The first four trumpets have sounded and the earth has been heavily impacted on by the plagues (trumpets) that have been let loose on humanity and the earth.
Trumpet One: Hail mingled with fire and blood – destroys a third of the green grass and trees.
Trumpet Two: A burning mountain is cast into the sea turning a third of it into blood and destroying a third of ships and sea creatures.
Trumpet Three: A great star falls from heaven and poisons a third of the rivers and fountains of waters.
Trumpet Four: The sun is smitten. The moon and stars are also affected: a third of them shine not in the day or night.
God has given his angels trumpets to sound to warn humanity that Christ is soon to return. All need to prepare to meet him. Get Ready! Get Ready! Is the catch cry of God’s servants and the three angels messages resound throughout the world. Fear God and give glory to him! Babylon is fallen! Do not worship the beast and his image or receive his mark in your forehead or hand! It is God’s law that has been trampled upon. The first day of the week has been sanctioned by the government and enshrined in law as the day all should worship on contrary to the fourth commandment of the law of God – the seventh day Sabbath. Scripture has been fulfilled to the letter:
(Isa 24:3) The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.
(Isa 24:4) The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.
(Isa 24:5) The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.
(Isa 24:6) Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.
It is because of sin – transgression of God’s law that these judgments have come. The inhabitants of the earth have ‘changed the ordinance’ or ‘changed the law’ and in doing so have broken the everlasting covenant. The trumpets have been given with mercy. They can be compared to the ark built by Noah. God has instructed the people that a flood is coming and to be saved they need to enter the ark. The ark is really obvious. Its construction has been constantly in the media of the day – everyone knows what Noah is up to. God is very clear about the destruction to come and Noah preaches the last day message fearlessly and with conviction.
God’s servants at the end of time are preaching the soon coming of Christ. They don’t have an ark that they are constructing but they have the Word of God. They declare God’s word – they sound his trumpet warnings and plead with humanity to realise that God has sent these warnings to prove that he is the God who created them and loves them. God loved them so much he sent his only begotten son to the world to save them. The trumpet warnings are announced by God’s servants just as Moses announced the plagues to Pharoah in Egypt before God’s people were rescued.
(Rev 11:6) These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Revelation 11 refers to the two witnesses smiting the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. God’s people – his witnesses announce the trumpets before they take place. Their mighty witness testifies of their Creator God and the call to leave Babylon rings through the earth as a loud cry. To find out more about the final witnessing period of God’s servants you are also encouraged to read the study on Revelation 11 on this website Like Noah, God’s last day people give the warning messages. Time is running out. Worship the Creator God who made all things. Flee from Babylon and her poisonous doctrines that Satan has employed as a counterfeit to deceive the nations. The announcements of each trumpet are designed to be miraculous messages allowed by God to awaken humanity to Christ’s imminent return.
(Amo 3:6) Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?
(Amo 3:7) Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
(Amo 3:8) The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
God’s watchmen and women sound the trumpet warnings. The Lord God has spoken and they are compelled to prophesy:
The Lord God of Israel is to execute judgment upon the Gods of this world as upon the Gods of Egypt. With fire and flood, plagues and earthquakes, He will spoil the whole land. Then His redeemed people will exalt His named make it glorious in the earth. Shall not those who are living in the last remnant of this earth’s history become intelligent in regard to God’s lessons?—Manuscript Releases 10:240, 241 (1899).
When the children of Israel were in bondage to the Egyptians, God revealed himself as a God above all human authority, all human greatness. The signs and miracles he wrought in behalf of his people show his power over nature, and over the greatest among those who worshiped nature, who ignored the power that made nature. God went through the proud land of Egypt just as he will go through the earth in the last days. With fire and tempest and death the great I AM redeemed his people, to make them glorious as his special representatives. July 10, 1900 — The Lord’s Vineyard Review and Herald.
The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter.—Testimonies for the Church 9:97.
The time of God’s destructive judgments is a time of mercy. Each trumpet has been limited to impacting a third of creation revealing God’s judgment and also his desire to awaken people to the momentous decisions they need to make. Should they just accept the status quo and receive the mark of the beast or should they put their very lives on the line and commit to keeping God’s commandments including the seventh day Sabbath?
After the first four trumpets have sounded we hear a startling warning:
(Rev 8:13) And 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!
The first four trumpets have had a significant impact on the earth and its inhabitants, however the next three trumpets are described as the harbingers of ‘WOE’.
G3759
οὐαί
ouai
oo-ah'ee
A primary exclamation of grief; “woe”: - alas, woe.
Total KJV occurrences: 47
The trumpets yet to sound are going to more devastating than those that have already sounded.
Let us examine the first woe or the fifth trumpet:
(Rev 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.
The first verse in this trumpet warning reveals to John a ‘star’ falling from heaven to the earth. That star is then referred as ‘him’. Straight away we recognise a distinct difference between this star and the third trumpet that announced the falling of a star to the earth called ‘Wormwood’. The star in the third trumpet was a literal star. The star in the fifth trumpet is an individual as in the remainder of the verse he is given a key – the key to the bottomless pit. Who is this fallen star? What do the scriptures declare about him?
The symbolism of a star in the book of Revelation is explained in the very first chapter:
(Rev 1:20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
Symbolic stars in Revelation are angels. The star at the beginning of the fifth trumpet has fallen from heaven to earth. Christ himself referred to the ‘falling’ of this angel or star:
(Luk 10:18) And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
The writings of Isaiah testify to his falling from heaven:
(Isa 14:12) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
(Isa 14:13) For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
(Isa 14:14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Pride was born in the heart of the once majestic ‘star’ or angel of heaven Lucifer. He wanted to exalt his throne above all ‘stars’ of God or God’s angels. Christ, the only begotten son of God, the ‘bright and morning star’ (Revelation 22:16) was a ‘star’. Lucifer was particularly jealous of the son of God, who was the only one who could enter into counsels with the Father. The Father and his son had a special and unique relationship (Zechariah 6:13), however, Lucifer – the covering cherub began to feel he was being treated unfairly and saw no reason why he should not be a participant in these significant meetings:
The creation of our world was brought into the councils of heaven. There the covering cherub prepared his request that he should be made prince to govern the world then in prospect. This was not accorded him. Jesus Christ was to rule the earthly kingdom; under God He engaged to take the world with all its probabilities. The law of heaven should be the standard law for this new world, for human intelligences. Jesus, the Son of God, was not deceived by Lucifer's sophistry. He stood true to principle and resisted every line of reasoning of Lucifer and all the angels who had taken sides with him, thus evidencing that as He stood, every angel might have stood. Ms43b-1891.3
Lucifer ... , before his rebellion, was a high and exalted angel, next in honor to God's dear Son. His countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing a powerful intellect. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. A special light beamed in his countenance and shone around him brighter and more beautiful than around the other angels; yet Christ, God's dear Son, had the pre-eminence over all the angelic host. He was one with the Father before the angels were created.... FLB 67.2
Revelation 12 describes the ejection of Lucifer and the angels sympathetic to his cause from heaven:
(Rev 12:3) And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
(Rev 12:4) And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Scripture is very clear about who the fallen star or angel referred to at the beginning of the fifth trumpet or first woe is – it is none other than Satan himself.
