Revelation Chapter 9 & 10
9: 1 there will be the unnamed star or person.
A star is said to fall from heaven
What is this star?
Look at the pronoun him is used to refer to this star. It is a person.
The word star is used in its symbolic way to refer to a person of fame or of high position.
Who is this person? Look at these facts.
ð He is said to be a star "fallen" (peptokota) from heaven to earth. This is past tense; it means that he was already fallen when God gave him the key to the bottomless pit.
ð Christ said that He saw Satan fall from heaven. Luke l0: 18
ð Scripture gives a glimpse into the fall of Satan. He was apparently the highest archangel created by God. But he did what every person has done, began to look at himself and choose to go his own way, Therefore, God had to do what he has to do with everyone of us when we reject and rebel against Him: God had to cast Satan out of heaven, out of His holy presence. Is.14: 12-15
ð He is given the keys to the bottomless pit that is, the abyss, the place where Scripture says the demons and devils are kept.
The point is this: in comparing Scripture with Scripture, this fallen star or angel seems to be Satan himself.
9:2 Bottomless Pit:
There will be the bottomless pit. The fallen angel of Satan will open it.
What is the bottomless pit?
It is the place where evil spirits and demons are kept he would not command them to go out into the deep"
9:3-6 Evil Spirits-Judgment: there will be the locust-like demons from the deep hole
They will be sent to inflict unbearable punishment upon the ungodly.
Why are these demons called locusts?
Because locusts are a symbol of God’s anger against the ungodly and evil of the world
Look at 5 facts about the judgment of these locust like demons.
ð The locust-like demons will be given scorpion-like power (v.3).
The scorpion strikes its victim with its tail; its sting is in its tail.
It has a poisonous fluid that it injects into the wound of its victim.
The sting is not fatal, but it causes terrible suffering.
What is being said is this: in the great tribulation demons with scorpion-like power will be set loose from the bottomless pit.
ð The locust-like demons will be restrained from damaging nature (v4).
This shows that they will not be real earthly locusts, for locusts feed upon vegetation.
The locust-like demons are to afflict only people who do not have the seal of God (v4).
God will seal His people during the great tribulation. His people will be protected from suffering the judgments cast upon the ungodly and evil of this world
ð The locust-like demons will not kill people; only torment them (v.5).
This is critical to note. This fact alone seems to point to the demonic force being some locust-like animal that actually sweeps the earth, an animal that stings people with some poison venom that torments but does not kill its victims.
ð The result of the torment upon people will be so agonizing and the pain so excruciating that people will beg for death (v.6). But they will not die
9:7-10 Evil Spirits
There will be. The appearance and power of the locust-like demons. Eight descriptions are given. The point being made is the terrifying appearance and power of the demonic forces of the end time
Man must beware and prepare. He must prepare by receiving Jesus Christ as his Savior so that he may escape the demon hoard that is to come in the last days.
1. The demonic locusts are like horses prepared for battle: posed and ready to attack. This could also mean that they will be larger than the average size locusts
2. The demonic locusts will have heads that look like they are crowned with gold: this symbolizes that they will have authority to afflict men. They will be as conquerors and be successful in their attacks.
3 The demonic locusts will appear to have the faces of men: this symbolizes the determination and intelligence of men. They will be set like flint in their attacks and have the intelligence to attack and inflict damage with their scorpion like poison
4. The demonic locusts will have hair like hair of women: beauty to seduce and ensnare, to help them to seem incent and harmless at first.
5. The demonic locusts will have teeth as a lion: ferocious, fierce, devouring, and cruel
6. The demonic locusts will have breastplates as of iron: indestructible, protected, and defended.
7. The demonic locusts will have wings that sound like many chariots rushing into battle: frightening and over whelming.
8. The demonic locusts will have stinging tails like scorpions: demonic torture.
Rev 9: 11 Satan there will be the king of the demonic locusts
Four things are said about him.
1. He is an angel: a creature of enormous beauty and strength.
2. He is the angel of the bottomless pit: a fallen angel. He was once an angel of heaven, a servant of God; but now he is an angel of the underworld, of sin and evil and of all ungodliness and unrighteousness.
3. He is the king, the ruler and governor, over the bottomless pit.
4. He has both a Greek and Hebrew name. His Hebrew name is Abaddon which means destruction, and his Greek k name is Apollyon which means destroyer.
