The Revelation of Jesus Christ Chapters 6-11:14

The Revelation of Jesus Christ
An In-depth study of the Book of Revelation
Chapters 6 – 11:14
Introduction

1. Many become frustrated with the Book of
Revelation, and confused, because they
expect Chapter 6 and subsequent chapters
to follow a specific step by step order which
isn’t the case.

“To assume that the book of Revelation is
intended to unfold step by step is to prepare
oneself for hopeless confusion. Because of the
variety of subjects dealt with, there must be
some overlapping, but because the first six
chapters fall into a natural sequence, some
readers are inclined to assume that this is
true of the entire book.” Dr. Tim LaHaye

2. Chapters 6, 8, 9, and 16 are vital to
understanding the grouping and order of
events in the Book of Revelation.

3. Other chapters such as 7 and 10 – 15 are
primarily parenthetical statements which
provide us with additional details about
events taking place on Earth during these
different judgments.

4. There are two principal conservative views
concerning the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl
Judgments and the main difference is
simply in their timing.

“Because the Great Tribulation is specifically
mentioned in Revelation 7:14 and the same period is
called “the great day of their wrath” (6:17), there
seems to be a clear identification of Daniel 9:27 with
the events of Revelation. Most expositors assume
that the events beginning in Revelation 6 cover the
whole seven-year period. The Book of Revelation,
however, never uses a seven-year figure but
frequently refers to three and one-half years or 42
months (11:2; 13:5). Because the events of chapter 6
and afterward seem to coincide with the Great
Tribulation rather than with the time of peace in the
first half of the seven years (1 Thes. 5:3), there are
good reasons for concluding that these great events
are compacted in the last three and one-half years
before Christ’s return to the earth. Certainly at least
by the fourth seal (Rev. 6:7-8), the events described
anticipate a time of unprecedented trouble.”

Daniel 9:27 (NASB) "And he will make a firm
covenant with the many for one week, but in the
middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice
and grain offering; and on the wing of
abominations will come one who makes
desolate, even until a complete destruction, one
that is decreed, is poured out on the one who
makes desolate."

Matthew 24:15 & 21 (NASB) "Therefore when
you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
which was spoken of through Daniel the
prophet, standing in the holy place (let the
reader understand), …21 "For then there will be
a great tribulation, such as has not occurred
since the beginning of the world until now, nor
ever will.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (NASB) While they are
saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction
will come upon them suddenly like labor pains
upon a woman with child, and they will not
escape.

Revelation 11:1-3 (ESV) Then I was given a
measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise
and measure the temple of God and the altar
and those who worship there, 2 but do not
measure the court outside the temple; leave
that out, for it is given over to the nations, and
they will trample the holy city for forty-two
months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260
days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Revelation 13:5-6 (NASB) There was given to
him a mouth speaking arrogant words and
blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two
months was given to him. 6 And he opened his
mouth in blasphemies against God, to
blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that
is, those who dwell in heaven.

Chapter 6:1-8
Seals 1 – 4

1. Christ Jesus breaks the first seal and reveals
a counterfeit Savior.
Revelation 6:1-2 (NASB) Then I saw when the
Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I
heard one of the four living creatures saying
as with a voice of thunder, "Come." 2 I looked,
and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on
it had a bow; and a crown was given to him,
and he went out conquering and to conquer.

“A better interpretation is that the conqueror
mentioned here is the future world ruler,
sometimes referred to as Antichrist though
Revelation does not use this term. He is probably
the same person as the ruler of the people
mentioned in Daniel 9:26. This ruler has a bow
without an arrow, indicating that the world
government which he establishes is accomplished
without warfare. The future world government
begins with a time of peace but is soon followed by
destruction (1 Thes. 5:3). In general, the seals,
trumpets, and bowls of divine wrath signal the
terrible judgments of God on the world at the end of
the Age, climaxing in the second coming of Christ.”
Dr. John Walvoord

2. The breaking of the second seal reveals the
rider of the red horse whose purpose is to
bring forth war and great bloodshed.
Revelation 6:3-4 (NASB) When He broke the
second seal, I heard the second living creature
saying, "Come." 4 And another, a red horse,
went out; and to him who sat on it, it was
granted to take peace from the earth, and that
men would slay one another; and a great
sword was given to him.

“While the white horse was symbolic of a victorious
conqueror and one who primarily gained his
supremacy by cold war and bloodless peace
maneuvers, red is a clear symbol of bloodshed or
warfare … As with the white horse rider, so this
rider is unnamed. Some see this as Russia because
Russia is known as the Red menace and their army
as the Red army. Certainly Russia, if she is the king
of the North as depicted in Ezekiel 38 and 39, could
fit strongly in the promotion of war and the
removal of peace in the Tribulation period. Russia
and her allies could easily help to promote the
escalation of cold war to actual warfare, but the
primary emphasis is on the fact that prior to and
during the Tribulation, there will be constant
tension among nations …” J. Hampton Keathly III, Th.M.
Dallas Theological Seminary

