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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

CHAPTER NINE:
THREE LAST WOES

[“Locusts and then Horses”]
Key Word: Harm
Theme Verse: 7

Revelation 8:13-9:4 – Trumpet 5: Harm to Unsealed

RV8:13 And I saw and heard 353 an eagle flying in the atmosphere, 354 saying to those dwelling on the earth: 355 “WOE! WOE! WOE! 356 because of the remaining 3 Trumpets who are about to trumpet.”

353	I saw and heard: Here John sees and hears something at the same time.

354	An eagle flying in the atmosphere: Or, mid-heaven. Where birds fly. (Genesis 1:20)

355	Those dwelling on the earth: The earth’s inhabitants are to hear this.

356	WOE: This is all very sequential and though what has preceded is bad, what is to follow is filled with woe. These “woes” may be identified at Revelation 9:1-11; 9:12-21; 11:14-13:18.

RV9:1 And the Fifth Angel trumpeted. I saw a Star fallen from Heaven to the earth. 357 [Isaiah 14:12] The key of the pit of the Abyss 358 was given to him.

357	A Star fallen from Heaven to the earth: It is a “him” and he has “fallen” as opposed to “descended.” It has all the sense of Satan. The only parallel in this language is regarding Lucifer at Isaiah 14:12.

358	Abyss: The word occurs first in the LXX at Genesis 1:2 and 7 times in the Apocalypse. (Revelation 9:1, 2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3)

RV9:2 The Star opened the pit of the Abyss. Smoke ascended out of the Pit as the smoke of a great furnace. [Genesis 18:28] The sun was darkened 359 [Joel 2:10] by the smoke of the Pit.

359	The sun was darkened: A further lowering of the light over Revelation 8:12?

RV9:3 Out of the smoke came locusts into the earth. 360 [Exodus 10:12, 14] The locusts were given authority as scorpions 361 [Ezekiel 2:6] on earth.

360	Out of the smoke came locusts into the earth: Locusts are part of the plagues on Egypt. [Exodus 10:12, 14] There is much imagery from Joel chapters 1-3. In Joel the locusts are Babylonian soldiers.

361	The locusts were given authority as scorpions: These creatures are seldom mentioned in the Bible. [Ezekiel 2:6]

RV9:4 The locusts were told not to harm 362 the vegetation of the earth, nor any green thing or any tree, 363 but only those humans not having the Seal of The God in their foreheads. 364 [Ezekiel 9:4]

362	The locusts were told not to harm: These locusts can be commanded. Note what is and is not harmed. The 144,000 cannot be harmed because they have been sealed. Compare Revelation 7:1, 2. Note these locusts are told to do what is not natural for them, because vegetation is what locusts devour.

363	The vegetation of the earth, nor any green thing or any tree: Compare Revelation 7:1, 2. This is different from the 4 Winds.

364

Only those humans not having the Seal of The God in their foreheads: There are only two categories: the harmed and unharmed; the sealed and the non-sealed. The 144,000 are all sealed in fulfillment of Revelation 7:1, 2. There are Saints on earth throughout this misery and before 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and Revelation 7:14 take place.

Revelation 9:5-6 – 5 Months of Torment

RV9:5 The locusts were authorized not to kill these men but to torment them for 5 months. 365 Their torment is like the torment of a scorpion’s bite.

365	To torment them for 5 months: There is a period before the actual execution of God’s enemies as Revelation 9:15 mentions. The only other mention of this period is Luke 1:24.

RV9:6 And during those 5 months men will seek death but not find it. 366 [Job 3:21] They will long for death but it flees from them.

366	Men will seek death but not find it: Compare Job 3:21. Suicide is not possible and the meaning may be that such tormented persons wished the illness end with death.

Revelation 9:7-11 – Locusts Described

RV9:7 The likeness of the locusts is that of horses [Joel 2:4] prepared for battle. 367 On their heads were crowns of gold.

367

The likeness of the locusts is that of horses prepared for battle: An ancient martial animal. The subject is very much like “war.” The description which follows has various interpretations and many are the fantasies which develop. Each of the individual symbolic elements may be given a Biblical interpretation by searching these key words and drawing conclusions: horses, crowns, faces, hair, women, lion, teeth, breastplates, iron, wings, chariots, scorpion, etc. On war or battle compare Joel 1:6; 2:4, 5.

RV9:8 They have the faces of men and long hair like women. They have the teeth of lions [Joel 2:6] RV9:9 and breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings is like the sound of chariots galloping into battle. [Joel 2:5] RV9:10 They have tails like scorpions that sting. In their tails is their authority to harm humans for 5 months. RV9:11 They have a king over them, 368 the Angel of the Abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon. 369

368	They have a king over them: Some see Christ, others Satan. This demonstrates the wide diversity of opinions.

369	His name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon: The Hebrew and Greek mean “destruction.”

Revelation 9:12 – 2 More Woes!

