THE SIXTH TRUMPET
Rev. 9:13-21

Introduction:  v.13 The place of mercy becomes the place of greatest judgment.  When men reject the love and mercy of God, all they have left is His judgment and wrath.  Ill. many people will not believe that God is a God of wrath But, this will never change the facts!  (Deu 4:24)  "For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God."

(John 3:36)  "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." The saints prayer in chapter 6:10 is finally being answered.

I.          THE FALLEN ANGELS (VV.14-15)

            A.        They Come From A Distinct Place (v.14)
Euphrates River .  Very prominent in the Bible.  It is the place where man, sin, murder, apostasy and religion were all born.

B.                 They Come For A Distinct Period Of Time (v.15)

They were prepared for THE hour. God is running on a precise timetable.  He is in control!

C.                 They Come For A Distinct Purpose (v.15)

To slay 1/3 of the human race!  (Ill. Demons are over world powers - Eph.6:18; Dan. 10.  These demon powers will control the world and cause the deaths of billions!

 II.        THE FEARFUL ARMY (VV.16-19)

            A.        The Number Of The Army (vv.16-19)

200,000,000!  This was the total population of the world in John’s day!  China had an army of 200,000,000 in 1964.  It is around that number today!  This is a column of men 1 mile deep and 87 miles long!

B.                 The Nature Of This Army (v.17) 

Human or Demonic?  Human described in symbolic fashion, demonically energized!

·        Breastplates of Fire - fire = red; Jacinth = blue; Brimstone = yellow

·        Heads as Lions - Fierce looking and acting.  Perhaps a symbolic way of describing a demonically inspire army.

·        Weapons - Weapons of Hell.  (Possibly a description of modern implements of war.)  ( Ill. The reality of Hell.  God allows all the horrors of hell to visit the earth.  Still, men will not repent.  1/3 of all people living die!

III.       THE FATAL ATTITUDE (VV.20-21)

            A.        The Spiritual Life (v.20)

·        Demon Worship - Ill. College courses offered in witchcraft; Voodoo; the Occult.  ( Ill. Three E’s - Entertainment, Enlightenment, and Enslavement!)

·        Idolatry - Men will worship the works of the hands.  Man is a religious animal. He will worship something.  Left to himself, he will focus his worship in the wrong direction.  If man doesn’t fill the void in his life with Jesus, he will fill it with idols!

            B.         The Moral Life (v.21)

(Ill. 4 biggest problems today!)

·        Murders - ( Ill. Oklahoma , O.J., Ted Bundy, Jim Jones, Charlotte , etc.)  We live in murderous times!  (1)  There is no regard for human life.  (2) Apart for the grace of God, we are all capable of murder!  ( Ill. Jer. 17:9) - Abortion - In one year, more babies die from abortion than the total number of Jews murdered during Hitler’s reign in Germany !  Appro. 9,000,000!  1.6 million a year here!  4,300 per day; 180 per hour; 3 per minute. 

·        Sorceries - (Ill. Pharmakon = Pharmacy) The use of drugs will increase.  It is possible that government will resort to mind-altering drugs to control the populace.  Drugs are preparing the world for Anti-Christ!

·        Fornication - (Ill. Pornia = Pornography) Illicit sexual activity will mark that day.  (Ill. Adultery; Pre-marital sex, same sex relationships, pornography, etc.)The tribulation will be a sexually free time. We are headed there now! This displays a disregard for: (1) God’s gift of sex; (2) One’s own body; (3) The institution of marriage.  We are already seeing an increase in sexuality based programming, advertisement and literature. Sex is everywhere! (Ill. Porn is a 10 billion dollar industry. 85% goes into the pockets of organized crime. And, it will get much worse!

·        Thefts - Stealing.  Property will mean nothing. People will have no personal rights.  Whatever shreds of decency and innocence the world has left will be taken away during the Tribulation! What is the world’s attitude concerning these things?  They will not repent v.20!  It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, Rom. 2:4, not His judgment!  If men will not get right under the cross, they will not get right under the whip!