Revelation 9 – 5th & 6th Trumpet Judgements

Revelation 9 is a continuation of the 7 trumpet judgements of God. It is a continuation of the day of the Lord, which is God’s final judgments and punishments for His enemies. This takes place in the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation.

Revelation 9:1-11 describes the 5th trumpet judgement.

“The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.”  – Revelation 9:1

When the 5th angel that stands in God’s presence blows his trumpet, John saw a “star fallen from heaven to earth ” Who is the star fallen from heaven to earth?

In Luke 11:18 Jesus says “And He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning.”

Isaiah, in Isaiah 14, talks about this.

“How you have fallen from heaven, You star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who defeated the nations! 13 But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ 15 Nevertheless you will be brought down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.”   Isaiah 14:12-15

Isaiah, like Jesus, is talking about when Satan was thrown out of heaven and down to earth. For rebelling against God and wanting to be higher than God.

Peter talks about our enemy Satan in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”

So Satan is the “star fallen from heaven to earth “. As per Peter, at times Satan prowls around on earth, looking to devour.

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth.”  – Revelation 12:3-4

These verses in Revelation 12 also describe when Satan was cast out of heaven, along with 1/3 of the angels, or ” stars”, that followed him in his rebellion against God.

Then later in Revelation 12 John is describing a different event concerning Satan and his demons. A future event. The same future event being described in Revelation 9:1.

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”  – Revelation 12:7-12

Notice that verse 10 talks about Satan being before God, or in His presence, accusing brothers, or believers, day and night. So sometimes Satan and some of his demons prowl the earth. At other times he is allowed to be in God’s presence and he regularly is accusing believers.

In the beginning of Job we see Satan in God’s presence. And he is talking with God about Job.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”  – Job 1:6-8

Revelation 12:7-12 is describing a future event where Satan is at war with God. He is foolishly  trying to defeat God and take over the universe. And Michael and his army of angels will defeat Satan and his demons (or his “angels “), and cast them out of heaven for good. And Satan and his “angels ” are cast down to earth.

This future event is what is happening in Revelation 9 when the 5th trumpet judgement comes. Satan and his demons will all be cast out and banned from heaven and God’s presence for good, and will be sent to earth before their final punishment and judgment comes.

Revelation 9:1 tells us that Satan, when he and some of his demons are cast from heaven in this future event, is given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. This is sometimes known as Hades in the Bible, or hell.

2 Peter 2 tells us that some of Satan’s angels, or demons, when they “fell” or were cast out from heaven the first time,  were sent by God to be imprisoned in hell.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment…”  – 2 Peter 2:4

So Satan and some of his demons will be cast out and not permitted in heaven for good in this future event in Revelation 9 and Revelation12. And he will be given the key to the abyss, or hell, and he will release the rest of his demons from their chains and prison in hell.

And Satan and his full army of demons will be free to torment and torture all of the remaining people on earth who refuse to repent and bow down to Jesus. It will literally be hell on earth.

“When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.” – Revelation 9:2

In verse 2 Satan uses the key he was given and he opens the shaft of the bottomless pit, or the Abyss. This is hell. Satan opens it and will let out all of the demons that God sent to be imprisoned there.

Again, 2 Peter 2 tells us that some of Satan’s angels, or demons, when they “fell” or were cast out from heaven the first time, were sent by God to be imprisoned in hell.

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment…” – 2 Peter 2:4

God permitted Satan and some of his demons to roam the earth, and even at times to visit heaven and enter His presence. But these demons in 2 Peter 2 were imprisoned in chains by God in hell.

Most likely because they are the most evil of the demons. The worst of the worst. And Satan will be allowed to release them on earth in Revelation 9.

In Luke 8 Jesus encountered a man possessed with various demons.

“When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.” – Luke 8:27-33

Notice that the demons begged Jesus to not send them to the ” abyss”. The is the Greek word “abussos” that is used in Revelation 9:1-2

Demons did not want to go there. They wanted to continue to do their evil acts.

When Satan opens the door to the abyss, John sees thick smoke like from a gigantic furnace. And the smoke rises into the air, and there is so much smoke that it darkens the sky and the sun.