RV9:12 The first Woe is over. Look! 2 Woes 370 are coming next!

370	2 Woes: Two of the final three trumpets. Who speaks these words is not clear. It is possible it is the eagle of Revelation 8:13.

Revelation 9:13-15 – Trumpet 6: Angels Released

RV9:13 And the Sixth Angel trumpeted. I heard a voice out of the horns of the golden Altar 371 [Exodus 40:5] in the sight of The God, saying:

371	The golden Altar: From Exodus 40:5. Compare also Exodus 40:26; Numbers 4:11; 2 Chronicles 4:19.

RV9:14 “Loosen the 4 angels who are bound 372 at the great Euphrates River.” 373 [Genesis 15:18]

372

Loosen the 4 angels who are bound: We are told a little more regarding Revelation 7:1, 2. The 4 Angels are held in restraint and the location of this is the Euphrates. This river’s name associates all of this with Babylon. Compare Jeremiah 46:6, 10; 51:63, 64; Zechariah 9:10. The river occurs again at Revelation 16:12 as a prelude to Armageddon.

373	Euphrates River: Upon which Babylon sat.

RV9:15 And the 4 angels were loosened, those who have been prepared 374 for the hour, day, month, and year, 375 to kill one-third of humankind. 376

374	Those who have been prepared: Those angels of Revelation 7:1 have been restrained and are now released for the coming cataclysm.

375	The hour, day, month, and year: There is an exact “appointed time” for all of this.

376	One-third of humankind: Note it is limited to one-third and not all humankind. “Nations” will survive to no longer be misled by the Devil during the Thousand Years. (Revelation 20:1-3; Zechariah 14:16)

Revelation 9:16-19 – Horses Bring Plagues

RV9:16 The armies of horsemen numbered 200,000,000. I heard their number. 377 And this is how I saw the horses in the vision: 378 those sitting on them wore breastplates that were fiery-red, hyacinth-blue, and sulfur-yellow. 379

377	I heard their number: Note, like Revelation 7:4, 9, John first “hears” a number and then goes on to “see” the whole matter.

378	I saw the horses in the vision: John gives his own description and there may not be a symbol in every turn of phrase. However, using a concordance many of the search words can be compared and opinions drawn.

379	Those sitting on them wore breastplates that were fiery-red, hyacinth-blue, and sulfur-yellow: Red, blue, and yellow are primary colors.

RV9:17 The heads of the horses were like lion’s heads. 380 Out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur.

380	Lion’s heads: Possibly referring to great manes.

RV9:18 One third of humankind was killed by these three plagues: 381 the fire, the smoke, and the sulphur 382 [Genesis 19:24, 28] spitting from the horse’s mouths.

381	One third of humankind was killed by these three plagues: The instruments of death to one-third of humanity. This leaves two-thirds unaffected. The “men left over” are survivors. Compare Zechariah 14:16 with Revelation 21:24 [KJV].

382	The fire, the smoke, and the sulphur: The Great City is also called Sodom and the first occurrence of these three words are in the context of Sodom. [Genesis 19:24, 28; Psalm 11:6; Isaiah 34:9; Ezekiel 38:22]

RV9:19 The authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents’ heads. With these they harm humankind.

Revelation 9:20-21 – The Unrepentant

RV9:20 And humankind who survived and were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands. 383 [Isaiah 17:8] So that they might not worship demons 384 and the idols made of gold, silver, copper, stone, and wood. 385 Neither are their idols able to see, or hear, or walk. [Psalm 135:15-17]

383	Did not repent of the works of their hands: Despite all of this the survivors do not repent, much like the plagues of chapter 16 and after the manner of the plagues on Egypt. We are not told here what happens to these unrepentant ones at this moment.

384

That they might not worship demons: The critical matter is worship and morality. On the worship of demons compare notes on Acts 17:22 and 1 Corinthians 10:20. In subtle ways the “teachings of demons” have crept into the Christian Church. [1 Timothy 4:1-3] As Judaism was Babylonized so was Christianity.

385	The idols made of gold, silver, copper, stone, and wood: Compare Psalm 135:15-17.

RV9:21 These survivors 386 did not repent of their murders, drugs, fornication, or theft. 387

386	Survivors: Or, men left over. Survivors to this point at least. Compare Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:15.

387	Did not repent of their murders, drugs, fornication, or theft: The same persons are mentioned “outside” of the Holy City at Revelation 22:15.

Review Questions on Chapter Nine