Sermon Central
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Fifth Trumpet: Locusts From The Bottomless Pit, Sent To Torment Series
Contributed by John Lowe on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: The supernatural creatures released upon the blowing of the fifth trumpet are evil spirits. The description given of their appearance is, at the same time, a description of their character. We are told thirteen things about them.
The destruction that they cause is beyond belief. When they have left an area, not a blade of grass is to be seen; the trees are stripped of their bark. Land where the locusts have settled looks as if it had been scorched with a brush fire; not one single living thing is left. When God wanted to judge His people, He would sometimes send locusts to devour the harvests (Deuteronomy 28:38, 42; Joel 2).
It has always been noticed that the head of the locust is like a miniature head of a horse. When they move, they move inexorably on like an army with leaders. People have dug trenches, lit fires, and even fired cannon in an attempt to stop them but without success; they come on in a steady column which climbs hills, enters houses and leaves scorched earth behind.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Three: THEY ARE INSATIABLE. The ordinary locusts descend upon the earth in dense clouds and devour every green thing in sight. The worst locust plague in modern times struck the Middle East in 1951-52 devouring every green and growing thing across hundreds of thousands of square miles in Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Locusts eat grain, leaf, and stalk, right down to the bare ground. When a swarm arises and flies on its way, the green field is left a desert; barrenness and desolation stretches as far as eye can see.
These demons are so locust-like in their voracious appetites that they have to be divinely restrained and are forbidden to touch those whom God has sealed. Their hunger is for men, and unregenerate, godless, Christ-rejecting men are given to them as their prey. The 144,000 men from the tribes of Israel would therefore escape this painful judgment (Revelation 7:1-8). In fact, it is likely that all who have trusted the Lord will be sealed in some special way and protected from torment.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Four: THEY ARE INTOLERABLE. We are told, “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.” Five months, from May to September, is the natural life of a locust. Think of it! Five months of agony, five months of scorpions. Do I believe this is a literal five months? I answer with these questions: Do I believe John 3:16? Do I believe Acts 16:31? Do I believe the 23rd Psalm? Do I believe John 14:2—“In my Father’s house are many mansions”? I certainly do! Then why should I not believe this? Men will be stung and bitten by locusts for five months they will swell and hurt, beg and scream; but they cannot die.
