5th Trumpet - The First Woe of Revelation

VIDEO: 5th Trumpet - First Woe of Revelation

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14 AKJV)

In this scripture, Paul is instructing a young leader, Timothy, to keep reminding God’s people not to quibble about doctrine. The items in Revelation that we have no absolute interpretation of, should not cause petty disagreements. We should be able to look at the items we can definitely identify and agree to disagree about the rest. The last three trumpets are events we should be willing to disagree about for they most definitely could be metaphorical. 

Three Woes

And I beheld and heard an angel flying through the middle of Heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the Earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! (Revelation 8:13 AKJV)

The next three trumpets are known as the “three woes” because of the severity of what happens when they are sounded. It is hard to believe that something could be worse than an earthquake releasing ash that darkens the skies and meteorites hitting the Earth and sea, but the final trumpets will be more fierce than what has already taken place. As we have previously discovered, the Two Witnesses rise at the second woe, so Christians will be around for at least the first two woes.

5th Trumpet

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from Heaven to the Earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1 AKJV)

When we see a “star fall from Heaven” it is actually an angel sent to do God’s bidding. The bottomless pit is a place where the angels who first defied God and corrupted mankind were chained. (Genesis 6:1-4) We see what happened to them in the Book of Jude:

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6 AKJV)

God sends an angel to release what has been chained since the flood of Noah. To say that these beings hate mankind would be an understatement. 

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. (Revelation 9:2 AKJV)

When something occurs in the spirit realm, we often only see the consequences of that action. Since the bottomless pit is deep in the Earth, this very well could look like some sort of volcanic eruption which releases smoke that darkens the skies. 

And there came out of the smoke locusts on the Earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the Earth have power. (Revelation 9:3 AKJV)

Here is where events begin to be very debatable:

• Are these literal animals that come out of a hole in the Earth? 
• Will these demons from the bottomless pit who are now released upon the Earth, inhabit something?

The rest of the chapter may shed a bit of light on the answer.

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the Earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. (Revelation 9:4 AKJV)

Locusts usually eat green plants, so God is making a point that what is released isn’t like the insects being named, but something different. Not only that, but God will supernaturally protect those who “have the seal of God in their foreheads.” What is this seal and how do we get it?

In Revelation 7, the seals upon the scroll are broken, then 144,000 devout Jewish believers are “sealed” for God’s work. However, Christians are also sealed: 

[He has also appropriated and acknowledged us as His by] putting His seal upon us and giving us His [Holy] Spirit in our hearts as the security deposit and guarantee [of the fulfillment of His promise]. (2 Corinthians 1:22 AMPC)

We receive a seal when the Holy Spirit comes into our heart. This may be the seal that protects all Christians who have the Holy Spirit along with the new 144,000. Now let’s see what these “locusts” do.

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he strikes a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (Revelation 9:5-6 AKJV)

This is the one sure fact we can take from this trumpet, the consequences of what is released:

• People will not die, but be poisoned like a scorpion sting
• Pain, tingling, or burning sensation at the sting site
• Malaise, sweating, nausea, and vomiting
• Salivating
• Numbness
• Muscle twitching
• Abnormal neck, eye, and head movements/twitching
• Heart palpitations
• Breathing difficulties may occur
• These symptoms will be so severe that you will wish you had died
• It will last five months
• Is this the duration of the symptoms or the time frame for this seal?

We must remember the atmosphere of the world, what has already occurred with the other trumpets:

• Small and large meteors hitting the Earth (1st & 2nd trumpet)
• One-third of the sea life dies and one-third of all ships are destroyed (2nd trumpet)
• One-third of rivers and springs poisoned (3rd trumpet)
• One-third of the sky blocked out (4th trumpet)
• The remaining sky is blocked out by an eruption from the Earth (5th trumpet)

All of this will happen in one year. Amid all of this chaos, demons that have been locked away for thousands of years are now released to bring pain to mankind. How will this torture be released? That is something we can only guess at because the description may or may not be metaphorical.  

