Dramatic Trumpets [ Part 2}

Rev. 9:20-21

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. 

The judgment of God is so horrendous in this chapter. It is hard to believe that people would not repent. When the 5th angel sounded his trumpet, a star fell from heaven to earth. He was given the poser to open the shaft to the bottomless pit, a pit from which issued forth smoke, so much so that the sun and the air were darkened.  Out of the smoke came locusts who were told to spare the grass, plants, and trees, and only go after those people who did not have the mark of God on their forehead. These locusts were not the ordinary, run-of-the-mill locusts!

They looked like battle horses. At this point John goes into the use of similes.They had what looked like golden crowns, faces like humans, hair like women's hair, and teeth like a lion's teeth, breastplates like iron breastplates, nose of their wings like horses rushing in battle, tails that sting like scorpions, and the power to hurt people for 5 months was in their tails.They had as a king the angel of the bottomless pit, named Abaddon [Heb.] and Apollyon [Gr.]. Satan's own horde wages war on his own people. Certainly this description speaks of unbelievable power and destruction. All of which was controlled by God. How ironic using the devil's own angels against him. That must have made the pain that much more hideous. This was the first woe, yet 2 more are to follow.

The sixth angel blew his trumpet and a voice from the 4 horns of the golden altar before God told this angel to release the 4 angels bound at the river Euphrates. These angels had been prepared for such a day as this. Their mission was to kill 1/3 of all mankind. The number of their mounted troops was twice 10, 000 times 10, 000 [200 million].  Metaphorically speaking, a huge number. Once again, John must describe this metaphorically. The riders had breastplates the color of fire and sulfur. The horses had heads like lion's heads with fire and sulfur coming out of their mouths [words to judge, destroy, deceive] , . Yikes! By all this, 1/3 of mankind was killed. 

But the rest of mankind, those surviving these horrible events, did not repent [unbelievable!] or given up worshiping demons and inanimate idols, nor did they respent of murder, sorceries, sexual immoralities, or stealing. Sadly, these were given a chance because the judgment had not claimed them, but they wanted none of it. The power of Satan to deceive is so strong!

Father,

As I read this, I am overwhelmed with the destruction and the heart of man still being so hard. I do not want my heart to grow hard to Your words through any disobedience. Lead me in the way of Your truth.

In Jesus name,

Amen