Berean Study Bible The Fifth TrumpetThe fifth trumpet begins the first of the three woes announced in Revelation 8:13. The trumpet judgments follow the opening of the seals and reveal an intensifying outpouring of divine judgment upon a world that persists in rebellion. Angels execute God’s commands, and every judgment proceeds according to His appointed purpose. Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God,… and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, The star represents a personal spiritual being rather than a literal celestial body. Its prior fall from heaven points to a fallen angelic power, consistent with Satan’s fall and the rebellion of angels who abandoned their proper place. The being remains subject to God’s authority despite its evil character and fallen condition. Isa 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O day star… and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss. The key grants temporary authority to open the Abyss, the place where hostile demonic powers are confined. God permits the opening of this prison as part of His judgment, yet He retains complete control over its duration and limits. Christ alone possesses ultimate authority over death, Hades, and every realm of spiritual darkness. Rev 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven… The star opened the pit of the Abyss, The fallen star, a personal angelic being given the key in Revelation 9:1, carries out a divinely permitted act of judgment. The Abyss is a place of confinement for demonic powers, as seen in Luke 8:31 and Revelation 20:1–3. Its opening releases destructive forces that had been restrained until God’s appointed time. Rev 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven… and smoke rose out of it like the smoke of a great furnace, The smoke recalls the judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, whose ruin rose like the smoke of a furnace (Genesis 19:28). It portrays the terrible corruption and oppression unleashed from the realm of imprisoned evil. What had been hidden in darkness now spreads over the earth with devastating effect. Gen 19:28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah… and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. The smoke obscures both the light of the sun and the air needed for life, showing that the judgment reaches every sphere of human existence. Prophetic Scripture often associates such darkening with the day of the Lord (Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9). The darkness also recalls the hours surrounding Christ’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:45), when judgment for sin stood in full view. Exo 10:21-23 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand”… And out of the smoke, The smoke rising from the opened abyss becomes the source from which these agents of judgment emerge. What had been confined in the abyss is released only when God permits it, revealing the terrible reality of spiritual rebellion and deception unleashed upon the world. Exo 19:18 Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke,… locusts descended on the earth, These are not ordinary locusts, for their later description exceeds the nature of any earthly insect. Their appearance recalls the locust plagues of Egypt and Joel, but their mission is directed toward human torment rather than the destruction of vegetation. They are literal beings associated with the abyss and employed in the judgments of the trumpet. Exo 10:14 The locusts swarmed across the land and settled… and they were given power Their power is granted, not independent. Even the forces that serve evil remain under God’s sovereign authority and operate within boundaries He establishes. Satan’s kingdom cannot act beyond the limits appointed by the Judge of all the earth. Jhn 19:11 Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me”… like that of the scorpions of the earth. The scorpion’s sting conveys intense, lingering pain. The locusts will inflict torment severe enough to drive people toward death, yet death itself will be withheld from them. Their judgment exposes the misery of resisting God while also showing that divine wrath is measured and controlled. Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes… They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, The command distinguishes these creatures from ordinary locusts, whose devastation ordinarily falls upon vegetation. Their release from the abyss serves a divinely limited purpose: they are not permitted to damage the earth’s food supply or disrupt creation’s ordinary order. God directs the judgment toward rebellious humanity, demonstrating both His sovereignty over the creatures and the moral character of His wrath. Exo 10:12-15 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand… but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. God’s seal identifies His servants as belonging to Him and under His preserving care, as seen in the sealing described in Revelation 7:3–4. The distinction recalls the Passover, when those marked by the blood of the lamb were spared from judgment (Exodus 12:7, 13). Those without God’s seal remain exposed because they have not received His ownership and protection. The coming judgment reveals that allegiance to God is not hidden from His sight, and that He preserves His people even amid unprecedented tribulation. Ezk 9:4-6 “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem,” said the LORD,… The locusts were not given power to kill them, The demonic horde operates only within limits established by God. Though the judgment is dreadful, life and death remain under God’s authority. The restraint displays both His sovereignty over evil powers and His mercy toward those under judgment. Job 2:6 “Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands…”… but only to torment them for five months, Five months corresponds roughly to the active season of locusts in the land, making the judgment severe yet fixed in duration. The suffering is not final condemnation but a warning within history, giving rebellious humanity further evidence of God’s holiness and power. Even under such anguish, many will refuse repentance, revealing the hardness of hearts apart from God’s grace. Mat 8:29 “What do You want with us, Son of God?” they shouted.