(Rev 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.
Let us now examine the next part of the verse: “to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” Two obvious questions we are led to ask are:
What is the bottomless pit?
And
Why is he given a key to the bottomless pit?
G12
ἄβυσσος
abussos
ab'-us-sos
From G1 (as a negative particle) and a variation of G1037; depthless, that is, (specifically), (infernal) “abyss”: - deep, (bottomless) pit.
Total KJV occurrences: 9
G5421
φρέαρ
phrear
freh'-ar
Of uncertain derivation; a hole in the ground (dug for obtaining or holding water or other purposes), that is, a cistern or well; figuratively an abyss (as a prison): - well, pit.
The bottomless pit is referred to in a few select places in the New Testament and particularly the book of Revelation. It refers to a depthless abyss. Attaching the word ‘pit’ helps us in the context of the fifth trumpet to understand that this abyss can symbolically refer to a ‘prison’ in a figurative sense but a pit can also be a hole in the ground. The message being conveyed here is that this depthless space wherever it may physically be has been under lock and key till this point in time. There is a transition going on. The key is given to the ‘angel’ fallen from heaven. He now has control of the bottomless pit.
It is important to note that in the description of the fifth trumpet it clearly identifies who the ‘angel’ or ‘star’ of the bottomless pit is:
(Rev 9:11) 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.
This verse helps confirm our original conclusion that the fallen ‘star’ was an angel. This angel is described as a ‘king’. He is king over the ‘locusts’ who escape from the bottomless pit which he opens after his receipt of the key. The terms ‘Abaddon’ and ‘Apollyon’ help confirm the angel’s identity:
G3
Ἀβαδδών
Abaddōn
ab-ad-dohn'
Of Hebrew origin [H11]; a destroying angel: - Abaddon.
Total KJV occurrences: 1
G623
Ἀπολλύων
Apolluōn
ap-ol-loo'-ohn
Active participle of G622; a destroyer (that is, Satan): - Apollyon.
Total KJV occurrences: 1
Satan has the key to open the bottomless pit. His titles of Abaddon and Apollyon reveal his true purpose and nature – he is the angel of DESTRUCTION and delights in his role as a DESTROYER.
The key given to the ‘king’ or ‘angel’ from the bottomless pit signifies that there has been a decision made to give him control of this abyss. Who was in control of the abyss before the fifth trumpet sounded?
The Bible once more reveals the answers to our questions:
(Luk 8:27) And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
(Luk 8:28) When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.
(Luk 8:29) (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.)
(Luk 8:30) And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
(Luk 8:31) And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
(Luk 8:32) And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain:
and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them.
(Luk 8:33) Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.
Christ when on earth was confronted by a devil possessed man desperate for divine help. The man was possessed by many devils who pleaded with Christ not to be sent back to the ‘deep’ or bottomless pit. Christ granted their request and the devils entered into a herd of nearby swine which then ran down a precipice into the sea where they drowned. The devils knew that Christ had the power over them and they did not want to return to the ‘deep’ or bottomless pit. The evil angels desire to avoid the bottomless pit helps confirm that the pit is a utilized as a type of prison or containment facility for demonic forces. Ultimately Christ had power over the bottomless pit – he had the key or control over demons and could command them to go back to the pit if he so desired.
It is the heavenly control over demonic forces that is relinquished to a certain extent when the fifth trumpet sounds and the key of the pit is handed to the angel of the pit – Satan.
(Rev 9:2) 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.
(Rev 9:3) 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.
It is very important to note that the locusts that emerge from the bottomless pit are given power and that power is directly compared to the power of scorpions. Why are scorpions included in this description? Scripture and words from Christ himself help to make the connection between the locusts and scorpions clear:
(Luk 10:17) And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
(Luk 10:18) And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
(Luk 10:19) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
(Luk 10:20) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
The disciples are rejoicing that they too have been able to cast out ‘devils’ or demons in the name of Christ. Christ then reassures them that the power he gives enables them to tread on serpents and scorpions – he confirms who he is referring to as serpents and scorpions in the next verse when he states – ‘rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you.’
In the fifth trumpet or first woe Satan is given control over the bottomless pit. Prior to this symbolic key being given to Satan it was Christ who was in control of the bottomless pit and the evil angels within it.
THE BOOK OF JOEL AND THE TRUMPETS
It is fascinating to compare scripture to scripture because in doing so the Bible explains the true meaning of its symbols. The book of Joel written almost a thousand years before John wrote Revelation refers to the coming of an army like no other ever seen before - the time of the army’s arising is during the ‘Day of the Lord’ - the time period just prior to Christ’s coming in the clouds of heaven. Please find below a table comparison of the fifth trumpet and the army as described in Joel. The similarities between the two help confirm that they are referring to the same time and event
Without a doubt the first two chapters of Joel relate to last day events and the descriptions given by Joel have a direct relationship to Revelation 9 where the locust army is released by the King of the bottomless pit – Satan himself.
TOO LATE FOR GOD’S PROFESSED PEOPLE (THE FOOLISH VIRGINS)
In the context of the previous 4 trumpets that have sounded before it is interesting to note what Isaiah writes about the reaction of God’s people to their enemies and his desire to awaken them to their spiritual poverty:
(Isa 9:13) For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
(Isa 9:14) Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
(Isa 9:15) The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
(Isa 9:16) For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
(Isa 9:17) Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
(Isa 9:18) For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
(Isa 9:19) Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
(Isa 9:20) And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
Isaiah records the impact the leaders of the people have on God’s professed people –
(Isa 9:16) For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
In Joel it describes a similar scene:
(Joe 1:5) Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
The leaders are intoxicated and described as drunkards and so are the people that follow them. They are intoxicated with the wine of Babylon.
Priests and scribes and rulers were fixed in a rut of ceremonies and traditions. Their hearts had become contracted, like the dried-up wine skins to which He had compared them. While they remained satisfied with a legal religion, it was impossible for them to become the depositaries of the living truth of heaven. They thought their own righteousness all-sufficient, and did not desire that a new element should be brought into their religion… Man must be emptied of self before he can be, in the fullest sense, a believer in Jesus. When self is renounced, then the Lord can make man a new creature. New bottles can contain the new wine. The love of Christ will animate the believer with new life. In him who looks unto the Author and Finisher of our faith the character of Christ will be manifest. A Call to Stand Apart pgs. 16 - 17
When the locust nation or army of demons is released by Satan it is too late – the new wine is cut off from the mouths of those who have preferred to imbibe the wine of the wrath of the whore – full of spiritual abominations and fornication.
(Revelation 17:4).