“The order of events follows closely that which was
announced by our Lord …on the Mount of Olives,
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many” (Matt. 24:5). This is
the white horse. “And ye shall hear of wars and
rumors of wars… for nation shall rise against nation
and kingdom against kingdom…” (24:6,7). This is
the red horse of war. There are some who apply this
passage to our day, thinking that the wars which
trouble this age are those spoken of in prophecy.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. The wars of
our day are but rehearsals, but the wars which
Christ prophesied take place after the believers are
removed from the earth, after the man of sin has
been revealed (II Thess. 2:3). … Dr. Donald Grey
Barnhouse

The Parallels Between
Matthew 24:1-14 and Revelation 6
Conditions Matthew Revelation 6
False Christs
Warfare
Famine
Death
Witnessing
Cosmic changes
24:4-5
24:6-8
24:7
24:7-10
24:14
24:29
6:1-2
6:3-4
6:5-6
6:7-8
6:9-11
-23

3. One of the consequences of war tends to be
devastating famines for the poorest among us
and this is what the breaking of the third seal
brings.
Revelation 6:5-6 (NASB) When He broke the
third seal, I heard the third living creature
saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, a black
horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales
in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice
in the center of the four living creatures saying,
"A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three
quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not
damage the oil and the wine."

4. As war and famine continue over time the
only logical consequence is massive death.
Revelation 6:7-8 (NASB) When the Lamb broke
the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, "Come." 8 I looked, and
behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it
had the name Death; and Hades was following
with him. Authority was given to them over a
fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with
famine and with pestilence and by the wild
beasts of the earth.

Inasmuch as the judgment described in the fourth
seal is unparalleled, it seems to correspond with
greater accuracy to the latter half of Daniel’s
seventieth week than to the earlier half and for that
reason must be the time of great Tribulation which
Christ declared would exceed by far anything the
world had previously known. …If the supreme mark
of this great tribulation is unprecedented trouble,
the fourth seal certainly qualifies as describing this
period. … Though the book of Revelation itself does
not state specifically what event begins the great
tribulation, the characteristics unfolded in the
fourth seal would indicate the great tribulation is
underway at the time. … The fifth and sixth seals
advance the narrative and describe the period
specifically as “the great day of his wrath” (6:17),
which almost certainly is a reference to the great
tribulation.

Chapter 6:9-11
Seal 5

1. The fifth seal reveals a very specific group of
people “under the altar” better known as “the
Tribulation Saints.”
2. Verse 9 helps to provide a proper context with
the altar imagery.

3. Many of those who follow Christ during the
Tribulation will be martyred for their faith,
and the majority of these individuals will
most likely be Jewish.
4. The breaking of the fifth Seal has a
corresponding passage in Matthew 24:9 – 14.

Revelation 6:9-11 (NASB) When the Lamb broke
the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the
souls of those who had been slain because of the
word of God, and because of the testimony
which they had maintained; 10 and they cried
out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord,
holy and true, will You refrain from judging and
avenging our blood on those who dwell on the
earth?" 11 And there was given to each of them a
white robe; and they were told that they should
rest for a little while longer, until the number of
their fellow servants and their brethren who
were to be killed even as they had been, would
be completed also.

Matthew 24:9-14 (ESV) “Then they will deliver
you up to tribulation and put you to death, and
you will be hated by all nations for my name’s
sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray
one another and hate one another. 11 And many
false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12
And because lawlessness will be increased, the
love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who
endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this
gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed
throughout the whole world as a testimony to
all nations, and then the end will come.

Chapter 6:12-17
The Sixth Seal

1. The breaking of the sixth seal causes a
disturbance vastly different from the first
five seals.
2. The phrase “great earthquake” literally
means a “great shaking” and applies not
only to the earth but to the entire universe.

Revelation 6:12-14 (NASB) I looked when He
broke the sixth seal, and there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon
became like blood; 13 and the stars of the
sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its
unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14
The sky was split apart like a scroll when it
is rolled up, and every mountain and island
were moved out of their places.

Isaiah 10:5-6 (ESV) Ah, Assyria, the rod of
my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!
6 Against a godless nation I send him, and
against the people of my wrath I command
him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to
tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Matthew 24:29 (ESV) “Immediately after the
tribulation of those days the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its
light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and
the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Luke 21:26 (ESV) people fainting with fear
and with foreboding of what is coming on
the world. For the powers of the heavens
will be shaken.

Many expositors have attempted to see a
figurative fulfillment to this prophecy. It is
preferable, however, to take this prediction
literally. The trumpet and bowl judgments,
to be revealed later in Revelation, also
include great disturbances in the heavens
and on the earth before Christ’s second
coming. Dr. John Walvoord

Revelation 6:12-14 (NASB) I looked when He
broke the sixth seal, and there was a great
earthquake; and the sun became black as
sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon
became like blood; 13 and the stars of the
sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its
unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14
The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is
rolled up, and every mountain and island
were moved out of their places.

Zephaniah 1:15 (ESV) A day of wrath is that
day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of
ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and
gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

3. Verse 14 indicates these universal
cataclysmic events will affect both
atmospheric and land formations.
Revelation 6:14 (NASB) The sky was split
apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and
every mountain and island were moved out
of their places.

4. The lost of humanity remaining upon the
earth during this time appears to recognize
these events as God's wrath yet maintains a
sense of rebellion.