… and their torment was like the stinging of a scorpion. A scorpion’s sting was known for piercing, disabling pain. The locusts inflict real and overwhelming torment without immediate death, foreshadowing the terror of divine judgment upon those who persist in allegiance to Satan’s kingdom. Christ alone delivers sinners from the wrath to come through His death and resurrection. 1Ki 12:11 Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke,… In those days During the fifth trumpet judgment, demonic locusts released from the abyss will torment those who bear the mark of unbelief and remain outside God’s protection. The suffering will occur within the final period of divine judgment upon the earth. Mat 24:19 How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing… men will seek death The agony inflicted by the locusts will drive people to desire death as relief, much as Job and Elijah longed for death amid overwhelming distress. Their torment will expose the dreadful consequences of hardened rebellion against God. Job 3:21 who long for death that does not come, and search for it… and will not find it; God, who holds authority over life and death, will not permit death to end their suffering. The judgment will be measured and purposeful, allowing time for repentance while revealing the terror of resisting the Lamb. Pro 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer;… they will long to die, Despair will overturn the natural desire to preserve life. Those who rejected God’s mercy will experience the emptiness and hopelessness of life under judgment. Job 7:15 I would prefer strangling and death over my life… but death will escape them. Death will be withheld during the appointed season of torment. The inability to escape underscores that no one can evade God’s righteous judgment, while the promise of life through Jesus Christ remains the only true deliverance from wrath. Psa 118:17 I will not die, but I will live and proclaim… And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, Their appearance recalls Joel 2:4, where invading locusts are compared to war horses. These beings emerge from the abyss as an organized force, equipped for judgment and terrifying in strength, speed, and disciplined purpose. Horses represented military power throughout the ancient world, and the image emphasizes that no human resistance can dismiss or control the assault God permits. Jol 2:4-5 Their appearance is like that of horses, and… with something like crowns of gold on their heads; The crowns portray delegated authority and apparent victory. Their gold-like appearance suggests an imitation of royal splendor rather than the holy and eternal kingship belonging to Christ. The demonic host acts under divine limits, yet its authority is sufficient to bring severe torment upon those who have rejected God’s seal. Rev 4:4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones… and their faces were like the faces of men. Human-like faces indicate intelligence, intention, and cruel awareness rather than mindless animal behavior. The judgment is administered by personal spiritual beings capable of carrying out Satan’s destructive purposes. Their terrifying form reveals the dreadful reality behind rebellion against God and the deceptive power of evil that seeks to imitate authority while bringing only misery. Ezk 1:10 The form of their faces was that of a man… They had hair like that of women, The locusts’ long hair contributes to their unnerving, deceptive appearance. Beauty and attractiveness conceal creatures sent to torment those without God’s seal. Their form warns that evil often presents itself in appealing ways while concealing its destructive purpose. 1Co 11:14-15 Doesn’t nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair,… and teeth like those of lions. Lionlike teeth portray ferocity and devastating power. Joel also describes invading locusts with “the teeth of a lion” (Joel 1:6), linking John’s vision with Old Testament judgment imagery. Though these creatures are restrained from killing during their five-month assault, their appearance reveals the severity of the demonic judgment released from the abyss. Jol 1:6 For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number… They also had breastplates like breastplates of iron, Their armor portrays a force that cannot be resisted or turned aside by human strength. Iron represented durability and military power, and the breastplates mark these agents of judgment as protected for their appointed task. Believers are called to wear the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6:14), but those who reject God’s truth face a terrifying counterfeit army clothed for destruction. Isa 59:17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,… and the sound of their wings was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. The noise of their advance carries the terror of an invading army. Joel likewise compared the sound of locusts to chariots and horses charging over mountains (Joel 2:4–5). Their approach announces judgment with overwhelming force, yet their power remains under God’s authority and within the limits He has set. Jol 2:4-5 Their appearance is like that of horses, and… They had tails with stingers like scorpions, Their scorpion-like tails portray a real and dreadful means of torment. Scorpions were familiar objects of fear in the ancient world because their sting brought severe pain and helplessness. The creatures released from the abyss possess an unnatural ability to inflict suffering, showing that the fifth trumpet judgment is more than an ordinary locust plague. Their appearance recalls the locust armies of Joel, instruments through which God summoned a rebellious people to repentance. Luk 10:19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes… which had the power to injure people The authority to harm is granted and limited by God. These beings cannot act beyond the boundaries He establishes, nor are they permitted to kill those they torment. Their suffering is therefore judicial rather than random, exposing the horror of resisting God while preserving time for repentance. As in the plagues upon Egypt, the judgment reveals God’s power over creation and confronts hardened hearts with the consequences of rebellion. 