Revelation 9:13-21

Book of Revelation • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Wed nights at FBC: Revelation

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In Revelation 9:13-21 we are continuing with the judgments on the earth and on non-Christian people (those not sealed), coming from God’s throne, called the TRUMPETS.

We saw trumpets 1-4 in Rev 8:7-12 where they were described to us as judgments coming against the earth because of man’s sin...judgments on the earth’s precious resources:

-the earth’s vegetation

-the sea and life in the sea

-fresh water

-light: perhaps the partial darkness that comes via man’s polluting influences

Note: these first 4 trumpets destroyed a THIRD of each of these precious resources...not a total destruction, but very significant. They are judgments and yet also warnings to people and a call to repent.

NOTE also: these types of judgments have been happening all through the church age...and believers have had to suffer through them like the rest of people on the earth. But where they would be designed to bring judgment and repentance to the unsaved, they are designed to purify the lives of believers...

YET at the end of Rev 8 there is a WOE that is given, that tells us the next judgments are WOES or judgments espressly on those who have not been sealed by God...

Revelation 8:13

13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

If you remember, we pointed out a few weeks ago from Rev 6:10 & Rev 11:10 that “those who dwell on the earth” is a phrase John uses to identify the unsaved or, we might say, the “unsealed.” They are not born-again and do not have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in them, marking them and guarding them as God’s own. These who have not been saled will be the specific target of Trumpets 5 & 6.

Which tells us that the next trumpets, when blown, will bring judgment on the UNSAVED...in ways that cannot touch believers.

NOTE: this does NOT necessarily mean the judgments cannot touch believers PHYSICALLY....but rather cannot torment and destroy them spiritually.

Then we saw Trumpet #5, the first WOE in Revelation 9:1-11. The blowing of this trumpet resulted in the release of a vast demonic horde on the earth to torment unbelievers. This torment was limited to a limited time (5 months), but despite all the torment, the demons are not allowed to kill people (v5) and neither are people able to kill themselves. The torment is so severe that unbelievers will seek death, but not find it.

We have been understanding and teaching Revelation to picture that this demonic torment, has been happening all during the church age...from the time of Christ till now...

This demonic torment in Trumpet 5 happens to the unsaved and it is brought about through demons. The could be torment in the form of:

-Mental insanity: no rest day or night for those who have opened themselves up to demonic lies and lifestyles. Tortured minds, thinking...

-Hopelessness and Despair of every kind as Christ and the gospel have been rejected for Satan’s lies...so there is no future to be envisioned...all is dark...

-the inability to experience happiness and joy...

-perhaps broken relationship after broken relationship...

-cold-heartedness...hateful and murderous hearts...and others...

See 2 Timothy 3:1-4 for a catalog of possible characteristics that may describe the effect of these demon tormentors on their victims...

Now, in Revelation 9:13-21, we see TRUMPET #6, the second WOE...

Revelation 9:13-21

13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. 17 And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

In v13 the sixth angel blows his trumpet and John hears a voice from the 4 horns of the golden altar...

-this voice could be Christ’s or an angel’s (either way, the command is given by Christ’s authority) ...

14: Now the command is given to release the four angels BOUND at the great river Euphrates.

-these four angels may be the same as the “four winds” in Rev 7:1.

-the fact that they are bound tells us that they are DEMONIC, evil angels. Bound like the many demons released from the abyss by the 5th trumpet in Rev 9:1-3...

-NOTE, v15, that that these demonic angels were prepared and were released for a very specific time...”the hour, the day, the month, and the year...”

-they were bound at the great river Euphrates... The Euphrates, often mentioned in the Old Testament, was the area from which the great invading, killing and plundering evil forces came against Israel. (Focus on the Bible Commentary)

The release of these angels at a very specific time...

...points out to us once again the absolute sovereignty of God over the judgments taking place and the Satanic instruments He is using to cause them...down to the very hour of time...EVERY EVENT OF HISTORY is under God’s absolute control...the control of the Lamb, the Lord Christ...this includes the WHO, the WHEN, the HOW, the WHAT of history...

The result of this SIXTH TRUMPET is that...

...a THIRD OF MANKIND is killed (v15)...an immense number (if just today, it would represent 2.5 billion +, but is probably a third of mankind throughout the last days). But again, this 1/3 is not total nor final...but moving in a final direction...more final than the torment of the Fifth Trumpet which brought torment but not death...

When the four demonic angels are released they bring with them, (v16) a basically innumerable host of mounted troops...the number (v16: twice 10,000 X 10,000) would supposedly calculate out to 200 million...symbolic, we think, of a number beyond counting...

John’s description of this vast host he sees in vv17-19 is ferocious and deadly and terrifying...once again not a human army but a demonic one (there is an OT link to this in one of Jeremiah’s prophecies...Jeremiah 46, where a similarly described host is sent from God against Egypt)...

Note in v17 that the great symbols of judgment: fire and smoke and sulfur (Sodom and Gomorrah - Genesis 19:24-28) come out of the mouths of these demon invaders...

For a second time, John says in v18 that a THIRD of mankind is killed by the fire, smoke, and sulfur coming out of the mouths of the demons (horses)

NOTE: their power is IN THEIR MOUTHS and in their TAILS, tails like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound...

Some believe that their power being in their mouths (and the fact that they have tails like serpents) indicates the deadly power of DECEPTION...the power Satan uses to steal, kill, and destroy (John 8:44; John 10:10).

It seems the heart of this 6th Trumpet is a worldwide release of demonic beings to blanket the planet with deception...deception that will keep people from repentance, deception that will keep people from seeing the truth of the gospel, deception that will lead countries and perhaps groups like Islamic and other religious extremists into rampant killing and war...and a THIRD of manking is killed.

There is support for this theme of deception and war in Rev 16:12ff (the 6th bowl is parallel to the 6th Trumpet)

NOTE: this worldwide demonic deception leads to the destruction of unbelievers, both physically and spiritually...

Hear the similar last days teaching of Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11:

9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false...

It also takes my mind to Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,

Because of this deep and destructive demonic DECEPTION, even in the face of such widespread and massive death, those still alive...

Revelation 9:20-21

The harsh judgment of these judgments are not bringing repentance...as the judgments of Trumpets 5 & 6 come, Satan and his demons are released in massive forces that work to deceive the unsealed, the unsaved...and so the judgment actually keeps them from repenting and believing...

It is so very much like Pharoah and the Egyptians, who in the face of the destruction of the plagues (that destroyed their gods and idols they worshiped because of the influence of demons) would not repent...and even after allowing Israel to leave, when crushing death had been experienced throughout Egypt, they turned to try to bring back Israel...so blinded to the power of the only true God, deceived to their death in the Red Sea...