Blessed Are Those: A Journey through Revelation – Part 10

The Final Trumpets - Rev 9:1-21

Crosspoint – Dave Spooner – March 9th, 2025

Intro:

• Today is part 10 of our 21 week series entitled “Blessed Are Those: A Journey through Revelation.” Our key verse for this series is Revelation 1:3: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” (NIV).
• So far in our series, we have seen Jesus in His glory (ch 1), the letters to the seven churches (ch 2-3), the throne room of heaven (ch 4), and the Lamb who was worthy to open the scroll that revealed the sovereign plan for all creation (ch 5). We have seen God’s merciful judgments on sin through the breaking of the seals and heard the martyrs’ voices crying out for justice (ch 6). We have seen God marking His people and pronounce His promise to take care of us and wipe away every tear from our eyes (ch 7).
• We have beheld heaven’s sounds and the silence, from roaring thunder to complete silence as attentive ears hear the prayers of God’s people. Then trumpets are blown, announcing greater judgment on the earth and a warning to the people of the earth of the final three trumpets to sound (ch 8).
• This is where we pick up our text for today in chapter 9, where we will read about two more trumpets being blown, what happens when they are blown, and a summary statement about the condition of the hearts of those who are left.
• This is a dark and difficult chapter filled with terrifying images of demonic activity. From it, we will come away with a clear and concrete understanding of the nature of God, evil, and humanity. We will see that God limits evil and protects His children and that God reveals the true nature of evil and humanity.
• We are going to read this chapter in its entirety and then make our observations, deductions, and applications. Again, this chapter is broken up into three main sections: the fifth trumpet, the sixth trumpet, and a summary reflection.
• There are three main understandings of these things we are going to read about. The first is that all of this has already happened, the second is that this is ongoing, and the third is that this is completely in the future. My personal opinion is that these things are ongoing because people are sealed by the Holy Spirit when they are saved (Eph 1:13). There is ongoing demonic activity as seen in the Gospels and Acts, along with other teachings of Scripture (Eph 6, etc.), and we are told that these things will be getting worse over time (see Matt 24).

Rev 9 NIV

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).

 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 sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur 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.

God limits evil

 There is some good news despite all the darkness and difficulty of this passage. God limits evil. We see this in many places in this passage, and I have underlined them. For instance, the star was given the key to the abyss (v. 1). The locus were given power (v. 3). They were told what not to harm (grass, plants, trees) and told only to inflict people without the seal (v. 4). They were told they could not kill anyone and were restricted to five months to torment people (v. 5). The demonic cavalry were released when God said they would be (v. 14-15), and they could only kill a third of mankind (v. 15, 18). God clearly sets limits on evil.

• Now, this may mess with your theology a little. If you think evil is rebellion against God, you are correct. However, God is still sovereign, and even demonic powers are under submission to Him. These creatures have chosen what side they will be on, either following God or fighting against Him. There is also a purpose for evil to exist, or else it would not exist. Evil exists as evidence of the nature of the creature, in both supernatural angels and natural humans (2 Thes 1:5-10, James 5:3, 1 Cor 4:4-5). Evil is allowed as an element and an obstacle to overcome, as well as as a trial and test for people to demonstrate their faith and maturity (James 1:3, 1 Peter 1:7-9). Evil exists to glorify God in contrast to His goodness and to demonstrate His justice (Rom 9:19-23, Col 3:5-11).
• It is also good to note that God does not merely wait until Christ’s return to act in history on behalf of justice. He brings justice along the way and will deal with it once and for all. It will exist for a time, but not for all time. When evil has fulfilled its purpose, it will be no more. It does not have free reign but is under the reign of God.

 God protects His children

 Here is some more good news from this passage: God protects His children. Did you notice this in verse 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. God is the only one who can protect you from demonic forces.

• When does a person receive the “seal of God?” Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (NIV). These demonic hordes can not harm you because you have believed and therefore have the seal of God, which is the Holy Spirit.
• The Apostle John reminds us, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NIV). This gives us great confidence, strength, and power.
• Jesus sent out 72 of His followers to go before Him and minister and prepare people’s hearts to receive Him. They came back to Jesus and said:

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20 NIV).

 This passage points to the eternity and sovereignty of Jesus, who saw Satan fall like “lightning from heaven.” Note that Christ has given His followers “authority to trample on snakes and scorpions.” This is the description of the demons in our passage; they will not harm you. This is great news! But we must remember, our power over Satan and his demonic forces is not the greatest thing. The greatest thing is not that we have overcome them, but that we have been saved from sin and death, that our names are written in heaven. This is a great reminder for us to rejoice and run to God for protection and salvation.

 God reveals the true nature of evil

 Demons are an active reality in this fallen world. Their best tactic is to go unnoticed and trick people into believing they are something other than what they are. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). He is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). We have a great need to see evil for what it is.

• The symbolic description of these destructive agents signals that they are no ordinary locusts. They are swift like war horses (Joel 2:4), crowned like princes (Nah 3:17), intelligent like humans (Dan 7:8), vicious like lions (Joel 1:6), and clad for battle with breastplates and chariots (Joel 2:5). They are fast, furious and fatal. They come from the pit itself, bringing darkness and torment and death. Their leader is called “the destroyer,” and they come after their own followers, those who “worship” them or follow them or are influenced by them in some way. They promise “heaven” but give you hell. They trap you with their lies. Notice what comes out of their mouths, “fire, smoke, sulfur” (v. 17). They sting and kill you in the end. The tail is a stinger like a scorpion (v. 10), or like a venomous snake (v. 19). They get worse and worse (from locust to lion) and are exceedingly numerous (v. 16).
• The primary battleground is in your mind. Paul tells us:

2 Cor 10:3-5 ESV

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.