Revelation 6:15-17 (NASB) Then the kings of
the earth and the great men and the
commanders and the rich and the strong
and every slave and free man hid
themselves in the caves and among the
rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *said to
the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us
and hide us from the presence of Him who
sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has
come, and who is able to stand?"

The practical effect of the judgment was fear
in unbelievers from all walks of life. They
called on the mountains and the rocks to fall
on them and to hide them from God’s wrath.
Their fear was so great they would rather be
killed by a falling mountain than to face the
wrath of the Lamb and “Their wrath,”
referring to the anger of the Triune God.
Again this is not a picture of ordinary
trouble but the period of greatest distress in
world history. Dr. John Walvoord

5. One of the most amazing facts about the
Seal Judgments is that many will survive
only to face the Trumpet and Bowl
Judgments and still not trust in Christ
Jesus.

Chapter 7:1-8
Those Confusing 144,000 … Who are they?

1. As mentioned before chapter 7 is a
parenthetical chapter and serves as an
interlude between the sixth and seventh
seals.
2. Chapter 7 serves as God's evangelistic
blueprint for the remainder of the Great
Tribulation.

3. The identities of the 144,000 witnesses are
clearly Jewish believers and not Jehovah
Witnesses, Mormon Elders, or the Church.
4. Substituting the Church for the nation of
Israel in regards to future promises is better
known as Replacement Theology.
5. More specifically the 144,000 witnesses are
144,000 Jewish men called by God to preach
the Gospel.

Revelation 7:1-3 (NASB) After this I saw four
angels standing at the four corners of the
earth, holding back the four winds of the
earth, so that no wind would blow on the
earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw
another angel ascending from the rising of
the sun, having the seal of the living God; and
he cried out with a loud voice to the four
angels to whom it was granted to harm the
earth and the sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the
earth or the sea or the trees until we have
sealed the bond-servants of our God on their
foreheads."

“Nor is there a vice or device of sacred
hermeneutics, which so beclouds the
Scriptures, and so unsettles the faith of men,
as this constant attempt to read Church for
Israel, and Christian people for Jewish tribes.
As I read the Bible, when God says “children of
Israel,” I do not understand Him to mean any
but people of Jewish blood, be they Christians
or not; and when He speaks of the twelve
tribes of the sons of Jacob, and gives the
names of the tribes, it is impossible for me to
believe that He means the Gentiles, in any
sense or degree, whether they be believers or
not.” J. A. Siess

Revelation 7:4-8 (NASB) And I heard the number of
those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four
thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of
Israel: 5 from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand
were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve
thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6
from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the
tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of
Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of
Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi
twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve
thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve
thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were
sealed.

Ezekiel 9:4-6 (ESV) And the LORD said to him,
“Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and
put a mark on the foreheads of the men who
sigh and groan over all the abominations that
are committed in it.” 5 And to the others he said
in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him,
and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you
shall show no pity. 6 Kill old men outright,
young men and maidens, little children and
women, but touch no one on whom is the
mark. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they
began with the elders who were before the
house.

Revelation 14:1-4 (ESV) Then I looked, and behold,
on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him
144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name
written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice
from heaven like the roar of many waters and like
the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was
like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, 3
and they were singing a new song before the throne
and before the four living creatures and before the
elders. No one could learn that song except the
144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 It
is these who have not defiled themselves with
women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow
the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been
redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and
the Lamb,

Joel 2:28-29 (ESV) “And it shall come to pass
afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your
old men shall dream dreams, and your young men
shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female
servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Acts 2:17-18 (ESV) “‘And in the last days it shall be,
God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all
flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on
my male servants and female servants in those days
I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

Ephesians 4:30 (ESV) And do not grieve the
Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.

Chapter 7:9-17
Those Blessed Tribulation Saints?

“Our Savior was a Jew – however, the majority of
Jews have not accepted Him. Even though many
Jewish believers have a zealousness for the Lord
that shames Gentiles, as a nation and a group
they had been blinded to Him. This will end some
day. Romans 11:25 …The full number of Gentiles
will come in at the moment of time when the
church is removed by the rapture. Then God’s
special focus and blessing will shift back to Israel.
Spirit-filled Jewish evangelists will evangelize the
whole world in seven years, a task their nation
has not been able to accomplish in the past 2000
years.” Dr. David Jeremiah

1. The greatest worldwide revival ever known
to man is to take place in the future under a
cloud of persecution.
2. The last half of Revelation 7 shifts back to the
throne room of God in heaven.
Revelation 7:9a (NASB) After these things I
looked, and behold, a great multitude which
no one could count, from every nation and all
tribes and peoples and tongues, standing
before the throne and before the Lamb, …

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 (ESV) The coming of
the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with
all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and
with all wicked deception for those who are
perishing, because they refused to love the
truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends
them a strong delusion, so that they may
believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be
condemned who did not believe the truth but
had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Revelation 7:9a (NASB) After these things I
before the throne and before the Lamb, …

3. The white robes the Saints are clothed in
our better known as “festal robes.”
4. The palm branches in their hands certainly
suggest a Jewish connection with the Lamb
Who is prepared to fulfill the Messianic
Kingdom promises to Israel.

