Terrifying Destruction Intensifies!

The Book that Promises a Blessing!

A study of the book of Revelation

by Pastor Frank Rice

Revelation 9:1-12

We’re somewhat familiar with the phrase “to turn up the heat.” It has nothing to do with turning up the thermostat in your home or the temperature of your oven! It more often than not refers to putting more pressure on an opponent or a customer! It’s a call to increase the intensity of activity. It may produce positive results or negative, depending on the motive of the one “turning up the heat.” Action in Revelation had only begun, as God sought to bring mankind to repentance. His goodness was resisted and ignored. Now the heat of His judgment would bring man to “the valley of decision.”

 

v      The fifth angel sounds his trumpet and the action resumes (v. 1a).

1.      The fifth trumpet is actually referred to as the first woe, so horrifying and dreadful are the judgments!

2.      If man refuses to recognize and respond to the goodness of God and repent (Rom 2:4), then He will bring on the pain!

3.      Both are motivated by love and for the ultimate benefit of mankind, although mankind rarely sees it this way! Many are “determined to blame God for the world’s injustices while trivializing the effects of human sin.” (Keener)

 

v      John describes the opening of the bottomless pit, a place for the incarceration of malevolent beings (vv. 1a-3).

1.      This pit is opened by a fallen “star” who’d been given the key to the bottomless pit.

2.      This “star” obviously takes on personal features, causing most commentators to agree that it is Satan. He is given the key! By Whom?

3.      As he opens the pit, huge billows of smoke belch forth from the chasm, causing the sun and the sky to be darkened.

4.      As the smoke ascends, hoards of locusts emerge from the darkening smoke! (Where on earth might this take place?) “The monstrosities from the Abyss may (probably do) represent angels of judgment.” (Keener)

5.      “Locust plagues are one of severest plagues of mankind. The imagery of locusts, appearing like armies, advancing like a cloud, darkening the heavens, and sounding like the rattle of chariots, goes back to Joel’s vision.” (1:4; 2:4-10; Johnson)

6.      Osborne cites two locust events. Palestine, 1915; “Swarms of locusts flew overhead for five days, darkening the sky and leaving droppings everywhere. The devastation of the land was total!” Algiers, 1866; “Mounce speaks of swarms four miles in length and a hundred feet think and of 200,000 people who died in a famine following.”

 

v      John uses the language of appearance in order to communicate a frightening yet critical message!

1.      The star represents Satan, the prince and power of the air who is presently on the loose (Eph 2:2)!

2.      The pit is the place of confinement for angels who’d forfeited their freedom by blatantly over-stepping their bounds. They intruded into the forbidden realm of humanity regarding sexuality (Gen 6 & 19; Jude 6-7; 2 Peter 2:4; Luke 8:27-31)!

3.      The locusts are monstrous creatures, most likely demonic and destructive, intent on ravaging those created in God’s image.

 

v      These monsters-on-the-loose are endowed with power (v. 3b).

1.      Their power is like the power residing in earth’s scorpions; their strike was debilitating, painful, and at times deadly!

2.      This power is given to them, consequently accentuating the sovereignty of the One who gave it! “God does not have to command the demonic locusts to do anything; He simply allows their evil to express itself.” (Osborne)

 

v      These malicious monsters are given specific instructions (vv. 4-5).

1.      They are NOT allowed to feed their natural appetites. Green vegetation was not on their menu! (These are obviously abnormal!)

2.      Their target for destruction is mankind, but limited to those who did not have God’s protective seal on their foreheads.

3.      They were not authorized or empowered to kill these targets, but only to torment them and only for a limited time. “Demonic forces are organized, powerful, terrifying, and filled with hatred and contempt!” (Osborne)

4.      “That God sets limits on their destructiveness, both in intensity and duration, may suggest His mercy and again underlines His sovereignty.” (Keener)

 

v      The targets of the tormentors will long for death to supposedly escape their pain, but they will not be able or allowed to “end it all” (v. 6).

 

v      These malicious, panic -inducing creatures are further described (vv. 7-10).

1.      They appear like horses going into battle (v. 7a)! They are not friendly pets but vicious horses, trained specifically for battle! “Warhorses in the ancient world were incredibly fearsome animals… Roman warhorses were very large, bred for battle, taught to bite, and equipped with razor sharp hooves.” (Osborne) Check out Job 39:19-25!

2.      They appear like men and wore gold-like crowns (v. 7b).

3.      They appear with women-like hair and lion-like teeth (v. 8)! We are not free to over-imagine any of these features!

4.      They appear to wear impenetrable armor (v. 9a).

5.      Their sound is like a massive group of chariots storming and rumbling into battle, terrifying sounds of war & invasion (v. 9b)!

6.      Their tails are scorpion-like with power to torment men for five months (v. 10)! (Don’t get carried away imagining…!)

 

v      These malicious beings are led by man’s ultimate enemy (v. 11).

1.      Their king and leader is none other than the destroyer himself! Satan is the consummate liar, murderer, deceiver, and loser!

2.      The Hebrew and Greek mean virtually the same, “exterminator” or “destroyer,” repeated intentionally to emphasis his essential character!

 

v      The fifth trumpet/ first woe has been sounded. We’re not informed regarding man’s response. The goal is repentance to salvation. Judgment will be horrifying and those who refuse to embrace God’s Messiah may as well prepare for such horrors!

 

v      The sixth trumpet/ second woe will bring more pain and suffering, with the goal of bringing man to repentance and faith in Messiah!

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?’ (Ezekiel 33:11)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,.. but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9)