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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 39

TITLE: THE FIFTH TRUMPET - THE FIRST WOE, PART II

TEXT: REVELATION 9:7-12

INTRODUCTION: (1) THERE IS A HOLY WAR GOING ON IN OUR WORLD TODAY.

* THIS WARFARE IS NOT PHYSICAL AS WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS CONTINUE ALMOST WITHOUT END IN OUR WORLD.

**THE WARFARE I’M TALKING ABOUT IS SPIRITUAL AND UNSEEN. IT IS A WAR THAT SATAN IS FIGHTING AGAINST GOD ALMIGHTY WHO IS OVER ALL.

*** NOW ULTIMATELY SATAN WAS DEFEATED THE MOMENT HE CHOSE TO SIN.

**** AND SINCE THAT TIME, SATAN ALWAYS LOSES EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS THAT HE WINS.

(2) THE REASON BEING GOD HAS ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY IN HIS UNIVERSE.

* AND THAT MEANS THAT EVEN EVIL IS A PART OF THE LARGER PLAN OF GOD.

** NOW SOME OF YOU MIGHT BRISTLE OR REACT TO THAT STATEMENT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

*** NOW, I DO NOT MEAN TO IMPLY THAT GOD EITHER DOES EVIL OR APPROVES OF IT – HE IS ABSOLUTELY HOLY AND PURE.

**** HOWEVER, I DO MEAN TO COMMUNICATE THAT BY VIRTUE OF HIS ROLE AS CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE, GOD IS THE ULTIMATE (THOUGH NOT IMMEDIATE) CAUSE OF ALL THAT COMES TO PASS.

(3) IN OTHER WORDS, GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF SIN BUT USES IT TO ACCOMPLISH HIS ULTIMATE PURPOSES. GOD’S PLAN ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING!

* AND ALTHOUGH SATAN OR LUCIFER, THE STAR FROM HEAVEN FALLEN TO EARTH IN REVELATION 9:1, ALTHOUGH SATAN REBELLED THAT HE MIGHT NOT BE GOD’S SERVANT, HE STILL IS!

** AS MARTIN LUTHER SAID, “THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL.”

*** THE POINT BEING, THAT GOD IN WORKING OUT HIS OWN PLANS USES EVERYBODY, EVEN THE DEVIL!

**** AND MY NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE SHOCKING TO SOME OF YOU, “THE DEVIL IS THE HARDEST WORKING SERVANT THAT GOD HAS!”

(4) NOW GRANTED, THE DEVIL DOES EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HE DOES OUT OF PURE HATRED AND REBELLION AGAINST GOD.

* BUT NEVERTHELESS, GOD CONTROLS AND USES IT ALL TO ACCOMPLISH HIS FOREORDAINED PLAN.

** SO EVERYTHING SATAN DOES WILL ALWAYS IN SOME WAY FURTHER GOD’S PURPOSES AND PLANS.

*** JOHN REISINGER STATES IN HIS EXCELLENT LITTLE BOOKLET “THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN PROVIDENCE” THAT AND I QUOTE “WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT GOD MUST ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES IN A WORLD OF SIN; BECAUSE OF THAT FACT, THERE IS A LOT OF AWFULLY DIRTY WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE. GOD WILL NEVER GET HIS HANDS DIRTY, BECAUSE THE DEVIL WILL (UNKNOWINGLY) TAKE CARE OF ALL THE DIRTY WORK.” (END QUOTE)

**** MY POINT AGAIN, “THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL.”

(5) AND THAT’S WHY A THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHO GOD IS AS THE ALL POWERFUL SOVEREIGN GOD IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

* THE REASON, FOR SOME CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS, THEIR GOD IS TOO SMALL AND THE DEVIL IS TOO BIG.

** BELOVED, GOD WORKS “ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL” IN EPHESIANS, NOT SOME THINGS.

*** ALL THINGS TO THE POINT THAT THE SALVATION OF THE ELECT IS HIS PURPOSE THROUGH PREDESTINATION.

**** BROTHERS AND SISTERS MY GOD IS NOT SOME SPECTATOR IN THE AFFAIRS OF MANKIND, THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS, BUT THE ONE WHO HAS ORDAINED THE END IN THE BEGINNING.

