Four Angels

In Chapter 9 when the fifth trumpet sounded a star fell from the sky to the Earth.  The star was given the key to the Abyss.  When the Abyss was opened smoke rose as if from a gigantic furnace.  The sun and sky was darkened by the smoke.  Locusts came out of the smoke and were given power like that of a scorpion.  These locusts were told not to harm the grass or any plant or tree.  They were told to harm only people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.  They did not have the power to kill but only to torture those without the seal of God for five Months.  The agony they suffered was like that of a sting of a scorpion when it strikes people.  During this five month period, people without the seal of God will seek death but will not find death.  They had as King over them the angel of the Abyss.

The four angels bound at the great river Euphrates in Chapter 7 were released to kill one third of mankind “The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million…”  That number of mounted troops suggests a much larger population and economy than exist on the Earth as we know it.  There must have been significant growth in the size of the Earth, population, and economy to support that number of mounted troops.

John gives a description of the vision he saw that was enough to give one nightmares.  As bad as that was with the huge number of deaths the rest of mankind that was not killed did not repent.  They continued to worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood.  They did not repent of their murders, magic arts, sexual immorality or thefts.

In Chapter 10 another mighty angel comes down from heaven.  This angel has a little scroll lying open in his hand.  When this angel shouts the seven thunders spoke.  John was instructed to not write what the seven thunders said. 

This angel raised the right hand to heaven and swore “There will be no more delay!”  At the end of Chapter 9 we were told no one repented from their sins even with the severe torment that was inflicted on the people that did not have the seal of God on their forehead.  God knows there will be no more conversion to followers of Christ; so it is time to end the reign of evil on the earth. 

John was instructed to take the scroll from the angel and eat it.  It tasted as sweet as honey when he ate it; but, it turned sour in his stomach.  John was told he must Prophecy again about many people, nations, languages and kings.