Sound The Trumpet : Revelation 9: 1-4

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“Revelation 9: 1-4 - Exploring Revelation”
by Art Sadlier
July 22nd, 2020

All through the scriptures we see a tremendous contrast between God's wrath and his mercy. We see it in John 3:36, "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him". The alternative is your choice, if you receive Christ as your Savior and Lord you have nothing to fear. If you reject Christ and his provision for your sin, you will be the object of God's wrath in the lake of fire for all of eternity. In revelation 9 we see the wrath of God being poured out on a Christ rejecting world.

In chapter eight we saw the first four trumpet judgments poured out. The chapter concludes in verse 13, with the announcement of the last three trumpet judgments called woes. We have seen a rising crescendo of judgments. The first woe (5th. trumpet) is a dramatic event described in the first twelve verses.

Up until this point the great devestations have been directed againstthe physical world, affecting men only indirectly. Now the wrath of God is poured out directly upon rebellious, unbelieving men.

Verse 1, "And I saw a star fall from heaven", this star is Satan. We learn from scripture about four falls Satan has.

THE FIRST FALL--Satan fell from his exalted position as Cherub. He committed the first sin when he tried to exhalt himself above God. Isa. 14:12,13.

THE SECOND FALL--Satan fell from heaven. This is at the midpoint of the tribulation period and I believe it is the fall in our text. Rev. 12:7-9.

THE THIRD FALL--Satans fall into the bottomless pit. This occurs at the end of the tribulation period. Rev. 20:1-3

THE FOURTH FALL--Satans final fall into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. This occurs at the end of the millenium. Rev. 20:10 Also Luke 10:18, this verse confirms that this is Satan.

Back to verse 1, "And to him was given the key to the bottomless pit". The key actually belongs to Christ, see Rev. 1:18. The Lord Jesus here gives the key to Satan for a limited time and a limited purpose.

"Of the bottomless pit", the pit or abyss is the centre of the earth, with a great shaft descending into it. N.B. the earth is 3000 miles in diameter, so the shaft is 1500 miles straight down. This shafl is evidently under guard with a lock and key. This term appears nine times in the N.T.

Verse 2, "Like the smoke of a great furnace", the apostle John is trying to describe the scene in terms we can understand. Whatever came out, "the sun and the air were darkened" Verse 3, gives further revelation, "And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth", the locust are not are natural locust but they are literal creatures. They are demons who have taken the form of the description given to them. This is characteristic of demons, see Gen. 3:1 and Mark 5:12.

The locust of Rev. 9, are demons with animal like characterislics. They have a unique function to hurt men, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads, verse 4. That would include the 144,000 and also those whom the Lord knows are His, 2 Tim. 2:19.

We need to learn about God from these verses, God hates sin with an infinite hatred and that hatred will be poured out upon all unrepentant men and women everywhere. Satan is determined to deceive men into believing that God is a big marshmellow who will not punish sin, it is better that you learn the truth about God now than to learn it when it is forever too late.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13