980. And, as its ash and gasses exploded thousands of feet upward into the atmosphere, I had the creepy feeling that the abyss had been opened. How utterly awesome it will be when it actually occurs one day. The Fifth Trumpet will be a terrifying and severe plague, indeed. Notice that the vegetation will be exempt whereas, in its parallel, the locust plague of Exodus 10, they ate all the vegetation. These demons, when they come, will deal a much heavier blow than the locusts the Egyptians had to contend with. The fact that they have been given authority to hurt men implies that these cruel creatures will come with a built-in desire to torture mankind.

The question arises, Why would Satan and his fallen angels help God carry out his judgments? The answer, I believe, lies in the fact that Satan and his demons actually hate mankind. I think that is because man is made in the image of God ... along with the fact that man has been the object of God's love and purpose throughout history. This is more than sufficient cause for Satan and his demons to hate and envy mankind. Add to that the fact that every individual human being has the potential, through faith in Christ, to be exalted to the very right hand of God on High (Ephesians 1), that really stirs the animosity Satan and his demon's display. Frankly, Satan and his crowd would be happy if mankind were totally obliterated. During the days of the Fifth Trumpet, however, they will have to settle for merely inflicting suffering on mankind ... probably little realizing that, by doing so, God is using them for his own purposes. The judgment of the Fifth Trumpet is also prophesied in Joel 2:1-11. Let's take a minute and look at it...

Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD is coming, for it is at hand: a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. A fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns; the land is like the Garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; surely nothing shall escape them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; and like swift steeds, so they run. With a noise like chariots over mountaintops they leap, like the noise of a flaming fire that devours the stubble, like a strong people set in battle array. Before them the people writhe in pain; all faces are drained of color. They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; every one marches in formation, and they do not break ranks. They do not push one another; every one marches in his own column. Though they lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. They run to and fro in the city, they run on the wall; they climb into the houses, they enter at the windows like a thief. The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble; the sun and moon grow dark, and the stars diminish their brightness. The LORD gives voice before his army, for his camp is very great; for strong is the One who executes his word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; who can endure it?

Now, we need to keep in mind that many prophecies in the Bible have more than one fulfillment. Usually, one fulfillment is a near fulfillment and the other is a far fulfillment. Joel's prophecy above is a good example. Although Joel was describing a local locust plague that would come upon Israel in his day (the near fulfillment), his words far exceeded what actually took place at that time. His prophecy also has a second fulfillment then (a far fulfillment) which will come about in the end-time at the blowing of the Fifth Trumpet.

Returning to our text, notice it said there that the locust-like demons were only allowed to hurt those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. This is important information because it tells us that the 144,000 are still alive and well during the days of the Fifth Trumpet Judgment. That is well into the days of the Great Tribulation.

John says, And 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. We cannot be certain whether these demonic beings will be visible or not. We are not told. But they certainly will be felt. Joel said they will lunge between the weapons, they are not cut down. In other words, people will attempt to defend themselves but to no avail.

He continues ... In those days, men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. For five months, men will seek to die because of this plague but they will not be allowed to do so. A shocking statement, is it not? Just how they will be prevented from dying we are not told. Apparently, those who attempt suicide will only add to their miseries. Men often brag that they are the captains of their own destiny. I am reminded of that popular song, I Did It My Way! At the judgment of the Fifth Trumpet, God will call man's hand on that boast. At that time, men and women will not even be able to kill themselves. Why do you think God will not allow people to die during those days? Would it surprise you to learn it is because of his mercy? If people were allowed to kill themselves, they would simply be transferring themselves into a far greater misery in Hell ... and, once there, their misery would far greater and last forever!

Let me add a comment. States and countries that have legalized euthanasia are inflicting a great tragedy on people. How sad that those who think they are being kind by providing relief from suffering ... are, in fact, multiplying their victim's awful sufferings a thousand-fold (if they are unsaved folks) by sending them on to a Christless eternity. Had they not prematurely taken their own lives, who knows if they might not have gotten saved? The Fifth Trumpet Judgment is aimed at remedy of life. No one will be allowed to die during its days.

