AN OVERVIEW

The trumpets and seven last plagues are parallel prophecies that will be fulfilled between the close of probation and the return of Christ. The first four and the seventh describe natural disasters and diseases that effect only those who reject the seal of God. The fifth pictures those who immediately realize their lost condition and those who tease and torment them. The sixth describes the reaction of the rest of the unsaved against the false shepherds when they finally realize that they too have been deceived and are forever lost.

When human probation closes Jesus will stand up, throw down the “golden censer” and declare, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly” Revelation 8:2-5 and 22:11,12. And there shall be a time of trouble or tribulation that will exceed even the devastation caused by the Great Flood. Cosmic and catastrophic disasters will bombard the earth and kill many of those who rejected the seal of God. See study entitled: “How to Survive the Coming Asteroid Impact. “Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound” Revelation 8:13.

THE FIFTH TRUMPET

“The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto earth... the angel of the bottomless pit [a king], whose name is Abaddon [and] Apollyon” Revelation 9:1,11. Satan is the fallen star, the angel or king of the bottomless pit. See Luke 10:18 and Revelation 12:9.

“He opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke... and there came out of the smoke locusts... and it was commanded them that they should [torment but not kill] those men which have not the seal of God upon their foreheads... and in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it” Revelation 9:2-6. “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain... and repented not” Revelation 16:10,11.

The locusts represent the soldiers of Satan, the armies of the “kings of the earth” Revelation 16:14. And those who desire death are those who have rejected the seal of God. They will be unable to repent and find death because “they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” 2 Thessalonians 2:10. The death they seek is spiritual death to sin. Paul said, “I die daily” 1 Corinthians 15:31. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 6:11.

Those who seek spiritual death after probation closes (those who receive the mark of the beast in their right hands) are merely hoping to escape annihilation. They have hardened their hearts against righteousness, and would resume a life of sin were God to reverse their death sentence. The soldiers of Satan (those who receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads) will taunt and tease them. “And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man” Revelation 9:5.

“And in those days shall men seek [spiritual] death, and shall not find it” Revelation 9:6. This prophecy is also recorded in the book of Amos. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. And they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it” Amos 8:11,12.

Again, those who seek spiritual death and salvation after probation closes will be unable to find it, not because God is unwilling to grant it, but because they are unable to accept it. Why? Because they have hardened their hearts beyond the point of no return. The Bible says, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts... for now is our salvation nearer than we believed” Hebrews 3:7,6 and Romans 13:11.

THE SIXTH TRUMPET

“And the sixth angel sounded [saying], Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates [and the horsemen] issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was a third part of men killed” Revelation 9:13-18. “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” Revelation 16:12.

Anciently, the Euphrates River supported the city of Babylon. In future, the Euphrates River symbolically represents the soldiers of Satan who support spiritual Babylon. Compare Revelation 17:15. They are fanatical about enforcing the Mark of the Beast. This support will not dry up until Babylon’s cup of iniquity is full. Then God will command the four angels to allow the soldiers of Satan to realize their deceived and lost condition, “that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Jesus and His heavenly entourage are the kings of the east. Compare Matthew 2:9; 24:27 and Revelation 7:2.

When the loyal supporters of spiritual Babylon finally realize that they too have been deceived and are forever lost they will turn upon their leaders with an evil vengeance. And the weapons that were originally intended for the destruction of the saints will be employed for the destruction of the false shepherds. Fire and smoke and brimstone will consume them. “These shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” Revelation 17:16. The symbolic difference between bugs and beasts (i.e., locusts and horses) is the difference between life and death. In other words, the locusts merely tormented their victims, while the horses, on the other hand, were commanded to kill their prey.

[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Lowe ]

INTRODUCTION
This supplemental study guide is designed to assist those who have already read the study entitled - Revelation Nine. This portion of Scripture is probably the most difficult chapter in the entire Bible to decode and discern. It is very challenging to know how, when, where and why to decipher and apply the many symbols that make up this unique prophecy. And besides these obstacles there is also the challenge of determining whether a particular detail belongs to the historical or to the future final application.

As difficult and challenging as this passage is we need not give up or conclude that it's impossible to arrive at a reasonable interpretation of this important chapter. There are enough inspired insights and biblical references to make it possible for us to know with certainty how this chapter was fulfilled historically and how it may be fulfilled again after the close of human probation. Although Revelation Nine is a dual application prophecy this study will focus mainly on the future final application.

THE FIFTH TRUMPET

THE FALLEN STAR. Satan is the fallen star. He was twice cast out of heaven: first when he rebelled against God, and then again when Jesus died on Calvary. See Revelation 12:9 and Luke 10:18.