(6) ISAIAH 46:8-11 SAYS THIS:

V. 8 – REMEMBER THIS, AND BE ASSURED; RECALL IT TO MIND, YOU TRANSGRESSORS.

V. 9 – REMEMBER THE FORMER THINGS LONG PAST, FOR I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO OTHER; I AM GOD, AND THERE IS NO ONE LIKE ME,

V. 10 – DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, AND FROM ANCIENT TIMES THINGS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DONE, SAYING, “MY PURPOSE WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND I WILL ACCOMPLISH ALL MY GOOD PLEASURE”

V. 11 – CALLING A BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, THE MAN OF MY PURPOSE FROM A FAR COUNTRY. TRULY I HAVE SPOKEN; TRULY I WILL BRING IT TO PASS. I HAVE PLANNED IT, SURELY I WILL DO IT.

* ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF THIS IS FOUND IN DANIEL 4:34&35 WHERE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR, AFTER HE WAS HUMBLED BY GOD, MADE THIS INSIGHTFUL STATEMENT:

V. 34 – BUT AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD, I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, RAISED MY EYES TOWARD HEAVEN AND MY REASON RETURNED TO ME, AND I BLESSED THE MOST HIGH AND PRAISED AND HONORED HIM WHO LIVES FOREVER; FOR HIS DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION, AND HIS KINGDOM ENDURES FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.

V. 35 – ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE ACCOUNTED AS NOTHING, BUT HE DOES ACCORDING TO HIS WILL IN THE HOST OF HEAVEN AND AMONG THE INHABITANTS OF EARTH; AND NO ONE CAN WARD OFF HIS HAND OR SAY TO HIM, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?”

*** AND BELOVED GOD ORDAINS THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS HOLY WILL. AND HE ORCHESTRATES EVERYTHING TO FULFILL HIS HOLY DIVINE PLAN.

**** AND IN THAT PLAN GOD USES SATAN, THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL.

(7) BUT GET THIS, IF THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL, THEN THE DEMONS, FALLEN ANGELS, ARE GOD’S DEMONS.

* AND ULTIMATELY THEY ARE USED BY GOD TO FULFILL HIS HOLY PURPOSES.

** AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT IN OUR STUDY OF REVELATION TODAY.

*** THAT DEMONS RELEASED FROM THE PIT ARE DOING GOD’S WILL (UNKNOWINGLY) TO BRING JUDGMENT TO UNSAVED PEOPLE THAT HAVE REJECTED GOD, WHO HAVE REJECTED TRUTH TO BELIEVE A LIE.

**** AND IN THE FUTURE UNDER THE 5TH TRUMPET JUDGMENT, THESE DEMONS WILL SERVE GOD’S PURPOSE BY BEING PERMITTED TO LAUNCH A PAINFUL ASSAULT, TO TORMENT MANKIND FOR 5 MONTHS.

(8) AND MY GOD IS NOT A SPECTATOR OF THESE THINGS ON THE EARTH, BUT THE ONE WHO HAS PROPHESIED THROUGH JOHN WHAT WILL HAPPEN AND HAS ORDAINED WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

* THE DEMONS ARE GOD’S DEMONS!

** AND UNDER THE 5TH TRUMPET THEY WILL INFLICT GREAT TORMENT TO THE PLACE THAT PEOPLE WILL SEEK DEATH AND NOT FIND IT, AND WILL LONG TO DIE AND DEATH FLEES FROM THEM.

*** WHAT A TERRIBLE TIME THAT WILL BE. AND BY GOD’S GRACE WE’LL FINISH STUDYING THE 5TH TRUMPET JUDGMENT AND FIRST WOE WHICH WE STARTED LAST WEEK.

**** AND IN THE PART II STUDY, WE’LL LOOK AT THREE THINGS IN REVELATION 9:7-12. NO. 1 THE APPEARANCE OF THESE DEMONS, VV. 7-10; NO. 2 THE ANGEL OF THE ABYSS, V. 11; AND NO. 3 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF TWO MORE WOES IN V. 12.

(8) AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS A GUIDE TODAY, LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE APPEARANCE OF THE LOCUST.