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared to battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.  (Revelation 9:7 AKJV)

Concerning this verse, please remember:

• In biblical times, a horse prepared for battle wore metal plates. 
• Crowns were a symbol of power and gold symbolized glory. 
• This isn’t real power and glory but something resembling it.
• A face is all of who we are. “Were as the faces of men” the “as the” means that they are not human, but have some semblance of humanity. 

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. (Revelation 9:8 AKJV)

• “Hair as the” makes this not what it seems. Hair represents thoughts coming from our heads. Could this represent great intelligence? Or feigned intelligence like an AI (artificial intelligence)?
• The teeth are not actual teeth, but whatever these things are, they have a fierce bite since the lion was the most powerful of Beasts.

And they had breastplates, as they were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. (Revelation 9:9 AKJV)

• A breastplate protects vital functions of the heart. Iron was the strongest metal of the time. These Beasts will be hard to kill.
• When these attackers fly they have a big sound like the thrum of horses’ hooves. 
• Have you ever heard the sound an Apache helicopter makes as the blades whirl? 
• Could this be a drone with supposed AI functions, but really inhabited and controlled by the demons from the bottomless pit?

With the horde of spiritual beings, comes a leader:

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue has his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:11 AKJV)

In God’s kingdom, names often reflect the job or ability of the being. Abaddon means destruction and Apollyon means destroyer. We must examine all of the facts given and even look at what is not said. It never claims these attackers are actually flesh and blood. We know that: 

• The AntiChrist brings a created Beast to life. 
• This fallen spirit leader could be how the AntiChrist brings the Beast to life: a spirit indwells the created object posing as an AI. 
• The smaller units could be an extension of that AI. 
• Like giant drones that are sent out on a mission. 

There is a distinct possibility that the metal Beast coming to life is the ruler of the bottomless pit and drones will be his minions. What will they do?

And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.  (Revelation 9:10 AKJV)

The fact that they can “hurt men five months” could refer to the effects of their sting or the length of time they will be hunting mankind. Taking into account all of these facts and recent events, a couple of THEORIES spring to mind (these are not a prophecy or facts, only a possibility):

• As the AntiChrist begins hunting Christians, could a vaccine be released which he forces all mankind to take? The “sting” could be a shot with horrible side effects. 
• Food and resources are going to be scarce. Could drones with a connection to an AI be sent out to subdue a rioting populace to enforce the rule of the AntiChrist? Armed with some sort of chemical warfare, the drones could afflict people to subdue them.

However this trumpet plays out, it will not be pleasant for those who are not close to God.

One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. (Revelation 9:12 AKJV)

We can place this woe very near the end of Daniel’s Week since it may be connected to the created Beast coming to life at the end of that Week. 

During the live meeting, the Lord reminded us of what God would be doing during this time. After the middle of the Tribulation, this is seen in Heaven:

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the Earth: and there were voices, and thunder, and lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:3-5 AKJV)

God receives the prayers of the saints who are crying out. The response is to bring “fire of the altar of God.” This Greek word pyr (poorr) is often related to the cleansing fire of purification. The next three-and-a-half years will be a time where Christians are tried in the fire of God. The Bride of Christ will become bright and pure. 

Thunder is explained elsewhere by John:

...Then a voice came from Heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” (John 12: 28-29 ESV) 

When God spoke loudly, some only heard thunder and others heard a voice. Lightning is God’s display of power. Just as it was in the days of the Acts of the Apostles, Christians will be under great persecution; however, God will be moving strongly through those who are rightly aligned with Him and His ways! We will become a bright shining light in a dark time. This is confirmed by Daniel:

And such as violate the covenant he shall pervert and seduce with flatteries, but the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits [for God]. (Daniel 11:32 AMPC)

Though the time will be dark, God will move strongly through His people! The Lord loves those who are His Bride and wants them to run to Him for protection and guidance. 

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