Remember, 1/3 of the sun was already darkened in the 4th trumpet judgement in Revelation 8:12. Now the sky and sun are darkened even more. All across the world.

“And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.” – Revelation 9:3

Next John sees something like locusts coming out of the smoke in the sky. And they came down to earth.

These are not insects. The imagery of locusts is used to give the picture of how many of these things there will be. Locusts come in large swarms. Often large enough swarms to darken the sky and sun.

These are not insects, they are demons. And there will be so many released onto the earth that they will darken the sky and sun.

Demons are spiritual beings, like angels are spiritual beings. You cannot normally see demons. But in John’s vision the huge swarm of demons that are released onto the earth have been given a visible form.

John describes the swarm of demons’ visible form in the next verses. And he also describes what they are sent and allowed to do.

John also mentions that they will be given power. Power like the sting of a scorpion.

All of this is a part of the day of the Lord, God’s final judgements and punishments that occur in the Great Tribulation. The 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation.

“They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.” – Revelation 9:4-5

Even though Satan and all his demons will be allowed to run free on earth, they are only allowed to do certain things. God is still sovereign and in control, and He gives them permission to only do what He wants them to do.

This is similar to the book of Job. God only permitted Satan to do certain things to Job, but he could not kill him.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” – Job 1:6-12

So Satan, permitted by God, took all that Job had from him. And Job still blessed the name of the Lord. Then again Satan went ro accuse Job before God.

“Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 3 And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” 4 Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” 6 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” – Job 2:1-5

Again Satan was only able to do what God permitted him to do. And this is the case when the 5th trumpet judgement is unleashed.

Satan and his full army of demons is not permitted to harm the trees or grass or plants on the earth. He is not allowed to kill anyone. He is only allowed to torture for 5 months all of the people who “did not have the seal of God on them”. In other words, they were only allowed to torture anyone who refused to repent and bow down to Jesus.

Who are the people that have the seal of God on them in verse 4?

The church, all of the saved people who previously repented and believed in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, have been raptured to heaven prior to the tribulation that begins in Revelation 6. In Revelation 7 we read about the 144,000 Jewish witnesses that are sealed by God and that will preach the Gospel during the tribulation. And the large multitude of people that will come to Christ in the tribulation.

Eventually most of them will be killed by the antichrist at some point in the second half of the tribulation, known as the Great Tribulation. But some of them are still alive when the 5th trumpet judgement comes, because the demonic creatures are not allowed to touch the ones with God’s seal on them. And most likely some of them will remain alive through the rest of the Great Tribulation because God protects them. And they will be alive and enter into Jesus’ 1000 year reign on earth, which is described in Revelation 20.

The swarm of demonic creatures will torture and agonized the unrepentant and rebellious people, who do not have God’s seal on them, with painful stings “like that” of a scorpion.

“During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.” – Revelation 9:6

There will be a great deal of pain and agony caused by the swarm of demonic creatures for all of the unrepentant people that are still alive after all of the previous seals and trumpet judgements. There will be so much pain and agony that they will long to die. But they will not be able to die.

“The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.” – Revelation 9:7-10

John describes what the demonic creatures looked like after the 5th trumpet was blown in his vision of the trumpet judgements. Satan and demons normally are spiritual beings, not visible to humans.

But in John’s vision the swarm of demons have a visible form. There are many people that believe that the imagery used in John’s visions in the book of Revelation is symbolic.

However, it is most likely that John’s imagery and the specific descriptions he uses in his visions in Revelation are literal and exactly what he saw.

His vision and detailed description of Jesus in Revelation 1, of God’s throne and those around His throne in Revelation 4 and 5, of the 6 seal judgements opened in Revelation 6, of the 144,000 and the great multitude in Revelation 7, and of the trumpet judgements in Revelation 8, 9, and 11, are literal and not merely symbolic.

In Revelation 9:7-10 John describes the visible form that was given to the swarm of Satan’s demons. Why would God give the swarm of demons a visible form, if they are normally invisible? Most likely so that the unrepentant and rebellious people that are still alive on earth would be able to see the terrifying demonic creatures that are torturing them. In order to make it even more agonizing and terrifying.