I. THE APPEARANCE, (READ V. 7)

A. NOW LET ME BACK UP TO VV. 1-6 AND GIVE YOU A QUICK REVIEW OF WHAT WE STUDIED.

* IN V. 1 AS THE FIFTH ANGEL BLOWS HIS TRUMPET, JOHN SAW A STAR THAT HAD ALREADY FALLEN TO THE EARTH.

** AND THIS FALLEN STAR IS SATAN, FOR THIS STAR IS A PERSON, FOR A KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT IS GIVEN TO “HIM” AND “HE” OPENED THE BOTTOMLESS PIT OR THE PIT OF THE ABYSS, THE SHAFT OF THE ABYSS.

*** SATAN IS THE FALLEN ONE, LUCIFER, THE ONE WHO FELL FROM HEAVEN IN ISAIAH 14.

**** NOW AGAIN SATAN, THIS FALLEN STAR IS GIVEN A KEY TO OPEN THIS PIT, WHERE SOME PERSONS ARE BOUND TODAY.

1. BUT ONE DAY THESE WICKED VILE DEMONS WILL BE RELEASED TO TORMENT PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST, WHO DO NOT HAVE THE SEAL OF GOD.

* NOW THESE DEMONS ARE CALLED LOCUSTS, AS THEY WILL BRING SWARMING DESTRUCTION AS LOCUSTS HAVE THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

** THESE VILE DEMONS TAKE ON VISIBLE FORM AND SWARM OUT OF THE PIT TO TORMENT UNSAVED PEOPLE FOR 5 MONTHS.

*** AND BEGINNING IN V. 7 JOHN DESCRIBES THEIR APPEARANCE HAVING ALREADY COMMUNICATED THEIR ORIGIN OF THE PIT.

**** NOW IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FIGURATIVE SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THESE LOCUSTS.

2. WHICH TELLS US THESE ARE NOT INSECT LOCUSTS BUT DEMONS OUT OF THE PIT.

* BUT THE WORD “LIKE” IS USED 8 TIMES IN THE NAS AND THE WORDS “APPEARANCE” AND “APPEARED” IS ALSO USED.

** NOW WHILE THE LANGUAGE IS OBVIOUSLY FIGURATIVE, THE SIMILES, THE FIGURES OF SPEECH, THE METAPHORS JOHN USES MUST NOT BE SPIRITUALIZED INTO GENERALITIES.

*** FOR THESE FIGURES OF SPEECH CONVEY PICTURES OF A TERRIFYING REALITY. THESE DEMONS ARE REAL.

**** AND 8 FEATURES ARE IDENTIFIED ABOUT THESE LOCUSTS. JOHN CHOOSES NATURAL AND FAMILIAR TERMS AND PICTURES TO DESCRIBE THIS SUPERNATURAL AND UNFAMILIAR DEMON HORSE.

- JOHN BEGINS WITH THEIR HEADS AND MOVES TOWARD THEIR TAILS.

3. AND NO. 1 THEY LOOKED LIKE HORSES PREPARED FOR BATTLE.

* AND BATTLE HORSES ARE BRED FOR STRENGTH AND EQUIPPED WITH BRIDLE AND SADDLE.

** AND IT APPEARS THAT THESE DEMONS WERE WARLIKE, POWERFUL AND POSSIBLY DEFIANT, LIKE HORSES STRAINING AT THE BIT AND PAWING THE GROUND IN THEIR DESIRE TO GO AND CHARGE FORWARD ON THEIR MISSION OF TORMENTING.

*** AND A QUICK FOOTNOTE HERE. IN JOEL 2:1-6, THE PROPHET JOEL DESCRIBES THE DAY OF THE LORD, A FUTURE TIME OF JUDGMENT THAT UNFOLDS IN THE TRIBULATION IN DRAMATIC AND VIVID LANGUAGE, FOR JOEL WILL COMPARE THE COMING DROUGHT AND LOCUSTS TO FIRE, HORSES AND AN INVADING ARMY.

**** JOEL 2:1-6 SAYS:

V. 1 – BLOW A TRUMPET IN ZION, AND SOUND AN ALARM ON MY HOLY MOUNTAIN! LET ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND TREMBLE, FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD IS COMING; SURELY IT IS NEAR.

