"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalms 119:18 (KJV)
Daily Devotion in Revelation 9
Daily Nugget:
The last seal judgment will be lengthened as it includes seven trumpet judgments. The fifth and sixth trumpets are sounded in Revelation 9.
After the fifth angel sounds his instrument, a “star” will fall from Heaven (Revelation 9:1). The “star” is most likely an angel, as verse two addresses the creature as a “he”. Also, in Job 38:7 angels are referred to as “stars.”
That angel then opens the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:2) and releases demonic “locusts.” Although that plague on the Earth will be like the locust plague of Moses’ day (Exodus 10:13), these creatures look much different from any locust man has ever seen. Unlike the ordinary locust that eat vegetation, these do not. They will inflict torment on the men they sting with their scorpion-like tails. To make matters worse, although those stung by the creatures from the “pit” will desire to die from the inflicted torment, they will not be able to (Revelation 9:6).
The judgment of God will continue as another angel blows the sixth trumpet (Revelation 9:13). After it is sounded, four fallen angels will be loosed from their imprisonment near the Euphrates River (Revelation 9:15). For approximately 391 days, those ungodly creatures will be involved with a large demonic army. The army will consist of 200 million horsemen (Revelation 9:16). Those ungodly riders will be astride demonic steeds (Revelation 9:17).
Those supernatural forces will be allowed to kill one-third of the remaining population (Revelation 9:18). Using today’s population figures, and deducting at least 1.75 billion from when the fourth seal was broken (Revelation 6:8), around 5.25 billion will remain. This army will kill 1/3 of those, leaving about 3.5 billion people on this earth!
After such a display of supernatural intervention, one would think that a worldwide turning to Christ would prevail. Instead, the contrary will occur, as the survivors refuse to repent from their worshipping of devils, idols, nature (Revelation 9:20-21), and their rampant sin. Man often does not learn. The spiritual blindness that exists today will continue even in the last days.
Today’s Thought:
“When God drives you to your knees; pray there!” — Author Unknown
Words to Understand:
jacinth: a reddish-orange gemstone
Today’s Reading:
Revelation 9
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 ¶ And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.