Note Isaiah states:
(Isa 9:14) Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
(Isa 9:15) The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
There is a ‘cutting off’ that takes place and note it starts with the leaders and the false prophets. These verses are echoed in Ezekiel 9 where a mark is placed on those who sigh and cry for the abominations that God’s people are choosing to be involved in described in Ezekiel 8. In the final verses of Ezekiel 8 we see:
(Eze 8:15) Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
(Eze 8:16) And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
Prior to God’s instruction to place a mark or seal on those that sigh and cry for the abominations that are taking place we see the ‘greater’ abomination is the choice that has been made to worship the ‘sun’! To do this they have turned their backs on the temple of the Lord. This choice to worship the sun god mirrors exactly what will take place during the trumpets. The smiting of the sun in the fourth trumpet is a message for all those who are worshipping the sun by choosing to worship on Sunday the first day of the week instead of God’s seventh day Sabbath according to the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11). But even more particular it is for those who profess to be God’s commandment keeping people!
(Rev 9:4) 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.
By the time the fifth trumpet sounds the seal of God has been placed in his witnesses foreheads. Compare the above verse to the instruction given by God in Ezekiel 9:
(Eze 9:4) And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.
(Eze 9:5) And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
(Eze 9:6) Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary.
Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
Come not near any man upon whom is the mark –Ezekiel 9:6
Hurt...only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. Revelation 9:4
The mark or seal of God has already been placed on the God’s true witnesses before the fifth trumpet sounds. And the declaration is made:
(Eze 9:5) And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:
(Eze 9:6) Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
There is a delay though between the declaration and the execution of the command by God to slay all, including young and old. This is revealed in Revelation 9:
(Rev 9:5) 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.
This time of torment takes place during the invasion of the ‘locust’ or demonic army – the sounding of the fifth trumpet or first woe. God’s professed people have been misled by the ancient men or leaders of Israel and the lying prophets. They too have imbibed the wine of the wrath of fornication in the golden cup of the whore who has been revived and is now represented as one of the heads of the beast (Revelation 13:1-3).
Isaiah wrote his message for God’s people who were soon to be invaded by the Assyrian Army—and in the end time his advice echoes down the chambers of time to when the first woe sounds. Only this time the seal of God has been placed on his servants and a woe is pronounced on all God’s professed people—who have preferred to remain hypocrites:
(Isa 9:17) Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
In the above verse the Lord describes the condition of his people including the young men, the fatherless and widows –EVERYONE IS A HYPOCRITE!
According to www.dictionary.com a hypocrite is:
a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
In the fourth trumpet the sun was smitten. God’s people under the suppression of spiritual Babylon had the choice to worship God or accept the mark of the beast:
(Rev 13:15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not
worship the image of the beast should be killed.
(Rev 13:16) And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
(Rev 13:17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Under threat of death they have accepted the mark of the beast and in doing so worship his image. This act of worship is captured in Ezekel 8:16 where God’s professed people are worshipping the sun. They are also worshipping the dragon:
(Rev 13:3) And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
(Rev 13:4) And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
It is the leaders that have caused the people to err and which ultimately leads to their condemnation and destruction. (Isaiah 9:16)
The fifth trumpet is aptly described as the first woe because that is exactly what it is to God’s professed people. All have been deemed hypocrites – the Lord has no joy or mercy for the leaders, young men, fatherless or widows. They have been cut off. They have received the mark of the beast. They have not received the seal of God. The torment felt by those who preferred to compromise and by doing so deny truth is palpable. They have made the wrong choice and the torment spoken of in the third angel’s message is very real to them:
(Rev 14:11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
God’s anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still to those who have not chosen to receive the mark of the beast and worship the dragon. The close of probation is imminent but there are two more woes to come. As the seventh trumpet is about to sound the mystery of God will be finished and probation will close.
The ‘cutting off’ or closure for God’s professed people has taken place:
(1Pe 4:17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(Eze 9:6) Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house.
But I speak not my own words when I say that God's Spirit will pass by those who have had their day of test and opportunity, but who have not distinguished the voice of God or appreciated the movings of His Spirit. Then thousands in the eleventh hour will see and acknowledge the truth. 2SM 16.1
The time of God's destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter.--Testimonies for the Church 9:97.
We now need to understand what the symbols used by John in Revelation 9 when referring to the locusts mean:
The Smoke
The fifth trumpet describes the opening of the bottomless pit and the smoke that arises. The smoke even blocks out the sun and the sky or atmosphere is darkened:
(Rev 9:2) 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.
The smoke is even compared to the smoke of a great furnace. This smoke is literal smoke and from it emerges the creatures described as locusts:
(Rev 9:3) 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.
It is interesting to compare scripture with scripture to understand why smoke is present at this event.
(Isa 9:18) For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
(Isa 9:19) Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
Note that it is wickedness which burns as fire. When Satan releases his demonic forces the smoke which accompanies their release signifies their spiritual character – wickedness through and through. This entrance of the fallen angels to earth is spectacular and captures the imagination of all humanity. The time spoken of by Paul has come:
(2Th 2:6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(2Th 2:7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(2Th 2:8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(2Th 2:9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(2Th 2:10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(2Th 2:11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
A proper analysis of verse 7 reveals the true rendering of this verse and hence its true meaning:
http://biblehub.com/text/2_thessalonians/2-7.htm
Note the translation below taken from the literal English above:
“The indeed mystery already is working of lawlessness; only the restraining at present until out of the midst he might be.”
The English Majority Text translates verse 7 thus:
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will continue until one arises from out of the midst.”
The mystery of iniquity or Satan’s esoteric influences have been working ever since the fall of Eve beguiled by the serpent in the Garden of Eden and even before in heavenly realms when a third of the angels were deceived by the evil one. Satan is being restrained by God – the four angels are holding the winds of the earth until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads (Revelation 7:1-3). Satan is restrained until out of the midst he arises. The amazing connections between 2 Thessalonians 2 and the fifth trumpet are only now being understood. The working of Satan with all power, signs and lying wonders can only take place when the restraining influences of God are released. How does this take place in the fifth trumpet? Satan at the very beginning is given the KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. The restraint is let go or released.
Paul writes about the impact this release has on those that will ultimately perish:
(2Th 2:10) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(2Th 2:11) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(2Th 2:12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
God’s professed people who have decided to receive the mark of the beast believe a lie. They didn’t love the truth enough but preferred the fruits of unrighteousness. Their torment will be very real during the sounding of the fifth trumpet or first woe.
Satan appearing as Christ takes on all the physical attributes of Christ as described in Revelation:
(Rev 1:7) Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
He does come in the clouds of smoke that arise from the bottomless pit. However he is not allowed to fully replicate the coming of Christ. Every eye shall not see him at the same time although through the use of media his arrival will be broadcast to every corner of the world.
