The Revelation: Chapters 6–11

By R. J. Plugge

Jesus was confronted by the leadership within Jerusalem during the last week of his earthly ministry (Matthew 21–23). He confounded the elders, scribes (teachers), chief priests, Pharisees, and Sadducees. He pronounced eight (8) woes on the scribes and Pharisees and called them a brood of vipers. He told the leaders of Jerusalem that judgment for the righteous bloodshed from all those on earth would be cast upon that last generation in Judea living during the first century AD (Matthew 23:36; 24:34). It would include their killing the Messiah as they filled up the measure of their guilt (Matthew 23:32). Their temple had already been declared desolate (Matthew 23:38). That Great Tribulation was recorded from heaven’s perspective on a scroll (Matthew 24:21). John was allowed to record his view of those scenes for us in chapters 6–11 of The Revelation of Jesus the Christ within Heaven. They’re discussed here. They historically verified Jesus’s pronouncements. The last seven were announced with trumpets to show Jesus used His power from the Throne of God (Revelation 11:17).

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 19, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973647157

R. J. Plugge

Mr. Plugge was an Aerospace Engineer for 40 years primarily designing microwave systems and their unique components. He’s now writing Bible studies from the perspective of an engineer, not a theologian or story teller. His other books include: Daniel’s Five Visions and On Zechariah. He has degrees in Engineering and Divinity.

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Copyright © 2019 R. J. Plugge.

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Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are from the American King James Version (AKJV) of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4714-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4713-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-4715-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018914198

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/15/2019

Dedicated with thanks to: Prof. H.E.Everding.

He led a seminary course on The Revelation requiring each in attendance to express their understanding of the book, content, texts, verses, topics, and appropriations. The wide views expressed were an eye opener.

The Revelation is a Jewish book written to Jewish Christians converting their synagogues into churches. It was written during the decades of transition between Judaism and Christianity.

Tribulation! The worst ever (AD33-74)!

Mt.24:21, 22: "For then shall be great tribulation (a 42 year period), such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no (Israelite) flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened."

Contents

Abbreviations

Preface

1.   Introduction

2.   Chapter Summaries

3.   Breakpoints within The Revelation

4.   The Scroll

5.   The Judean Revolt

5.1 The First Roman War

5.2 Discussion Items from the Revolt:

6.   Expanded Discussion of Chapter 5

6.1 On The Rev. Chap. 5: Jesus on the Throne

7.   On The Revelation Chapter 6: The Scroll

8.   The 5thh Seal: Waiting Souls

9.   The Sixth (6th) Seal: The King

10.   On The Revelation Chapter 7: Saints Sealed

11.   The Revelation Chapter 8: The Kingdom Grows; Wrath Begun

11.1 The Trumpet Scenes

11.2 The First Trumpet

11.3 The Second Trumpet

11.4 The Third Trumpet

11.5 The Fourth Trumpet

12.   On The Revelation Chapter 9: Two woes

12.1 The Locusts

12.2 The Five Months of Torment

12.3 Locusts Description

13.   The 6th Trumpet with the 2nd Woe

13.1 Other Speculative Views of the Horsemen

14.   On The Revelation Chapter 10: No More Delay

15.   The Revelation Chapter 11: Two Witnesses

15.1 An Overview of the Events Up To, and Through Chapter 11

15.2 Chapter 11 Discussion

16.   Calendar Comments

16.1 The 2 Witnesses

17.   Temple Burned Down

18.   The 7th Trumpet and Third Woe

19.   After The Last Trumpet

20.   Closing the Scroll

21.   The New Jerusalem

22.   A Summary

23.   Appendix A. The Words Come and Return

24.   Appendix B

25.   Appendix C: The Temple Setting

26.   Questions and Answers

27.   References

Abbreviations

Preface

Hopefully, all of the book of The Revelation is, and has been, a great blessing for you. But, this discussion primarily covers only chapters 6-11; i.e. the sealed scroll chapters. It is humbly submitted to aid in your own study. I pray the Glory of Christ Jesus will shine through these rather depressing chapters, and increase your praise of God’s Son and our Savior. Most readers will find this discussion considerably different than those they might have previously read concerning the last book of the Bible. But, hopefully it will be informative and encouraging.

