Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.48UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.11UNLIKELY
Fear
0.14UNLIKELY
Joy
0.55LIKELY
Sadness
0.57LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.64LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.49UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.96LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.53LIKELY
Extraversion
0.06UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.11UNLIKELY
Emotional Range
0.48UNLIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Rev 9:1-11;
Looking at the Seven Trumpets:
Most likely these are a revisitation of God’s justice that is poured out on the earth, but from a different perspectives
The trumpets and the bowls have echos of the plagues that got sent upon Egypt in the book of Exodus (Show Slide)
Trumpets are Split into sections, much like the seals:
Four Trumpets, and interlude, and then 3 more trumpets
Review of Trumpets
First Trumpet: Impacts the Land
Hail and fire (mixed with blood, obviously symbolic)
Echoes the plague of hail (Exodus 9:23-24)
Result?
Affects livestock, vegetation, atmosphere
Results in Famine
Second Trumpet: Impacts the Sea
Echoes the first plague of Egypt
The Nile likely literally turned to blood (narrative)
John picks up on that language and uses it apocalyptically to describe the effect that God’s judgement will have on the seas.
Main Point: God’s judgement will impact the oceans and seas
Food supply will be impacted
Natural Disasters?
Tsunami would ensue
One third of the seas - probably not literal.
Third Trumpet: Impacts Rivers and Springs
A star called “Wormwood” falls from heaven and embitters the fresh water supply.
Rivers and Streams are supposed to be refreshing, but life on earth is polluted because of sin.
Fourth Judgement: Impacts the Sky
This recalls the plague of darkness upon Egypt
Interlude
Revelation 8:13 (ESV)
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!”
This interlude highlights the fact that the last three judgements will be worse than the first four.
Those who Dwell on Earth = Unbelievers
Believers and unbelievers alike are impacted by natural disasters
We need not fear the last three judgements though:
They only impact unbelievers.
Those who have God’s mark will stand!
Unbelievers should be filled with horror!
Today: Fifth Trumpet
Verse 1:
Revelation 9:1 (ESV)
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.
A) Star fallen from Heaven
Possibilities:
The consensus seems to be that this is an angel that falls from heaven.
The debate seems to come with what kind of angel this is.
Good Angel (Thomas Schreiner)
He argues that in other places in Revelation, the angles that do God’s bidding are His angels.
2. A Fallen Angel
The falling start could represent an angel’s moral fall
3. Satan Himself
v. 11 seems to allude to Satan, but it is difficult to tell if the figure in that verse is the same fallen angel from verse 1.
B) The Bottomless Pit
The angel was granted a key to “open the bottomless pit.”
Symbolic language; simply means the realm where Satan dwells
The “key” simply means that the angel is granted authority to rule over those in the pit, implying that the angel’s authority is given by God.
Note: Key point is that God works through all and is sovereign over all things.
When we see the pervasiveness of evil in our world, we must remember that God is still at work, which is meant to give believers hope and encouragement.
Verse 2
Revelation 9:2 (ESV)
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.
A) Rising Smoke
Smoke denotes judgement
This part of the judgement echos the plague of darkness upon Egypt.
Genesis 19:28 (ESV)
And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
Isaiah 34:10 (ESV)
Night and day it shall not be quenched;
its smoke shall go up forever.
From generation to generation it shall lie waste;
none shall pass through it forever and ever.
G.K. Beal - “The judgement formerly limited to the demonic realm is being extended to the earthly realm.”
B) Darkness
2...The sun and the air were darkened.
Often in the NT, darkness symbolizes spiritual blindness.
In particular, John uses this symbol.
John 3:19–21 (ESV)
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.
But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
John 8:12 (ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 11:10 (ESV)
But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
John 12:35–36 (ESV)
So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer.
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.
The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”
When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
1 John 1:5 (ESV)
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
*Whereas the first four trumpets depict judgements upon the created world, with the fifth trumpet, demons are commissioned to bring anguish upon those who have rejected God.
It seems that those who have rejected God are tormented with spiritual darkness and hopelessness.
V. 3: Locusts
Revelation 9:3 (ESV)
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
Through the smoke, John sees locusts emerging upon the earth.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9