1Co 10:9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did,… for five months. Five months corresponds to the usual season in which locusts were active in the land, from late spring into early fall. The period is long enough to bring sustained anguish, yet it is fixed and temporary. God sets both the beginning and the end of the judgment, demonstrating that even the powers released from the abyss remain under His sovereign command. Gen 7:24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth for 150 days. They were ruled by a king, Unlike ordinary locusts, which have no king (Proverbs 30:27), these beings operate under a single commanding authority. Their ordered assault reveals that the forces released from the Abyss are organized for judgment, though they remain under God’s sovereign limit. Pro 30:27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in formation; the angel of the Abyss. The Abyss is the prison-like realm associated with demonic powers and coming judgment (Luke 8:31; Revelation 20:1–3). Its angel rules the demonic host released at the fifth trumpet, directing destruction against those who refuse God’s seal. Rev 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven… His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, Abaddon means destruction and is associated in the Old Testament with the realm of death and ruin (Job 26:6; Proverbs 15:11). The name identifies this ruler by his work: he brings devastation, torment, and death. Job 26:6 Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering. and in Greek it is Apollyon. Apollyon means destroyer. John gives both names because the warning reaches Jews and Gentiles alike. The destroyer’s authority is real but temporary, and the judgments he administers ultimately expose the rebellion of humanity and uphold God’s righteous rule. Exo 12:23 When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians,… The first woe has passed. The fifth trumpet’s demonic locust plague has completed its appointed period of torment against those without God’s seal. As in Egypt, the Lord distinguishes those who belong to Him from those under judgment. Rev 11:14 The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming… Behold, The announcement summons attention to the fearful certainty of what remains in God’s plan. Rev 22:12 “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me,… two woes are still to follow. The sixth trumpet will bring death on an unprecedented scale through the release of four bound angels and their vast army. The seventh trumpet will proclaim Christ’s rightful reign and lead into the final outpouring of divine wrath. The judgments intensify, displaying both God’s justice against persistent rebellion and the urgency of repentance before the day of final reckoning. Rev 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them!…
The Sixth TrumpetThe sixth trumpet continues the ordered judgments unleashed from heaven during the coming day of the Lord. It follows the demonic torment of the fifth trumpet and introduces a vast military slaughter. The seventh trumpet will proclaim the consummation of God’s kingdom and lead into the final outpouring of wrath. Rev 11:15 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord… and I heard a voice John hears a single authoritative command issuing from the heavenly sanctuary. The speaker is not identified, but the command reveals God’s complete control over the angels and forces soon to be released at the Euphrates. Rev 10:4 When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to… from the four horns of the golden altar The voice comes from the altar of incense before God, where the prayers of the saints rise continually. Earlier, fire from this altar was cast upon the earth in connection with divine judgment. Its four horns, associated with power and atonement in Israel’s worship, show that the coming judgment proceeds from God’s holy presence and answers the cries of His persecuted people. Rev 8:3-5 Then another angel, who had a golden censer,… before God The heavenly altar stands directly in the presence of the sovereign Judge. Nothing about the sixth trumpet is accidental or beyond divine rule; even the fearful events that follow unfold according to God’s appointed purpose and timetable. Exo 30:6 Place the altar in front of the veil that is before the ark… saying to the sixth angel with the trumpet, The sixth trumpet advances the judgments that unfold under God’s direct authority. Each trumpet blast announces a measured act of judgment, yet even these fearful events reveal that history remains governed by the Lord rather than by evil powers or human rulers. The sixth judgment prepares for a vast and devastating conflict. Rev 8:2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God,… “Release the four angels Four angels have been reserved for a particular assignment in the outworking of divine judgment. Their release does not mean that they act independently; they proceed only when commanded from the altar before God. The number four corresponds to the earth’s extent, indicating judgment with far-reaching consequences. Rev 7:1 After this I saw four angels standing… who are bound These angels have been restrained by God until the precise hour appointed for their work. Their binding distinguishes them from the holy angels who continually serve before God and points to destructive agents kept under divine control. No spiritual power can exceed the limits God has established. 