(Rev 1:13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
(Rev 1:14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
(Rev 1:15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
As the crowning act in the great drama of deception, Satan himself will personate Christ. The church has long professed to look to the Saviour's advent as the consummation of her hopes. Now the great deceiver will make it appear that Christ has come. In different parts of the earth, Satan will manifest himself among men as a majestic being of dazzling brightness, resembling the description of the Son of God given by John in the Revelation. (Revelation 1:13-15). The glory that surrounds him is unsurpassed by anything that mortal eyes have yet beheld. The shout of triumph rings out upon the air: “Christ has come! Christ has come!” LDE 163.2
Satan will personate Christ and twist scripture to suit his portrayal of the coming of Christ. An understanding of what happens when you die and the state of the dead according to the word of God is essential otherwise you will be deceived. He is going to bring with him at his coming those that have died as living witnesses to the ‘fact’ that he is truly their long awaited saviour. He will use scriptures to support his case:
(1Th 4:13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
(1Th 4:14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
Satan will state that he is the Christ that rose from the dead; he will even bear the scars he received in the house of his friends (Zechariah 13:6). He will also bring those which ‘fell asleep in him’. This will be a most overpowering deception because the deceased loved ones of people will appear and describe to their relatives wonderful stories about heaven. The array of people that arrive with Satan could include the apostles, past popes, children, Mary his mother and the list is seemingly endless. All are demons clothed in the garb of humanity desperate to deceive even the very elect. (Mark 13:22).
He [Satan] has power to bring before men the appearance of their departed friends. The counterfeit is perfect; the familiar look, the words, the tone, are reproduced with marvelous distinctness.... Many will be confronted by the spirits of devils personating beloved relatives or friends and declaring the most dangerous heresies. These visitants will appeal to our tenderest sympathies and will work miracles to sustain their pretensions.--The Great Controversy, 552, 560 (1911). LDE 161.4
The apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth. They deny the divine origin of the Bible.--The Great Controversy, 557 (1911). LDE 157.1Z
It is Satan's most successful and fascinating delusion—one calculated to take hold of the sympathies of those who have laid their loved ones in the grave. Evil angels come in the form of those loved ones and relate incidents connected with their lives, and perform acts which they performed while living. In this way they lead persons to believe that their dead friends are angels, hovering over them and communicating with them. These evil angels, who assume to be the deceased friends, are regarded with a certain idolatry, and with many their word has greater weight than the Word of God.--The Signs of the Times, August 26, 1889. LDE 161.3
THE LOCUSTS
The locust army that appears from the smoke of the bottomless pit is described using an array of symbols that help determine their origin and purpose.
(Rev 9:7) 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.
Features of the locusts described in the fifth trumpet describe them as:
- Like unto horses prepared unto battle
- Wearing crowns like gold
- Having faces of men.
Horses and locusts do not initially strike us as having similarities – however a horse in battle gear can certainly look like a locust. Locusts have a natural armament – their hard shell. Locusts have wings, horses have speed. Their horse’s ears look like the locusts antennae.
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The word ‘shapes’ of the locusts is referred to in other translations as the ‘likenesses of’ or ‘appearance’ of. Locusts travel in ‘swarms’ or vast numbers. Horses in battle would also appear to be in vast numbers. A contradiction exists when you contemplate what this locust army has been instructed NOT to do. They are not to 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 (Revelation 9:4). Obviously these locust like creatures are not really locusts. The term locust has been used in this context to describe the vast numbers that exist. At the counterfeit second coming of Christ Satan (Apollyon/Abaddon) will appear with a vast number of evil angels. Angels have wings and this locust army is viewed by John for what it is – this swarm of evil angels are about to prey not on the green vegetation of the earth but on mankind itself.
Crowns of Gold
‘and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold.’ (Rev 9:7)
The locusts are described as wearing crowns like gold. This is the time of Satan’s lying signs and wonders. He appears as Christ accompanied by his demonic host who appear as beautiful angels and personate the apostles, loved ones who have died and numerous other people who after dying have gone to heaven and received their reward - their heavenly crown. This is a most challenging deception for people who do not understand what the word of God teaches about what happens when you die. Death is described as a sleep and the dead in Christ will rise first when he comes the second time:
(1Th 4:16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
(Ecc 9:5) For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
(Ecc 9:6) Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.
If you do not know the truth about what happens when you die – you are strongly advised to study and shew yourself approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Check out the video links and downloadable booklets available on this topic via the following link:
http://www.prophesyagain.com.au/death.html
Satan’s demonic host appearing as loved ones who have died and gone to heaven now return with beautiful but deceptive stories of the marvels and wonders of heaven. They have the crowns of life they were given by Christ himself to show as indisputable evidence of where they have been since their death.
"Their loved ones will appear in robes of light, as familiar to the sight as when they were upon the earth. They will teach them and converse with them. And many will be deceived by this wonderful display of Satan’s power. The only safety for the people of God is to be thoroughly conversant with their Bibles, and be intelligent upon the reasons of our faith in regard to the sleep of
the dead." RH April 1, 1875
"Satan is a cunning foe. And it is not difficult for the evil angels to represent both saints and sinners who have died, and make these representations visible to human eyes. These manifestations will be more frequent, and developments of a more startling character will appear as we near the close of time. We need not be astonished at anything in the line of deceptions to allure the unwary and deceive, if possible, the very elect.
RH April 1, 1875
The crowns of gold will be accompanied by ‘robes of light’. Truly Satan’s lying signs and wonders have almost reached the pinnacle of deception.
Faces of Men
‘and their faces were as the faces of men.’ (Rev 9:7)
The locust horde are described by John as having men’s faces. John sees them for what they are – a swarm of evil angels finally released from the bottomless pit – yet they have faces of men.
(Joe 2:6) Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
Here we have another description confirming the deceptive outward appearance of Satan’s evil horde. They appear as people who have died and returned with the counterfeit Christ – Satan. An inner struggle takes place within human hearts – is this person really who thy say they are? They appear exactly as they remember them yet with a heavenly glow about them. At the same time God’s witnesses are giving the ‘loud cry’ and are warning people against drinking the wine of Babylon –the false doctrine that the ‘soul’ is immortal and never dies:
At the moment of death, the soul is separated from the body and no longer sustains order within the natural body; as a result, the body begins to corrupt and left to its own will decompose. The soul, however, is immortal and never ceases to exist, once created. Immediately upon death, the soul of each person is judged by the Lord, either to eternal life or the damnation of hell. For those damned to hell, such a soul immediately experiences hell thereafter. For a soul judged to heaven, if the soul is truly holy then it may immediately experience the fullness of heaven. We call such souls “the saints.” For those who are judged to eternal life yet still have some attachment to sin or there is some temporal punishment due for sin, such a soul experiences purgatory in the manner that God determines. Purgatory is really a blessing, for not only does the soul know that it is destined for heaven but purgatory purges anything from the soul which would limit the vision and enjoyment of God in heaven. Eventually, when the end of the world comes about, there will be a resurrection of the bodies of all the dead and final judgment of all souls and the angels in which we will all see the justice and mercy of God. Our bodies will be resurrected and body and soul will be rejoined, for to be a human person means to have both body and soul. This is true both for the saved and the damned, and both will experience either eternal happiness or eternal suffering in both body and soul. ©
http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=340085
The locusts have faces of men. When Satan counterfeits Christ’s coming his evil angels described as locusts will appear as the resurrected loved ones who have finally had their soul’s united with their bodies. Deception and destruction - (2Th 2:9) ... the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders is designed to deceive even the very elect:
(Mat 24:24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
(2Co 11:13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
(2Co 11:14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(2Co 11:15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
“Moreover, the apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth. They deny the divine origin of the Bible, and thus tear away the foundation of the Christian’s hope, and put out the light that reveals the way to Heaven." 4SP 375.1
(Rev 9:8) And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Hair of Women
‘And they had hair as the hair of women.’