Before we leave this passage, I believe it would be profitable to take a closer look at these demonic tormentors. They put themselves before us in all their strutting, proud, and monstrous demeanor. Remember, they are actually spirits (fallen angels). As spirits, like their demon comrades today, they are normally invisible. However, if they do reveal themselves in that future day, it will surely add to men's terrors. All eight aspects of their physical appearance seem to point to self-designing and smack of unmitigated pride.

...their shapes were like horses prepared for battle. By this guise, they flaunt their perceived prowess, power, and speed.

...upon their heads were crowns of something like gold. The Greek word here for crowns is στέφανοι (stephanoi). It is the word used for a victor's crown. Satan and his cohorts prefer this crown. It is the same one that Antichrist was wearing at the first Seal Judgment (6:2). Why do they desire a victor's crown? Well, I believe it has to do with the fact that they all have that something in them that wants to be better than Christ. When we get to chapter 14, we will see that Christ wears this crown. He is the only one who is truly worthy to wear it, by the way. He is the great Victor. He has taken the victory over Satan, sin, the world, and even death itself! These demons declare themselves to be victors, but as Dr. McGee comments, they are losers. Our text says their crowns are not even made of real gold! These reprobates have no real wealth either!

...their faces are the faces of men. They chose to have man faces. Probably because they thought it made them look intelligent. But, if they are so smart, why did they rebel against God in the first place?

...they have hair like women's hair. A rediculous attempt to make themselves beautiful? But, they are stupudly unaware of how grotesque they really look.

...their teeth were like lion's teeth. Bearing their great lion's teeth, they think, will show how strong and ferocious they are! But, the only strength they have is what has been given to them.

...they wear breastplates like breastplates of iron. With this armor, they masquerade themselves as invincible! But, the day will soon come when one little word will destroy them all.

...the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running to battle. By the combined noise from their wings, this mob will strike terror in the hearts of all who hear them. My son, Dave, loves to visit a spot in Mexico where the Monarch butterflies migrate. He says there are so many millions of them that the air is filled with the constant "whooshing" of their wings. And, their combined weight even breaks limbs from the trees! Isn't that amazing? These demons are no butterflies, however, and after 5 short months, their "noise scam" will come to a screeching halt ... like turning a radio off.

...they have tails like scorpions. Their tails are their instruments of torture. But, little do they realize that, as they go about delightfully using them ... it is designed to backfire on them ... turning poor lost sinners to Christ and freeing them from Satanic domination forever!

Someone has said, A camel is a racehorse put together by a committee! I could'nt help but think of that amusing truism here. Surely, these demons must have received their appearance from such a committee! No doubt, they are very proud of the result, scarcely realizing what monstrosities they actually are!

By the way, I do not believe you can find a clearer picture of a Christian's enemy, Satan, than is set before us here in Revelation 9. He inflicts pain and suffering on people simply because it is his depraved nature to do so. The destruction and torment of human beings is his sheer, perverted pleasure. Verse 11 of our passage says he is called the Destroyer … both in Hebrew (Abaddon) and in Greek (Apollyon). That just about says it all.

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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". So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

Before we proceed, let's remind ourselves of two important things that are going to be happening on earth during the days of these final judgments. First, God will be continuing to seek the redemption of all who will call upon his Son and be saved. Second, he will be steadily recompensing the wicked by executing more and more wrath upon them. As you have it in Psalm 94:23,

He has brought on them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; The LORD our God shall cut them off.

For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

When the Sixth Trumpet sounded, John immediately heard a voice speak from the four horns of the golden altar. This is the little altar inside the Holy Place. It was there that an angel mixed the prayers of the saints with incense and offered them up to God back in 8:3. The golden altar was a square box in design, and it had upward hooked horns at each of its four corners. In Old Testament times, on the Great Day of Atonement, the blood of a lamb was applied to each of the four horns of the golden altar by the High Priest for the sins of the people. Year after year, this pictured God's future mercy that would come by the blood of the once and for all sacrifice of his Son, Christ Jesus. The fact that the voice that began the Judgment of the Sixth Trumpet called out from these four horns indicates that the voice itself came from all that blood that had been applied there down through the centuries! Keep in mind, at this point-in-time where John was standing, the majority of Earth-dwellers are still adamantly rejecting the blood of God's Lamb and thereby cementing their own fate at the hands of the very One who loved them and shed his blood to set them free.

The voice that spoke from the horns of the golden altar said, Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. Who might they be? Let's look at it.

