Lesson Six

Chapter 9:12-21

Trumpet Judgments (continued)

a) Verse 9:12-21 Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe - Fiendish Cavalry)

- The second woe is a demonic cavalry of some two hundred million troops who sweep over the land, killing a third of its inhabitants.

- Intensity of the judgment increases with each new trumpet where the third of the unbelieving world becomes assaulted.

- Those who remain do no repent of their works = of worshiping demons = the murders, magic, sexual immorality, or thefts.

- Not even the terrors of God brings rebels to their knees. Their response to greater punishment is with greater rebellion. This is what happens with our sinful nature when it is not touched with the mercy of God.

b) Verse 13-14

- Four angels bound at river Euphrates. Euphrates marks the eastern of the Roman Empire. In OT, Euphrates marked the boundary between Israel and her chief enemies. This was one of the boundaries of the promise land the God promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18; cf. Deut 11:24; Josh 1:4).

- The voice comes from the altar = prayers of saints (6:9; 8:3-5). Prayers of God’s people play an active role in the eschatological drama (cf. 16:7).

- Four angels of destruction are released. It is not the same as the ones in 7:1 because they are at the four corners of the world.

- These four angels appear to be in charge of 200,000,000 demonic horsemen like the king who was over the locusts in 9:11.

c) Verse 15

- Four angels are released to kill 1/3 of the world’s unbelieving population. These are those who are hostile towards God. Believers are speared here as in the first woe (9:4; 20-21).

- It is upon God’s sovereign decree that all this happens

d) Verse 16

- “10,000 x 10,000” is an indefinite number of incalculable immensity.

- This speaks of a great army of horsemen riding from beyond their boundaries. Jews identify with this in their history of their exiles i.e. Nebuchadnezzar who was a king from the east (Babylon)

e) Verse 17

- Breastplates were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow

- Riders play no part in carrying out the plague. It is accomplished by the horses.

- The horses have: lion’s head (cruelty and destruction); mouth with fire, smoke, and sulfur (these features are of demonic origin)… this torment is similar to the eternal torment that awaits the devil (20:10), his demonic cohorts (19:20), and all who bear the mark of the beast (14:10).

- Fire breathing monsters is common in mythology. John’s source is probably Job 41:19-20. These are monsters from the underworld.

f) Verse 18

- The fire, smoke and sulfur are to be taken as three separate plagues.

- The science is reminiscent of the burning sulfur that fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah in divine judgment (Gen. 19:24; cf. Jude 7).

- The first Woe brought torment; the second Woe brought death.

g) Verse 19

- The power in the locusts was in their tails to hurt. But the power of the horses lies entirely in there mouths to kill.

- These horses had tails that could hurt too. Their tails had snakeheads.

h) Verse 20

- Those who were not killed did not repent of their sins.

- “Work of their hands” that they used to make their idols they worshiped.

- These idols cannot see, hear or walk (Deut 4:28). And it causes them to do the same: to not see, hear nor walk (Ps 115:5-7; cf. 135:15ff; Dan 5:23).

- Heathen idolatry is considered to be worship rendered to demons (Duet 32:17; 1 Cor. 10:20).

i) Verse 21

- Associated with idolatry are the heathen practices of murder, magic arts, sexual immorality, and theft

- Verse 20-21 shows the disorder of the Ten Commandments:

1) Idolatry

2) Worship of other gods

3) bad behaviour

- It is understood in Jewish tradition, when you keep the first commandant well, then all the other commands fall in line. In other words, if you don’t keep the other nine, it is because you have not kept the first one. This explains how the rebellious earth dwellers during the sixth trumpet could not repent and sink deeper into their immorality. It is because they resisted keeping the first of the Ten Commandments i.e. idolatry.

- Summary of fifth and sixth trumpets: both trumpets, though horrible and destructive, fail to deter the survivors from continuing their worship of demons. They continue to practice: idolatry, bloodshed, sorcery, sexual immorality and theft. God’s judgment alone doesn’t bring people to repentance. Just like the Exodus plagues hardened people’s heart.

- Note: the Ten Commandments today different from scripture? Check out why on this site: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-true-ten-commandments

- Compare Exodus 20 and Deut 5: