Sermon for Pilgrim Church 20/3/22
This week we have arrived at a new set of plagues, announced by trumpets. The first six of these are described in chapters 8 and 9. We have already discussed the first five verses of chapter 8. But we need to revisit these before going onto verse 6.
“And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them” (Rev. 8:2 NIV).
There are a series of seven things in Revelation. We have already looked at the seven seals on the scroll. In chapter 8 and then the end of chapter 11 there are seven trumpets. Chapter 15 has seven plagues, poured out of seven bowls. These different sevens seem to be covering the same period of time – that is, the church age – from different angles. This is implied by the fact that each of the seals, trumpets and bowl plagues ends with same thing: thunder, lightning and earthquake (8:5; 11:19; 16:18). The seals, trumpets and bowl plagues differ from one another but they are not consecutive. They are simply different perspectives on what is happening in the world until the return of Christ. When we pick up again in 8:6, the seven trumpets are about to be sounded.
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water– 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. (Rev. 8:6-13 NIV).
The seven trumpets are modelled on the trumpets sounded before the conquest of Jericho. In Josh 6, the fighting men of Israel marched around the city of Jericho for six days, led by seven priests carrying trumpets, marching in front of the ark of the covenant. No one was to say a word or make a war cry for the first six days. On the seventh day, the army and the priests went around seven times. When the final blast of the trumpets sounded, the army sent up a war cry and the walls fell down. In Revelation 8, the trumpet blasts begin with silence in heaven (8:1). The angels with trumpets are leading the holy war of the people of God. In chapter 7, there was a list of the number of people from each tribe of Israel that were sealed by God. In the Old Testament, these kinds of lists were made to number the fighting men (e.g., Num 1; 1 Chron 7). The idea is that listing the number from each tribe is actually an allusion to God’s people as holy warriors. However, continuing the Jericho reference, it is the trumpet blowing which brings about the defeat of the enemy more than anything else. At the sound of the seventh trumpet the wicked inhabitants of the earth will be judged, just like the wicked inhabitants of Jericho were killed at the sound of the trumpets on the seventh day.
The plagues let loose by the trumpets are modelled on the plagues of Egypt and the locust plague in Joel 1-2. There were ten plagues in Egypt: water turning to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. Psalm 78:43-51 recounts the plagues of Egypt with only seven plagues (river into blood, flies, frogs, locusts, hail, death of livestock, death of firstborn). Psalm 105:27-36 also mentions only seven plagues (darkness, waters to blood, frogs, flies/gnats, hail, locusts, death of firstborn). These are not in the same order as the account in Exodus. Because of the comparison, the trumpet plagues are most likely directed against the unbelieving world. In Exodus, the plagues were targeted at the Egyptians; after the first three plagues, God did not bring the plagues on the Hebrews but only on the Egyptians (Exod. 8:22-23; 10:21-23). This suggests that the church may experience some but not all of these plagues. The plagues will culminate in the final judgment and also the exodus of God’s people from the world (where they are treated as slaves) and into God’s eternal kingdom.
As with the rest of the book, I doubt that we should understand these as literal. The parallels with the plagues of Egypt are present: hail, blood, contaminated waters, darkness. There are also parallels with the results of the seals opening: the earth, trees and grass being burned up would cause food insecurity. The sea creatures dying and the ships being destroyed would add to that problem. The bitter water that no one can drink is connected to this. The security of the earthly things is taken away: food shortages, transportation problems, and water contamination. These are all things we are familiar with and which we know are a terrible problem. Even the little we have experienced with the flooding of the rail line between the East and WA gives us a taste of what is more extreme in other parts of the world. The people who live on the earth set their hearts on earthly things and do not trust in God. Therefore, the removal of the things which give earthly security will expose their idolatry.
We could look at this more symbolically. Looking at these things symbolically makes a lot more sense than trying to find current events that fit a particular trumpet plague. The writer of Revelation used these symbols in order to evoke the stories and events from elsewhere in the Bible. I expect the idea was that anyone in the government of the day reading the book would have no clue what it meant. This means that Christians could say things in code that might get them in a lot of trouble if they did not use code, like calling the Emperor a beast (that comes later in the book).
Fire represents judgement repeatedly in the OT. For example, “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Babylon’s thick wall will be levelled and her high gates set on fire; the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing, the nations’ labour is only fuel for the flames’” (Jer. 51:58 NIV). The star that fell to earth in v 10 is not a literal star because there is no star called Wormwood. It is more likely an angel (or demonic angel) (compare 1:20) bringing bitter judgement, perhaps as the power behind a wicked nation. The fourth plague is darkness, which probably symbolises the fact that unbelievers are walking in the darkness (e.g., John 3:19), rejecting God and living in the futility of their idol worship. Each of these first four plagues affect one third of the world. This means they are partial judgements. Yet, they are serious enough that we may call this a de-creation of the earth. At the end of Revelation there is a new creation, where the saints will dwell forever.
“As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in mid-air call out in a loud voice: ‘Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!’” (Rev. 8:13 NIV).
An eagle flying in mid-air refers to a severe trial, a swift destruction (Deut 28:49; Jer 48:40; 49:22; Hab 1:8). There are three woes to come. These are very specifically directed against the wicked, “the inhabitants of the earth”. Although the saints may be impacted by the earlier trumpet blasts, they are not impacted by the woes.
1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). (Rev. 9:1-11 NIV)
The trumpet plagues of chapter 9 are difficult to interpret. Many people have interpreted these in terms of military hardware only available in the 20th or 21st century, but unknown to the writer and original reader. This is not a consistent way of interpreting the visions. We are aware that the whole book is symbolic and full of allusions to OT events and symbols. To interpret this passage in a way that steps outside these bounds is inconsistent and anomalous. It also makes no sense to assume that John is referring to something which would have no meaning at all to the first readers for whom it was clearly written. How could they be encouraged by a reference to future military technology? It is best, therefore, to interpret the fifth and sixth plague in accordance with the symbolic nature of the book.
The fifth trumpet sends forth locusts, which are an allusion to the army of locusts found in Joel 1-2. The first two chapters of Joel describe a terrible plague of locusts, who came and wiped out every edible thing in the land. They are described in various ways: a mighty army with the teeth of a lion (Joel 1:6), like horses (2:4), an army like fire (2:5), causing anguish (2:6), shaking the earth and darkening the sun, moon and stars (2:10). Several times Joel warns that the day of the Lord is near (1:15; 2:1-2, 11, 31). That day is one of darkness, doom and blackness (2:2) and on that day “The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon to blood” (2:31). The locusts might be an enemy of Israel but they came as the army of the Lord (2:11) against the wickedness of the nation. Joel referred to a plague of literal locusts, but his description is full of metaphors.
Revelation has many similarities to Joel: the sun was darkened, the locusts cause anguish, they have lion’s teeth, they are dressed in armour like warriors going into battle, and sound like horses. The locusts in both cases are sent as a judgement from God. But there are definite differences. Joel’s locusts ate plants, but the Revelation locusts harm people. The harm they inflict is not death but only torture and agony, causing people to want to die.
The most important difference is that the locusts in Revelation are demonic locusts instead of insects. We know that they are an army of demons for a few reasons. First, the star fallen from the sky to the earth is an angelic being (the stars in 1:20 are clearly angels). The Abyss is the abode of demons (see Luke 8:30-31). The locusts who come out of the Abyss must therefore be demons. Lastly, verse 11 says that their king is called Abaddon or Apollyon, meaning destroyer. No doubt this is the devil himself. They have something like crowns of gold on their heads. These represent temporary authority.
The question is then what is the meaning of the scorpion stings which torment people. The first clue is that those who are sealed by God are not hurt by the demonic locusts. This makes this plague different from the earlier plagues. If it were something physical, we would expect that it would have an impact on the saints as well as the wicked, because the wars and famines and death don’t discriminate. On a few occasions, scorpions are used metaphorically in the OT (1 Kings 12:11, 14; 2 Chron 10:11, 14; Ezek 2:6) to mean great harshness and opposition. In the NT, Jesus promised that the disciples would have power over serpents and scorpions and the power of the enemy, implying that scorpions, like serpents, are a metaphor for demons (Luke 10:19). What do demons do to torment people?