V. 2 – A DAY OF DARKNESS AND GLOOM, A DAY OF CLOUDS AND THICK DARKNESS. AS THE DAWN IS SPREAD OVER THE MOUNTAINS, SO THERE IS A GREAT AND MIGHTY PEOPLE; THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT, NOR WILL THERE BY AGAIN AFTER IT TO THE YEARS OF MANY GENERATIONS.

V. 3 – A FIRE CONSUMES BEFORE THEM AND BEHIND THEM A FLAME BURNS. THE LAND IS LIKE THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE THEM BUT A DESOLATE WILDERNESS BEHIND THEM, AND NOTHING AT ALL ESCAPES THEM.

V. 4 – THEIR APPEARANCE IS LIKE THE APPEARANCE OF HORSES; AND LIKE WAR HORSES, SO THEY RUN.

V. 5 – WITH A NOISE AS OF CHARIOTS THEY LEAP ON THE TOPS OF THE MOUNTAINS, LIKE THE CRACKLING OF A FLAME OF FIRE CONSUMING THE STUBBLE, LIKE A MIGHTY PEOPLE ARRANGED FOR BATTLE.

V. 6 – BEFORE THEM THE PEOPLE ARE IN ANGUISH; ALL FACES TURN PALE.

4. NOW THIS FUTURE DAY OF THE LORD PROPHESIED BY JOEL IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WILL SEE HAPPEN IN REVELATION CHAPTER 9.

* FOR THESE LOCUST-DEMONS IN REVELATION 9 LOOK LIKE HORSES PREPARED FOR BATTLE.

** NO. 2 AS WE MOVE ON IN TALKING BOUT THESE LOCUST’S APPEARANCE, “ON THEIR HEADS APPEARED TO BE CROWNS LIKE GOLD.”

*** NOW IT DOESN’T SAY THAT THEY HAD LIT. CROWNS ON THEIR HEADS BUT WHAT APPEARED TO BE CROWNS.

**** AND THE WORD “CROWNS” HERE IS FROM A GREEK WORD THAT TALKS ABOUT THE VICTORS CROWN, MOST LIKELY INDICATING THAT THESE DEMONS WILL BE INVINCIBLE AND UNSTOPPABLE UNTIL THEIR WORK IS DONE.

5. PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THEM.

* NO. 3 IN THE LAST PART OF V. 7, “THEIR FACES WERE LIKE THE FACES OF MEN.”

** NOW AGAIN WE ARE REMINDED THAT THESE LOCUSTS ARE NOT INSECTS, BUT THAT THESE CREATURES FROM THE PIT HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE AND CAPACITIES OF CUNNING LIKE HUMANS. THESE LOCUST ARE NOT INSECTS BUT HIGHLY INTELLIGENT BEINGS.

*** NOW LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE AS THESE DESCRIPTIONS CONTINUE.

B. READ V. 8. NOW NO. 4 “THEY HAD HAIR LIKE THE HAIR OF WOMEN.”

* NOW HAVING HAIR LIKE A WOMAN, THINKING OF LONGER HAIR ON THEIR HEADS THAT IS LONG AND BEAUTIFUL DIFFERENTIATES THESE CREATURES FROM NATURAL INSECTS.

** NO. 5 “THEIR TEETH WERE LIKE THE TEETH OF LIONS.”

*** AND THIS SUGGESTS FIERCENESS AND STRENGTH, THESE DEMONS ARE FEROCIOUS, SAVAGE CRUEL VIOLENT AND BRUTAL IN WHAT THEY WILL DO.

**** THEY WILL RIP AND TEAR APART THEIR VICTIMS IN A METAPHORICAL SENSE.

1. AND THE DESCRIPTION CONTINUES. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 9. NOW NO. 6 “THEY HAD BREASTPLATES LIKE BREASTPLATES OF IRON.”

* NOW BREASTPLATES WHICH COVERED AND PROTECTED VITAL ORGANS WERE NORMALLY MADE OUT OF LEATHER AND BRONZE.

** BUT THESE BREASTPLATES WERE MADE OF IRON WHICH SUGGESTS THE INVULNERABILITY OF THESE DEMONS. THEY WILL NOT BE STOPPED, THEY CANNOT BE DESTROYED. THEY ARE INVINCIBLE WHILE DOING THEIR WORK.