 The weapon that we have is the “word of God” (Eph 6:17), which must be used to destroy arguments and opinions raised against the knowledge of God, the truth of who He is and what He says. We see how the devil works from the opening pages of Gen 3, where he twists the words of God to to sound like they mean something other than what they mean.

• Peter instructs us that we must “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV). Be alert, be aware, resist him with the truth and stand firm in your faith. Don’t give him a “foothold” in your life through your sin. Confess it and turn from it (Eph 4:26-28) so that you can live in freedom to do God’s will (Heb 12:1-4, see also Eph 5:11-21).

God reveals the true nature of hearts

• The last couple of sentences from this chapter are revealing as well. All of this torment is allowed to show the nature of the hearts of those who do not believe in the one true God.

Rev. 9:20-21 NIV

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.

• God, in His merciful judgments, provides people the option and opportunity to see evil for what it is and to turn, repent, and flee from it. However, if one is bent on evil, he will become increasingly so, continuing to “double-down” in the same direction (see Rom 1:18-32, 2 Tim 3:13). If we follow or worship or love anything other than the one true God—the One who sits on the throne—and Jesus the Christ, we will be ensnared by our sin, participate in evil, and be destroyed and tormented in the process.

Conclusion

• Revelation 9 is a sobering passage, filled with terrifying images of judgment and demonic torment, but even in the darkness, we see God’s sovereignty, His protection of His people, and His revelation of truth. This chapter reminds us of the seriousness of sin, the reality of spiritual warfare, and the ultimate triumph of God’s justice. So how should we respond?
  • Trust in God’s Sovereignty – Evil is real, but it is not ultimate. God sets the limits of evil, and even the most terrifying forces of darkness cannot operate outside of His control. This should give us peace and confidence, even in troubled times. When we see chaos in the world, we must remember that God is still on the throne, and His purposes will prevail.
  • Rest in God’s Protection – For those who belong to Christ, the enemy has no ultimate power over us. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and nothing can separate us from God’s love. This should encourage us to walk in faith and not in fear. We are in a battle, but we do not fight alone—the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world.
  • Be Spiritually Alert – The devil is a deceiver, and his primary battleground is in our minds. We must take every thought captive to Christ, resist the lies of the enemy, and stand firm in the truth of God’s Word. The enemy seeks to lure us away from God’s truth through sin, false ideologies, and spiritual complacency. We must be watchful, sober-minded, and grounded in the Scriptures.
  • Repent and Call Others to Repentance – One of the most tragic aspects of this passage is that, despite all they endure, people still refuse to repent. This is a warning to us. Hard hearts do not soften on their own—they either turn to God in surrender or become increasingly hardened. If there is unrepented sin in our lives, now is the time to confess and turn back to the Lord. And as followers of Christ, we must urgently call others to repentance, pointing them to the only One who can save.
  • Rejoice in Our Salvation – As Jesus told His disciples, the greatest joy is not in our power over the enemy but in the fact that our names are written in heaven. We have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son. This should fill us with gratitude, hope, and a renewed desire to live for Christ.
• As we reflect on Revelation 9, let us remember that the forces of evil, no matter how terrifying, are temporary. God’s justice will prevail, and His kingdom will endure forever. Our call is to stand firm, stay faithful, and proclaim the hope of the gospel to a world in desperate need of salvation. Let us live with urgency, faith, and confidence, knowing that our God reigns.

Benediction

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He strengthen you to stand firm in the face of evil, trusting in His sovereignty and resting in His protection. Go in the peace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to love and serve Him boldly, until the day He returns in glory. Amen.

Our prayer team is available to pray with you after the service near the “Prayer” sign at the front of the sanctuary and also in the prayer room, next to the offices.

 Questions for Growth Groups

1. Understanding God’s Sovereignty over Evil
   • Revelation 9 presents terrifying images of judgment and demonic activity, yet we see that God limits evil. How does this passage challenge or reinforce your understanding of God’s sovereignty? How does this truth bring comfort in a world that seems increasingly chaotic?
2. God’s Protection of His People
   • Verse 4 states that the demonic forces were only permitted to harm those who did not have the seal of God. What does it mean for a believer to be “sealed” by God (Ephesians 1:13-14)? How does this truth impact how we face spiritual battles in our daily lives?
3. Spiritual Warfare and the Battle for Our Minds
   • 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 tells us that our primary battleground is in our thoughts. How does the enemy seek to deceive and influence people today? What are some practical ways we can “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor 10:5)?
4. The Danger of Hard Hearts
   • Revelation 9:20-21 describes people who, despite experiencing judgment, still refuse to repent. What does this reveal about the nature of sin and the human heart? How can we guard against spiritual complacency or hardness in our own lives?
5. Recognizing and Resisting Evil
   • The demonic forces in this passage are described as deceptive and destructive. Satan often disguises himself as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). What are some ways the enemy masquerades as good in our culture? How can we discern truth from deception?
6. Living with Urgency and Hope
   • Knowing that the forces of evil are temporary and that God’s justice will prevail, how should this shape the way we live? How can we actively share the hope of the gospel with those who are still blinded to the truth?
7. Rejoicing in Our Salvation
   • In Luke 10:20, Jesus reminds His disciples that their greatest joy should not be in their authority over demons, but in the fact that their names are written in heaven. How does this perspective help us maintain a Christ-centered focus in our spiritual walk?

Bonus Challenge:
Spend time in prayer this week asking God to strengthen your faith, help you recognize the enemy’s schemes, and give you boldness to share the gospel with those who are far from Him.