Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation 9:1-21; 11:15-19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

Marathon, Tours, Armageddon

 

The ancient Battle of Marathon decided that the civilization of Europe should be Greek and not Persian.

Long afterwards, at the Battle of Tours, Europe was saved from the encroachments of Islam.

At the final Battle of Armageddon, Antichrist’s forces and the whole world will be stopped by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords from heaven.

Introduction

 

In Revelation chapter 9 and the end of 11 we will see the judgments that occur when the final 3 trumpets sound.

The first four trumpets proclaimed God’s judgments upon the wicked.

After the fourth trumpet there was a warning that the remaining three judgments would be far more severe.

The final 3 trumpets sound to assemble 3 armies for battle.

We will see, */The Army From Hell, The Army From The East and The Army From Heaven.

/*

* *

1. 5th Trumpet - The Army From Hell

 

/a.

The General/

 

*Revelation 9:1, 11:* /Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth.

To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon./

*/Firstly,/* we see that the leader over this army has fallen from heaven.

He is a fallen angel since stars aren’t given keys.

The Scripture says on at least 3 occasions that Satan fell from heaven, or was cast out of heaven.

His fall was not just positional but moral too.

*Isaiah 14:12-15:* /How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!

How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

For you have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; \\ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

/

/ /

Originally, Lucifer was the highest of all God’s creatures.

Yet he wanted more; he wanted to be like the most High God the One who possesses heaven and earth.

His pride led to rebellion and his fall.

Lucifer, whose name means morning star became Satan, which means Adversary.

Since then Satan has led a rebellion against God.

He first led 1~/3 of the angels to follow him and then later tempted mankind to become like God and sin.

At present, Satan has access to God’s throne.

But the day is coming when God will cast him out of heaven for good.

After 3 ½ years, or the mid way point in the Great Tribulation, God will cast Satan to the earth.

*Revelation 12:7-13* describes this.

Verse 13 says that Satan becomes very angry after this.

*/Abaddon/* and */Apollyon/* both mean the */destroyer/*.

Satan has been a liar and a murderer from the beginning.

/b.

The Army/

 

*Revelation 9:2-3; 7-9:* /And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace.

So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth.

And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for *battle*.

On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.

And they had *breastplates* like *breastplates* of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of *chariots* with many horses running into *battle.*/

Satan organizes an army of wicked spirits to torment mankind.

They ascend from the Abyss which is also know as the Bottomless Pit.

In Chapter 9, Satan is given the key to the Abyss.

*/Keys symbolize authority because they provide access to buildings./*

The */Abyss/* is a prison house for fallen angels or demons.

Satan is given authority to open this evil place and release these demonic spirits.

Many demons reside in the Abyss.

Satan, himself, will be placed there for 1,000 years.

*Revelation 20:1-3.*

When the 5th trumpet sounds he will release these demons and they will serve him.

In fact he is called their king in verse 11.

Verse 11 shows us that these are not ordinary locusts because locusts don’t have a king over them.

*Proverbs 30:27:* /The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks; These locusts are demons under Satan’s authority./

As they rise out of the pit we see that they have characteristics different to normal locusts.

The phrase like horses prepared for battle may be further explained in v. 9 as like breastplates of iron.

If so, this means the locusts have some sort of protective armor.

They can’t be overcome by human means.

Crowns like gold may imply that the locusts have high status among the demons but still rank below their king.

They have faces like men.

The locusts have some humanlike characteristics.

They possess intelligence and wisdom.

Hair like women’s may refer to seductive beauty.

They may at first appear to be beautiful creatures but turn out to be worse than your worst nightmare.

The torment they bring will be unbearable.

Their teeth are like lions’.

This suggests strength and cruelty, a description similar to the beast in *Revelation 13:2.*

/c.

The Battle/

 

*Revelation 9:4-6, 10:* /They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months.

Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails.

Their power was to hurt men five months./

In the Old Testament locusts were a fearful plague, for they were able to reduce the land to starvation by eating up all the green vegetation.

These locusts are forbidden to hurt the green vegetation, trees and God’s servants.

In chapter 7 the 144,000 of Israel are sealed, and protection from the plagues is extended to all who know God.

Satan is a destroyer and always has been.

He destroys the souls of men.

Here we see that Satan torments those who follow him.

These locusts are forbidden to kill people, they may only torment them.

This demonic army attacks the people that follow the Anti-Christ.

Satan in his cruelty will torment the very people who worship him.

He doesn’t care about people.

The locust’s torment is like a scorpion’s sting.

The pain will be so severe that people will seek death; but they will not be able to find it.

/This torment will continue for 5 months, the lifespan of locusts./

The demonic army will torment men who won’t be able to fight back.

/Why are these people tormented like this?/ */Because of their sinful practices.

/*

 

John records their deeds in *Revelation 9:20-21:* /But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, *did not repent* of the *works* of their hands, that they should not *worship demons*, and *idols* of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

And they *did not repent* of their *murders*/ /or their *sorceries *or their *sexual immorality* or their *thefts.*/