*** NEXT NO. 7 “THE SOUND OF THEIR WINGS WAS LIKE THE SOUND OF CHARIOTS, OF MANY HORSES RUSHING TO BATTLE.”

**** AND THIS SUGGESTS THEY ARE MANY IN NUMBER AND THE LOUD RUSHING SOUND OF THIS DEMONIC SWARM CREATES AN INTIMIDATING SOUND OF POWER AND STRENGTH. THEY CANNOT BE RESISTED. THIS IS A MOVING POWERFUL ARMY THAT TRAVEL WITH GREAT FORCE.

1. AND IN V. 10 WE HAVE ONE MORE DESCRIPTION OF THESE DEMONS. LOOK AT V. 10 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 10. NOW THIS IS THE THIRD COMPARISON OF THESE DEMONS TO SCORPIONS. AND IN THIS COMPARISON IN V. 10 WE ARE TOLD THEY HAVE “TAILS LIKE SCORPIONS.”

* AND IN THESE TAILS THEY HAVE THEIR STINGERS, AND THEIR POWER TO INFLICT TORTURE LIES IN THESE SCORPION-LIKE TAILS WITH STINGERS.

** AND WITH THEIR STING THEY HAVE POWER TO HURT PEOPLE WITHOUT THE SEAL OF GOD, UNSAVED PEOPLE FOR 5 MONTHS, A LONG TIME, APPROXIMATELY 150 DAYS ON A 360 DAY CALENDAR.

*** AND BELOVED, THE REITERATION THAT THESE DEMONS WILL BE PERMITTED TO TORMENT UNSAVED PEOPLE FOR A LIMITED TIME STRESSES GOD’S SOVEREIGN CONTROL OVER THE LENGTH OR DURATION OF THEIR ASSAULT.

**** GOD ALMIGHTY IS STILL ON THE THRONE AND CONTROLS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THESE DEMONS INFLICT TORMENT. THE DEMONS ARE GOD’S DEMONS, SUBJECT TO HIS CONTROL AND POWER.

1. NOW PUTTING THE DESCRIPTION OF THESE DEMONS APPEARANCE TOGETHER, WE SEE A SUPERNATURAL POWERFUL FORCE THAT IS ON A MISSION OF TORMENT AND TERROR.

* AND IN SUMMARY F. A. TATFORD GIVES US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. HE WRITES AND I QUOTE:

** “THE ORIGIN OF THESE FEARSOME CREATURES IN THE PIT IN THE ABYSS, THEIR EMERGENCE AS A CLOUD TO FILL THE AIR AND DARKEN THE SUN, THEIR SPIRITUAL HEAD, AND VARIOUS OTHER FEATURES SUGGEST A SPIRITUAL HOST RATHER THAN A MATERIAL ARMY, AND THE ONLY SATISFACTORY INTERPRETATION APPEARS TO BE THAT THE REFERENCE IS TO A LATTER-DAY OUTBREAK OF SPIRITISM IN A PARTICULARLY-VIRULENT FORM. SPIRIT BEINGS, WHO ARE AT PRESENT UNDER RESTRAINT, WILL APPARENTLY BE LIBERATED FOR A SHORT PERIOD AND ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR WAY WITH THE UNHAPPY DESCENDANTS OF JACOB.”

*** NOW I DISAGREE THAT ONLY THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB, THAT ONLY JEWISH PEOPLE WILL BE DEALT WITH FOR WE WILL SEE A BILINGUAL USE OF A WORD IN V. 11 IN HEBREW AND GREEK.

**** AND THE WHOLE WORLD IS BEING DEALT WITH, ESPECIALLY JEWS, BUT GENTILES ALSO, AS JEWS AND GENTILES ARE EVEN SAVED IN REVELATION 7:9, FROM EVERY NATION.

***** BUT CERTAINLY THIS DESCRIPTION OF THESE DEMONS IS TERRIFYING AND FRIGHTFUL. THEIR APPEARANCE AGAIN SHOWS THESE ARE NOT INSECTS BUT SUPERNATURAL BEINGS.

2. AND THEY HAVE A LEADER OVER THEM, CALLED AN ANGEL IN V. 11, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE ANGEL, LOOK AT V. 11 PLEASE.

