Satanic Slaughter Series

Revelation 9:13-14, “Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice spoke to the sixth angel who held the trumpet: "Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River."

The four angels are bound indicates first of all that they are demons (20;2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) since holy angels are without sin and demonic angels are not. This shows that the demonic angels were bound in the past and were in a state or condition of bondage until God’s proper time when they were to be released to execute their function as an instrument of divine wrath. The site of their imprisonment we all know-the great river Euphrates River (Deut 1:7; Joshua 1:4)

Rising from the sources near Mount Ararat in Turkey the Euphrates flows more than seventeen-hundred miles before emptying into the Persian Gulf. It is the longest and most important river in the Middle East, and figures prominently in the Old Testament. It was one of the four rivers into which the river that flowed out of the Garden of Eden divided (Gen 2;14). It was near the Euphrates that sin began, the first lie was told, the first murder was committed, and the tower of Babel (the origin of an entire complex of false religions that spread across the world) was built. The Euphrates was the eastern boundary of the Promised Land (Gen 15:18; Ex 23:31; Deut 11:24), and Israel’s influence extended to the Euphrates during the reign of David *1 Chron 18:3) and Solomon *2 Chron 9:26). The region near the Euphrates was the central location of three world powers that oppressed Israel: Assyria, Babylon, and Medo-Persia. It was on the banks of the Euphrates that Israel endured seventy long, bitter, wearisome years of captivity (Psalm 137:1-4). It is the river over which the enemies of God will cross to engage in the b battle of Armageddon (16:12-16).

In context here we see that the prayers of the saints in 8:3-5 could also be the answer to those prayers. The how long of their prayer has been answered. God’s justice and wrath will be poured out upon a sinful mankind who refuses to repent despite the Lord’s kindness. Here we are confronted with something that a lot of people struggle with. Why would a loving God judge mankind? The reason is simple but complex all at the same time. The purpose of judgment is not to overwhelm people but to show them clearly that the purpose of their lives here on earth is not to worship false things such as idols or false religions, but to enter into heaven’s gates through accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. Only through that sacrifice can any person regardless of their race, skin color enter into the Kingdom of heaven and have any part of His everlasting Kingdom. Have you made that decision today to enter into the gates of glory? And if not why?

The altar of mercy now becomes an altar of judgment as the voice speaking from the four horns of the golden altar now speaks. The Lord will not strive with man forever (Gen 6:3). The time for mercy will have passed, and those who wish to continue in their wickedness there request will be honored and there hearts forever hardened against Christ and His Gospel. Finally they will be characterized by Hebrews 10:28-31, “Anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people. For we know the one who said, "I will take vengeance. I will repay those who deserve it." He also said, "The Lord will judge his own people."It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Revelation 9:15, “And the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth.”

This clearly shows us that in the midst of this chaos that God is still a sovereign God. Only He knows the days, the hours and the years in which everything will occur. He has a beginning and an end to everything both in our lives and throughout history. He is the History Maker the very rule of God itself is to say that history is being revealed and shown to us for that which was once hidden is now revealed in due course by the One who created us for His divine purposes. Under the four seal a fourth part of the human race was put to death (6:8) however, now a third are to be killed by the demonic cavalry as it sweeps across the land. As in the previous Woe, so also here, believers are to be spared (9:4, 20-21).