John is describing the seven trumpet judgments, which he saw with the opening of the seventh seal. These are the judgments of God in providence, by which he both vindicates himself and avenges his own elect. Four of the angels blow their trumpets in Revelation 8. Then John says, "I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound" (8:13). The voice was loud and clear, and its message unmistakable. The three trumpets of judgment that are yet to be revealed will be far worse than the four we have just seen. In Revelation 9, we are given descriptions of two of the three remaining judgments.
Proposition:The two woes described in this chapter portray times of great tribulation in the world.
We do not look for some dispensational period of seven years great tribulation after the church age in which men will be saved by their works. The imaginations of dispensationalism are ridiculous to the point of being abound! Those who know the Shepherd's voice will not be deceived by the visionary dreamers of the day. However, this ninth chapter of Revelation certainly does tell us that we must face times of great tribulation.
The church and kingdom of God in this world is in hostile territory. And so long as time shall stand, God's people in this world will have great tribulation. Sometimes the tribulation is greater and more evident than at other times. Depending entirely upon the sovereign purpose of our God. But in this world, tribulation is our lot. And, frequently, the tribulations through which we must pass are the direct result of God's judgments upon the wicked.
This is not a message of doom. Tribulation must come. And multitudes will be damned by these providential judgments of God. But they shall not hurt God's elect. Those who trust the Lord Jesus Christ have the seal of God upon them. Being chosen of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, the people of God are always safe and secure. They shall endure to the end. And even these times of great tribulation shall prove to be for their spiritual and eternal good (Rom. 8:28). Even in these things, God is for us, and he will do us good.
Divisions: In this 9th chapter of Revelation John shows us three things:
1. There Will Be Seasons Of Great Apostacy In The World Until Christ Comes Again (vv. 1-12).
2. Times Of War, Sorrow, Destruction, And Death Are Acts Of Divine Judgment, By Which God Warns Us Of Eternal Judgment (vv. 13-19).
3. Judgment Alone Will Never Bring Sinners To Repentance (vv. 20-21).
I. There Will Be Seasons Of Great Apostacy In The World Until Christ Comes Again (vv. 1-12).
This is the message of all Divine judgments in this world. God leaves men and women to themselves. Because they will not repent and believe the gospel, God leaves them to the power of satanic delusions! What judgment, this side of hell, could be greater?
Apostacy, falling away from the truth of God, has been the curse of multitudes throughout the history of the church, both in the Old Testament and in the New. Yet, as the end of this age approaches, the Scriptures plainly warn us that there will be a general apostacy, a general turning from truth to error. The deception of apostate religion is so great that, were it possible, even the elect would be deceived (Matt. 24:22-24; II Thess. 2:1-12; I Tim. 4:1-3; II Tim. 3:1-5; II Pet. 2:1-3; I John 4:16; Jude 4, 12-19).
Now look at the picture John gives us of how and why these times of great apostacy in the religious world come."
A. First, John "Saw A Star Fall From Heaven Unto The Earth" (v. 1-2).
Many of the early writers say that this star was Boniface, the first bishop of Rome to assume the title of bishop of the church universal, and the establishment of papacy. Without question, papacy is an apostate religion. But it is a grave error to limit apostacy to Rome.
This star, fallen from heaven to earth, is Satan himself. Our Lord said, "I beheld Satan as lightening fall from heaven" (Luke 10:18). This is the devil's present condition. Having rebelled against God, he lost his holiness, his position, and his splendor. (Isa. 14:12-14). He is the prince of darkness, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience.
1. Satan has been given the key of the bottomless pit – (v. 1).
That key symbolizes authority and power. By it we are told that Satan has power over the demons of hell. But notice that the key was "given" to him. The Lord Jesus defeated Satan and bound him with the mighty chain of his sovereign power of Calvary (John 12:31; Rev. 20:1-3). Satan has great power. But he has absolutely no power, except that which our Savior gives him.
2. It is Satan who opens the pit of hell and fills the world with demonic influence – (v. 2).
As Satan opens the pit and unleashes the demons of hell with all their wickedness into the world, John sees hell belching forth the filthy, black smoke of the great furnace. That smoke is the smoke of deception and delusion, of sin and sorrow, of darkness and degradation.
NOTE: This black smoke represents the heresies of demonic, self-righteous religion. Free-will, works religion is the religion of hell. It so blinds men with ignorance and superstition that blots out the light of the gospel (II Cor. 4:3-4).3. These times of Satanic delusion are acts of Divine judgment, by which God warns men to repent.
God uses even the works of Satan and the demons of hell to punish the wicked and to warn men of judgment. And, by these very things, he calls sinners to repentance (Pro. 1:23-33).
B. The Locusts Which Come Up Out Of Hell Represent False Prophets, The Messengers OF Satan, Who Promote The Religion Of Anti-Christ – (vv. 3-6).