II. THE ANGEL, (READ V. 11)

A. NOW THESE DEMONS HAVE A KING, LIT. A LEADER, A COMMANDER OVER THEM.

* AND THIS REMINDS US THESE LOCUSTS ARE NOT INSECTS, FOR PROVERBS 30:27 SAYS: “THE LOCUSTS HAVE NO KING, YET ALL OF THEM GO OUT IN RANKS.”

** SO REAL LOCUS DO NOT HAVE A LEADER, BUT THESE DEMON LOCUSTS DO.

*** AND JOHN GIVES HIS TITLE AS “THE ANGEL OF THE ABYSS.”

**** NOW SOME SCHOLARS IDENTIFY THIS ANGELS AS SATAN AND THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.

1. BUT I REMIND YOU THAT SATAN IS NOT IN THE ABYSS AT THIS FUTURE TIME, NOR IS HE NOW!

* SATAN IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE PLACE, HE IS WALKING ABOUT SEEKING WHO HE MAY DEVOUR IN I PETER 5:8, AND IN JOB 1:7 HE IS SEEN AS “ROAMING ABOUT ON THE EARTH AND WALKING AROUND ON IT.”

** SATAN IS RESTLESS AND ACTIVE, AND NOT LIMITED TO ONE PLACE OF CAPTIVITY, ONLY ONE PLACE AT A TIME FOR HE IS NOT OMNIPRESENT.

*** IN FACT IN EPHESIANS 2:2 HE IS CALLED THE PRINCE AND POWER OF THE AIR, THE SPIRIT THAT WORKS IN UNSAVED PEOPLE.

**** HE HAS A HOST OF DEMONS UNDER HIM THAT ARE NOT IN THE PIT WHO ARE SPIRITUAL FORCES OF WICKEDNESS IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN EPHESIANS 6:12.

2. AND SATAN IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABYSS UNTIL HE IS CAST INTO IT IN REVELATION 20:1-3.

* SO WHO IS THIS ANGEL OF THE ABYSS?

** WELL, MOST LIKELY HE IS A HIGH RANKING DEMON IN SATAN’S HIERARCHY, IN HIS ARMY, IN HIS NETWORK.

*** AND THIS LEADER HAS A NAME GIVEN IN HEBREW ABADDON WHICH MEANS DESTRUCTION AND IN GREEK, APPOLLYON WHICH MEANS DESTROYER.

**** AND THIS BILINGUAL IDENTIFICATION IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF JOHN’S WRITINGS AND NOT ONLY INDICATES A FAMILIARITY WITH BOTH LANGUAGES, BUT HINTS THAT THE SCOPE OF THIS DEMONIC INVASION EMBRACES ALL PEOPLE – UNSAVED JEWS AND GENTILES.

3. AND THIS DEMON LEADER IS A DESTROYER, THE HEAD OF THIS DEMONIC TORMENT AND PAIN SQUAD.

* AND IT IS POINTLESS TO ARGUE WHETHER HE IS SATAN OR NOT, FOR THE MAIN TEACHING IS THIS ANGEL OF THE PIT IS ONE WHO DESTROYS.

** AND HIS DESTRUCTION WILL BE WORSE THAN DEATH, FOR IT IS TORMENT, PAIN, AND SUFFERING, INFLICTED BY HIS UNDERLINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO DIE.

*** THIS DESTROYER RULES THESE DEMONS FROM THE ABYSS.

**** AND WE MOVE FROM THIS ANGEL TO AN ANNOUNCEMENT, OUR THIRD POINT TODAY. LOOK AT V. 12 PLEASE.

III. THE ANNOUNCEMENT, (READ V. 12)

A. NOW THE FIRST WOE IS THE 5TH TRUMPET, WHICH WAS BLOWN IN V. 1 AND ITS JUDGMENT IS DESCRIBED IN VV. 1-11.

* SO WITH THE END OF THE 5 MONTHS, THE END OF V. 11, THIS WOE IS PAST, THIS WOE IS OVER.

** BUT GOD’S WRATH HAS NOT RUN ITS COURSE FOR “BEHOLD” AN EXCLAMATION, A DRAMATIC INTERJECTION THAT MEANS, SEE! LOOK! LO!

