 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; 9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. 12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. 13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. 17 And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire[c]and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Meditation God’s sovereign grace grounds believers in security and strength. Jesus reminds disciples of authority given to them saying, “I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Satan cannot hurt those held in the grip of God’s grace. Descriptions of serpents and scorpions fill out imagery of killer locusts who are the vehicles of judgement coming from opening the fifth and sixth seals. The imagery is terrifying for those who are not sealed by God’s sovereign grace. Demons released from hell will deceive (1-12) and bring death (13-19), leaving the living in suffering and struggle. The imagery is frightening, but in totality under the authority of God. As the plague of death of the firstborn led to further hardening of remaining Egyptians and Pharaoh (Exodus 12), so too these plagues have the effect of death and continuing delusion for those who remain alive and “did not repent” (20). The warning sign of God’s sovereign judgement was not welcomed by those without God’s seal. God’s just judgement eventually falls on them, too. The revelation of judgement from the fifth and sixth seals should shape Christians for strength. Believers are secure within God’s steadfast love, given authority over “all the power of the enemy.” There will be antagonism for believers until Jesus consummates His kingdom, but Satan and his demons have NO authority over children of God, those sealed by His Spirit. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Richly Dwelling -What do you feel after reading the judgement coming from opening the fifth and sixth seals? Fearful? Anxious? -What difference does it make to see God’s sovereignty in every step, the security of those sealed by Him, and the parallel of Israelites in Egypt? -Jesus took the judgement we deserve so when our faith is in Him we need not fear the just judgement God allows on those who do not know His grace. Take a moment to pray for strength to celebrate the security you have in God’s steadfast love, claiming His authority over the perceived power of the enemy. Key Verse 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk… Comments are closed.
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