The symbol of ‘hair of women’ is designed to convey the appearance of ‘holiness’. A Nazarite would grow his hair during his ‘separation unto the Lord’. The locusts masquerading as saints who have died and are now resurrected have dedicated themselves to the ‘Lord’ during their time of separation with the ‘Lord’.
(Num 6:5) All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
But in reality the locusts have long hair like women because they are stubbornly wicked and have never repented of sin:
(Jer 7:25) Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
(Jer 7:26) Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
(Jer 7:27) Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
(Jer 7:28) But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
(Jer 7:29) Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
God’s people in the above verses have been disobedient and have not received correction. They have refused to repent. If they had they would have cut off their hair and lamented their evil state.
The locusts which were once beautiful angelic beings in heaven who served the living God have fallen from their high estate. Their long hair symbolises their wicked and unrepentant condition. They have chosen to follow Satan, chosen wickedness above righteousness, and now having been released from the bottomless pit seek to gather willing followers from the ‘generation of his wrath’.
(Jud 1:5) I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
(Jud 1:6) And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
In the fifth trumpet Satan has been given the key to the bottomless pit. He releases these angels from their everlasting chains for the time of his lying signs and wonders. Their deceptive appearance symbolised by the ‘hair of women’ aptly captures their total devotion to wickedness and unrighteousness.
Teeth of Lions
‘their teeth were as the teeth of lions.’
(Joe 1:6) For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joel refers to a nation that also have teeth like lions. It is interesting to note the advice he gives to his audience right at the beginning of his book:
(Joe 1:2) Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
(Joe 1:3) Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Joel wants us to sit up and take notice. The army he is about to describe is going to play an active role in end time events.
(Joe 1:15) Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
http://www.ewtn.com/v/experts/showmessage.asp?number=340085
The locusts have faces of men. When Satan counterfeits Christ’s coming his evil angels described as locusts will appear as the resurrected loved ones who have finally had their soul’s united with their bodies. Deception and destruction - (2Th 2:9) ... the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders is designed to deceive even the very elect:
(Mat 24:24) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
(2Co 11:13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
(2Co 11:14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(2Co 11:15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
“Moreover, the apostles, as personated by these lying spirits, are made to contradict what they wrote at the dictation of the Holy Spirit when on earth. They deny the divine origin of the Bible, and thus tear away the foundation of the Christian’s hope, and put out the light that reveals the way to Heaven." 4SP 375.1
(Rev 9:8) And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
Hair of Women
‘And they had hair as the hair of women.’
The symbol of ‘hair of women’ is designed to convey the appearance of ‘holiness’. A Nazarite would grow his hair during his ‘separation unto the Lord’. The locusts masquerading as saints who have died and are now resurrected have dedicated themselves to the ‘Lord’ during their time of separation with the ‘Lord’.
(Num 6:5) All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
But in reality the locusts have long hair like women because they are stubbornly wicked and have never repented of sin:
(Jer 7:25) Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
(Jer 7:26) Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
(Jer 7:27) Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
(Jer 7:28) But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
(Jer 7:29) Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
God’s people in the above verses have been disobedient and have not received correction. They have refused to repent. If they had they would have cut off their hair and lamented their evil state.
The locusts which were once beautiful angelic beings in heaven who served the living God have fallen from their high estate. Their long hair symbolises their wicked and unrepentant condition. They have chosen to follow Satan, chosen wickedness above righteousness, and now having been released from the bottomless pit seek to gather willing followers from the ‘generation of his wrath’.
(Jud 1:5) I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
(Jud 1:6) And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
In the fifth trumpet Satan has been given the key to the bottomless pit. He releases these angels from their everlasting chains for the time of his lying signs and wonders. Their deceptive appearance symbolised by the ‘hair of women’ aptly captures their total devotion to wickedness and unrighteousness.
Teeth of Lions
‘their teeth were as the teeth of lions.’
(Joe 1:6) For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.
Joel refers to a nation that also have teeth like lions. It is interesting to note the advice he gives to his audience right at the beginning of his book:
(Joe 1:2) Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?
(Joe 1:3) Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
Joel wants us to sit up and take notice. The army he is about to describe is going to play an active role in end time events.
(Joe 1:15) Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
The symbol of lion’s teeth in the Bible is connected with the wicked and is designed to depict the damage and destructive power that they delight in creating. Satan’s demonic host, the embodiment of wickedness have been let loose to hurt and torment.
David and Solomon referred to the wicked and their ‘lion-like’ teeth:
(Psa 57:4) My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
(Psa 58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
(Psa 58:4) Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
(Psa 58:5) Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
(Psa 58:6) Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
(Pro 30:14) There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
(Psa 7:1) Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
(Psa 7:2) Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
It is the souls of men that are at stake. Satan the destroyer of souls is at the helm of his wicked army and like lions they ravage the souls of men. But at this time the merciful and just God pleads with humanity through his two witnesses (Revelation 11:3) and he is a strong deliverer to those who cry to Him for help (Psalms 18:2).
(Rev 9:9) 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.
Breastplates of Iron
‘And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron’
The people of God are admonished to put on a ‘breastplate of righteousness’. In contrast the locust army wear breastplates of iron.
(Eph 6:13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(Eph 6:14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
The breastplate we all are encouraged to wear is also described as a breastplate of faith and love:
(1Th 5:8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Jeremiah, God’s watchman to the house of Israel describes the state of Israel in the eyes of God:
(Jer 6:27) I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
(Jer 6:28) They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
(Jer 6:29) The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
(Jer 6:30) Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Israel is described as being ‘brass and iron’ because no matter how much God remonstrated with them about their spiritual condition they would not change their evil ways.
(Jer 17:1) The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Instead of the law of God, their sin is written with a pen of iron, inscribed on the tables of their heart. Satan’s locust army have iron breastplates on because the breastplate they wear reveals the spiritual condition of their hearts. They do not obey the commandments of God and instead rebellion is etched into their hearts and minds and their very beings.
The Sound of their Wings
‘the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.’
(Joe 2:4) The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
(Joe 2:5) Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
The invading army in Joel also sounds like chariots and they are a ‘strong people set in battle array’. The wings of Satan’s angels descending to the earth make a tremendous noise comparable to the noise of many chariots and horses running to battle. The world will be enthralled with the arrival of the counterfeit Christ – Satan and the vast number of angelic beings with their wings fanning the air. The whole atmosphere seems to throb and vibrate and the sound or noise of chariots and horses comes from their wings as they descend to earth.
(Rev 9:10) And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Tails like Scorpions, and Stings in their Tails
The swarm of evil angels has been described as locusts with an array of ‘wicked’ and ‘deceptive’ characteristics – crowns of gold, faces like men, teeth like lions, breastplates of iron. Now we are told that these locusts have tails like scorpions and stings with which they hurt men. This symbolic description was used by the saviour himself to refer to demonic spirits:
(Luk 10:19) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
(Luk 10:20) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Note that Christ himself identifies and labels unclean or demonic spirits as serpents and scorpions. This promise given by our precious saviour is now and will especially during the fifth trumpet be a sure declaration that God’s witnesses can cling to as a reassurance of God’s defence of his people – ‘and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ God’s witnesses will also have power ‘over all the power of the enemy’. In the time of Satan’s lying signs and wonders the Lord will protect and empower his witnesses.
