Fifth Trumpet: Plague of Locus Demons
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In October, 1864, during the civil war, just before General Sherman commenced his famous march to the sea, while his army lay camped in the neighborhood of Atlanta, the army of Hood, in a carefully prepared movement, passed the right flank of Sherman’s army, and gaining his rear, they commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, burning block-houses and capturing the small garrisons along the line.
Sherman’s army was put in rapid motion, following Hood, to save the supplies and larger posts, of which was located at Altoona Pass, in the Altoona mountain range , through which ran the railroad. General Corse, of Illinois, was stationed here with a Brigade of troops, composed of Minnesota and Illinois regiments, in all about 1,500 men; A million and a half of rations were stored here, and it was highly important that they protect the pass and the supplies be held.
Six thousand men, under command of Gen. French, were detailed by Hood to take the position. The union soldiers were completely surrounded and summoned to surrender. Corse refused, and sharp fighting commenced. The defenders were slowly driven into a small fort upon the crest of the hill. Many had fallen, and the result seemed to be hopeless.
At this moment an officer caught sight of a white signal flag, far away across the valley, about fifteen miles up, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to mountain: “Hold the Fort; I am coming. W. T. Sherman.”
Cheers went up, the men took courage; while under heavy fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort—Corse himself being shot three times and Col. Tourtelotte taking command, though himself badly wounded, they held the fort for three hours, until Sherman’s army came up, and French was obliged to retreat.
Christians should never surrender to Satan, because we have the Promise of Christ’s return. Hold the Fort for He is coming.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
As we look into Revelation 9, no it isn’t about the rapture of the believers. I started with this to point out that we will not be here for the events of Revelation 9. We believe in the per-Tribulation rapture of the church. The next thing on God calendar is the rapture. Nothing has to happen on God’s timeline for us to be caught up in the air with Christ.
Paul truly believed that Christ would return before the end of his lifetime. Writing to in Thessalonians that He would come like a thief in the night.
For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Christ could return at any moment. And we will forever be with Him.
So, why do we study and preach passages like this? why even bother, right?
Well, no. We should study and learn from every part of the Word of God. As I read through this passage, I couldn’t help but to feel stirred into action. I wouldn’t wish anyone I love to have to go through this great tribulation. In fact, I wouldn’t wish a stranger to have to go through these things.
So, how do you avoid the tribulation? Trust Christ as your savior. The Lord could return at any moment, and His return will kick off the events of the tribulation. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be here for it.
Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.
So to get into the text. At this point the great tribulation has now begun. The great Book of God has been opened, the book that reveals what is to happen in the end time. God’s judgment upon the ungodly and the evil of this world has begun to fall. Four trumpets judgments have blasted the earth with natural disaster after natural disaster. The destruction and devastation upon the earth has been unparalleled.
- One third of the vegetation has been destroyed.
- one third of sea has been polluted and a third of the sea life has died.
- One third of the water systems of the world have been polluted by a meteoric mass from heaven falling upon earth.
- One third of day and night been affected.
Now, we come to the blast of the fifth trumpet judgment: a demonic- like locust plague upon the ungodly and evil of the earth.
The Judgment is More Severe
The Judgment is More Severe
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
When the first four angels blew their trumpets, the impact on human life was indirect. When the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, the effect was focused directly on humans.
It will not affect those who refuse to give their allegiance to the anti-christ, who refuse the mark of the beast.
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
This judgment is for the ungodly and evil of the world. For those who have not trusted in His Son Jesus Christ.
God will seal His followers; He will protect believers so that this judgment does not fall on them. They will be protected even as Israel was protected during the Egyptian plagues under Moses.
The Evil Cannot Escape
The Evil Cannot Escape
None of the ungodly and evil of the world will escape the judgment of God. God is just and righteous as well as love, perfect in justice and righteousness. Therefore, perfect justice is to be executed up the ungodly and evil. They to reap exactly what they have sown. God Himself will execute justice. This is the fifth trumpet blasting its judgment upon the ungodly earth. This is the beginning of the great tribulation that is coming upon the earth.
This is true for us today. If we chose to live ungodly and evil lives God will judge us for it.
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
That is a promise from God. If you have not trusted in Christ as your savior you have been covered by His blood and your sins are pilled up and continue to pill high. As a result of your sins the Bible tells us its end is death.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Romans 6:23 a (KJV 1900)
For the wages of sin is death;
If you chose to live your life in your sin never coming to Christ as your savior you will not escape God’s judgment. But if you chose to accept Jesus you can escape through His help.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
God also chastens the believer who lives in sin as well. Just because we have accepted Jesus as our savoir, does not mean we can do whatever we want without consequences.
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
God’s chastening is not aimless. Rightly received it should lead to amendment or confession.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
In any case God is in control of the judgment. John sees God is in control of the judgment playing out in Revelation 9.
The Obedient Star
The Obedient Star
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Unlike the star in 8:10 during the third trumpet, (when one third of the fresh water was destroyed by a meteor or something like it falling from heaven.) This star was in some sense a person. Angels are sometimes called stars (Rev.1:20) and it seems likely this star was an angel.
He was given the key to the bottomless pit. The same angel with the same key will reappear to chain and lock up Satan inside the pit (Rev.20:1). In both instances, the “key angel” acts in obedience to the will of God.
The Pit is opened
The Pit is opened
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
The Locusts
The Locusts
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Sent to Inflict Unbearable Punishment
Sent to Inflict Unbearable Punishment
Horrifying Appearance and Power
Horrifying Appearance and Power
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Leader of Destruction
Leader of Destruction
And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.