Daily Scripture Reading Revelation 8:10 - 9:12

Over the past several decades, many pastors and churches have had the philosophy that they will not talk about hell, sin, and punishment because people don’t want to hear about that. Instead, they believe in trying to win people to Christ with uplifting messages. They only preach about the positive aspects of Christianity.

The problem with that approach is that God did not take that approach. The Bible does not just explain the benefits of our faith. It also describes the consequences of rejecting Jesus.

Today’s passage is a great example of God describing the consequences of not becoming a slave of Jesus. If the Bible has passages that describe fire and brimstone, then we should preach fire and brimstone.

The eighth chapter of Revelation begins telling us about angels who sounded trumpets. The first trumpet brought hail and fire which destroyed a third of the earth. The second trumpet led to the destruction of a third of the ships and sea creatures.

Rev. 8:10 ¶ And the third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.

Rev. 8:11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

Rev. 8:12 ¶ And the fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

The trumpets will lead to destruction that will be on a scale that is undeniably the worst destruction in the history of the world, except for Noah’s flood.

Rev. 8:13 ¶ Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

The word “woe” occurs three times. We will see that trumpets 5, 6, and 7 will each be a woe. Up to this point, the trumpets have caused great destruction. Apparently, the final three will be worse.

Rev. 9:1 ¶ Then the fifth angel sounded. Then I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth, and the key of the pit of the abyss was given to him.

Rev. 9:2 And he opened the pit of the abyss and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

Rev. 9:3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Look at the words “locusts” and “scorpions”. Locusts are known for eating plants. Scorpions are known for their sting.

Rev. 9:4 And they were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

The locusts, which normally destroy vegetation, were told instead to sting men who were not sealed with the seal of God.

Don’t miss the fact that this torment only occurred to men who did not have the seal of God. According to Revelation 7:1-4, the seal of God will be placed on the forehead of 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel.

The rest of chapter 7 describes a multitude from every nation and people group being in heaven, having been made white with the blood of the lamb. They will be in heaven during the seals and trumpets, not on earth, so they will not endure the catastrophe described here in chapter 9.

There is some debate within Christianity as to whether Christians will live through the tribulation or be removed before the tribulation. Chapter 7 and 9 describe a situation in which the Christians have been removed before the death and destruction described in Revelation.

Rev. 9:5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

The locusts were not allowed to kill men, they were only allowed to torment men.

Rev. 9:6 And in those days men will seek death and will never find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

The torment will be so bad that men will want to die, but the punishment from God will be such that they will not be able to die. The excruciating pain will go on for five months.

There has been a tendency in Christianity in recent decades to downplay sin, hell, and punishment, and instead emphasize all the good things about Christianity. The thought is that we should evangelize with positive thoughts, not negative concepts.

However, God did not do that. This passage is a great example of God trying to instill fear in people. People who are not Christians when the tribulation comes will endure pain so bad they will want to die, but they will not be able to die. Since the Bible contains fire and brimstone, we should preach fire and brimstone.

Rev. 9:7 ¶ And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

Rev. 9:8 And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

Rev. 9:9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses running to battle.

Rev. 9:10 And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

Rev. 9:11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

The Hebrew word “abaddon” means destruction or ruin. The Greek word “apollyon” means destroyer.

Rev. 9:12 ¶ One woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The fifth trumpet was the first woe. Trumpets 6 and 7 will be the second and third woe.

There has been a tendency in Christianity in recent decades to downplay sin, hell, and punishment, and instead emphasize all the good things about Christianity. The thought is that we should evangelize with positive thoughts, not negative concepts.

However, God did not do that. Revelation is intended to instill fear in people. People who are not Christians when the tribulation comes will endure pain so bad they will want to die, but they will not be able to die. Since the Bible contains fire and brimstone, we should preach fire and brimstone.

Does your pastor preach the consequences of not becoming a Christian?

To what extent has your church adopted the unbiblical philosophy of ignoring sin, hell, and eternal punishment?

How should the book of Revelation be incorporated into the gospel message?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”