Tag: one third killed
A Third of Mankind Dies
Scripture reading for December 11: Revelation 9
“Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind.” The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lion’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.” Revelation 9:13-18
John was describing the things to come as they were showed him by God as he was caught up to heaven and shown visions of the future. God’s plans are set in heaven and nothing or no one can stop or change His will. God knows everything, even the end from the beginning! God is all-powerful and controls all authority in heaven and on the earth.
John had observed the Lamb opening the seven seals on the scroll taken from God’s hand. As the seventh seal was opened, John saw the seven angels with seven trumpets preparing to sound. Now the sixth angel sounded his trumpet and a command was given to release the four angels bound at the river Euphrates. These rebellious angels were now set free at the appointed hour, day, month and year assigned by God. Their mission was judgment on the rebellious of earth by killing one third of mankind. Fire, smoke, and sulfur coming from the strange ‘horses’ ridden by this army eliminated one of every three people on earth. This was an act of mercy by God to spare some. It is to be noted, that those left after this great slaughter refused to repent of their evil deeds of sexual immorality, theft, murder, or idolatry. (Revelation 9:20-21)
How does this vision expand your understanding of God’s justice and mercy? Why didn’t those surviving this terrible judgment repent of their evil deeds? How would you explain how a God of love and mercy could still send these terrible judgments on those made in His image?
Prayer: Father God, have mercy on those rebellious still on earth. I know that You desire that none perish and all come to repentance and life. Thank You for offering mercy through Jesus Christ. I also recognize Your holiness and justice punishing all who refuse Your free gift of mercy and forgiveness. Hide me in Your Son from the coming wrath. Amen.
A third of mankind is killed!
Scripture reading for December 14th: Revelation 9
Key Scriptures: Revelation 9:12-16 “The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.”
John had a ring-side seat for the events happening in heaven as the angels blew the seven trumpets with the resulting judgments happening on the earth occurring during the great tribulation. Because of mankind’s refusal to repent, judgment was inevitable as the consequence of rebellious and idolatrous lifestyles practiced by those on earth. Since we do not know how many will be raptured nor how many are martyred and saved during the tribulation, we cannot say for sure how many are killed except by percentage. Here Scripture records a third–one out of three–will be killed by the demonic forces released during this set and specific time of judgment. The number of troops was given as two hundred million–an enormous army bringing the death and destruction to the people remaining on earth.
Revelation 9:17-18 “And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, it is hard for me to understand the magnitude of the resistance to Your grace and mercy within the heart of mankind. I ask You again for mercy and patience, and more power through the Holy Spirit to live a righteous life and win souls for Your eternal kingdom. I know that Your Word is true and You are just and full of mercy for those who will repent.
Revelation 9:20-21 “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
One third of mankind dies!
Scripture reading for December 11th: Revelation 9
“The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke of a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. And out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions on the earth. 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.” (Revelation 9:1-4)
This “star” was evidently an angel who could unlock the Abyss. The Abyss is also known as the bottomless pit and is the prison of fallen angels or demons as well as Satan. (see 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 11:7, 20:1-3) Upon opening, the Abyss released smoke that darkened the sun and sky on earth and in this smoke were locusts. These locusts had specific power to torment mankind, but not kill them for a specific time of five months. Their “king” was called “Abaddon” or “Apollyon” in Greek which means “Destroyer or Destruction”.
The sixth angel also sounded his trumpet and a voice from the golden altar told him to release “the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” “And the four angels who were kept ready for this very hour, day, and year were released to kill a third of mankind.” (Revelation 9:14-15) These angels were bound somewhere in the current Middle East and had a set day, hour and year to act. These must have been fallen angels that God would use in this judgment on the unrepentant of the earth during the great tribulation. One third of mankind dies from the “200 million mounted troops” empowered by these fallen angels. But the other two-thirds do not repent of their murders, magic arts, theft or sexual immorality! Without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins and deception will take these others into deeper darkness and ultimate eternal separation from God!