The symbol of a scorpion was used by the Lord in His instructions to Ezekiel about the message he had to give to the children of Israel:
(Eze 2:3) And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
(Eze 2:4) For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
(Eze 2:5) And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
(Eze 2:6) And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
(Eze 2:7) And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
The ‘rebellion’ of God’s people has been particularly stressed by God when communicating to Ezekiel. He is raising up Ezekiel to prophesy to the children of Israel. What is most interesting is that the Lord identifies his people as ‘briers and thorns’ and ‘scorpions’. He encourages Ezekiel to not be ‘afraid of their words’ or ‘dismayed at their looks.’ Obviously the rebellion of the people is exhibited clearly by their ‘words’ and ‘looks’. The spirit guiding the children of Israel is a rebellious one. Satan the author of sin is leading them in their rebellion against God and his evil spirits have entered their hearts and minds. They truly deserve the title of ‘scorpions’!
(1Sa 15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
The ‘scorpions’ of Israel are in close alliance with spiritual forces that resemble the sin of witchcraft or divination. They are indulging in the very ‘sin’ of arrogance and pride that Lucifer initiated in heavenly realms.
We have been able to identify clearly how scorpions are used as a symbol for unclean or demonic spirits that can possess the minds and hearts of men. Scorpions have ‘stings in their tails’ – what might these ‘stings ‘represent?
David and Solomon referred to the wicked and their ‘lion-like’ teeth:
(Psa 57:4) My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
(Psa 58:3) The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
(Psa 58:4) Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
(Psa 58:5) Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
(Psa 58:6) Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
(Pro 30:14) There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.
(Psa 7:1) Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
(Psa 7:2) Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
It is the souls of men that are at stake. Satan the destroyer of souls is at the helm of his wicked army and like lions they ravage the souls of men. But at this time the merciful and just God pleads with humanity through his two witnesses (Revelation 11:3) and he is a strong deliverer to those who cry to Him for help (Psalms 18:2).
(Rev 9:9) 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.
Breastplates of Iron
‘And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron’
The people of God are admonished to put on a ‘breastplate of righteousness’. In contrast the locust army wear breastplates of iron.
(Eph 6:13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(Eph 6:14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
The breastplate we all are encouraged to wear is also described as a breastplate of faith and love:
(1Th 5:8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
Jeremiah, God’s watchman to the house of Israel describes the state of Israel in the eyes of God:
(Jer 6:27) I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
(Jer 6:28) They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
(Jer 6:29) The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
(Jer 6:30) Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Israel is described as being ‘brass and iron’ because no matter how much God remonstrated with them about their spiritual condition they would not change their evil ways.
(Jer 17:1) The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
Instead of the law of God, their sin is written with a pen of iron, inscribed on the tables of their heart. Satan’s locust army have iron breastplates on because the breastplate they wear reveals the spiritual condition of their hearts. They do not obey the commandments of God and instead rebellion is etched into their hearts and minds and their very beings.
The Sound of their Wings
‘the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.’
(Joe 2:4) The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
(Joe 2:5) Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
The invading army in Joel also sounds like chariots and they are a ‘strong people set in battle array’. The wings of Satan’s angels descending to the earth make a tremendous noise comparable to the noise of many chariots and horses running to battle. The world will be enthralled with the arrival of the counterfeit Christ – Satan and the vast number of angelic beings with their wings fanning the air. The whole atmosphere seems to throb and vibrate and the sound or noise of chariots and horses comes from their wings as they descend to earth.
(Rev 9:10) And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Tails like Scorpions, and Stings in their Tails
The swarm of evil angels has been described as locusts with an array of ‘wicked’ and ‘deceptive’ characteristics – crowns of gold, faces like men, teeth like lions, breastplates of iron. Now we are told that these locusts have tails like scorpions and stings with which they hurt men. This symbolic description was used by the saviour himself to refer to demonic spirits:
(Luk 10:19) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
(Luk 10:20) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Note that Christ himself identifies and labels unclean or demonic spirits as serpents and scorpions. This promise given by our precious saviour is now and will especially during the fifth trumpet be a sure declaration that God’s witnesses can cling to as a reassurance of God’s defence of his people – ‘and nothing shall by any means hurt you.’ God’s witnesses will also have power ‘over all the power of the enemy’. In the time of Satan’s lying signs and wonders the Lord will protect and empower his witnesses.
The symbol of a scorpion was used by the Lord in His instructions to Ezekiel about the message he had to give to the children of Israel:
(Eze 2:3) And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.
(Eze 2:4) For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.
(Eze 2:5) And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
(Eze 2:6) And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
(Eze 2:7) And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.
The ‘rebellion’ of God’s people has been particularly stressed by God when communicating to Ezekiel. He is raising up Ezekiel to prophesy to the children of Israel. What is most interesting is that the Lord identifies his people as ‘briers and thorns’ and ‘scorpions’. He encourages Ezekiel to not be ‘afraid of their words’ or ‘dismayed at their looks.’ Obviously the rebellion of the people is exhibited clearly by their ‘words’ and ‘looks’. The spirit guiding the children of Israel is a rebellious one. Satan the author of sin is leading them in their rebellion against God and his evil spirits have entered their hearts and minds. They truly deserve the title of ‘scorpions’!
(1Sa 15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
The ‘scorpions’ of Israel are in close alliance with spiritual forces that resemble the sin of witchcraft or divination. They are indulging in the very ‘sin’ of arrogance and pride that Lucifer initiated in heavenly realms.
We have been able to identify clearly how scorpions are used as a symbol for unclean or demonic spirits that can possess the minds and hearts of men. Scorpions have ‘stings in their tails’ – what might these ‘stings ‘represent?
(Isa 9:15) The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
Once again by using scripture to explain scripture – the Bible interprets itself. The stings of scorpions come from the tail. It is clearly taught in the word that the symbol of the tail is in fact a prophet that teaches lies. The locust creatures in the fifth trumpet symbolise Satan’s wicked angels whose primary aim is to deceive and destroy. They will be false prophets telling lies to anyone they can sting.
They use their stingers to inject neurotoxic venom into their victims. As a result, their prey becomes paralyzed, making it easy for the scorpions to eat without any difficulty. Sometimes, scorpions can easily kill prey without any injection of venom at all.
https://www.orkin.com/stinging-pests/scorpions/what-do-scorpions-eat/
(Jer 14:14) Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Satan’s deceptive agents, whether clothed as angels of light, or wearing the garb of humanity and parading as saints who have returned from heaven, sting earth’s inhabitants with lies and the ‘neurotoxic’ venom of the lie poisons the minds of their victims. God’s sealed witnesses are protected from their onslaught as they keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
(Rev 9:5) 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.