*** AND THE POINT OF THIS WORD MAKES CLEAR THAT TERRIBLE AS THE 1ST WOE WAS, DARKER DAYS LIE AHEAD IN THE TWO WOES YET TO COME.

**** THE FIRST WOE IS PAINFUL, THE TWO WOES TO FOLLOW ARE DEADLY, LETHAL. FOR UNDER THE 2’D WOE, THE 6TH TRUMPET, ONE THIRD OF MANKIND DIES, AND THE 7TH TRUMPET OR 3’D WOE ROLLS OUT THE 7 BOWL JUDGMENTS.

1. AND NO DOUBT MANKIND WILL WELCOME THE PASSING OF THE FIRST WOE THE 5TH TRUMPET, BUT UNSAVED MANKIND WILL HAVE NO ROOM FOR A SIGN OF RELIEF.

* TWO MORE WOES OR CALAMITIES ARE STILL COMING AND THEY WILL BE TERRIBLE. THE WORST IS YET TO COME. GOD’S WRATH HAS NOT YET RUN IT’S COURSE.

IN WRAP UP: (1) I WANT TO CONCLUDE WHERE I STARTED TODAY, THE DEVIL IS GOD’S DEVIL, AND DEMONS ARE GOD’S DEMONS, MEANING THEY ARE ALWAYS UNDER THE ALMIGHTY’S CONTROL.

* AND YES SATAN IS A ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR IN I PETER 5:8 AND DEMONS LIKE THE FALLEN ANGELS DESTRUCTION OR DESTROYED IN OUR TEXT TODAY WANT TO TORMENT AND TERRIFY.

** AND APPARENTLY SATAN ROARS TO FRIGHTEN US AND DEMONS TO TERRIFY US. BUT LIKE LIONS AT A ZOO, THESE FALLEN ANGELS ARE ONLY FREE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THEIR CAGE. THEY ROAM ONLY WHEN GOD PERMITS.

*** AND BELOVED WHAT A COMFORTING THOUGHT. GOD DRAWS THE LIONS AND SAYS, “THIS FAR AND NO FARTHER.”

**** THEY MUST STAY BEHIND THE BARS GOD HAS ORDAINED, THEY ARE LIMITED IN WHAT THEY CAN DO.

(2) I REMIND AS I DID LAST SUNDAY, SATAN AND HIS DEMONS ARE POWERFUL, BUT NOT ALL POWERFUL, MIGHTY, BUT NOT ALL-MIGHTY. AND REMEMBER I JOHN 4:4 (READ IT).

* AND HERE WE COME TO THE ISSUE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND KNOWING AND APPLYING THE WORD OF GOD.

** FOR INFANTS, SMALL CHILDREN MAY BE AFRAID AS THEY WALK PAST A LION’S CAGE, THEY MAY BE FRIGHTENED BY THEIR ROAR WHEN SMALL, BUT ADULTS AREN’T.

*** AND THAT IS BECAUSE CHILDREN USUALLY LOOK AT THE LION, BUT THE PARENTS, ADULTS LOOK AT THE BARS.

**** AND BELOVED WE MUST LOOK AT THE BARS AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY ADULTHOOD REMINDS OF THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY WITH SATAN, DEMONS AND EVERYTHING!

2. BIBLICALLY WE SEE, THE DEVIL HAS EXACTLY AS MUCH POWER AS GOD LETS HIM HAVE AND NOT ONE MITE MORE.

* AND AS THESE DEMONS ARE LIMITED IN REVELATION 9 IN WHAT THEY CAN DO, SO ARE THE DEMONS AND THE DEVILS WHO IS ON THE LOOSE TODAY.

** SO DO NOT BE CRIPPLED BY FEAR. DO NOT GIVE SATAN TOO MUCH CREDIT, FOR OUR GOD REIGNS. MAY WE TRUST IN THAT WONDERFUL TRUTH.

*** AND MAY WE GROW IN MATURITY AND SEE THAT OUR ALMIGHTY CREATOR IS GOOD, JUST AND HOLY AND ALWAYS DOES WHAT’S BEST, IN HELL AND EVEN IN THE FUTURE TRIBULATION.