According To The Scriptures:
THE BOOK OF REVELATION
THE FIFTH TRUMPET:
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 (Rev. 9:1).This star is certainly a symbolic star. We have seen in past studies that angels are called "stars" on many occasions, such as: "When the morning stars sang together" (Job 38:7).
THE SIXTH TRUMPET: 13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an [the] hour, and a [the] day, and a [the] month, and a [the] year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them (Rev. 9:13-16). The number of this army is very impressive. Let's read Rev. 16:12-16: 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16). (This will be explained more fully when the study reaches Rev. 16:12-16.) The Bible writers used horses, chariots, swords, etc., so that people of all times can understand it. If the people of Christ's days on earth had heard that tanks, trains, planes, etc., would be used in battle, they would not have known what was being talked about; but we know that chariots of old were used and have been improved to tanks, etc. This Associated Press article, printed a few years ago in The Ledger, will make you realize that Bible prophesies are being fulfilled: Turkey cuts off Euphrates waters SANLIURFA, Turkey -- President Turgut Ozal cut the flow of the Euphrates River with the push of a button Saturday, diverting its waters to a reservoir and raising fears of tension with Turkey's arid downstream neighbors.... If you have a computer, search for the dams on the Euphrates River. Now go to Rev. 9 and look at the effects of the sixth trumpet. If I understand the Scriptures correctly, this happens after the church overcomers have been caught up to sit with Jesus. We need to be prepared at all times. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. 20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts (Rev. 9:17-21). The importance of this study is to let us know how near the time must be to the coming tribulation. The only way to escape is to have faith in Jesus, Scriptural baptism, and to be an overcomer in one of the Lord's churches. Are you prepared? TRUST JESUS TO SAVE YOU! | HOME | ANSWERS | BASICS | CHARTS | DOCTRINES | | OUTLINES | STUDIES | REVELATION | SONGS |
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. 9:2).This star is called "he", which is a personal pronoun, so this "star" is a personality. A literal star could not use a key; "as the smoke" -- is not actually smoke.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads (Rev. 9:3-4).These locusts are symbolic. They are not real locusts. They do the opposite of real locusts. Real locusts live off of green grass and trees. Real locusts do not hurt men. These locusts are symbolic of something. Read on:
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.At this point, please read Joel 2:1-11 very carefully and prayerfully.
So horrible is this condition that mankind will try to commit suicide and cannot: "...and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded" (Joel 2:8).
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle [The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run (Joel 2:4)]; and on their heads were as it were [symbolic] crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.The faces of men symbolize intelligent beings. Mankind is the only intelligent earthly creation. All other earthly created beings operate by instinct.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women [enticing], and their teeth were as the teeth of lions [very destructive].
9 And they had breastplates, as it were [symbolic] breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit [Lucifer -- Satan], whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon [Destroyer].
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter (Rev. 9:8-12).Locusts have no king over them. Unlike honey bees, they have no queen. They go in swarms like smoke.
What do we have in existence on earth today that fits this description? I believe this symbolizes a religion that Satan is the head of:
"And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9).
"Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus":
"And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 41:46-47).
"And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women" (Luke 1:28). NOTICE: "Among women" -- not "above women".
"And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man" (Acts 10:25-26).
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death [not sprinkled]: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" [not Mary or saints] (I Tim. 2:5).
I believe this represents the fact that the man that is called "Pope" by the world will admit that he does not believe the Bible is the Word of God.
Trust Jesus -- He will save you!
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