Revelation 7:9-10 (NASB) After these things I
before the throne and before the Lamb,
clothed in white robes, and palm branches
were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a
loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who
sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

…the term underlying “festal robes” means
clean, pure, or white clothing … Modern
translations are not consistent in translating
the terms, translation depending on the
context. In the Ancient Near East possession of
sets of clothing was regarded as a sign of
wealth. Common people would own few
clothes. Thus a change of clothes might suggest
clothes reserved for a special occasion as
reflected in some translations … Holman’s Bible
Dictionary

John 12:12-13 (NASB) On the next day the
large crowd who had come to the feast, when
they heard that Jesus was coming to
Jerusalem, 13 took the branches of the palm
trees and went out to meet Him, and began to
shout, "Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES
IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of
Israel."

5. As the martyred Tribulation Saints cry out in
praise the Old Testament Saints, the Church,
and all the holy angels of heaven will join
together in worshiping God.
Revelation 7:11-12 (NASB) And all the angels
were standing around the throne and around
the elders and the four living creatures; and
they fell on their faces before the throne and
worshiped God, 12 saying, "Amen, blessing and
glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and
honor and power and might, be to our God
forever and ever. Amen."

6. Do these Tribulation Saints come out of the
first 3 ½ years or The Great Tribulation?
Answer: Yes.
7. Clearly they’re saved by the same criteria of
saints from all ages – by faith and the shed
blood of Christ.

Revelation 7:13-14 (NASB) Then one of the
elders answered, saying to me, "These who
are clothed in the white robes, who are they,
and where have they come from?" 14 I said to
him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me,
"These are the ones who come out of the
great tribulation, and they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb.

8. No matter the timing, this group of Saints
has a special place in heavenly service
which is another reason they wear festal
robes.
9. Verse 16 may speak to their experiences on
Earth with the breaking of the first five seal
judgments.

Revelation 7:15-17 (NASB) "For this reason,
they are before the throne of God; and they
serve Him day and night in His temple; and He
who sits on the throne will spread His
tabernacle over them. 16 "They will hunger no
longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat
down on them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb in
the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and will guide them to springs of the water of
life; and God will wipe every tear from their
eyes."

Chapter 8:1-6
The Breaking of the 7th Seal

1. As the seventh seal is broken the silence in
heaven is deafening.
Revelation 8:1 (NASB) When the Lamb
broke the seventh seal, there was silence in
heaven for about half an hour.

“The stillness is so intense that it can be felt.
This is a silence of expectancy, for this is the
last seal. It is also a silence of foreboding that
precedes the onslaught of judgments. It last
for half an hour (which may be understood
just as literally as the other time designations
in the book). Silence at this point, after all the
vocal expressions of worship previously
noted, would be an awesome thing.” Walvoord

2. Verse two speaks specifically about seven
angels equipped to carry out God's
judgment.
Revelation 8:2 (NASB) And I saw the seven
angels who stand before God, and seven
trumpets were given to them.

“In this context, they symbolize the
announcement of judgment and the number
seven signifies the completeness or perfect
accomplishment of these judgments.” Keathley

Joel 2:1-2 (ESV) Blow a trumpet in Zion;
sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all
the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the
day of the LORD is coming; it is near, 2 a day
of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and
thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread
upon the mountains a great and powerful
people; their like has never been before, nor
will be again after them through the years of
all generations.

3. An eighth angel appears in verses 3 – 6 and
leads all of heaven in an act of worship.
4. The act of casting the golden sensor to the
earth serves as a prelude to the next set of
judgments.

Revelation 8:3-5 (NASB) Another angel came
and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer;
and much incense was given to him, so that he
might add it to the prayers of all the saints on
the golden altar which was before the throne. 4
And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers
of the saints, went up before God out of the
angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer
and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw
it to the earth; and there followed peals of
thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and
an earthquake.

Chapter 8:7-13
The Trumpet Judgments 1 - 4

1. There is absolutely no reason why these
judgments shouldn’t be taken literally.
2. The cataclysmic events of the first four
trumpet judgments will affect a 1/3 of the
Earth’s vegetation and sea life.
3. The phrase “mingled with blood” in the first
trumpet judgment is symbolic of massive
death.

Revelation 8:7 (NASB) The first sounded, and
there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and
they were thrown to the earth; and a third of
the earth was burned up, and a third of the
trees were burned up, and all the green grass
was burned up.

4. The question of a super asteroid hitting the
earth is not “if” but “when” and how it will
affect humanity?
Revelation 8:8-9 (NASB) The second angel
sounded, and something like a great mountain
burning with fire was thrown into the sea;
and a third of the sea became blood, 9 and a
third of the creatures which were in the sea
and had life, died; and a third of the ships
were destroyed.

“It is best to interpret these events literally
though the description of the sea being
turned into blood may be the language of
appearance as in the mention of blood after
the first trumpet blast. Reference to blood as
a divine judgment is found in the plagues of
Egypt (cf. Ex. 7:14-22).” Dr. John Walvoord

5. A second asteroid will hit the earth turning
fresh water sources toxic.
Revelation 8:10-11 (NASB) The third angel
sounded, and a great star fell from heaven,
burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the
rivers and on the springs of waters. 11 The
name of the star is called Wormwood; and a
third of the waters became wormwood, and
many men died from the waters, because they
were made bitter.

