Revelation for Now & Future Part 19
Revelation for Now & Future • Sermon • Submitted
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Things Get Worse
Things Get Worse
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”
There is a division between the first four trumpets and the final three.
Notice the intentional separation which points to the difference in the trumpets.
These last three trumpets will bring harsher judgement.
“Woe, woe, woe!” — The Eagle
notice in the past God used a donkey, but now an eagle.
This is a form of torment towards the unbeliever.
The judgement is essentially spiritual in nature.
While this vision tells a story and also appears as a new or separated portion of the trumpets, it gives us a clear picture of the judgement that is coming. (Eagles were representative of Judgement at this point.)
The Fifth Trumpet
The Fifth Trumpet
1 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.
2 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.
3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
4 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.
5 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.
6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
7 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,
8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth;
9 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.
10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.
11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.
Demons —set aside to bring torment. This also serves as a reminder to the unbeliever of their looming eternal judgement.
Notice that vs. 1 should remind us of 8:10.
In 8:10 we have a connection of the fall of Satan and his looming eternal position and the judgement the angel is allowed to bring.
Remember the connection to Is.
12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
15 But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
And Jesus’ description of Satan in Luke.
18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
He is allowed to open the “bottomless pit” and to bring affliction and judgement on humanity.
Look back at vs. 2-4
2 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.
3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
4 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.
Notice the allowances and the bindings...
The allowances are to harm those who do not have the seal of God.
The bindings-do not harm the grass or plan or tree or people with the seal of God.
What is revealed by the allowances and the bindings?
Christ is Sovereign — The enemy can only do as allowed.
Christ’s Followers are Protected!
Christ’s Followers are Protected!
Remember, the locusts can only torment —no death, Yet!
5 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.
Comparing vs 5 to vs 8 will give us an understanding of the scorpion sting and the length of time.
So they want to die, but cannot. Words that display the level of spiritual struggle whereby the unbelievers will struggle.
Notice the OT connection: in EX. 10 with the plagues on Egypt and in Joel 2
4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run.
5 As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle.
6 Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale.
7 Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths.
All of these connections are to give the reader an understanding of great torment in the days ahead for the unbeliever.
12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.
This horrible 5 month period is horrendous, but is just a starting point.
Vs 11 gives the enemy two names: one Hebrew and one Greek
Abaddon — Destruction
Apollyon — Destroyer
These names should bring about the mental image of great torment, but verse 12 lets us know it is no over yet.
Walking Away, But In:
Walking Away, But In:
God uses beings that are not holy for Holy purpose.
Judgement is a Holy purpose.
Idolatry is vanity.
It proves for momentary gratification.
It Proves for eternal condemnation.