Revelation 9: Fifth and Sixth Trumpet

 Revelation 9: Fifth and Sixth Trumpet

v1-11 - Fifth Trumpet: Locusts Army

John saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, when the fifth trumpet was sounded. The star ("he") was given the key to open up the pit of the Abyss. Smoke rose out like a great furnace, and the sun and air were darkened by the smoke.  (v1-2)

This star sounds similar to the Wormwood star in Chapter 8:10. However, in this case, John used the word "he" to refer to this star, which are interpreted as a person. He is probably and angel; however, some think that he is a good angel whose task it to open up the abyss. Others think that he is the "king" or leader in verse 11, who came to release his demons from the abyss.

When the Abyss was opened, out came the locusts, which has the power of scorpions. They were told not to harm the plants, but only to those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. These were the seals placed on the 144.000 Jews in  Revelation 7.  They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them. Their sting is like a scorpion, and those who got stung wishes they can die, but God prevented death from them.  (v3-6)

Some apocalyptic authors believe the locust refers to helicopter gunships (due to their loud sound when they fly). Helicopters have tails, and their "sting" are their guns and air-to-ground missiles.  However, how come the helicopters were not able kill the people, but can only torture them for 5 months only? 

John Walvoord, a theologian and once the president of Dallas Theological Seminary, said they are “A visual representation of the hordes of demons loosed upon the earth.”  He believes these are demons that was previously locked up in the abyss. 

Ashley Berry

John described the locusts being like horses prepared for battle; their faces are human and they wore "what looked like" crowns of gold. Their have long hairs and their teeth is like the lion's teeth. The wear breastplates that looks like iron, and noise of their wings are like many chariots. They have tails and stings like scorpions. They have an angel king from the abyss; his Hebrew name is Abaddon, and in Greek is Apollyon - meaning "to destroy" or "destroyer." (v7-11.)  

This description does not look like a locust at all. John uses the word locust as there are many of them, and locust is also used as signal of judgement in Exodus 10:4-14, Deuteronomy 28:38, 1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 7:13, Joel 1:4, and Amos 4:9. 

v12: The three "woes"

Then John wrote this: "The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come." (v12). "Woe" means deep suffering from loss, misfortune, or trouble.  

What we have covered was the first woe. The coming second woe includes the release of a demonic army that kills a third of mankind, the seven thunders and the bitter book, and ends with a great earthquake that kills 7,000 people and causes the remnant to give glory to God. (Revelation 9:13-11:14)

The third woe is the seventh trumpet, including the seven bowls of wrath, the fall of Babylon, the battle of Armageddon, the return of Christ, the binding of Satan, the millennium, the final judgment, and the new heaven and earth. (Revelation 11:15-22:21)

Note that the first four trumpets can possibly be caused by mankind with their weapons, while the last three are divinely caused. The three woes are also called the three catastrophes or the three terrors. (Revelation 8:1-9:12)

v13-19 - Sixth Trumpet: A Third of Mankind Killed. 

When the sixth trumpet sound, John heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel: "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." (v14)

These four angels are not the ones mentioned in Chapter 7:1, and they appear to be evil angels for they were "bound" at the Euphrates river. As a side remark, Guzik said this: "The Euphrates is also associated with the first sin (Genesis 2:10-14), the first murder (Genesis 4:16), the first organized revolt against God (Genesis 11:1-9), the first war confederation (Genesis 14:1), and the first dictatorship (Genesis 10:8-10)."

The four angels were released to kill a third of all mankind. The number of mounted troops was "twice ten thousand times ten thousand". John describe the horses and riders, that they wore the breastplates the color of fire and sapphire and sulfur.  The heads of the horses were like lion's heads, and fire, smoke and sulfur (John called them the 3 plagues) came out of their mouth, which they used to killed mankind. Their tails are like serpents with heads which they used to wound people. (v15-19)

A third of mankind means 2.6 billion people, if we assume the world population is 8 billion (ignoring the rapture which would reduce the population). This is a huge number to die at the same time. However, note that one-fourth of humans have already died in Chapter 6:7-8, from wars, starvation (from wars, famine, etc), and wild beasts. We don't know if the one-third are computed from 8 billion or from the remaining 6 billion.  Regardless of how it is interpreted, more than half of the population will die during the tribulation. 

The number of army that followed the four angels were 200 million if taken literally, or John is just saying there are too many to count. Some say that this could be referring to China, for only China has claimed to have 200 million soldiers. Some interpret the fire, smoke and sulfur comes from the modern weapons like guns, missile and bombs. Some interpreted that the tails represent chemical warfare and nuclear radiation. If this theory is true, China would have to kill 2.6 billion people, which is only possible if they use nuclear warheads, but we don't see any reason for them to do that.  

That great army is probably evil demons that are more like the description of John provided.  

v20-21 - No Repentance

Those that were not killed by these plagues did not repent from their evil work or worshiping demons and idols of all kinds of material, which cannot see or walk. They also did not repent from their murders, sexual immoralities, thefts or sorceries. (v20-21)

Despite one third of people were killed, the rest still do not recognize the true God and the savior Jesus Christ. The continued to do what they did, without any repentance, The period of Grace is still open to them during tribulation for them to receive Christ as their Lord.