What better name could there be to describe this ruler of the demonic locust?
Rev 9: 12 Judgment-Woe: more woes lie ahead. There is to be catastrophic destruction and devastation in the great tribulation that is coming upon the earth.
9:13-15 Angels, Fallen-Judgment: there are the four fallen angels set loose. Three facts are given about there
Being loosed.
1. They are set loose by a command coming from the golden altar.
This is the altar of incense where the prayers of:’God’s people are kept.
This symbolizes a significant fact: God launches this judgment especially to vindicate the millions who will be slaughtered in the holocaust of the antichrist. God is going to be perfectly just.
2. The four released angels are bound at the great river Euphrates. Note the definite article used: the.
The four fallen angels are four specific angels. As will be seen in a few moments, they will be four angels of high military rank.
Why would the angels come from the Euphrates? Scripture does not say, but two reasons seem likely.
1. The head or spring of the Euphrates River flowed out of the Garden of Eden.
It was there, of course, where Satan first tempted and overthrew man.
The first sin that resulted in the fallen human race took place at the head of the Euphrates River. It was also there that the first murder took place and it was in the region of the Euphrates that the first organized rebellion against God took place.
The Euphrates was the western boundary of the Promised Land that God promised to Abraham. Therefore, beyond the Euphrates can be looked upon as the outer reaches of the earth, as the place where the spiritual enemies of man are kept
3.The four fallen angels were loosed and they prepared to execute a judgment upon the earth: the judgment of slay one third of the ungodly and evil population of the world.
Remember why: because the billions upon earth will follow and give their total allegiance and support to the antichrist and the policies of his government.
Rev 9:16-19 Judgment
There are the military horsemen and their demonic horses. Five things are said about this demonic horde.
1. There will be an army of two hundred million. Imagine an army of two hundred million demonic spirits let loose upon the earth. This will be the army that the four fallen angels will command, an army such as the world has never seen before.
2. The riders will have breastplates. The breastplates are "fiery red and sapphire blue and sulphur (brimstone) yellow" (The Amplified New Testament).
The breastplate symbolizes that they will be indestructible, protected and defended as they go to war against the ungodly of the world. Man will not-be able to stop them.
3. The horses will be horrible and add terror upon terror on the ungodly.
ð They will have heads like lions: ferocious, fierce, devouring, cruel, and consuming.
ð They will have mouths that spit out fire
ð They will kill one third of the ungodly and evil upon earth. How? By the plague of fire, smoke, and brimstone
ð Their power is in their mouths, heads, and tails.
The head symbolizes intelligence;
The mouth symbolizes deceptive speech and a hunger to consume and to destroy; and the serpent-like tails symbolizes poisonous strikes and deadly wounds.
9:20-21 Judgment: there is the purpose for the judgment-repentance.
Two significant points are now made.
1. The ungodly and evil survivors of the earth still do not repent and turn to God. Two thirds of the population will survive, not because they deserve to survive but because God is merciful. God is always merciful even in the midst of judgment.
2. There will be several gross sins for which the ungodly need to repent. And remember:
There will be an increase in the worship of evil spirits and the worship of idols.
Actually, the devils are said, to be behind the worship of idols. Just think about how much worship of evil spirits and idols is going on.
Today
b. There will be an increase in the sin of murder. Remember all the martyrs John saw in heaven, numberless multitude of believers slaughtered by the antichrist and his government and followers.
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c.
There will be an increase in the sin of sorcery (pharmakon).
Note that the Greek word is close to spelling of the English word pharmacy, that is, a place that handles drugs.
Sorcery includes all kinds witchcraft, the use of drugs or of evil spirits to gain control over the lives of others or over one’s own
In the present context it would include all forms of sorcery including astrology, palm reading, seances, fortune telling, crystals, and other forms of witchcraft.
HARRY POTTER ISSUES
I Chron 10:13
Is 8:19-20
Gal 5:20
d. There will be an increase in immorality (porneias): a broad word including all forms of immoral and acts. It is pre-marital sex and adultery; it is abnormal sex, all kinds of sexual vice.
1 Cor.6: 18
Eph.5: 3
Co1.3: 5
e.
There will be an increase in thefts (klemmaton): to cheat and steal; to take wrongfully from another I either legally or illegally.
Ex.20: 15
Lev.19: 11
Eph.4: 28
Tit.2: 10
10: 1-4
First, there is the mighty angel or messenger of the great announcement.
