(Revelation 9:1a) Then the fifth angel sounded...
John sees a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth. This is a "fallen angel" - a demon - who has been given the key of the bottomless pit...
(Revelation 9:1b-2) and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.
When the demon opens the pit, demonic locust are released upon the earth...
(Revelation 9:3-12) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.
7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.
12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
From this we see:
- the fifth angel sounds the trumpet (9:1)
- the star from heaven which had fallen to the earth is a fallen angel (9:1)
- the demon, given the keys of the bottomless pit, now opens it (9:1-2)
- demonic locust came out of the pit and its smoke (9:3)
* the locust looked like horses prepared for battle (9:7)
* they had faces of men (9:7)
* they had teeth like lion's teeth (9:8)
* they had long hair (9:8)
* it looked like they had gold crowns on their heads (9:7)
* their bodies were protected by strong armor-like shells (9:9)
* they had wings which sound like many chariots (9:9)
* their tails could sting like scorpions (9:10)
* the torment was like that of a scorpion's sting (9:5)
* the locust were given the power of a scorpion's sting (9:3)
* they were permitted to hurt people for 5 months (9:10)
* they were permitted to torment people, but not kill them for 5 months (9:5)
* they could only hurt the people who did not have God's seal on their foreheads (9:4)
* they have a king, who is the angel of the abyss, called Abaddon or Apollyon (9:11)
Personal experience: so of course this sounds horrifying!
I've lived in places where horseflies and sand-flies have very vicious bites. And the mosquitoes are plentiful and relentless. And THAT is bad enough!!! I just cannot imagine the above. Well, I can, but I really don't want to.
But notice the transitions we have already seen in the judgments of the Tribulation. Although demons influenced the people, the judgments on the earth began with humans attacking humans, for the most part. Then there were catastrophic natural disasters which happened. And now there are supernatural freaky things happening. Therefore, we see that it will go from bad to worse!
Today's takeaway: I remember the first time I read through Revelation. Of course I had nightmares. But once I understood eschatology and the purpose for the Tribulation, I had confidence in God that He knows exactly what He is doing! And as a believer, I have nothing to fear!...
- the fifth angel sounds the trumpet (9:1)
- the star from heaven which had fallen to the earth is a fallen angel (9:1)
- the demon, given the keys of the bottomless pit, now opens it (9:1-2)
- demonic locust came out of the pit and its smoke (9:3)
* the locust looked like horses prepared for battle (9:7)
* they had faces of men (9:7)
* they had teeth like lion's teeth (9:8)
* they had long hair (9:8)
* it looked like they had gold crowns on their heads (9:7)
* their bodies were protected by strong armor-like shells (9:9)
* they had wings which sound like many chariots (9:9)
* their tails could sting like scorpions (9:10)
* the torment was like that of a scorpion's sting (9:5)
* the locust were given the power of a scorpion's sting (9:3)
* they were permitted to hurt people for 5 months (9:10)
* they were permitted to torment people, but not kill them for 5 months (9:5)
* they could only hurt the people who did not have God's seal on their foreheads (9:4)
* they have a king, who is the angel of the abyss, called Abaddon or Apollyon (9:11)
Personal experience: so of course this sounds horrifying!
I've lived in places where horseflies and sand-flies have very vicious bites. And the mosquitoes are plentiful and relentless. And THAT is bad enough!!! I just cannot imagine the above. Well, I can, but I really don't want to.
But notice the transitions we have already seen in the judgments of the Tribulation. Although demons influenced the people, the judgments on the earth began with humans attacking humans, for the most part. Then there were catastrophic natural disasters which happened. And now there are supernatural freaky things happening. Therefore, we see that it will go from bad to worse!
Today's takeaway: I remember the first time I read through Revelation. Of course I had nightmares. But once I understood eschatology and the purpose for the Tribulation, I had confidence in God that He knows exactly what He is doing! And as a believer, I have nothing to fear!...
(Romans 8:1-30) Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
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