(Rev 9:6) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
The torment or anguish experienced by the victims of the scorpions or evil angels is real. This is the time of the third angel’s message given by the two witnesses:
(Rev 14:9) And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
(Rev 14:10) The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
(Rev 14:11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Once individuals make a decision to accept the mark of the beast instead of listening to the two witnesses they are tormented by their decision and Satan’s evil spirits. Joel describes this torment in an interesting way:
(Joe 2:6) Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
(Joe 2:7) They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
(Joe 2:8) Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
(Joe 2:9) They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
The people are in pain or tormented by this army of Satan’s angels. Note the description of the army itself: they do not break their ranks meaning they are very organised and hell-bent on ensuring they can sting or deceive as many individuals as they can.
This army cannot be destroyed by earthly means. Being demonic spirits no earthly weapon can destroy them – ‘when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.’
Satan’s demonic agents also have the ability to materialise anywhere or in front of anyone that is not protected by God. They shall truly enter in at the windows like a thief. No earthly security system can prevent them from entering into the privacy of people’s homes. They can appear anytime and anywhere. They also love to frequent the darkness, making the night a particular time when they will torment their victims. Is it any wonder ‘they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image.’
(Rev 9:6) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Because those who have accepted the mark of the beast are possessed by demonic spirits even though some of them desire to die the demons that control them will not allow them to accomplish their desire.
Their Power was to Hurt Men Five Months.
A time period of five months is mentioned twice in the description of the first woe or fifth trumpet (Revelation 9:5 and 9:10). This equates to a 150 day time period each month equivalent to 30 days. This trumpet is sounding within the time period of the 1260 days or 42 months of Revelation 11. The two witnesses – God’s people are prophesying in sackcloth and are preaching the three angel’s messages and the soon return of Jesus Christ. This is still the time of mercy for those hearing and getting the opportunity to respond to this message for the first time. Unfortunately the door of mercy has closed to those who knew the truth and didn’t act upon it. The judgment has taken place for God’s professed people – their cases are decided.
(1Pe 4:17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
A parallel for God’s people exists when we revisit the time of the worldwide flood in Genesis:
(Gen 7:24) And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
(Gen 8:3) And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
Noah and his family were protected in the ark by God and the angels sent to ensure their safety during the cataclysmic flood which covered the whole earth. The appearance of Satan and his evil horde represented as a locust army in Revelation 9 and Joel 1 and 2 during the fifth trumpet is the time specified in 2 Thessalonians:
(2Th 2:9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
He has been granted ‘all power’ when given the key to the bottomless pit. During the five months or one hundred and fifty days of the fifth trumpet his demonic angels can torment or hurt any person who has not received the seal of God. Those who have been sealed in contrast are protected from Satan’s devilish designs for the five months or one hundred and fifty days of the fifth trumpet. Noah’s family on the ark were also protected and safe from harm within the ark for the same time period of one hundred and fifty days.
Our analysis of the fifth trumpet is almost complete. The incredible comparisons between the locust army of Revelation 9 and the army in Joel chapter 2 is worth examining in closer detail especially when considered in the light of a statement by Ellen White:
The second chapter of Joel speaks of the judgments that will come upon the world for their iniquity: Ms18-1904.16
Once again by using scripture to explain scripture – the Bible interprets itself. The stings of scorpions come from the tail. It is clearly taught in the word that the symbol of the tail is in fact a prophet that teaches lies. The locust creatures in the fifth trumpet symbolise Satan’s wicked angels whose primary aim is to deceive and destroy. They will be false prophets telling lies to anyone they can sting.
They use their stingers to inject neurotoxic venom into their victims. As a result, their prey becomes paralyzed, making it easy for the scorpions to eat without any difficulty. Sometimes, scorpions can easily kill prey without any injection of venom at all.
https://www.orkin.com/stinging-pests/scorpions/what-do-scorpions-eat/
(Jer 14:14) Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Satan’s deceptive agents, whether clothed as angels of light, or wearing the garb of humanity and parading as saints who have returned from heaven, sting earth’s inhabitants with lies and the ‘neurotoxic’ venom of the lie poisons the minds of their victims. God’s sealed witnesses are protected from their onslaught as they keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).
(Rev 9:5) 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.
(Rev 9:6) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
The torment or anguish experienced by the victims of the scorpions or evil angels is real. This is the time of the third angel’s message given by the two witnesses:
(Rev 14:9) And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
(Rev 14:10) The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
(Rev 14:11) And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Once individuals make a decision to accept the mark of the beast instead of listening to the two witnesses they are tormented by their decision and Satan’s evil spirits. Joel describes this torment in an interesting way:
(Joe 2:6) Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
(Joe 2:7) They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
(Joe 2:8) Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
(Joe 2:9) They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
The people are in pain or tormented by this army of Satan’s angels. Note the description of the army itself: they do not break their ranks meaning they are very organised and hell-bent on ensuring they can sting or deceive as many individuals as they can.
This army cannot be destroyed by earthly means. Being demonic spirits no earthly weapon can destroy them – ‘when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.’
Satan’s demonic agents also have the ability to materialise anywhere or in front of anyone that is not protected by God. They shall truly enter in at the windows like a thief. No earthly security system can prevent them from entering into the privacy of people’s homes. They can appear anytime and anywhere. They also love to frequent the darkness, making the night a particular time when they will torment their victims. Is it any wonder ‘they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image.’
(Rev 9:6) And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Because those who have accepted the mark of the beast are possessed by demonic spirits even though some of them desire to die the demons that control them will not allow them to accomplish their desire.
Their Power was to Hurt Men Five Months.
A time period of five months is mentioned twice in the description of the first woe or fifth trumpet (Revelation 9:5 and 9:10). This equates to a 150 day time period each month equivalent to 30 days. This trumpet is sounding within the time period of the 1260 days or 42 months of Revelation 11. The two witnesses – God’s people are prophesying in sackcloth and are preaching the three angel’s messages and the soon return of Jesus Christ. This is still the time of mercy for those hearing and getting the opportunity to respond to this message for the first time. Unfortunately the door of mercy has closed to those who knew the truth and didn’t act upon it. The judgment has taken place for God’s professed people – their cases are decided.
(1Pe 4:17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
A parallel for God’s people exists when we revisit the time of the worldwide flood in Genesis:
(Gen 7:24) And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
(Gen 8:3) And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
Noah and his family were protected in the ark by God and the angels sent to ensure their safety during the cataclysmic flood which covered the whole earth. The appearance of Satan and his evil horde represented as a locust army in Revelation 9 and Joel 1 and 2 during the fifth trumpet is the time specified in 2 Thessalonians:
(2Th 2:9) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
He has been granted ‘all power’ when given the key to the bottomless pit. During the five months or one hundred and fifty days of the fifth trumpet his demonic angels can torment or hurt any person who has not received the seal of God. Those who have been sealed in contrast are protected from Satan’s devilish designs for the five months or one hundred and fifty days of the fifth trumpet. Noah’s family on the ark were also protected and safe from harm within the ark for the same time period of one hundred and fifty days.