6. The fourth trumpet judgment causes a great
disturbance within space affecting the growth
cycles of all vegetation on earth.
Revelation 8:12 (NASB) The fourth angel
sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of
the moon and a third of the stars were struck,
so that a third of them would be darkened and
the day would not shine for a third of it, and the
night in the same way.

“…it was on the fourth day that God created
and made visible to the Earth the sun, the
moon and the stars. So now the fourth trumpet
judgment is aimed at these heavenly bodies—
the gracious provisions of God’s common
grace.” J. Hampton Keathley III

7. The first four trumpet judgments are bad but
the last three are worse than the first.
Revelation 8:13 (NASB) Then I looked, and I
heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying
with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who
dwell on the earth, because of the remaining
blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who
are about to sound!"

Chapter 9:1-12
The 5th Trumpet Judgments

Revelation 9:1-12 (NKJV) Then the fifth angel
sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven
to the earth. To him was given the key to the
bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless
pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the
smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air
were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the
earth. And to them was given power, as the
scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were
commanded not to harm the grass of the earth,
or any green thing, or any tree, but only those
men who do not have the seal of God on their
foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority
to kill them, but to torment them for five
months. Their torment was like the torment of
a scorpion when it strikes a man.

6 In those days men will seek death and will
not find it; they will desire to die, and death
will flee from them.

7 The shape of the locusts was like horses
prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns
of something like gold, and their faces were like
the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women's
hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 And
they had breastplates like breastplates of iron,
and the sound of their wings was like the sound
of chariots with many horses running into
battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there
were stings in their tails. Their power was to
hurt men five months.

11 And they had as king over them the angel of
the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is
Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name
Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two
more woes are coming after these things.

1. Who or what is the “star” that falls from
heaven? Satan.
Revelation 9:1-2 (NKJV) Then the fifth angel
sounded: And I saw a star fallen from
heaven to the earth. To him was given the
key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened
the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of
the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So
the sun and the air were darkened because
of the smoke of the pit.

a) The star is called “him.”
b) The star performs an action by opening the
pit.
c) Routinely angels are called stars in the
Scriptures.

Job 38:7 (NKJV) When the morning stars sang
together, And all the sons of God shouted for
joy?
Isaiah 14:12 (NASB) "How you have fallen from
heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn!
You have been cut down to the earth, You who
have weakened the nations!
Luke 10:18 (NASB) And He said to them, "I was
watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning.

d) The “pit” or “abyss” is a holding place for a
specific group of fallen angels.
Luke 8:31 (NKJV) And they begged Him that
He would not command them to go out into
the abyss.
2 Peter 2:4 (NKJV) For if God did not spare the
angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to
be reserved for judgment;

Jude 1:6 (ESV) And the angels who did not
stay within their own position of authority,
but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in
eternal chains under gloomy darkness until
the judgment of the great day—

e) Satan is the ruler over all fallen angels.
Matthew 12:24 (ESV) But when the
Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by
Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this
man casts out demons.”
John 12:31 (NASB) "Now judgment is upon
this world; now the ruler of this world will
be cast out.

Revelation 12:4, 7-9 (NASB) And his tail *swept
away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them
to the earth. And the dragon stood before the
woman who was about to give birth, so that when
she gave birth he might devour her child. … 7 And
there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels
waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his
angels waged war, 8 and they were not strong
enough, and there was no longer a place found for
them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown
down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was
thrown down to the earth, and his angels were
thrown down with him.

2. These agents of judgment will bring great
torment and darkness upon the lost but the
sealed of God will be spared.

Revelation 9:3-5 (NASB) Then out of the smoke
came locusts upon the earth, and power was
given them, as the scorpions of the earth have
power. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of
the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but
only the men who do not have the seal of God on
their foreheads. 5 And they were not permitted
to kill anyone, but to torment for five months;
and their torment was like the torment of a
scorpion when it stings a man.

Here the star (Satan) used his key to allow
demons in the Abyss to come out and afflict the
earth. Visually this event was represented as a
great smoke, darkening the sky and the sun. …
In the Old Testament locusts were a fearful
plague, for they were able to reduce the land to
starvation by eating up all green vegetation (Ex.
10:12-20; Joel 1:4-7). These locusts, however,
did not eat vegetation, but had the power to
torment people for five months. Thus they
might be demons who appeared in the form of
locusts. This is confirmed by the fact that they
came from the Abyss, the home of demons
(Luke 8:31). Walvoord

3. Demonic torment will no doubt drive many
insane.
Revelation 9:6 (NASB) And in those days
men will seek death and will not find it; they
will long to die, and death flees from them.

“Bodies will not sink and drown; poisons
and pills will have no effect; and somehow
even bullets and knives will not do their
intended job.” Dr. Charles C. Ryrie

4. In spite of what modern interpreters
attempt to do descriptively with these
verses, the context describes demonic
beings beyond human comprehension.
5. The terms “Abaddon” and “Apollyon” mean
“destroyer” which accurately describes
Satan's character.