This angel was apparently the mightiest of God’s messengers.
The word angel means messenger. Look at how mighty he is.
ð The messenger came down from heaven. He came from the very presence and throne of God Himself.
ð The messenger was clothed with a cloud: this symbolizes a majestic, glorious, and heavenly appearance.
ð The messenger had a rainbow upon his head: this symbolizes the glory and mercy of God.
ð The messenger had a face that shone as the sun. This symbolizes the light, brightness and splendor of the messenger.
ð The messenger had feet like pillars of fire. This symbolizes the holiness, purity, and righteous of the messenger.
ð The messenger held a little book open. What is the book? Verse eleven says that it is the m be proclaimed to the world. What is that message? The Word of God, the Holy Scripture and grace and the judgment and woe of God. The great announcement of the messenger: message of God’s Word, in particular the message of Revelation.
ð The messenger set his feet upon the sea and the earth. This symbolizes the gigantic size and power of the messenger
ð The messenger had a voice that roared like a lion. This symbolizes the voice of God.
ð The messenger called forth seven thundering voices. The number seven symbolizes complete. Thunder symbolizes the power and strength of God’s voice.
ð A voice from heaven stops John from revealing the message of the seven thunders.
John to seal up whatever it was that the seven thunders said.
10:5-7 the mighty angel, so huge in size and majestic in heaven wraps the great announcement in the most solemn of oaths. He Swears by God Himself:
=> "By Him who lives forever and ever."
=> "Who created heaven and the things therein.”?
=> "Who created the earth and the things therein. "
=> "Who created the sea and the things therein. "
Once the solemn oath has been taken, then the great announcement is made. What is it? That time shall be no more. The delay of the end will be no more. The consummation of all things is at hand. When? When all the catastrophes have happened.
Therefore, after the first six trumpet judgments take place upon earth, God is going to launch the last events of human history:
=> The antichrist, the great world leader who brought peace and so much hope to the world while the world
was suffering so much catastrophe, is going to turn against the world.
ð The Lord God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, is going to launch His last judgment upon the earth and destroy both the antichrist and his followers-all the ungodly and evil upon earth.
ð The Lord Jesus Christ is going to establish His kingdom and righteousness upon earth and reign for one thousand years.
ð The Lord Jesus Christ is going to create a new heavens and earth that will last forever and ever.
The seventh trumpet is going to bring forth the last events of human history. Time will soon be no more, not like man has known it, not after the events of the seventh trumpet. When the events of the seventh trumpet have taken place, then’
the mystery of God will be finalized. The glorious salvation and redemption of the whole universe will then take place will then take place.
10:8-11 third, there is the bitter and sweet taste of the great announcement.
1. John is commanded by the voice of heaven to go over and take the little book from the mighty angel.
There are two lessons for us in this. I .
1) The Word of God is never just handed to us; it is never forced upon us. If we are to receive its message, we have to go over to the bookshelf, table, or drawer and take it and study it.
2) God commands us to go over and take the Word of God and study its messages.
2 Tim.2: 15
2 Tim.3: 16
1 Pt.2: 2-3
2. John is commanded to take and eat and consume the little book. This he does, and when he does, the message of the book is both sweet and bitter. What does this mean? It means that the Word of God contains . . .
. Both sin and forgiveness
. Both death and life
. Both judgment and salvation
. Both damnation and deliverance
. Both heaviness and joy
. both hell and heaven
. both bondage and freedom
. both destruction and a new world
. both corruption and perfection
ð Ezekiel had a similar experience. Ezk.2: 9-3:4
ð The people of Isaiah’s days did not want to hear the truth of their evil. ls.30: 8-11
ð Pleasant words are sweet, but if they are false their end leads to death. Pr.16: 24-25
3. John is recommissioned: he is to proclaim the Word of God to the whole world. He is to proclaim the bitter as we as the sweet, the judgments that are coming as well as the salvation that is coming. The final days of human history are coming, are about to begin-the days of the seventh trumpet.
Every minister and teacher of God’s Word is called to proclaim both the sweet and bitter of God’s Word, both the grace and judgment of God. And the minister and teacher are to be faithful to his call: he is to proclaim the judgment of God as well as the grace of God. He must hold nothing back. The truth must be proclaimed, for the eternal fate of people is at stake.
Acts 5:20
Tit.2: 15