Our analysis of the fifth trumpet is almost complete. The incredible comparisons between the locust army of Revelation 9 and the army in Joel chapter 2 is worth examining in closer detail especially when considered in the light of a statement by Ellen White:
The second chapter of Joel speaks of the judgments that will come upon the world for their iniquity: Ms18-1904.16
In the first chapter of Joel conditions are described that exist on earth during the time when the Day of the Lord is at hand. Fire has burned pastures and trees and rivers have dried up. When you consider the first few trumpets in Revelation the first trumpet involves devastation of grass and trees by fire. In the third trumpet what waters exist after an asteroid impact are poisoned. Fire will often take place during dry conditions and periods when drought is prevalent. Rivers will stop flowing and dry up.
God’s two witnesses during their prophesying in sackcloth for forty two months (1260 days) will like Elijah announce that rain will not fall:
(Rev 11:6) These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
The time period Joel is prophesying about is during the time of the three years and six months prophecy of God’s end time witnesses. The three angel’s messages are sounding and the fourth angel of Revelation has united with them swelling their message into a loud cry.
God’s two witnesses during their prophesying in sackcloth for forty two months (1260 days) will like Elijah announce that rain will not fall:
(Rev 11:6) These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
The time period Joel is prophesying about is during the time of the three years and six months prophecy of God’s end time witnesses. The three angel’s messages are sounding and the fourth angel of Revelation has united with them swelling their message into a loud cry.
Joel announces in the second chapter that God’s people need to ‘blow the trumpet in Zion’. It is imperative that the alarm be sounded because ‘a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like’ are going to arise. God’s people need to be prepared spiritually before these people or this army appear. It is interesting to note that behind this army a flame burneth. The devastation of the first four trumpets and the lack of rain during this time has already been noted in Joel chapter one. In the description of this army by John the Revelator they arise out of smoke which connects with the reference Joel has made to fire devouring before them. The locust army of Revelation is instructed not to ‘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.’ Joel’s refers to: ‘the land is as the garden of Eden before them.’ This army is forbidden from hurting the grass, trees and other green things. Joel’s prophecy identifies specifically the timing of the arrival of this army or great nation and John confirms it. Even though there are still some places on earth which have not been impacted on by the fires and are referred to as being like the ‘Garden of Eden’ this army cannot ‘hurt’ the plants and trees.
(Rev 9:11) 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.
(Rev 9:12) One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
Satan is the king over the locust/scorpion horde and he will have the key of the bottomless pit till the coming of Christ when he is cast into the pit and a seal placed upon him preventing him from deceiving the nations until he is loosed at the end of his one thousand year sentence:
(Rev 20:1) And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
(Rev 20:2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
(Rev 20:3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Two more woes are to come and Satan and his demons are deceiving individuals and nations to the best of their ability. He knows his time is short!
(Rev 12:12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Conclusion
The book of Joel is designed to be a specific encouragement to God’s people in the last days. It describes the impacts of God’s judgments – the seven trumpets and particularly focuses on the fifth trumpet and the arrival of Satan’s army and how they will conduct their warfare of torment.
Joel stresses the importance of repentance and heart preparation for the events God’s people will need to meet in the last days. God will hear them and provide for their needs. He details events that will happen in the last days - (Joe 2:30) And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. God’s witnesses will be empowered with the latter rain to give the final call to anyone that will listen and respond to the three angel’s messages and the fourth angel’s message to flee Babylon before it is ever too late. Multitudes are in the valley of decision (Joel 3:14). The time of the Gentiles is soon to be fulfilled (Revelation 11:2).
The northern army belonging to the King of the North will come to its end. The great controversy between Satan and Christ is almost over! What amazing reassurance Joel gives us of events soon to take place! It is incredible to contemplate that God gave Joel a message about the fifth trumpet locust army hundreds of years before John the Revelator received his seven trumpet vision. God wants his people to be prepared for the time of Satan’s lying signs and wonders before it happens. Are you ready to meet your saviour today? Would Christ pour out upon you his Holy Spirit in the form of the latter rain? Will you be sealed before the fifth trumpet sounds? These are all serious questions we need to individually answer.
(Joe 2:13) And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
May God continue to bless and guide you in your soul preparation for the incredible events that are soon to take place culminating in the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The author of this study is happy to receive your thoughts on this topic. Please email them to [email protected] We can all learn from each other - Joel called it a ‘solemn assembly’ (Joel 2:15).
Are we to wait until the fulfilment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until the judgments fall upon the transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we see the things foretold come to pass before we will believe what he has said? In clear, distinct rays light has come to us, showing that the great day of the Lord is at hand, “even at the door.” Let us read and understand, before it is too late. RH July 28, 1904, par. 13
(Rev 9:12) One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
Satan is the king over the locust/scorpion horde and he will have the key of the bottomless pit till the coming of Christ when he is cast into the pit and a seal placed upon him preventing him from deceiving the nations until he is loosed at the end of his one thousand year sentence:
(Rev 20:1) And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
(Rev 20:2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
(Rev 20:3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Two more woes are to come and Satan and his demons are deceiving individuals and nations to the best of their ability. He knows his time is short!
(Rev 12:12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
Conclusion
The book of Joel is designed to be a specific encouragement to God’s people in the last days. It describes the impacts of God’s judgments – the seven trumpets and particularly focuses on the fifth trumpet and the arrival of Satan’s army and how they will conduct their warfare of torment.
Joel stresses the importance of repentance and heart preparation for the events God’s people will need to meet in the last days. God will hear them and provide for their needs. He details events that will happen in the last days - (Joe 2:30) And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. God’s witnesses will be empowered with the latter rain to give the final call to anyone that will listen and respond to the three angel’s messages and the fourth angel’s message to flee Babylon before it is ever too late. Multitudes are in the valley of decision (Joel 3:14). The time of the Gentiles is soon to be fulfilled (Revelation 11:2).
The northern army belonging to the King of the North will come to its end. The great controversy between Satan and Christ is almost over! What amazing reassurance Joel gives us of events soon to take place! It is incredible to contemplate that God gave Joel a message about the fifth trumpet locust army hundreds of years before John the Revelator received his seven trumpet vision. God wants his people to be prepared for the time of Satan’s lying signs and wonders before it happens. Are you ready to meet your saviour today? Would Christ pour out upon you his Holy Spirit in the form of the latter rain? Will you be sealed before the fifth trumpet sounds? These are all serious questions we need to individually answer.
(Joe 2:13) And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
May God continue to bless and guide you in your soul preparation for the incredible events that are soon to take place culminating in the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The author of this study is happy to receive your thoughts on this topic. Please email them to [email protected] We can all learn from each other - Joel called it a ‘solemn assembly’ (Joel 2:15).
Are we to wait until the fulfilment of the prophecies of the end before we say anything concerning them? Of what value will our words be then? Shall we wait until the judgments fall upon the transgressor before we tell him how to avoid them? Where is our faith in the word of God? Must we see the things foretold come to pass before we will believe what he has said? In clear, distinct rays light has come to us, showing that the great day of the Lord is at hand, “even at the door.” Let us read and understand, before it is too late. RH July 28, 1904, par. 13
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