Revelation 9: Trumpets,
Darkness, and the Limits of Judgment
Introduction
(Revelation 9:1–21):
Revelation 9 unveils the fifth and sixth trumpets: God
permits fearful woes, limits their reach, distinguishes His
sealed people, and summons the persecuting world to repent.
These visions assure the saints that heaven hears prayer and
rules history in perfect wisdom and time.
Setting the Scene:
The Scroll, the Seals, and the Trumpets
Exiled on Patmos, John receives Christ’s message to the
seven churches. Chapters 4–5 lift our eyes to the throne,
where the Lamb alone opens the sealed scroll. As the seals
unfold, the martyrs cry, “How long?” God’s answer progresses
through the seventh seal and seven trumpets, showing
measured judgments in response to the saints’ prayers
(Revelation 6–8).
The Fifth Trumpet:
The Abyss and Spiritual Darkness
The fifth angel sounds. A “star” receives a key to the
abyss; smoke like a furnace darkens sun and air. Scripture
employs darkness for moral blindness and the spread of
evil’s domain. From that darkness rise locusts, empowered to
torment those without God’s seal. The message is sober: sin
breeds devastation, and spiritual blindness resists truth
(Revelation 9:1–4; Exodus 10; John 3:19–20).
The Marked and the
Unmarked: Mercy Within Judgment
Those sealed by God are spared the locust-torment. The seal
signifies belonging to the Lord and the Father’s knowledge
of His worshipers. Even amid woe, God distinguishes His
servants and keeps watch over them (Revelation 7:1–8; 9:4; 2
Timothy 2:19).
Five Months: The
Boundary of Woe
The torment endures “five months,” the ancient locust
season. This number signals divine restraint. God places
borders around affliction; judgments are neither random nor
unending. The wicked find those days unbearable, yet mercy
still calls to repentance (Revelation 9:5–6).
The Locust
Portrait: Allure, Ferocity, and Deception
John’s description is vivid: war-horses ready, crowns like
gold, faces like men, hair like women, teeth like lions,
iron-like breastplates, wing-noise as chariots, tails with
scorpion stings. Evil often wears a pleasing face while
hiding predatory fangs. The sting remains: sin wounds,
enslaves, and ruins (Revelation 9:7–10; Psalm 11:5–6).
The King of the
Abyss
Over this host stands the angel of the abyss—Abaddon,
Apollyon—names that speak of destruction. The first woe
passes; more follows. Yet sovereignty remains with God: the
key is granted, time is measured, purpose is holy
(Revelation 9:11–12).
The Sixth Trumpet:
Released for a Prepared Hour
The sixth angel sounds. A voice from the golden altar—where
the saints’ prayers ascended—orders the release of four
bound angels at the Euphrates. They have been prepared for a
precise hour, day, month, and year. Heaven’s resources are
limitless to accomplish righteous judgment (Revelation
8:3–5; 9:13–16).
Fire, Smoke, and
Sulfur: Instruments of Terror
Horses with lion-like heads and serpent-like tails breathe
fire, smoke, and sulfur. A third perishes in the vision.
These are partial judgments—severe enough to awaken
conscience, restrained enough to invite repentance. God
confronts a culture hardened by idolatry, violence, sorcery,
sexual immorality, and theft (Revelation 9:17–19; Romans
1:24–32).
The Tragic
Verdict: Yet They Did Not Repent
Even after devastating blows, the rest refuse to turn from
the works of their hands. Idols cannot see, hear, or walk;
yet hearts cling to them. The true tragedy is stubbornness
that resists mercy and rejects warning (Revelation 9:20–21;
Psalm 115:4–8; Ezekiel 33:11).
Pastoral
Encouragement for the Saints
To believers suffering in the shadow of Rome, these visions
guaranteed that God hears, measures, limits, and acts.
Natural disasters, moral collapse, and hostile powers would
batter the empire that tormented the church, yet the sealed
are shepherded. The same Lord reigns today. He marks His
people, sets bounds on evil, summons all to repent, and
sustains endurance in His saints.
Revelation 9:
Trumpets, Darkness, and the Limits of Judgment Sermon
Outline:
-
I. Throne and
Trumpets (Revelation 6–8)
-
A. The martyrs’
cry and heaven’s response.
-
B. The seventh
seal yields seven trumpets; judgments are measured,
not total.
-
C. The golden
altar links prayer and providence (Revelation
8:3–5).