... they were bound. This is a strong indication that they are of the demon crowd. Only spirits that have rebelled against God in the past are said to be incarcerated (bound) in the Scriptures.

... they were prepared for this judgment. The present perfect participle in the Greek here indicates that they were prepared in the past and are, at this very moment ... prepared and waiting to be loosed.

... they were at the great river Euphrates. The Euphrates is in the Mesopotamian Valley. It separates the far-east from the land of Palestine running from Turkey and Syria in the north down through Iraq to the Persian Gulf. In the war to liberate Iraq, American troops fought their way across this river several times. It was in this general area that: Sin was first known in the Garden of Eden. ... The first great judgment on mankind fell in the days of Noah when God destroyed the original world and its inhabitants by water (Genesis 6). ... The first counterfeit religion was born at Babylon, when king Nebuchadnezzar set up an image of himself and demanded all his subjects fall down and worship it. ... The great enemies of God's chosen people,the Jews, have thrived (the Babylonians, Syrians, Assyrians, Persians, Medes, modern day Iranians), and countless others, have all found their homes here. It is at this river, so filled with the history of the rebellion and sin that four great evil principalities (Ephesians 6:12), of the spirit-world are presently chained and waiting for the day of their release.

... they were prepared for the hour and day and month and year. The construction of these words in the Greek, with the absence of the article, indicates that it is not speaking about separate periods of time but rather, an exact point in time. These evil principalities are waiting for the exact year, month, day and hour of the sounding of the Sixth Trumpet which will release them from their chains.

... they were released to kill a third of mankind. The sounding of the Sixth Trumpet will release four angels (demon principalities) who are bound at the great river Euphrates who will lead an enormous army of demons to kill human beings. John says he heard the number of the army ... two hundred million strong. The Sixth Trumpet will be the severest judgment yet of the Great Tribulation.

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And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfer yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 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 [NU omits their] the power [NU adds of the horses] is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads and with them they do harm.

This outpouring of demonic spirits from the unlocked Abyss will be led by the four fallen principalities out of the Euphrates River. This time around, however, the result will be far more devastating than the previous release of demons. These four go forth with the authority to kill a third of humanity on earth. You will remember that a quarter of earth's population perished at the breaking of the fourth Seal back in 6:8. After this sixth Trumpet has run its course, over half of the world's population will have perished.

Let's look here at the description John gives of these two hundred million demons. He says they came forth as mounted riders with armored breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. These colors apparently reflect their fiery origin from the Abyss. Their horses' heads were like the heads of lions with tails like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm. When they come upon the earth in that day, they will come murdering and tormenting with a vengeance. Many have attempted to water this passage down. Some, using Augustine's allegorical method of interpretation, have said this is actually a picture of World War III, with its armies, and tanks, and helicopters. The human heart has a very difficult time accepting that such a judgment could, or would, be sent from God on mankind. Yet, the Scripture says,

The LORD has made all for himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. Proverbs 16:4

Again, the difficulty with Revelation is not so much in interpreting it ... as it is in believing it. Dr. Newel says of this Sixth Trumpet Judgment ... believe and you scarcely need comment. This judgment parallels the 10th plague in Exodus.

And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Exodus 12:29-30

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But 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, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their [NU changes sorceries to drugs] or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

This certainly tags down the hardness of hearts that will be the hallmark of earth-dwellers who are left during the closing days of the Great Tribulation. It is significant that their sins, as listed here, read like today's newspaper. This is yet another indicator that you and I are living very close to the days being described to us here. John says they did not repent. Again, this demonstrates that God's purpose, even at that very late hour, is still aimed at remedy of life. It will still be God's great desire that men and women turn to Christ and be saved... but they will not. Again, our text says ... But the rest of mankind ... did not repent.

Keep in mind, that statement includes wicked Israelites (Jews) as well. Ezekiel 33:11 comes to my mind.