2Pe 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned… at the great river Euphrates.” The Euphrates formed the eastern boundary of the land promised to Abraham and stood beyond Israel’s border as the route from which Assyria and Babylon invaded and disciplined God’s people. Its presence in Revelation recalls those historic enemies and identifies the region from which the coming judgment is released. Later, the drying of the Euphrates prepares the way for the kings from the east, further connecting the river with the final gathering of nations for war. Rev 16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl… So the four angels The four angels are the beings bound at the Euphrates in Revelation 9:14. Their confinement indicates that they have been restrained under God’s authority until the appointed moment of judgment. Their release follows the sixth trumpet and introduces devastation extending across the inhabited world. Rev 7:1-3 After this I saw four angels standing… who had been prepared God had ordained their role before their release. Nothing in the trumpet judgments occurs outside His sovereign purpose, even when He employs rebellious spiritual powers to execute judgment upon a hardened world. 2Pe 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned… for this hour and day and month and year The judgment occurs at a precisely fixed time in God’s plan. The Lord governs history down to its appointed moments, fulfilling His purposes without delay or uncertainty. The detailed timing also shows that the coming wrath is neither accidental nor uncontrolled. Dan 8:19 and said, “Behold, I will make known to you… were released The angels move from restraint to action only by divine permission. Their release demonstrates that God sets the boundaries of evil and directs even dreadful events toward His righteous purposes. Rev 20:7 When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released… to kill a third of mankind. The judgment brings death on an unprecedented scale, following the earlier judgment in which a fourth of the earth’s population perished (Revelation 6:8). The destruction is severe but not total, leaving survivors with opportunity to repent. Yet Revelation 9:20–21 records that many persist in idolatry, violence, immorality, and theft, revealing the depth of human rebellion against God. Ezk 5:12 A third of your people will die by plague… And the number of mounted troops was two hundred million; The army released under the sixth trumpet is numbered with deliberate precision. Two hundred million mounted troops portray a force beyond any ordinary ancient army and underscore the unparalleled scale of the judgment unleashed upon an unrepentant world. The riders and their terrifying horses belong to the demonic assault associated with the four bound angels released at the Euphrates. Their vast number reveals that God’s judgments are neither accidental nor uncontrolled; even hostile powers act only within the limits He appoints. Rev 19:14 The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure… I heard their number. John received the number as part of the authoritative revelation given to him. Hearing confirms that the immense host was not an impression produced by fear or confusion but a fact disclosed by God. Revelation repeatedly calls God’s people to hear what He says, while those who persist in rebellion refuse the warning even as judgment draws near. Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000… Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: John records what he saw as the sixth trumpet judgment releases a vast army associated with the Euphrates region. The vision portrays a real outpouring of divine judgment while using fearful imagery to disclose the destructive character and supernatural terror of the forces involved. Zec 1:8-11 I looked out into the night and saw a man… The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. Their armor reflects the fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceed from the horses and bring death. Fire and sulfur recall the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, while sapphire evokes the heavenly glory associated with God’s throne. The riders are equipped for an assault no human power can resist, carrying out judgment permitted by God. Isa 59:17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,… The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, Lion-like heads communicate strength, ferocity, and irresistible attack. The horses are not ordinary cavalry mounts but creatures suited to the dreadful work assigned to them. Their appearance reveals that the judgment is purposeful rather than chaotic. 1Ch 12:8 Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold… and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur. Fire, smoke, and sulfur become the means by which a third of humanity is killed in the following verse. The same elements that marked God’s judgment upon Sodom now testify to the holiness of God and the certainty of His wrath against persistent rebellion. Rev 14:10-11 he too will drink the wine of God’s anger… A third of mankind was killed One-third of humanity will perish in this sixth trumpet judgment, revealing both the terrifying reach of divine wrath and God’s continued restraint. The judgment is devastating but not total, leaving survivors with opportunity to repent before the final outpouring of wrath. Ezk 5:12 A third of your people will die by plague… by the three plagues Fire, smoke, and sulfur become instruments of death through the vast demonic cavalry released at the Euphrates. The plagues recall God’s judgments upon Egypt and demonstrate that the Lord remains sovereign over nations, armies, and spiritual powers. 