Revelation 9:7-11 (NASB) The appearance of the
locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on
their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and
their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had
hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were
like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like
breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings
was like the sound of chariots, of many horses
rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions,
and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt
men for five months. 11 They have as king over them,
the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is
Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name
Apollyon.

6. Just when the world doesn't think things
can get any worse – they do.
Revelation 9:12 (NASB) The first woe is
past; behold, two woes are still coming after
these things.

“For the first time in history all those who do
not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior will
come under demonic possession and
affliction. What is true in that hour is also true
in some measure today, for there is no
deliverance from the power of Satan nor from
his affliction apart from salvation in Christ and
the delivering power of God.” Dr. Walvoord

Chapter 9:13-21
The 6th Trumpet Judgments

1. The sixth trumpet releases an act of
judgment by God through ordained
demonic forces.
Revelation 9:13 (NASB) Then the sixth angel
sounded, and I heard a voice from the four
horns of the golden altar which is before
God,

2. The one clue revealing the identity of these
four angels as demonic is that they have been
bound while awaiting their special task.
3. Verse 15 reveals a very specific time for this
judgment take place as ordained by God.
4. The act of these demonic forces against a 3rd
of those who remain, and coupled with the
4th seal judgment of Revelation 6 will reduce
the earth's population by half.

Revelation 9:14-15 (NASB) one saying 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 prepared for the hour and day and
month and year, were released, so that they
would kill a third of mankind.

Good angels are never spoken of as bound,
unless this is the exception. On the other
hand, demonic spirits or fallen angels are
bound or will be (Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev.
20:2). These, then, are wicked angels
prepared by God to be released as a further
judgment against a godless, Christ rejecting
world. Keathley

5. Verses 16 – 19 clearly support an identity
consistent with demonic beings and
activity.
6. Are the 200 million of verse 16 connected
to Revelation 16:12-16? Most likely. Are
they the same? Probably not.

Revelation 9:16-19 (NASB) The number of the
armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I
heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw
in the vision the horses and those who sat on them:
the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of
hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the
horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their
mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 A
third of mankind was killed by these three plagues,
by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which
proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of
the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for
their tails are like serpents and have heads, and
with them they do harm.

The four angels bound at the Euphrates
River seem to be leaders of these evil spirits,
riding horselike creatures, having heads of
lions and emitting fire, smoke, and
brimstone. They have tails like serpents,
from which their power is sent forth. …It is
quite obvious that these are not to be taken
as humans, …Instead, this is a literal
description of unnatural, demon-like evil
spirits that come out of the abyss, advancing
under the leadership of the four bound
angels. LaHaye

The weapons of this army are fire, smoke,
and brimstone (vs. 17) which are weapons
of hell and may further indicate that the
army is made up of the inhabitants of hell—
demons. Ryrie

Unless the vials and the trumpets coincide
as some believe, these are two different
events, possibly two different phases of the
same operation. Walvoord

7. Even after half of the earth's population is
decimated the majority will continue in
their idolatry and cold heartedness.

Revelation 9:20-21 (NASB) The rest of
mankind, who were not killed by these
plagues, did not repent of the works of their
hands, so as not to worship demons, and the
idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of
stone and of wood, which can neither see nor
hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of
their murders nor of their sorceries nor of
their immorality nor of their thefts.

Chapter 9 Side Note
Chapter 10:1 – 4

Four Levels of Demonic Activity
1. Demonic influence and temptation …
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) Be sober-minded; be
watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to
devour.
1 Timothy 4:1 (ESV) Now the Spirit expressly
says that in later times some will depart from
the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful
spirits and teachings of demons,

2. Demonic subjection or control…
2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) In their case the god of
this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light
of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the
image of God.
Ephesians 2:2 (ESV) in which you once walked,
following the course of this world, following
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

3. Demonic harassment or oppression…
2 Corinthians 12:7 (ESV) So to keep me from
becoming conceited because of the
surpassing greatness of the revelations, a
thorn was given me in the flesh, a
messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep
me from becoming conceited.

4. Demonic possession…
Matthew 8:28-29 (ESV) And when he came
to the other side, to the country of the
Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met
him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that
no one could pass that way. 29 And behold,
they cried out, “What have you to do with
us, O Son of God? Have you come here to
torment us before the time?”

5. As before, chapters 10:1 – 11:14 serve as
another parenthetical section in the
Revelation.
6. The strong angel in this passage serves as
“another other of the same kind” and
designated by the Greek word “allos”.
7. The “little book” in verse 2 is better
understood to be a “scroll” containing
information about the angel’s duties yet not
to be revealed to humanity.

Revelation 10:1-4 (NASB) I saw another strong
angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with
a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and
his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars
of fire; 2 and he had in his hand a little book
which was open. He placed his right foot on the
sea and his left on the land; 3 and he cried out
with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and
when he had cried out, the seven peals of
thunder uttered their voices. 4 When the seven
peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to
write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying,
"Seal up the things which the seven peals of
thunder have spoken and do not write them."

Chapter 10:5 – 11

1. The act of swearing upon God in this passage
confirms the identity of this being as an angel
and not that of Christ Jesus.
2. The words spoken by this angel reveal there will
be no further delay in the execution of God's plan
to reclaim what rightfully belongs to Him.
3. The “mystery of God” would be fulfilled at the
sounding of the 7th trumpet.
4. The “mystery of God” is connected with the
fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and His
eternal plan.