Earlier, I released a survey of The Revelation containing a summary of all the chapters. It included a detailed discussion of only chapters 15 and 16 (Plugge, 2017.) Those two chapters had given a great many concern and much confusion, as well as being a popular topic for many book publishers. Since then, it’s been suggested I should provide this more detailed discussion of other chapters from that important book of Scripture. So here, I’ve provided some discussions of chapters 6-11. (I’ll apologize early for these discussions being so wordy, but it’s difficult to cut milk into morsels.) These too are given out of what limited insight has been granted for its preparation. Hopefully, you’ll do your own prayerful studies. A short discussion of chapter 5 was also included to help provide the setting. And, a discussion of the New Jerusalem has been included, because it belongs to the same historic time frame. Several paragraphs of the previous book have also been included to provide introduction and survey material.

No doubt this presentation will be greatly criticized because it insists that both God and the Apostle John consistently used numerology as a means of communication. This text draws on that numeric symbolism, as well as the pre-types, prophetic texts, and the symbolic examples displayed within the Old Testament to aid in clarifying John’s presentation of The Revelation. Since, the validity of Biblical numerology is often questioned; those numeric symbolisms included here have been italicized.

The American King James Version of the Bible has been used. It’s a publication of the Bible within the public domain in Americanized English. It’s been liberally quoted and copied. I was drawing verses from the Deluxe Multimedia Bible; Cosmi Corp.; Carson CA. Portions of the verses inserted here have been freely underlined or emboldened as appropriate for the associated discussions. Also, identities for the pronouns included have often been parenthetically inserted into the verses as shown below:

Ps.27:1 "The LORD (YHWH, Jesus) is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD (YHWH) is the strength of my (David’s) life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

Several of the words associated with Jesus, or God’s presence, have been capitalized, e.g. Church, the universal body of believers who’s Head is Jesus the Christ; and the Temple when God’s Spirit was present.

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Introduction

The Revelation is a book of immense joy! It raises one’s spirit and thrills the soul. Reading and re-reading it, especially chapters 4, 5 and 21, make one’s Spirit sing along with all those angels John saw within Heaven.

But, it’s a book of sadness too; because no matter what God did, no matter what blessings He bestowed, or what disasters He sent, many (stiff-necked) people would not repent, and many will still not acknowledge His sovereignty. But those who do hear and see, will taste of the pure crystal waters from the Throne, claim the healing leaves from the Trees-of-Life, worship the Lamb and look forward to a Wedding Feast with Him, looking into His welcoming eyes, and resting in the brilliance of His Glory.

The Revelation is just what it claims to be: a revelation. It is a revelation of Jesus as the Lord, as God, as the Son of God, as the Word of God, and as the King and Judge within Heaven (also see Appendix B.) It was a revelation given by God, through Jesus and His angels, to Christ’s beloved apostle John. He wrote it for distribution to the early churches near the eastern shore of the Aegean Sea (Rev.1:1, 17.) It was written during the transition from Judaism into Christianity when most of those within the assemblies were Christ-believing Jews. It was given to show that the Ascended Christ lives and reigns over the events on earth, now, and in the future. It was also to encourage its readers to believe that He’d soon come to provide rewards to His faithful saints, and bring judgments out of God’s wrath and vengeance upon those who rejected Him, and on those who harmed the earth (Rev.7:2, 3; 11:18; 19:2.)

The Revelation can also be a frightening book. It presents pictorially why one must acknowledge, respect, hold in awe, and literally fear the Lord God Almighty. While reading it, one can no longer treat their position before God lightly. God is! And He reigns, rules, acts, judges, and condemns, as well as reward those who love Him and act on His leading. Over and over God has demonstrated His wrath upon the proud, the greedy, the arrogant, the non-productive, and those not following His directions, as well as on those harming the earth or any of His elect. The Apostle John was even spiritually lifted into God’s domain where he could witness the Word of The Lord affecting Israel/Judea and all creation.

The Revelation is essentially a Jewish book written to Jewish-Christians with a familiarity of the Old Testament. It was written within the transitional decades when the churches were primarily houses or synagogues being converted into churches. It provided those from the Judaism of ancient Israel an extended view of their history, and extended it going into the future under the newly recognized Sovereign. It then led on to the finality of worldly events. The Revelation was primarily given through visions built with the symbolisms, prophesies, and examples previously developed in the Old Testament. It might even be spoken of as the final book of the Old Testament and a continuation of the Gospel of John.

