Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Scripture

Outline

Revelation 1 - Introduction

Revelation 1:1-3 - Prologue & Benediction

Revelation 1:4-8 - Epistolary Introduction

Revelation 1:9-20 - A Vision of the Son of Man

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches

Revelation 2:1-7 - The Letter to Ephesus

Revelation 2:8-11 - The Letter to Smyrna

Revelation 2:12-17 - The Letter to Pergamum

Revelation 2:18-29 - The Letter to Thyatira

Revelation 3:1-6 - The Letter to Sardis

Revelation 3:7-13 - The Letter to Philadelphia

Revelation 3:14-22 - The Letter to Laodicea

Revelation 4-5 - The Throne Room

Revelation 4:1-11 - A Vision of the Throne Room

Revelation 5:1-14 - The Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 6-8:1 - The Seven Seals

Revelation 6:1-8 - The First Four Seals

Revelation 6:9-17 - The Fifth and Sixth Seals

Revelation 7:1-17 - Who can Stand on the Day of the Lord?

Revelation 8:1-5 - Anticipation of Further Judgment

Revelation 8:6-11:19 - The Seven Trumpets

Revelation 8:6-13 - The First Four Trumpets

Revelation 9:1-21 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets

Revelation 9:1-12 - The Fifth Trumpet

Revelation 9:13-21 - The Sixth Trumpet

Purpose of Book

The purpose of Revelation is to challenge/encourage believers, who are expectantly awaiting the reign of Christ, to live faithfully for Him despite worldly circumstances, persecution, and the cosmic battle between God and Satan.

Main Point

Demonic armies, sent by God Himself, torture and kill earth dwellers while those who have been sealed are protected

Revelation 9:1-12 - The Fifth Trumpet

***Joel 2 background***

And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.

Star fallen from heaven to earth

Some type of celestial being

Given a key to the shaft of the bottomless pit

The key - authority - to open the shaft was given to the celestial being by God Himself

Bottomless pit or abyss

This place is referred to 7x in Revelation and is a reference to the underworld where demonic forces reside

The angel sent from God unleashes this demonic force upon the earth

This is the eschatological maximum security prison - God opens the shaft and this horrible demonic force is released

He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.

Opened the shaft of the bottomless pit

From the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace

The sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft

Symbolism revealing the powerful presence and judgment of God

Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.

Locusts on the earth

Given power like the power of scorpions of the earth

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plan or any tree

Only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads

This judgment focuses specifically on those who are not those who are sealed

They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.

Torment them for five months, but not to kill them

Average locust life is approximately 5 months

They are allowed to carry out this mission by God for a limited amount of time

Five is also used symbolically to represent humanity - this plague only affects humanity not the earth

For those in Christ, the end is very, very near

Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone

Any scorpion sting is painful

And in those days people will seek death and will not find it.

They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

In those days

The days when the final judgment is in sight

People will seek death and will not find it

They will long to die, but death will flee from them

The torment from the demonic will be so painful and overwhelming that people will desire death, but they will not be able to die

In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.

Like horses prepared for battle

On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold

Faces were like human faces

Hair like women’s hair

Teeth like lions’ teeth

Breastplates like breastplates of iron

Swarming army on the march for destruction and judgment

Noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle

Remember the Joel 2:3-6 reference

They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.

Tails and stings like scorpions

Their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails

They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit.

King over them

The angel of the bottomless pit

His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

Abaddon

Apollyon

The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

First woe has passed

Behold, two woes are still to come

Revelation 9:13-21 - The Sixth Trumpet

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

The sixth angel blew his trumpet

I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God

Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates

Four angels = demonic beings

Euphrates

The promised land was up against the Euphrates river and their enemies, God’s enemies, came from the far side of the river