Revelation 10:5-7 (NASB) Then the angel whom
I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted
up his right hand to heaven, 6 and swore by Him
who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED
HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE
EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA
AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay
no longer, 7 but in the days of the voice of the
seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then
the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to
His servants the prophets.

Jeremiah 31:34 (ESV) And no longer shall
each one teach his neighbor and each his
brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they
shall all know me, from the least of them to
the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will
forgive their iniquity, and I will remember
their sin no more.”

5. The book John takes from the angel is
understood by many to be the Word of God.
6. The command to eat the book is clearly
symbolic and understood in its normal sense
as reading.
7. The “sweetness” of the book is related to the
promises God has given to those who are
redeemed, while its “bitterness” is connected
to the judgment of those who are lost.

Revelation 10:8-11 (NASB) Then the voice which I
heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with
me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open
in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and
on the land." 9 So I went to the angel, telling him
to give me the little book. And he *said to me,
"Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach
bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as
honey." 10 I took the little book out of the angel's
hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as
honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was
made bitter. 11 And they *said to me, "You must
prophesy again concerning many peoples and
nations and tongues and kings."

Chapter 11:1 – 2

Revelation 11:1-2 (NKJV) Then I was given a reed
like a measuring rod. And the angel stood,
saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the
altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave
out the court which is outside the temple, and do
not measure it, for it has been given to the
Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city
underfoot for forty-two months.
1. The first 14 verses of chapter 11 are
considered by many to be the most
controversial within the Revelation.

2. The many views and differing interpretations
are based on a tendency to spiritualize most
every aspect of this chapter.

• To spiritualize means to: define a word,
passage, or event as representing something
mystical or in a form other than its real self.

3. The measuring rod John was given is
translated is recognized as a type of cane
growing in the Jordan Valley better known as
the “giant reed.”

4. The word “rod” is also known as a staff
normally carried by rulers and judges which
is related to John's task.

5. There must be a future temple built on the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem in order to fulfill
this revelation.

Why is John sent to measure the temple?
This is saying in effect that man and his
worship are always judged by the standards
of God. Further, believers, like John who
have that standard, are responsible to judge
by that standard in order to avoid apostasy
and are to be instruments to turn men to
Christ and true worship. Regardless of what
man thinks, the only thing that counts is
God’s judgment and standard of both our
lives and our worship. …

… the kalamos, was usually 10 feet long—far
taller than any man. This suggest to us that
our worship and character must come up to
God’s standards, or man faces rejection and
loss as it occurs here (1 Cor. 3:11-15;
11:17f; Heb. 10:23-39). Keathley

6. The “outer court” is also known as the “court
of the Gentiles.” The events that take place in
this area will be during the last 3 ½ years of
tribulation.

Daniel 9:27 (NASB) "And he will make a firm
covenant with the many for one week, but in
the middle of the week he will put a stop to
sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing
of abominations will come one who makes
desolate, even until a complete destruction,
one that is decreed, is poured out on the one
who makes desolate."

Chapter 11:3 – 6

1. The two witnesses of Chapter 11 are rightly
considered to be prophets and martyrs.
2. The 1260 days are equal to 3 ½ years which
is consistent with the Jewish lunar calendar
and the biblical prophetic year.
3. The timing of the appearance and ministry
of the two witnesses is consistent with the
Great Tribulation time frame.

Revelation 11:3-6 (NASB) "And I will grant authority
to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for
twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in
sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the
two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the
earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
flows out of their mouth and devours their
enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must
be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to shut
up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days
of their prophesying; and they have power over the
waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the
earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

4. The identification of the 2 witnesses
cannot be dogmatically proclaimed, but
their activities, abilities, and Old Testament
connections make for interesting
theological discussions. Their suggested
identities are:
• Symbolic individuals
• Elijah and John the Baptist
• Elijah and Enoch
• Elijah and Moses
• Two individuals who are yet to exist

Malachi 4:5-6 (NASB) "Behold, I am going to
send you Elijah the prophet before the
coming of the great and terrible day of the
LORD. 6 "He will restore the hearts of the
fathers to their children and the hearts of
the children to their fathers, so that I will
not come and smite the land with a curse."

Luke 1:16-17 (NASB) "And he will turn
many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord
their God. 17 "It is he who will go as a
forerunner before Him in the spirit and
power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF
THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN,
and the disobedient to the attitude of the
righteous, so as to make ready a people
prepared for the Lord."

John 1:21 (NASB) They asked him, "What
then? Are you Elijah?" And he *said, "I am
not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he
answered, "No."

Zechariah 4:11-14 (ESV) Then I said to him,
“What are these two olive trees on the right
and the left of the lampstand?” 12 And a
second time I answered and said to him,
“What are these two branches of the olive
trees, which are beside the two golden pipes
from which the golden oil is poured out?” 13
He said to me, “Do you not know what these
are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 14 Then he said,
“These are the two anointed ones who stand
by the Lord of the whole earth.”