THE KEY. The key represents power and authority. God gives Satan permission to unlock (influence) those who receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads to tease and torment those who receive the mark in their right hands.

THE BOTTOMLESS PIT. The bottomless pit is the domain of evil. It symbolizes the evil origin of the political plans and policies of Satan as manifested through various human agencies (i.e., kingdoms, countries, and corrupt churches).

THE SMOKE. The smoke and darkness represents the epitome of deception. Pastors and politicians will issue a general death decree giving people permission to execute Seventh-day Adventists without the benefit of due process of law. This is deception at its darkest hour.

THE LOCUSTS. The locusts, which sting like scorpions, symbolize the willfully deceived and fanatical Christians who receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads. They zealously follow the orders handed down by the false shepherds (corrupt pastors and politicians) of Babylon (a three fold union of Papal Europe, Protestant America and Spiritualism [evil angels impersonating either holy angels or deceased humans]).

THE GRASS. The grass, the trees, and the green things, which the locusts are forbidden to hurt, are details that simply help us realize that the prophecy is not referring to literal insects.

THE UNSEALED MEN. These are those who receive the mark in their right hands, not because they agree with the Sunday Laws, but merely to avoid economic sanctions and the death penalty. They are unable to experience the spiritual death to self because they have sinned beyond the point of no return.

THE FIVE MONTHS. This particular aspect of the prophecy does not have a future final application. It symbolizes the 150 years the Ottoman Turks tormented the Byzantine Empire (1299-1449 AD).

THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION. The detailed description of the locusts (verses 7-10) is intended to help us understand just how fanatical and zealous are the forehead marked followers of Babylon.

THE ANGEL KING. Satan is the angel king of the bottomless pit. Abaddon and Apollyon defined simply means - a destroyer. Satan is indeed the great destroyer when God allows.

THE SIXTH TRUMPET

THE VOICE. The voice which commands the sixth angel to loose the four angels bound in the river Euphrates is the prayers of the translation generation of saints. When Jesus throws down the golden censer the 144,000 become symbolically associated with the altar of incense standing before the presence of God in the heavenly temple. Compare Revelation 7:15 and 14:14-20.

THE FOUR ANGELS. These angels represent the holy angels who have been holding in check the fierce passions of the forehead marked followers of Babylon. They are allowed to remain blinded and deceived until they have accomplished the will of God. See Revelation 17:17. In accordance with the prayers of the saints God will command the angels to allow these unsealed fanatics to realize their lost condition.

THE EUPHRATES RIVER. Anciently the Euphrates River supplied the water needs of the city of Babylon. In future it symbolizes those forehead marked followers who support the plans and policies of spiritual Babylon. Once God allows them to realize that they too are deceived and forever lost they will take out their vengeance upon the false shepherds of Babylon.

THE SPECIFIED TIME. The hour, day, month and year predicted the very day that Turkey capitulated (11 August 1840), exactly 391 years and 15 days after the 150 year period ended in 1449 AD. There is no future application of this or any other time element of prophecy.

THE HORSEMEN. The 200 million horsemen represent the hostile forehead marked followers of Babylon. Realizing their lost condition they now turn upon their former leaders with the weapons originally intended for the destruction of the saints. And they will slay one third of them with fire, smoke and brimstone. Compare Revelation 17:16. Those not killed during this terrible onslaught are consumed by the brightness of Christ's coming and magnificent appearance. See 2 Thessalonians 2:8. They are unable to repent because they too have sinned beyond the point of no return.

"These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy. {GC 628.2}

Does that make sense?

[ December 12, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Lowe ]

If the trumpets occur after the close of probation, then what two world-wide messages could take place then in a connection with the 6th trumpet?

You see, this was my point on the other thread. If we are to have a future application of the trumpets, which I seriously question, then the 6th trumpet has to begin before the close of probation since two world-wide messages, the first connected with a bitter-sweet experience, must take place after its commencement.

Thus I don't see a problem, from a future angle, with a repetition of the 3AM's during the MOB crisis. And the fact it is sandwiched between the 6th and 7th trumpets isn't a problem either. And the idea that only the first two of the 3AM's were fulfilled during the Millerite Movement isn't consistent with the messages they preached during that time. They believed that all the prophecies were being fulfilled because they believed that the end of time would terminate in 1844.

I realize Ellen White wrote in the GC that the first two messages were preached until 1844 and that the third angel's message began to be preached after the Sabbath message was rediscovered. But history records the Millerites preaching all three messages. Besides, since they got all but the date wrong it stands to reason that the commission to "prophesy again" must necessarily include all three messages. Only this time the final generation of remnant saints would repeat the 3AM's during the MOB crisis without the former mistakes made by the Millerites.

Does that agree with what you believe?

[ December 15, 2001: Message edited by: Mike Lowe ]