SF859 - TWO TRUMPETS OF WOE (Revelation9 1-3)
Revelation 9:1-3
INTRODUCTION
Historical Setting
We are in the Great Tribulation
A series of judgements - Seven sealed scroll - each one representing a separate type of judgement.
Six broken in chapter 6 - One left, the worse
The Trumpet Judgements are contained in this last seal!
The first six are found in chapters 8 & 9
Number seven found in 11:15 - ff
Background
Ø Antichrist is now in control.
Ø Men have been brainwashed by the Beast to believe the ultimate lie
Ø He consolidates his power in the west, deals with the Northern Kingdom and is moving into world dictatorship.
Ø Now comes God’s judgement poured out
1A. The Fifth Trumpet - An Invasion from Hell (9:1-12)
A twelve-fold description of the demon spirits...
1B. They are incarcerated (1-2)
Ø Satan is set loose on the earth (9:1)
Ø Star = Satan himself
Ø Satan is given a key to the Abyss - where Satan is bound during the Millennium. Some demons are so filthy that God has placed them in the Abyss.
Ø When Satan opens this pit it begins an invasion from hell
2B. They are infernal (9:3)
Ø locusts = symbolize these demons
3B. Insatiable (4)
Ø Locusts are known for the fact that they eat and destroy all that is before them.
Ø Sealed protected - lost are devoured! (144,000 + saved)
2 Timothy 2:19 (NKJV) 19Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
4B. Intolerable (5-6)
Ø They will feed on the souls of men causing great agony
Ø “Five month” = May - September, the life span of a locust. (Should be taken literally)
5B. Irresistible (7a)
Ø Horse is a symbol of war and rebellion it also indicates rapid progress...
6B. Invincible (7b)
Ø Crowns of gold = rulers, Satan is on the throne.
7B. Intelligent (7c)
Ø “Faces resemble human faces” = symbolizes human wisdom and intelligent.
Ø The devil always appeals to reason not revelation.
8B. Insidious (8)
Ø “Hair” = symbolizes their attractiveness - i.e. seducing spirits
Ø “Teeth of lions” = things are not what they seem! The bite of the lion is permanent ( hard to get loose); poisonous = deadly
9B. Insensitive (9a)
Ø “Breastplates of iron” = hard heartedness
10B. Inescapable (9b)
Ø No way to get away!
11B. Injurious (10)
Ø Five months = life cycle of a locusts; i.e. a set time!
Ø Satan only wants to hurt!
12B. Indivisible (11-12)
Ø Apollyon, Abaddon = destroyer; a chief demon
Ø These will torment Hebrew and Greek alike!
2A. The Sixth Trumpet - A World Gone Wild (13-21)
1B. The Sacred place that is involved (13)
Ø “Golden altar” = KJV - “four horns”; Universal power
Ø “Altar” = God’s judgement!
Ø This speaks of God’s power of salvation and judgement. Our sins will either be pardoned by Christ of punished by hell.
Ø Here it speaks of universal judgement!
2B. The Spirit powers involved (14a)
“Four angels” = Four fallen angels, the filthy four!
Ø These are prince angels that rule over empires (Daniel 10:12-13; 20-21)
Four manmade kingdoms
Ø Babylon
Ø Prince of Persia = Iran
Ø Prince of Greece (20)
Ø Rome
3B. The Special place involved (14b)
Ø Euphrates = the head of civilization
Ø Flowed out of the garden of Eden
Ø Dividing line between the east and west
Ø Location of the first murder
Ø First Martyr - Abel
Ø First prototype of the kingdom of the antichrist. Both the cradle and the grave of civilization.
Ø Nimrod began his kingdom (type for the antichrist)
Ø Tower of Babel
4B. The Specific period involved (15)
Some see here 13 months and a day.
Ø Key here is “the...”
Speaks of God’s sovereignty.
Ø 1/3 of the remaining population will be killed, combined with 6:8 = ½ of the world’s population
5B. The Solemn purpose involved (16-19)
The number of the combatants (16)
Ø When John wrote this there were not even 200 million people on earth
US News and World Report - 1961 Chinese had 200 million
This is that army - the yellow peril
In WW2 the most we had under arms was 12 million
Ø Two Possible sources
(Revelation 16:12) The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
When the eastern kings see the power of the antichrist, they will march against him for a great battle that will kill 1/3 of the world’s population
Russian states (Ezekiel 38-39)
The nature of the combatants (17-19)
Ø “Horses...” (17) = the implements of modern war, tanks etc...possibly atomic warfare
Ø This is an army driven by demons!
Ø Brings dramatic destruction
6B. The Stubborn pride involved (20-21)
“Still...” = God could not believe that they did not repent
Do you think the lost persons in hell are crying to be saved?
Ø If a man in hell were to call to God to be saved, God would save him. They do not call on God, they curse God. They will hate God!
Sins God-ward (20)
Ø Demonic worship and materialism will run rampant!
Ø The worship of demons that we see today will reach its climax in the Great Tribulation.
“Witchcraft now seems to man’s replacement to their lost faith in Christianity” A. Rogers
Ø Man is a spiritual creature he will worship either God or demons - parapsychology is taught in our universities!
Sins man-ward (21)
Ø Four mighty vices...
Murders – Pastor murdered and his body burned.
Magic arts - pharmakeia, medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or fig.):‑‑sorcery, witchcraft. The use of drugs to reduce men’s minds to rubble. Drugs will be legal and available! Demon worship and drugs related.
Sexual immorality = porneia, harlotry (include. adultery and incest); fig. idolatry:‑‑fornication. Includes all types of sexual perversion!
Thefts = there will no means of protecting your personal goods.
APPLICATION
Can you imagine what America would be like if we turned every criminal looser without any law?