Say to them, 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'

Although they are not mentioned here, I believe that, at this point in time, the 144,000 are no longer alive. I say that because the single most important factor in the changing of a human heart is the hearing of the Word of God. And, preaching the Word of God was the primary mission of the 144,000. Apparently then, remaining earth-dwellers have killed off most, if not all, of those who were preaching the Word of God to them, and, having done so, have sealed their own fate. Miracles, signs, and even direct interventions by God, cannot change one human heart, by the way. Those things can get people's attention, but there must be a hearing of the Word of God for a life to be changed. Salvation cannot and does not take place apart from the Word of God. As we have it in Romans 10:13-14,

For, 'whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.' How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, with liveth and abideth forever. (KJV)

Now, let's look briefly at this list of sins from which the Earth-dwellers so doggedly refuse to turn.

...they worship demons and idols. This is mankind's oldest and most common sin. First Corinthians 10:19-20 informs us that demon and idol worship are synonymous. It is a very prevalent thing in our day. In India, there is an estimated one hundred million plus idols associated with the Hindu religion alone. Romans 1:22-24, says,

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.

...they refused to turn from their murders. Romans 1, says when men walk away from God, he turns them over to their own evil devices. Those devices are enumerated for us in that chapter and you will find murder is one of them (Romans 1:29). Today's news media is swamped with reports of the murders that are rising like a supercell storm in the world today. Chicago and Mexico, for example. This is another indicator of the lateness of the hour in which we are living.

...they refused to repent of their drugs. This Greek word for drugs is very interesting. The word is φαρμάκων (farmakon). It is the word from which we get our word pharmacy. Until very recently, it seemed completely illogical to translators of the Bible to translate this word drugs, although it is the word's primary meaning. So they translated it sorceries. The NIV translates it magic arts. However, here at the beginning of the 21st century, it has become apparent that the Spirit of God meant exactly what he said! NU's correction in our text is right on. The Spirit said, drugs, and he meant drugs. Drug abuse is behind much of the crime and lawlessness in the world today and it is a skyrocketing problem around the globe. It has become such a problem in our own country that it has caused drug wars in Mexico that are so violent that our state department has feared a total collapse of the Mexican government. Nearly a hundred thousand drug overdose deaths were recorded in the USA in the year 2023. Colorado, Washington, and several other states have recently legalized marijuana in order to raise tax revenue by the sale of same. In the days of the blowing of the Sixth Trumpet, the Bible says drugs will be a major problem. God will demand that men repent of them. From the looks of it, I would say that day is just around the corner, wouldn't you?

...they refused to repent of their sexual immorality. The tremendous increase today in sexual immorality ... along with our society's fixation on sex ... is another indicator of the lateness of the hour. Television, advertising, and even public education is absolutely obsessed with sex. It is alarming how the acceptance of sexual immorality has saturated our country and even our churches. Premarital sex and homosexuality have become such accepted norms that, at earliest ages, they are now being taught as legitimate expressions of human sexuality in our schools. Laws are being formulated and passed that forbid even speaking against sexual immorality. A few years back, when I lived in Oregon, one of Portland's police chiefs was found to have taken a stand against homosexuality in a speech at a Christian peace-officers conference nearly ten years previously. Upon uncovering that information, immediately a campaign was launched against him to get him fired. Ordination of homosexuals to the ministry is approved and practiced in more and more main line denominations. Pornography is on every corner and has spread into homes across America and the world via the Internet. As a pastor, I frequently encountered Christians who were unashamedly shacking up together. They insisted there was nothing wrong with it. This last wicked generation, of which we are reading here in Revelation, will refuse to repent of their sexual immorality ... just as so many in our generation are doing.

...they refused to repent of their thefts. Nothing speaks louder of one's self-absorption than stealing from one's neighbor. My daughter told me that if she wanted to get rid of anything in her neighborhood, all she had to do was to leave it out on the front porch. She said she had an old rug they didn't want to pay the garbage men to haul off, so they just put it out on the porch, and sure enough, in short order it disappeared. Stealing is rampant in America today. Consumers pay billions of dollars in added costs of merchandise so that stores can be compensated for their shoplifting loses. In several cities of our nation, stores are being forced to shut down because hoards of people simply walk in, take what they want, and walk out without paying. Also, in many places, employees and even law enforcement officers are prohibited from doing anything about it! Are we not very close to these very dark days that are being prophesied here in Revelation?

Well, there we have it. The second woe (the Sixth Trumpet) is past. It will result in the death of one third of earth's remaining sin-hardened people. And, they will adamantly refuse to turn from their wicked ways. One WOE is yet to come.