John describes the demonic creatures as having the appearance of horses, with crowns on their heads and human like faces. He adds that their hair was like women’s hair, and they have teeth like lion’s teeth.

John also adds that they wore iron like breastplates. And they had wings, and because there were so many of them in the swarm that their wings sounded like the “thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle”.

In verse 10 John mentions again that they had tails with stingers, like a scorpion, and they had power to torment people for 5 months.

These will be terrifying demonic creatures. And the swarm of these demonic creatures will be so large the sky and sun will be darkened by them. And they will be free to torment and torture people continually for 5 months. This will truly be a horrific experience for those unrepentant people still alive.

“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 Fire devours before them, and behind them a flame burns. The land is like the garden of Eden before them, but behind them a desolate wilderness,

and nothing escapes them. 4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses, and like war horses they run. 5 As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains, like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble, like a powerful army drawn up for battle. 6 Before them peoples are in anguish; all faces grow pale. 7 Like warriors they charge; like soldiers they scale the wall. They march each on his way; they do not swerve from their paths. 8 They do not jostle one another; each marches in his path; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. 9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls, they climb up into the houses, they enter through the windows like a thief. 10 The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. 11 The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?” – Joel 2:1-11

What Joel says next, after describing the day of the Lord, is very interesting.

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” – Joel 2:12-13

Peter in 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that “God does not want anyone to perish (to die without Christ and forever be in torment and under punishment), but for all to come to repentance. “

And Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 2:4 that “God wants all to be saved, and to come to a knowledge of the truth. “

Even in the tribulation God saves and raises up 144,000 Jewish witnesses that faithfully share the Gospel. And other faithful witnesses also. And they will be killed and martyred by the antichrist.

And according to Revelation 6, with the opening of the 5th seal, we see that there will be a great multitude of people, Jews and people from all people’s, tribes, and nations that will repent and believe saved during the tribulation.

But we will see later on in Revelation 9 that many will still be rebellious and not repent.

“They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).” – Revelation 9:11

Revelation 9:11 tells us that the swarm of demonic creatures from the Abyss, also known as Hades or Sheol, or hell, has a king. The king of the demons that were imprisoned in the abyss, or hell, is named Abaddon in Hebrew, or Apollyon in Greek. His name in Hebrew and Greek means the destroyer.

Abaddon and Sheol, or hell, is mentioned in the book of Job.

“The dead tremble under the waters and their inhabitants. 6 Sheol is naked before God, and Abaddon has no covering.” – Job 26:5-6

Sheol and Abaddon are also mentioned in Proverbs.

“The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves him who pursues righteousness. 10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes the way; whoever hates reproof will die. 11 Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the Lord; how much more the hearts of the children of man!” – Proverbs 15:9-11

Some believe that Abaddon or Apollyon are Satan. But it appears that he is one of the demons or fallen angels that has been imprisoned by God in the abyss, or hell. And thus he is not Satan, and most likely a high ranking demons under Satan.

“The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.” – Revelation 9:12

As John saw an eagle saying “Woe, woe, woe” in Revelation 8, he says that the first woe is finished, and there are 2 more woes coming. The end is near, but 2 more are to come.

“The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” – Revelation 9:13-14

John’s vision continues onto the 6th trumpet judgement of God. John describes hearing a voice coming from “the four horns of the golden altar before God “.

The golden altar is mentioned by John in his vision of heaven in Revelation 6, after the 5th seal is opened. And he also mentions the golden altar in Revelation 8 before the trumpet judgements begin.

God commanded Moses and His chosen people to build a replica of this heavenly golden altar in Exodus 30. He describes the altar and horns, and what it was to be used for.

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. 2 A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. 3 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. 4 And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. 5 You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 6 And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. 10 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.” – Exodus 30:1-10

John describes hearing a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar. Who voice does John hear?

He does not identify the voice. But it is either God’s voice speaking to the 6th angel ready to blow the 6th trumpet to bring the 6th trumpet judgement, or it is Jesus, the Lamb.

It is interesting to note that the golden altar described in Exodus 30 was used for incense and prayers, and for sacrifice for sins and mercy.

