Daily Thought

The fifth and sixth trumpet judgements, described here in vivid symbolical language, will probably occur after the mid-point of the tribulation, when Satan is cast down from heaven and confined to the earth, Rev. 12. 7-9. Then his malevolent wrath against mankind will become fully apparent. But God will overrule his wrath to punish all unbelievers by releasing demonic forces against them. Satan cannot go beyond the will of God, who is always in absolutely sovereign control of His world.

Verses 1 to 12 describe the first woe, the fifth trumpet judgement. Satan must be the star fallen from heaven to whom is given the key of the bottomless pit, the prison-house of evil spirits. From it, amid noxious clouds of smoke, will march out vast hordes of locust-like creatures who have authority to sting men like scorpions, and to torment them thus for five months, but not to kill them. John’s description of them is highly symbolical, but literally true, not fictitious. Their king will be Apollyon, the evil destroying angel of the abyss. But they cannot harm believers, who have the protecting seal of God in their foreheads. Even then God will ‘remember His own’!

Verses 13 to 21 describe the second woe, the sixth trumpet judgement. Another angel of God gives permission to release four evil angels held captive at the River Euphrates ready for this very time and purpose. Then a huge army of 200 million horsemen emerges to kill a third of earth’s remaining population. Unless Christ returns to stop this tribulation holocaust, no one would be left alive on earth. By its end probably over three quarters of the world’s population will have died. The obviously figurative description of these bizarre horses suggests that this is another supernatural demonic army, not an ordinary human one, from Asia. Some commentators link this invasion with the one in chapter 16. But that seems different, since it concerns the later final bowl judgements, not the trumpet judgements here.

Sadly, the surviving unbelievers will still refuse to repent. Demon worship, idolatry, violence, sorcery, immorality, and robbery will flourish. What terrible days lie ahead for unbelievers especially! But how hard are their hearts set against God!