However, the Scroll Chapters, i.e. chapters 6-11, were perhaps best introduced by Jesus within three chapters of the Gospel of Matthew, i.e. chapters 21, 22, and 23, along with a few statements given in chapter 24. For example:

Mt.21:19 "And when he (Jesus) saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on you henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away."

Mt 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Mt.22:46 "And no man was able to answer him a word, neither dared any man from that day forth ask him (Jesus) any more questions."

Mt.23:36 "Truly I say to you, All these things shall come on this generation."

Mt.23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, and stone them which are sent to you, how often would I (Jesus) have gathered your (Israel’s) children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and you would not!"

Mt.23:38 "Behold, your house (Jerusalem temple) is left to you desolate (empty)."

Within those chapters, Jesus foretold of the wrath from God which was to come on that last generation of ancient Israel, and upon those of the temple who hadn’t recognized the coming of their promised Son-of-David, the Anointed One, Jesus. That wrath was the primary theme revealed in the sealed scroll, and it was fulfilled within the first century AD.

Unfortunately, The Revelation is sometimes criticized for showing God to be terrible and vengeful, rather than merciful and loving. But, it shows both God-the-Father Almighty and Jesus-His-Son on the Throne-of-Heaven, and Father God Almighty being the same in the past, present, and future. And the hearers of the book’s message are offered an opportunity to take freely of the water-of-life and the Lord’s promised blessings (Rev.1:3; 22:7, 17.)

John was writing to seven (7) specific churches (2:1-3:22.) Again, it’s the numeric 7 indicative of completeness and perfection in Heaven’s view and for those things within the Plan of God. Thus, the messages were also being written to all churches, for all in the Gospel Age, and to all those who are faithful to His Word.

The whole of The Revelation was constructed on the numeric 7. For example: there were 7 blessings, 7 visions or cycles, 7 candlesticks, 7 stars, 7 churches, 7 angels, 7 letters, 7 parts to each letter, 7 Spirits, 7 lamps, 7 trumpets, 7 seals, 7 thunders, 7 vials, 7 last plagues, and 7 kings (1:4, 12, 16, 20; 2; 3; 4:5; 5-11; 10:3, 4; 13:1; 15:1; 15-16; 17:10.) That could have been expected since God was telling of His Perfect Plan from the viewpoint of Heaven.

The numeric 7 was also used in several descriptors: a lamb with 7 horns, a lamb with 7 eyes, the dragon with 7 heads, a dragon with 7 horns, a beast with 7 heads, the scarlet beast with 7 heads, and a harlot (a city) with 7 hills (5:6; 12:1; 13:1; 17:3, 7; 17:9.) So these items with 7’s were also part of God’s Plan.

Rev.1:3 "Blessed is he that reads, and they that hear the words of this prophecy (presentation of God’s Words), and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."

Seven (7) blessings are listed within The Revelation. They are:

1. Blessed is he that reads this (1:3)

2. Blessed are the dead … in the Lord (14:13)

3. Blessed is he that watches for the Lord’s coming (16:15)

4. Blessed are those invited to the Lamb’s wedding (19:9)

5. Blessed is he that has part in the 1st resurrection (20:6)

6. Blessed is he that keeps the words of this prophecy (22:7)

7. Blessed are they that wash their robes (22:14)

These are also descriptors for anyone who is faithful to Jesus and who becomes a hearer of the message within The Revelation. But, John also warns anyone who would add or subtract from his message (22:18, 19.)

May the Good Lord bless you as you read and study the whole book of The Revelation.

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Chapter Summaries

Some of the summaries previously given within the book The Revelation: A Summary (Plugge, 2017) are included here in order to give an overview of The Revelation itself, an introduction to the scroll chapters, and so that the discussions of chapters 6-11 can be seen in relationship with those preceding them.

Summary of Chapters 1-4: God Reveals Jesus, Now Glorified

John affirms this message is from God Almighty the Father of Jesus (Rev.1:6.) Then we’re told the whole of The Revelation is to be for revealing Jesus (1:1.) It was to be read in seven (7) churches represented as lamp-stands (temple lights, light from God) (1:20.) John gives descriptions of both Father God and Jesus, identifying them and their primary function within history and the plan of salvation (1:4, 5.) He affirms Jesus is now glorified within Heaven, and He has an appearance like God Almighty (1:13-16.)