A plague more terrible than a plague of locusts is hard to imagine (Ex. 10:4-15; Joel 1:7-12). They leave destruction, desolation, and despondence in their path. But these locusts are symbolic of something far more devastating and horrible than a swarm of literal locusts. These hellish locusts represent the preachers of false religion. They do not harm vegetation. They destroy the souls of men! (See II Cor. 11:1-4, 13-15).
1. They are given power, by the just permission of God, to hurt the earth (v. 3).
Again, notice that their power is "given" to them. Like scorpions, they do not so much persecute men as poison them. And the poison with which they infect the men of the earth is heresy – (Idolatry, Ritualism, Works, Free-Willism, etc.).
2. But, blessed be God, these locusts have no power to hurt God's elect (v. 4).
Christ, who has sovereign power even over these false prophets (II Pet. 2:1). Commands them not to hurt God's sealed ones; and he restrains them from doing so. God's elect cannot be hurt and deceived by the heresies of men (I Cor. 11:19; I John 2:20), because they have the seal of God in their foreheads.
3. And, thank God, these distressing times of prevailing herself are limited to specified periods of time – (v. 5).
The locusts live only five months. They torment the earth only for five months at a time, once every seventeen years. And the heresies that arise in the earth, which seem to be so threatening and fearful, will in God's time be crushed. As God raised up mighty men during the reformation to break the arms of papacy, he will yet raise up men to brake the back of Armenianism.
4. Though their power is limited, these locusts do great harm to the souls of men – (v. 6).
There is no real freedom and peace in false religion. Fake religion thieves on guilt. It controls and motivates people by guilt. And those who have a religion of works, that constantly reminds them of their guilt, are poisoned in their souls. They have no freedom. They have no peace. They have no true sense of pardon, and they soon grow weary of life. False religion is a constant source of torment to those who embrace it – (Papacy – Legalism – Ritualism – Works, etc.). Nothing but truth makes men free and takes away their guilt – (John 8:32; Heb. 9:14).
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls" (Jer. 6:16).
These old paths of truth will give your soul rest, comfort, peace, and joy.
C. In verse 8-11 John Gives Us The Characteristics Of These False Prophets That Arise From Hell.
God's servants all preach one thing – "Christ crucified." The messengers of Satan preach many things. But their message always boils down to this – Salvation is determined by man. And you can mark this down, no matter what name false prophets take, they will always bear these characteristics:
1. They march through the world like horses prepared to battle, many and mighty – They always present themselves as valiant warriors for truth.They have a show of humanity, concern for the souls of men, and unquenchable love. But it is all a show to deceive the simple.
4. They are very alluring and impressive – "They had hair as the hair of women."
Though they appear with the tenderness of a woman, they are cruel, devouring beasts.
6. They always have breastplates of iron.That means two things: (1.) False prophets always defend and protect themselves. (2.) Their hearts are hard as steel.
7. These false prophets, like an army of locusts, make a great noise in the world – Like locusts, they are beating the air, but the noise is impressive.
8. They seem so sweet, kind, charming, and good, but the sting of death is in their tail – Their doctrine is damning!
9. The king of this hellish squadron Satan himself, the Destroyer – (v. 11).
This is the first woe, which John saw. It has to do with spiritual matters, false religion and false prophets. There will be seasons of apostacy in the world until Christ comes again. The second woe speaks of physical judgments and trials in the world. By these rising heresies, God's elect are made manifest.
II. Times Of Sorrow, Destruction, And Death Are Divine Judgments, By Which God Warns Us Of Eternal Judgment (vv. 13-19).
The sixth trumpet describes war; not one particular war, but all wars, past, present, and future. Like all other things, the ravages of war are under the direct rule of our exalted God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Take the picture, not in isolated parts, but as a whole and learn these things:
A. The Powers Of Evil In This World Are Graciously Restrained Until God Turns Them Loose To Accomplish His Purpose – (vv. 13-14).
All things are sovereignly ruled by our God according to the intercession and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ – (Ps. 76:10).
B. When Men Are Ripe For Punishment, The Instruments Of God's Wrath Will Be Turned Loose Upon Them – (v. 14).
These angels of destruction were bound until the time of judgment came. Then they were loosed, but only loosed to do God's bidding and execute his wrath.
C. The Duration Of Wars And The Damage Inflicted By Wars Are Determined, Not By Men, But By God (vv. 15-19).
The horsemen and the horses, equipped with all the machinery of war, belching fire, smoke, and brimstone have but one purpose, to kill and to destroy.
D. The Purpose Of God In War, As In All Other Temporal Judgments Of Providence, Is To Warn Men Of His Wrath And To Call Them To Repentance (Jer. 5:3-4). (See Ps. 78:22-33 and Amos 4:6-13).
III. Now, learn this, and I am done – Men Are So Obstinately Sinful And Rebellious That Judgment Alone Will Never Bring Sinners To Repentance
– (vv. 20-21)."It is the goodness of God that leadeth thee to repentance" – (Rom. 2:4).
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