-
II. The Fifth
Trumpet: Opening the Abyss (Revelation 9:1–2)
-
A. The star
with the key; authority granted, not seized.
-
B. Smoke and
darkness—symbol of moral blindness and evil’s
spread.
-
III. The
Locust Host and the Sealed (Revelation 9:3–6)
-
A. Target:
those without God’s seal; the worshipers are
distinguished (Revelation 7:3–4).
-
B. Duration:
“five months” — divine restraint; boundary to woe.
-
C. Effect:
torment that awakens conscience, urging repentance.
-
IV. Portrait
of Deceptive Savagery (Revelation 9:7–10)
-
A. Allure:
crowns, faces like men, hair like women.
-
B. Ferocity:
teeth like lions, iron breastplates, chariot-roar.
-
C. Sting: tails
like scorpions; sin’s pain and bondage.
-
V. The King of
Destruction (Revelation 9:11–12)
-
VI. The Sixth
Trumpet: Four Angels Released (Revelation 9:13–16)
-
A. Voice from
the altar of prayer directs history’s hour.
-
B. Euphrates
boundary: imagery of long-feared invasions.
-
C. An immense
host: heaven has limitless means to execute justice.
-
VII.
Instruments and Measure of Judgment (Revelation 9:17–19)
-
A. Fire, smoke,
sulfur—terror that topples pride.
-
B. A third
falls—partial judgments designed to awaken, not
annihilate.
-
C. Power in
mouth and tail—word and aftermath that bring down
strongholds (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5).
-
VIII. The
Refusal to Turn (Revelation 9:20–21)
-
A. Clinging to
idols: gold, silver, bronze, stone, wood—lifeless
gods.
-
B. Persisting
sins: murders, sorceries, sexual immorality, thefts.
-
C. The tragedy:
mercy is spurned when repentance is delayed.
-
IX.
Encouragement to Endure
-
A. God seals
His people; He distinguishes worshipers in every
storm (Revelation 7:3–4; 9:4).
-
B. God limits
evil; every woe has a boundary (Revelation 9:5–6).
-
C. God answers
prayer; judgments bend history toward His holy ends
(Revelation 8:3–5).
-
D. God calls to
repentance; the gospel remains the power of God
(Acts 3:19; Romans 1:16).
Call to Action:
Take refuge in the God who marks His own. Ask Him to search
your heart, uproot hidden idols, and grant a tender,
repentant spirit. Pray for bold endurance in witness.
Intercede for those blinded by darkness, that the light of
Christ may awaken them. Live sealed and worshiping,
confident that the Lord sets the limits of every storm.
Key Takeaways:
-
God answers the
saints’ prayers through measured judgments that uphold
His justice (Revelation 8:3–5; 9:13–15).
-
Spiritual darkness
blinds and destroys; Christ gives light and life
(Revelation 9:2; John 8:12).
-
God seals His
people and distinguishes them amid woe (Revelation
7:3–4; 9:4; 2 Timothy 2:19).
-
Judgment has
boundaries designed to prompt repentance (Revelation
9:5–6; Ezekiel 33:11).
-
Idolatry hardens
the heart; repentance restores fellowship with God
(Revelation 9:20–21; Acts 3:19).
-
Christ reigns; the
church endures through faithfulness (Revelation 5:9–10;
2:10; 15:3–4).
Scripture
Reference List:
-
Revelation
9:1–21 — Fifth and sixth trumpets: abyss
opened, locust imagery, released angels, partial
judgments, refusal to repent.
-
Revelation 6–8
— Seals, martyrs’ cry, the golden altar of prayer,
transition to trumpets.
-
Revelation
7:1–8 — Sealing of God’s servants; divine
distinction.
-
Exodus 10
— Locust plague background; devastation motif.
-
Psalm 115:4–8
— Futility of idols; spiritual dullness.
-
Ezekiel 33:11
— God’s desire for the wicked to turn and live.
-
John 8:12
— Jesus, the light of the world.
-
Romans 1:24–32
— God giving up the unrepentant to their chosen sins.
-
2 Corinthians
10:4–5 — Divine power to demolish strongholds.
-
Acts 3:19
— Call to repent and turn back.
-
Revelation
2:10; 5:9–10; 15:3–4 — Faithful endurance and
the song of the redeemed.
Prepared by Bobby
Stafford of the church of Christ at Granby, MO
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The
church of Christ
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