The living Jesus appeared standing with those lamp-stands (Rev.2:1.) The churches are to provide Light to the world. Jesus has intimate knowledge of the churches, and He is the power and authority controlling the angels (spiritual leaders) over the churches (1:13, 20.)

Chapters 2 and 3 included the Lord’s letters to the churches. Jesus provided specific instructions, criticisms, and blessings for each church.

Chapter 4 begins describing visions given to John, including scenes on a scroll he was shown after he had been lifted into Heaven. John also described the Throne Room and he noted the saints within Heaven (Rev.4:10; Mt.19:28.)

Summary of Chapter 5: Jesus Reigns

This is the most crucial chapter within The Revelation. It gives us the picture of Jesus standing in the midst of the Throne of Heaven (Rev.5:6.) He is all powerful. He is also our kinsman who could, and has, reclaimed the earth (Ruth 4:6; Rev.10:1.) He is God, and with God (Jn.1:1!)

John sees a scroll handed to Jesus. Jesus is the only man worthy of opening it (Rev.5:7.) The scroll shows part of God’s plan of salvation, and a final part of the Old Testament with God’s temporary wrath being cast on the last generation of ancient Israel after the Church had been born. Only Jesus can reveal what’s on the Heavenly scroll (5:5.) John then started to tell us what it shows.

John notes the souls in Heaven and those on earth rejoice because Jesus is with God on the Throne within Heaven, and the prayers of the saints are before Him (5:8, 13.) Those in Heaven have come from every land and they are singing a new song (5:9; Ps.96; Ps.144:9.) A new Holy Kingdom, the Church on earth; shows praises of Jesus; and the saints still on earth now reign as priests and kings (5:10, 13; Rev.21:2; 1Pe.2:9.) Around the Heavenly Throne a great multitude is singing praises, blessings, and power to Jesus forever (5:12, 13.) He is Lord!

Summary of Chapter 6: The Scroll

Jesus begins opening the scroll to show scenes from redemptive history (Rev.5:7; 6:1.) John is viewing it from Heaven’s side. It opens with John viewing conditions from a time long ago. Opening the first seal revealed a crowned rider carrying a bow, and masquerading, pretending to have pure (white) motives by riding on a white horse (6:2.) But this rider had gone out to conquer. It was Satan who’d conquered, and had been ruling over the kingdoms of earth.

Following that first horse were three (3) other powerful horses (spiritual forces) whose riders were empowered by the first (6:8.) They were war, famine and death repeatedly cycling and taking peace from the earth. (John again has used the numeric 4 of being universal.) During the time interval being shown, they were allowed to only have power over ¼ of the earth (6:8.) That ¼ moves this view into being a scene during the days of the historic Seleucides who had been bringing abominations into Judea (Dan.8.)

Then a voice came from amongst the camp of the saints within Heaven. It’s from the center of the camp where the tabernacle had once been within the Israelite wilderness camps after the Exodus (Ex.40:2; Num.2:2, 17.) It pleaded that they (the riders) not harm the oil and wine (Rev.6:6.) So the voice (like Moses’s long before) pleaded that those whom God has blessed not be harmed (Num.14:20.)

Opening of the 5th seal revealed an Altar in Heaven and souls under it. They were from those who had been slain because of their prophetic words and their testimonies. These were the prophets-of-God who had again and again warned and informed the people-of-God; only to be killed because of their message (Mt.23.29, 30.) They also included disciples of Jesus, some who died before Christ’s resurrection. Those Old Testament prophets were now in Heaven asking when? (Rev.6:9, 10.) When? When would the Lord judge them that dwell on earth, i.e. the earth-dwellers of ancient Israel, those who would not hear Jesus or His prophets, and those of that last generation of Israel which had rejected its Messiah?

Each of those martyred saints was given a white robe (i.e. robe of righteousness and permission for entering the Lord’s Wedding Feast), but they were told to wait until the complete number of their fellow servants was fulfilled (Rev.6:11; Mt.22.)

The Great Day of Christ’s Crucifixion was then seen on Heaven’s side of the scroll, but it was only partly showing a little of how it was displayed on earth, i.e. a blackened sky (Rev.6:12-17.) Great men hid from the face of Him (Jesus) who is now at the Throne and from the coming wrath of the Lamb (Rev.6:17; Mt.27:54; 28:4.)