Since demons blind people to the gospel (2 Cor 4:4), they live in a state of unforgiveness with no hope for any relief from guilt. Therefore, demonic locusts torment people with their lost condition and distance from the God who gives life. Consider what it is like to live without hope and with no possibility of ridding yourself of guilt and shame. This drives people to all manner of addiction and alcoholism and pleasure-seeking sinfulness, which leads to more guilt and shame. People deep down know that they are far from God and that judgement awaits them after death. This may be one reason why people don’t die because of the locusts. They may want to die yet not want to face the final judgement. We know that in our society, people fool themselves into believing there is nothing beyond death in order to ignore that torment. Psychological torment because of unforgiveness does not affect the saints, who know that they are forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. We do not have to fear the final judgement because we are clothed with Christ.
Twice in this passage, five months is mentioned. The lifetime of locusts is somewhere between three and five months. If five months is the general lifetime of a particular kind of locust, this would make sense of the locusts tormenting people for five months. The demons have been given a limited amount of time to have any authority over people. They know that their time is short (Rev 12:12). The locust torment is for a fixed amount of time, a time known to God. However, this is not good news for the ungodly because it is followed by something worse.
12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come. 13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulphur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulphur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury. 20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood– idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev. 9:12-21 NIV)
Remember that there are three woes (8:13) and now one is past. The third woe won’t happen until chapter 11. The sixth angel sounding his trumpet unleashes the second woe. A voice comes from the four horns of the altar. The altar is where the saints cried out for God to avenge their blood (6:9-10; 8:1-5). The voice commands, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates”. We should no more take this as literal geography than any of the numbers, pictures or events in the book. The Euphrates was a river boundary at the north of the territory promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18). Beyond it, to the north, lay enemies of Israel, like Babylon, who sometimes were let loose by God and came to attack Israel as judgement from God. A huge army is unleashed by the sixth angel, an army which is clearly bent on war and slaughter. This army is only let loose at an appointed time. We might assume that being the sixth trumpet that this is the penultimate judgement before the end.
The number is huge: twice ten thousand time ten thousand. The number ten is symbolic of all so this number suggests too many to be counted twice over. I don’t believe we should be looking for a nation with an army of 200 million because that would be misleading. The number is not literal and this army is, like the locusts, a demonic army. The horses have snakes for tails. Every other time that serpents are mentioned in Revelation this refers to the devil (12:9, 14, 15, 20:2). Like the fifth trumpet plague, this is directed against the ungodly. Verses 20-21 say that the people not killed by the army will not repent of their evil. Surely this does not apply to the saints.
At first I was confused by the colours of their breastplates: “fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulphur”. I tried to find a country with a large army and a flag that is red, blue and yellow. I could not. There are countries with flags this colour but not China, and only China can muster a force this strong. This whole quest is a wild goose chase because the colours are a reference to what the army does in the next verse. It is best to read these two verses together. “17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulphur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulphur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths.” Red is the colour of fire, dark blue the colour of smoke and yellow the colour of sulphur.
The plagues come from the mouths of the demonic horses, probably implying that their words are the plague. Compare this to what is in the mouth of Jesus – “out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword” (1:16) “with which to strike down the nations” (19:15). Elsewhere in the NT a metaphoric sword is the word of God (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12). The demonic counterpart to the word of God is deception. This suggests an army of demonically inspired false teachers who harm by deception. The only other place in the Bible where fire, smoke and sulphur appear together is in Gen 19:24, 28. This chapter narrates the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The demonic horses and riders kill a third of mankind. Death here presumably both physical and spiritual death.
The chapter ends on a very sad note.
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood– idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev. 9:20-21 NIV)
The judgements, like the judgements on Egypt in Exodus, do not bring about repentance. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exod 9:12; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8) and Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exod 8:15, 32) and he did not repent no matter what happened to Egypt. This is still true of many people. They refuse to turn to God regardless of what happens and continue in their idol worship and evil deeds.
Sometimes, being a Christian is just plain hard and God seems to let the wicked continue in their wickedness. The book of Revelation tells us that this is not the case. Even when there is no overt judgement on the wicked, the view from heaven shows us that the wicked are being judged even now. What that looks like on the ground can be economic insecurity, something which the church experiences as well. The difference is that the wicked are being judged while the church is being sanctified. God has given sinners over to their sin and allowed the demons to have free reign to torment sinners. This is not true of the church. We are God’s people and know his forgiveness, but sinners do not. Sinners live as people deceived by the devil and this leads inevitably to eternal death. Sinners can respond to the gospel and the torment of guilt will go away, but often they don’t. This is holy war and the church can only bring people into God’s kingdom using the spiritual weapons of the gospel and prayer.