Revelation Chapter 9 1 Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

Revelation Chapter 9 Compare the star in our text today to the star last week in Chapter 8 verse 10. This star seems to have a unique identity… Referred to as him… Given key to bottomless pit Has a specific task or responsibility What are your thoughts about the bottomless pit?

Revelation Chapter 9 Greek could be interpreted “shaft of the abyss” Abyss- Hadean Realm Could Satan be the fallen star with the key? Your thoughts… See Revelation 20: 1-3 What thoughts do you have about smoke coming up out of the abyss?

Revelation Chapter 9 Usually smoke billowing up represents… Destruction Darkness Devastation Possibly represents sin’s dark effect on man What are your thoughts about locusts in this passage? Think about the role or purpose of locusts in the Old Testament… Destruction and hardship

Revelation Chapter 9 What are your thoughts about a scorpions power? Can a scorpion sting kill a person? Hurts mighty bad… What are your thoughts that the locusts are told to not hurt plants? This is not natural for locusts to attack people Locusts represent consequences on the disobedient

Revelation Chapter 9 What are your thoughts about 5 months of torment? Possibly a short term punishment meant to lead to repentance What are your thoughts about them seeking death but not able to obtain it? Have you ever longed for something before but could not obtain it?

Revelation Chapter 9 7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

Revelation Chapter 9 What do the crowns on the head of the locusts represent? Royalty or victory Is there a significance in the facial description being “like men”? How about the reference to the hair being like the hair of a woman?

Revelation Chapter 9 What does the lion’s teeth represent? They are instruments of death Used to devoir its prey Breastplates like iron…what does this mean? Protection Strength The scorpion king Abaddon translated means destruction Apollyon translated means destroyer

Revelation Chapter 9 Don’t get lost in the interpretation of this creature… Its doing God’s work hopefully moving the disobedient to repentance

Revelation Chapter 9 13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

Revelation Chapter 9 Remember from previous reading what 1/3 represents… Partial judgment is 1/3 of mankind being killed significant? Carteret county 60,000 1/3 = 20,000 N.C. 9,000,000 1/3 = 3,000,000 United States 300,000,000 1/3 = 100,000,000 Is an army of 200,000,000 invincible?

Revelation Chapter 9 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

Revelation Chapter 9 What thoughts regarding the description of the horseman and horse come to your mind? Powerful Mighty Built for war and endurance What do the colors signify? Fiery red…hyacinth blue…sulfur yellow Destruction by intense heat

Revelation Chapter 9 In the Old Testament what does fire, smoke, and brimstone represent? Destruction and judgement Why is three plagues used here? God’s divine judgment What is significant about this sixth trumpet? The message, punishment, and destruction are more intense than before

Revelation Chapter 9 Is death, destruction, and war a good source of motivation?

Revelation Chapter The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

Revelation Chapter 9 Why did John mention the sins specifically? Idolatry = sins of the heart Sins of the flesh = immorality, theft, violence Were the seven churches in Asia struggling with this same sin? Do we today struggle with this same sin?

Revelation Chapter 9 summary Two trumpets are sounded in chapter 9 5 th trumpet brings locusts to torment and consequences of sin as a warning of judgment 6 th trumpet brings an army of invincible horsemen who make war and kill This serves as an intensified warning of the judgment