John saw stars-of-heaven fall, heaven depart as a scroll, and mountains and islands being moved out of their place (Rev.6:13.) Rebellious angels no longer had a place in Heaven. Satan and his angels no longer had power before God; they too, once stars in Heaven, had fallen.

Looking from Heaven, John was noting and describing that decorated curtain which had separated believers on earth from the Altar within the Temple in Jerusalem. It had embroidered scenes showing star patterns and a symbolic earth. It was torn open from top to bottom (from Heaven to earth) when Jesus died on the cross (Mt.27:51.) Believers could now come before God and the Altar of God within the Holy-of-holies. That symbolic heaven displayed in the Holy Place, which had once separated men from God, was now removed. The temple and its priests were no longer needed. Jesus’s sacrifice had opened the way to God.

Those in Judea were already fearing His wrath and the beginning of judgments (6:15.) Governments (symbolized as mountains) and the communities of God’s peoples existing as islands within the seas of pagan peoples were now positioned to enable the Gospel’s spread on earth (Mt.28:19.) The number of prophets to be martyred had been filled (Rev.6:11.) The Great Day of God’s wrath had begun (Rev.6:16; 16:17; Isa.24.) And, now Jesus is on Heaven’s Throne and all powerful (Rev.6:16; Dan.7:13.)

Summary of Chapter 7: Saints Sealed

The wrath of the Lord upon those who had killed the prophets and rejected Jesus was now anticipated, but it was again delayed (Mt.23:36; Rev.6:9; 7:1, 3.) Some under the Altar in Heaven wanted judgment to begin (Rev.6.10, 17.) Angels were standing at the four (4) corners of earth to stop the wind (Spirit of Life) from blowing over the earth (7:1; Gen.1:2.) But, with a loud voice Jesus commanded the 4 angels to wait (7:3.) They were told to not hurt the earth, the sea, or trees until the servants of our God were sealed in/on their foreheads (7:3.) So another constraint was put on Satan, and also on the angels waiting to bring destruction in vengeance.

John heard the number of them to be sealed (Rev.7:4.) The number was again a 12 symbolic of completeness for those things intended for the chosen (i.e. the numeric 12 for Israel, as the family-of-God.) But, it also indicated a very, very, large; but a countable, number of persons by using the multiple of 1000. So, 12,000 from each of 12 tribes would be sealed for a total of 144,000.

The number to be sealed from 12 tribes of Israel is given, but not the 12 tribes normally listed. Two of the historic tribes were missing, Dan & Ephraim. They had re-introduced idolatry into Israel (1Ki.12:28.) The Levites were listed, but they no longer had a privileged priestly position because all of those sealed by Jesus are now priests (Rev.7:7.) All of these Israelites being chosen had to be sealed before the wrath of vengeance upon first century Israel/Judea could begin (Isa.61:2.) The ones being enumerated were saints from the people of ancient Israel still on earth.

John then saw a great multitude before the Throne in Heaven (7:9.) They came from all nations. Each was wearing a white robe and holding a palm of praise. And they were, and are, exclaiming Salvation to our God and the Lamb (Jesus) (7:10.) And all of those close around the Throne humbly worshipped God. They were saying Amen and speaking seven (7) praising attributes to our God forever and ever (7:12.)

An elder before the Throne informed John that all of those in that multitude within Heaven had washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb while living in the tribulation on earth (Rev.7:14; Isa.1:18.) They are now before the Heavenly Throne to continuously serve the Lamb. He cares for them, providing for all their needs (Rev.7:16.)

Opening the 6th seal on the scroll revealed the King. It was the 6th King within Daniel’s explanation of that previous colossus dream given Nebuchadnezzar (Dan.2:35.) That dream had showed those who would reign over Jerusalem, and it ended with the Stone not made with human hands. That Stone was Jesus, the final King who’s Kingdom would fill the earth (Dan.2:35, 44.)

Summary of Chapter 8: The Kingdom Will Grow; God’s Judgments Begun

Jesus finally opened the last seal, the 7th seal on the scroll (Rev.8:1.) There was silence within Heaven anticipating God’s next actions: Was the wrath of the Lamb to now begin (Rev.6:10, 17; Mt.23:17?)

