1The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.[a]
12The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
13The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns[b] of the golden altar that is before God. 14It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
17The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Footnotes:
a. Revelation 9:11 Abaddon and Apollyon mean Destroyer.
b. Revelation 9:13 That is, projections
2 comments:
Rev 9
Have to be honest and say that I only made it to Book 4 of the Left Behind series, but re-sparks my interest level. Pretty hard to rectify this sometimes in your head. Just seems so wild compared to everything else we have read going through the new testament. However, consider we live in a fallen world, with fallen people, what is described is not too surprising. I am also not sure when the rapture is supposed to occur in relation to all the destruction. I know that there are two camps on the subject. One being pre and one being post the start of the 7 years of tribulation. Just not sure myself.
Father, I want to know and understand. Give me the wisdom and patience to study, to learn and to ask the right questions. Watch over my brothers this morning, keep them safe and strong and help us continue to band together.
In Christ,
cas
Rev 9
One thing that has always struck me is when the term hardened heart is used in the Bible. That is what is being described here in Rev 9, where the apocalypse is literally upon the world, and people still will not repent, still not turn over to God, and still not get it. At that point there is nothing left to be done, simply waiting to die, but:
6During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
Ironically, as Christians, Paul said "To live is Christ, to die is gain" whereas these folks to live is hellish, and to die is hell.
Father, thank you for opening the eyes of my heart. Guide me this day to do the things you ask and work for You. Grant me strength and peace in Your son, and watch over these men and my family. We ask these things in Jesus name,
Amen
crb
Post a Comment