2Sa 24:13-14 So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure… of fire, smoke, and sulfur Fire and sulfur recall the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, while smoke portrays the horror and consuming consequences of judgment. The imagery also anticipates the lake of fire, where rebellion against God receives its final and eternal punishment. Rev 14:10-11 he too will drink the wine of God’s anger… that proceeded from their mouths. The horses described in the preceding vision bring destruction from their mouths, displaying the supernatural and demonic character of this invading force. What comes from them brings death, in sharp contrast to the word of Christ, which brings truth, life, and salvation. Rev 11:5 If anyone wants to harm them fire proceeds from their mouths… For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; The horses of the sixth trumpet judgment inflict devastation from both directions. Their mouths issue the fire, smoke, and sulfur that kill a third of mankind (Revelation 9:17–18), while their tails bring further harm. No avenue of escape remains for those facing this divinely permitted judgment. Jol 2:4-5 Their appearance is like that of horses, and… indeed, their tails were like snakes, The serpent-like tails recall the serpent’s association with Satan, deception, and deadly hostility from Genesis onward (Genesis 3:1–15; Revelation 12:9). The imagery portrays an attack that is terrible in its open violence and dangerous in its lingering, deceptive power. The judgment exposes the ruinous end of rebellion against God. Deu 32:33-34 Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison… having heads with which to inflict harm. Heads on the tails depict purposeful and intelligent malice rather than a random calamity. The cavalry’s destructive power reaches beyond the initial slaughter, bringing torment and injury wherever it strikes. Yet even amid such overwhelming judgment, humanity is called to repent and turn from idolatry, violence, sorcery, immorality, and theft (Revelation 9:20–21). Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman,… Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues The survivors remain after the sixth trumpet judgment, in which a third of mankind is killed by the fire, smoke, and sulfur associated with the vast army released from the Euphrates (Revelation 9:13–19). Like the plagues upon Egypt, these judgments reveal God’s sovereign power and expose humanity’s rebellion. Zec 13:8 And in all the land, declares the LORD,… still did not repent of the works of their hands. Rather than turning to God, the survivors continue in the sinful deeds and idolatry produced by human hearts. Scripture repeatedly identifies idols as the work of human hands, powerless creations wrongly given the devotion owed to the Creator (Isaiah 2:8; Jeremiah 1:16). Rev 16:11 curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores.… They did not stop worshiping demons Idolatry is never spiritually neutral. Behind false worship stand demonic powers opposed to God, as Paul teaches concerning pagan sacrifices (1 Corinthians 10:20). The refusal to repent reveals a determined allegiance to spiritual darkness even under unmistakable divine judgment. Deu 32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to newly arrived gods… and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, The costly metals and durable materials reflect the wealth, craftsmanship, and pride invested in false gods. Israel’s prophets repeatedly condemned such objects because people fashion them, carry them, and depend upon them rather than trusting the living God (Isaiah 44:9–20; Jeremiah 10:3–5). Dan 5:4 As they drank the wine, they praised their gods… which cannot see or hear or walk. Idols possess none of the attributes of the Lord, who sees His people, hears prayer, and acts in history. Their helplessness exposes the folly of worshiping created objects while rejecting the God who alone gives life and exercises judgment. Psa 115:5-7 They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes… Furthermore, they did not repent The survivors of the trumpet judgments remain defiant even after witnessing unmistakable acts of God’s judgment. Rather than turning to the Lord for mercy, they persist in rebellion, revealing hearts hardened like Pharaoh’s when God struck Egypt with plagues. God’s patience gives opportunity for repentance, but persistent refusal brings accountability before His righteous judgment. Rev 16:9 And the people were scorched by intense heat,… of their murder, The violence of the last days reflects humanity’s rejection of the God who made life sacred. Murder includes the shedding of innocent blood and the hatred that despises those made in God’s image. A world that refuses the fear of God increasingly treats human life as disposable. Exo 20:13 You shall not murder. sorcery, Occult practices, magical arts, and dependence upon spiritual powers opposed to God are marks of a society under deception. Such practices seek knowledge, power, protection, or pleasure apart from the Lord and often accompany idolatry. Scripture forbids them because they open the door to demonic influence rather than submission to God’s revealed truth. Gal 5:20 idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy… sexual immorality, Sexual sin rejects God’s design for marriage and the holiness to which He calls His people. The corruption of God’s gift of sexuality becomes a visible sign of a culture that has cast off moral restraint, resembling the days of Noah and Lot when judgment came upon unrepentant wickedness. 1Co 6:9-10 Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral… and theft. Theft exposes greed, injustice, and contempt for one’s neighbor. The unrepentant continue taking what belongs to others because they refuse to recognize God as the giver of every good gift and the Judge of all human actions. Exo 20:15 You shall not steal. This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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