Revelation 9:13-21
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. 17 And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming 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 with heads, and by means of them they wound.
20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at/under/in the great river Euphrates.”
We are seeing something a little different happening here than what happened to the previous angels who blew their trumpet. The sixth angel after blowing his trumpet gets instruction from the four horns of the golden alter. Keep in mind these horns are not the kind of horns like a trumpet, they are rather like ram horns. These horns represented strength and were placed one each at the four corners of the alter. These horns for some reason were speaking for God.
So the sixth angel was commanded to release these four angels bound at/under/in the river Euphrates. These bound angels we know nothing about, they could be fallen angles or some other angels that did something in which God punished them for. The river Euphrates which runs through Syria and Iraq as well as some others one time signified the end of Israels territory. And it was also at the end of the Garden of Eden, Genesis 2:10–14.
15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand (; I heard their number.
Who prepared them? God, and they knew the exact time God was planning on unleashing them. Four angels brought with them 200 million troops.
17 And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.
18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming 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 with heads, and by means of them they wound.
Some would say what kind of God would do these things? A righteous, holy and just God.
20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
They wanted to die as we read last week but God wouldn't let them nor would they repent.
It always amazes me how the unsaved can fight so hard not to believe what is clearly truth. Even here in Revelation with everything that is going on they continue to fight against repenting and believing.
Much doesn't change does it? Today is no different than our past our our future here in Revelation, the lost will always fight against God until God calls them to repentance and faith personally through the Holy Spirit. God softening their heart and and revealing to them who He is only then can they turn from their ways and run to God.
Romans 8:29-30 ~ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
God's work in the unsaved in which He is calling to Himself is what changes that heart to desire God. God it says foreknew, predestined, called, justified, and finally will glorify them on their last day. It is all the work of God.
To Go be the glory!