Now in Revelation 9 the voice from the four horns of the golden altar is ordering judgement and punishment. The book of Hebrews talks about this.

“For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” – Hebrews 10:26-31

“It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” – Revelation 9:13-14

The voice from the four horns of the golden altar, either God of Jesus, tells the 6th angel to release the 4 angels bound at the Euphrates river. We will see what that is about next.

John describes 4 angels bound at the Euphrates River. These are not God’s angels. God’s heavenly angels are never bound.

These 4 are fallen angels, or demons. Some of the fallen angels that were cast out from heaven with Satan.

John says that they are bound. In the 5th trumpet judgement we saw that there were a huge number of demons that were bound or imprisoned in the abyss, or hell, and then released. Now we see 4 more demons, or fallen angels, that are bound at the Euphrates River.

We see in the Bible the Euphrates River at various times. It is mentioned as one of the 4 rivers

“A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.” – Genesis 2:10-14

The Euphrates River was also the eastern boundary of the Promised Land God gave to His chosen people. It was also the border of the Roman Empire in Jesus’ time.

And the old city and kingdom of Babylon was located at the Euphrates River. As was the old Persian Empire.

That region around the Euphrates River is associated with the enemies of God’s chosen people Israel in the Old Testament times. And spiritually it has long been an oppressive and dark and demonic region. As it is in our modern world.

Revelation 9 – 5th & 6th Trumpet Judgements

4 Demons Release 2 Million Demonic Creatures

“And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.” – Revelation 9:15-19

Now we see the 4 fallen angels at the Euphrates River, or demons, released by God. You can see God’s sovereignty and control even over demons by John saying “the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year.”

Why or for what were they released in this future event in the Great Tribulation, the 2nd half of the 7 year tribulation period? John reveals why.

“to kill a third of mankind.”

In Revelation 9:16-19 John describes what happens next, after the 4 fallen angels are released.

“The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. 17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.” – Revelation 9:16-19

Apparently the 4 fallen angels or demons are in charge of a large army of other demons, described as “mounted troops ” by John. And the number of these mounted troops or demons? 2 million!

Like in the previous trumpet judgement, the 5th one, this huge army of demons have a visible form. Just like the swarm of demons had a visible form. But the appearance of these demons in the 6th trumpet judgement is different.

John describes the demonic army in the 6th trumpet judgement as “horses and riders with breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur”. They will be dressed for battle, against the remaining survivors who refuse to repent and bow down to Jesus.

“The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions…” – Revelation 9:16

John describes the heads of the horses as being like lions heads.

“…out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.” – Revelation 9:17

John then describes how this army of mounted demons will kill a third of the remaining unrepentant survivors in the world. By fire, smoke, and sulfur (or brimstone in some versions) coming out of their mouths. If the fire from the demons’ mouths do not kill the people, the smoke or the noxious sulphur fumes will.

“The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.” – Revelation 9:19

As if fire, smoke, and noxious sulphur fumes are not bad enough, John describes the demons as having tails like snakes that will injure people. This future event in the end times, the 6th trumpet judgement, will be even more terrifying and horrible than the previous judgements. Which were already pretty terrifying and terrible.

Revelation 9 – 5th & 6th Trumpet Judgements

“The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” – Revelation 9:20-21

As we have seen in previous parts of John’s vision in the book of Revelation, a great multitude of Jews and people from all people’s, tribes, and nations will come to Christ and repentance.

But Revelation 9:20-21 tells us that many will not. Many will not stop worshiping demons, or idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood.

It is interesting that John mentions people that worship demons. Essentially if people refuse to repent and bow down to serve and worship King Jesus, they are worshiping Satan and demons.

And people that live for and serve themselves, or live for and pursue idols like money, riches, fame, success… are essentially worshiping Satan and demons.

Sadly the ultimate result will be a terrible one for them. If they will be alive during the tribulation they will have to go through God’s judgements and punishments. And the ultimate worst fate described later in Revelation 20.

If they die before the tribulation and the day of the Lord, their ultimate fate will be as it is described in Revelation 20. The lake of fire for eternity.