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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 3 - THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AND THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS (REVELATION 7:1 – 9:21)
PART 3.3 - THE LAMB OF GOD OPENS THE SEVENTH SEAL THE SEVEN TRUMPET JUDGMENTS AND THE THREE WOES (REVELATION 8:1 - 9:21)

2. The Seven Trumpet Judgments (Revelation 8:7 - 9:21)


REVELATION 9:7-11
7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9 They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war. 10 They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.

Demon Armies Attack: In this section, which regards the invasion of locusts, the small word “like” is mentioned eight times. Spiritual realities are explained using symbolic expressions.

The creatures described as locusts do not appear as individuals, but overwhelm civilization in a massive attack, like once the Huns or the Mongols did riding on their small steppe horses. The riders on the “locust-horses” wear victory crowns in their hair, in order to demonstrate their watchword: “Victory or death!” Their hair, like once the hair of Sampson, will not be cut, since it represents their might and authority (Judges 16:17-22). Thus, men will appear as women, and vice-versa. All will wildly open their mouths during the attack, to make visible their vampire-like teeth. Everyone will wear a breastplate as sign of his invincibility. Their thin wings will roar like the rotors of a helicopter, or rattle like the chains on a battle tank. Their airplanes will ride on the fiery stream of their jet engines. They will shoot at great distance satellite guided, laser-steered rockets at their targets. Perhaps John saw in his vision a modern war 2000 years ago and tried to describe it using familiar terms from his environment. Whoever compares the details of his vision with the weapons of modern technical warfare can see incalculable large armies with tanks, airplanes and rockets raging down on mankind.

The locust invasion shows first, however, that the angel of judgment is warning us of a demonic attack on our world. Since the time Jesus contested the old enemies domain there has been an invisible battle raging over the control of our planet. Satan implements all of his deceptions and weapons to destroy the rest of Christian culture and divine order. He wants to build up a new world order on the back of his satanic principles and laws. The locust-like warriors have just one goal: To build up the kingdom of Satan under the banner of “freedom from God, equality in sin, and brotherhood in the rejection of the crucified Son of God!”

To attain this goal they want to demonically infiltrate and influence all areas of life and society: Politics, economy, school, church, family and free time activities. A world ethic camouflaged in humanism is to make the anti-Christian and ungodly rule of evil acceptable. The battle between hell and God and His Lamb is in full swing (Ephesians 6:10-20). Are we still sleeping, as did Peter, James and John in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:40-41), or by prayer, faith, love and hope are we participants in the battle with Jesus?

The prophet unmistakably heard how the name of the leader of the satanic forces was disclosed. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, and in Greek “Apollyon”, both meaning, “destroyer”. The prince of the demons will apparently come as a lamb and helper of mankind inwardly, while in reality being a ravenous wolf, a liar and a murderer, just like his spiritual father, the epitome of evil itself. Some interpreters see in this prince of the underworld the spirit of the antichrist himself. The trumpet judgments prepare for his appearing (Revelation 11:7-8; 13:1-2; 17:8).

Two hundred years ago some interpreters saw in Napoleon the embodiment of Apollyon, because his name sounded similar to the name of the angel of darkness.

By the double identification of the king of the demons John wanted to make an impression on his Jewish and Greek speaking church members: Whenever the lord of the underworld appears, don’t trust him! He may even, “to protect the world”, instigate wars. But in the end he is set upon your destruction, so recognize him in time! This angel of the underworld is the king, owner and lord over all demons. He must personally appear and play out all of his cunning and power, in order to ultimately be overcome, conquered and annihilated by the Lamb of God.

A second emphasis in the vision of the first cry of woe is the double indication that the swarm of locusts will flood over the entire earth at first (Revelation 9:1-3), but in the end will futilely concentrate on the sealed of the tribes of Jacob, both within and without Israel (Revelation 7:1-8; 9:4)! Like all other sealed followers of Christ from among the nations, these had been equipped with the spirit of truth and the knowledge of the Son of God (John 14:17; 16:13; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13). They bear His righteousness and His life in them (John 5:24; 11:25-26; Rom 5:1). They all remain surrounded by the protecting grace of Jesus in the hour of trial (Revelation 3:10-11). The promise of Romans 5:1-5 is proven true, while the remaining people, stung by scorpions, squirm in terrible pain.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank You because the two world wars could not grow stronger than Your church or than the sealed believers. Keep us faithful in Christ that we may continue in Him and He in us that the devil may not find authority over us, but we walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, even in the future world wars.

QUESTION:

  1. How are we kept amidst future temptations, attacks and sufferings?

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