John saw Jesus at the Throne-of-God, He was given a Golden Censor containing prayers of the saints because He’s our High Priest before God (Rev.6:9; 8:1; Dan.7:13.) The prayers included the martyred saint’s call for vengeance. Jesus came before the Throne with the prayers of saints (Rev.8:1.) According to Paul, Jesus is the everlasting Priest of the Order of Melchizedek, and He’s our intercessor before the Father (Rom.8:26; Heb.4:14; 5:6; 7:25.) Jesus had already been given all authority and power (Rev.5:5, 6; Dan.7:13, 14; Mt.28:18.) He was now reigning. He is the King!

Jesus filled the censor with fire from the Heavenly Altar and sent it to earth (8:5; Jn.14:16, 17; Act.2:1-4.) There was thunder, lightning, and an earthquake. It was the gift of the Holy Spirit to those chosen of God on Pentecost AD30, i.e. it was the baptism of fire; and the infilling with the Holy Spirit of some on earth (Rev.8:5; Isa.66:15; Jn.3; Mt.3:11; Act.2:1-4; Heb.1:7.) God Himself is of fire (Deu.4:24.) It was the beginning of the Church on earth being shown on the scroll. It would consist of all the Spirit-filled followers of Christ (Act.2:4; Rev.8:5.)

Through the opened 7th seal, John also saw the seven (7) angels before God being given trumpets (8:2.) Each was to announce an event coming to earth out of the wrath of God.

The 7 angels before the Throne prepared themselves to sound their trumpets (Rev.8:6.) They will cast harm and judgment down on the people of Judea, but only on a 1/3 portion; i.e. affecting those Israelites in Judea, while not affecting the Gentiles and Christians, nor any of those chosen 144,000 Israelites, or those still scattered in the wilderness. That harm was only being cast down on that last generation of ancient Israel within Judea (Rev.6:10, 17; Mt.23:17.)

The first angel sounded its trumpet (Rev.8:7.) John next saw hail and fire mixed with blood hurled upon earth where the trees and grass were burned (Rev.8:7.) God was taking His blessings away from Judea. (Jacob’s Trouble; Jer.30:7; Mt.24:2, 16) And when the 2nd sounded, a huge mountain was thrown into the sea; that sea representative of the Gentile nations; and the mountain was symbolic of the new government of Jesus’s Kingdom which had begun (Rev.8:8; Isa.57:20; Jam.1:16; Dan.2:35.) It was the Kingdom-of-God being cast into the Gentile nations (seas) to begin growing to fill the world, at least the known world of the Roman Empire (Rev.8:8; 20:3; Dan.2:35; Mt.28:19.)

Then a great star called Wormwood fell on the sources of fresh water within Judea and turned them to bitterness (Rev.8:11; Jer.9:14; Amos 5:7.) So the living water once available from the prophets and temple was being turned to bitterness (Ezk.47:7.) Then the 4th angel sounded his trumpet bringing darkness on day and night (8:12.) Darkness of evil was increasing because the Word-of-God and the lessons of Scripture were not being heard within Judea. But, the apostles and churches were bringing the Light to those who were to be saved (Rev.1:20; Act.2:47.)

Lastly, a vulture flying in midair called out, woe, woe, woe as a warning to the inhabitants of earth. Midair is the atmosphere over the earth and once a realm of Satan, the Accuser (Eph.2:2.) The next 3 trumpets, described in the next three chapters, would announce their woes upon Judea (8:13.) These woes would also be physical, but primarily spiritual.

Summary of Chapter 9: Satan Falls

It’s an enigmatic text giving descriptions for the first woe. The first woe results from the 5th trumpet’s announcement (numeric 5 is symbolic of God’s grace). John saw that a star, i.e. Satan, had fallen from the sky (NIV) or from heaven (KJV), down to earth (Rev.9:1, 2; Isa.14.) He was allowed to open the Abyss, i.e. open hell (the bottomless pit), and the skies were darkened by a cloud of locusts (tempting demons) emitted (Rev.9:2.)

These were evil spirits and demons coming out of hell with lusts, temptations, and stingers; and they were like noisy hard-shelled beings having long hair, strong teeth, and the appearance of horses (strong spirits) prepared for battle, i.e. they were strong, fast, and overwhelming. They had imitation crowns of authority as if they ruled over individuals, and they had a king called the destroyer, which was another term for Satan. Satan, being full of wrath, had begun his vengeance on mankind. But these demons/locusts could only hurt those without the seal-of-God (i.e. without