James 5:17 (ESV) Elijah was a man with a
nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that
it might not rain, and for three years and six
months it did not rain on the earth.
1 Kings 17:1 (ESV) Now Elijah the Tishbite, of
Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD,
the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand,
there shall be neither dew nor rain these
years, except by my word.”

Luke 4:25 (ESV) But in truth, I tell you, there
were many widows in Israel in the days of
Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three
years and six months, and a great famine
came over all the land,

2 Kings 1:10 (ESV) But Elijah answered the
captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire
come down from heaven and consume you
and your fifty.” Then fire came down from
heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
2 Kings 2:11 (ESV) And as they still went on
and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses
of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah
went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Matthew 17:1-3 (ESV) And after six days
Jesus took with him Peter and James, and
John his brother, and led them up a high
mountain by themselves. 2 And he was
transfigured before them, and his face shone
like the sun, and his clothes became white as
light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them
Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

Matthew 17:10-13 (NASB) And His disciples
asked Him, "Why then do the scribes say that
Elijah must come first?" 11 And He answered
and said, "Elijah is coming and will restore all
things; 12 but I say to you that Elijah already
came, and they did not recognize him, but did
to him whatever they wished. So also the Son
of Man is going to suffer at their hands." 13
Then the disciples understood that He had
spoken to them about John the Baptist.

Exodus 4:8 (NASB) "If they will not believe you
or heed the witness of the first sign, they may
believe the witness of the last sign.
Numbers 16:28-29 (NASB) Moses said, "By this
you shall know that the LORD has sent me to
do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. 29
"If these men die the death of all men or if they
suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has
not sent me.

Numbers 16:31-35 (ESV) And as soon as he had
finished speaking all these words, the ground
under them split apart. 32 And the earth opened
its mouth and swallowed them up, with their
households and all the people who belonged to
Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that
belonged to them went down alive into Sheol,
and the earth closed over them, and they
perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And
all Israel who were around them fled at their
cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!”
35 And fire came out from the LORD and
consumed the 250 men offering the incense.

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) And just as it is
appointed for man to die once, and after
that comes judgment,

Deuteronomy 34:5-6 (ESV) So Moses the
servant of the LORD died there in the land of
Moab, according to the word of the LORD, 6 and
he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab
opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the
place of his burial to this day.

“… a problem with this suggested identity is
that Moses had already died once. Some have
identified the two witnesses as Enoch and
Elijah inasmuch as they did not die but were
translated (cf. Heb. 9:27). While there is room
for considerable discussion of these various
views, the fact is that the passage does not
identify the two witnesses, and they probably
do not have historic identification.” Walvoord

Chapter 11:7 – 14

1. There’s no doubt the city spoken of in verse 8
is that of Jerusalem, and the reference to
Sodom and Egypt is descriptive of the
characteristics of those living in the city
during the last days.
2. “And those who dwell on the earth”
represents the lost during the Great
Tribulation who will celebrate the death and
desecration of the 2 witnesses.

Revelation 11:8-10 (NASB) And their dead
bodies will lie in the street of the great city
which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt,
where also their Lord was crucified. 9 Those
from the peoples and tribes and tongues and
nations will look at their dead bodies for three
and a half days, and will not permit their dead
bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those who
dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and
celebrate; and they will send gifts to one
another, because these two prophets tormented
those who dwell on the earth.

3. What the unholy Trinity and the unbelieving
population mean for evil God uses for His
glory.
4. What some scholars interpret as the rapture
in this passage more closely resembles the
ascension of Christ in Acts 1:9 – 11.

Revelation 11:11-12 (NASB) But after the
three and a half days, the breath of life from
God came into them, and they stood on their
feet; and great fear fell upon those who were
watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice
from heaven saying to them, "Come up here."
Then they went up into heaven in the cloud,
and their enemies watched them.

5. There is some ambiguity as to the details
spoken of in these two verses. The
uncertainty revolves around the identity of
the “rest” or “remnant,” and once again the
timing of these events.
6. Verse 14 brings the second parenthetical
passage to an end, or what is also known as
the interval between the sixth and the
seventh trumpet judgments.

Revelation 11:13-14 (NASB) And in that hour there
was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell;
seven thousand people were killed in the
earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave
glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe is
past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Revelation 11:13-14 (KJV) And the same hour was
there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the
city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men
seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted,
and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second
woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh
quickly.

“Here we find that as a result of the shocking
treatment of these two faithful witnesses of God
by the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, the
Lord will send a great earthquake, destroying a
10th part of the city and slaying 7000 men. This
cataclysmic judgment of God upon the city of
Jerusalem could be the event which triggers the
revival that will sweep across Israel during the
latter half of the tribulation, … This remnant
may refer to the Jewish inhabitants of the city,
after seeing the judging hand of God… And will
turn in faith to embrace the message of the 2
witnesses…” Dr. Tim LaHaye

“As the two witnesses are raptured and the
world recoils in fear, there's an earthquake.
7000 men, leaders in the city, are killed. Those
who are left alive call to God in terror but not in
repentance. Hearts may be pounding in fear,
but not breaking under conviction.”
Dr. David Jeremiah

The Revelation of Jesus Christ Chapters 6-11:14

The Revelation of Jesus Christ Chapters 6-11:14

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