Revelation (Written)

Monday, 18 January 2021

Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. Revelation 9:16

These words refer back to verse 9:14 where it spoke of the “four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Of this great coalition, John says, “Now the number of the army of the horsemen.”

Here the term strateumatōn, or “armies,” is a plural noun. That is followed by tou hippikou, the horsemen. It is a singular noun, thus speaking in the same manner as our modern term “cavalry.” The singular speaks of the whole. A suitable translation would be, “Now the number of the armies of the cavalry.” Thus, this is a coalition of forces uniting into one giant cavalry.

Of this massive coalition, it next says it was “two hundred million.” The Greek reads, dismyriades myriadōn, or “two myriads of myriads.” The myriad at John’s time was a group of ten thousand soldiers. However, the term was also used to express an extremely large number without specificity. It is used in this way in Acts 21 –

“And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; ²¹ but they have been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.’” Acts 21:20, 21

Therefore, the number is expressed in various ways by different translations –

twice ten thousand times ten thousand (NIV)
200 million (NLT)
two hundred million (BSB)
two hundred millions (WNT)
twice ten thousand ten thousands (BLB)
two hundred thousand thousand (KJV)
200,000,000 (CEV)
20,000 times 10,000 (GWT)
two myriads of myriads (YLT)

As the word is preceded by a number (two), it is most probable that this is not simply an attempt to speak out a superlative, but is rather a number that closely describes the actual size of the force, being rounded off accordingly. In other words, a force of around two hundred million people will be gathered to come against Israel after they have been softened up through a five-month long aerial bombardment. To ensure that his number is taken literally, as intended, he concludes the verse with, “I heard the number of them.”

In Daniel 7, a vision is given of a heavenly scene. There it says –

“A fiery stream issued
And came forth from before Him.
A thousand thousands ministered to Him;
Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated,
And the books were opened.” Daniel 7:10

There, as in Jude 1:14, it speaks in superlative terms without specificity. It is a way of saying, “a great and large number.” However, John gives a specific number, and then he states that he heard the number. Therefore, this is to be taken as the actual force. It is an immense number of cavalry forces.

Life application: This is an amazing prophecy for John to have seen. At the time this was written, it would have been unknown if there were even that many people on earth. Because of this, scholars have for generations thought that the number was merely symbolic of something. This is most unlikely because John adamantly confirms the number. It shows that the prophecy is in the far future from John’s time. It is in a generation when an army of this size could be brought together. And today it is not just possible, it could occur in a short amount of time by nations uniting against a common foe.

What John saw and heard is both realistic and yet future. When it occurs, it will be because the world is being directed into a whirlpool of destruction because of its failure to acknowledge God and simply call on Him for direction. It is a world that has rejected the true path to restoration. They have rejected JESUS.

O Lord God – Creator of heaven and earth – You have given us every opportunity to simply bow the knee and call out to You in faith. You sent Jesus to show us the true avenue to peace, and yet we have continuously rejected Your gracious offer. And because of this, we have faced and will continue to face many trials. Righteous are You when You judge, O God. Amen.

Sunday, 17 January 2021

So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Revelation 9:15

The words here are in response to the voice from the horns of the golden altar commanding the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates to be released. That response is now noted by John, saying, “So the four angels, who had been prepared.” As seen in the previous commentary, these four angels are representative of the great army that will come against Israel. They have been restrained and now are to be released. With that stated, John continues recording the voice he has heard. It says, “for the hour and day and month and year.”

The translation is correct, improving upon the failed KJV which says, “an hour and day and month and year.” By neglecting to translate the definite article, the KJV makes the thought cumulative. Rather, the words speak of a set and particular time that was predetermined all along. Some translations make it even clearer by using the word “this.” In essence, “they are prepared for this particular day out of all others in recorded history.”

If this is referring to the battle of Gog/Magog of Ezekiel 38/39 (this is only speculation), then the precise timing of John’s words can be matched with the precise wording of Ezekiel –

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Are you he of whom I have spoken in former days by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied for years in those days that I would bring you against them?’” Ezekiel 38:17

The prophets who prophesied did so because the future is determined. Thus, what they anticipated is set, sure, and will come to pass. This is exactly as they had spoken. The thoughts of verses coincide, calling out for the moment John is carefully describing.

John then finishes by noting that they “were released to kill a third of mankind.” The aorist verb “were released” defines the thought of the set date. Though John wrote the words of Revelation over 2000 years ago, he wrote it as if the battle has already been waged. In his vision, the angels were released at the set moment and they have been released to kill one-third of the people.

The set number, “a third of mankind,” must be viewed as an unknown at this point. Is it speaking of one-third of all humanity on the planet? Probably not. Is it speaking of one-third of the people of Israel? It is possible. Zechariah, prophesying of the future tribulation period, says –

“‘And it shall come to pass in all the land,’
Says the Lord,
‘That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one-third shall be left in it:’” Zechariah 13:8

If this is one-third of the people of Israel, then it would mean a portion of that two-thirds is realized in this battle. Or it could be that it is speaking of one-third of all in the battle – on both sides. If this is the case, then it could be that far fewer of Israel will be killed in this particular passage.

In other words, if this is the same battle as mentioned in Ezekiel 38/39 (a possibility), it says there that almost the entire invading army will be completely destroyed (see Ezekiel 38:18-23 and Ezekiel 39:1-5). Thus, if one-third of all dies in the battle, and almost all the invading enemy is destroyed, it would mean a much smaller portion of the people of Israel would be killed.

Until the events actually come to pass, it is hard to be dogmatic. However, the words of Revelation 9:20, 21 would be easily explained by such a lopsided win. Little Israel, destroying such a vast invading army, would naturally feel superior and in no need of turning from their wickedness. Repentance comes through humility, and humility comes through defeat, not victory.

Life application: No matter how the numbers are divided, the statement “a third of mankind” means that the number of dead will be immense. In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we read these words –

 “To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven.”

And in Acts 1:7 when asked about the coming kingdom, Jesus told His disciples –

“It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.”

God has everything under His control, and this includes the resulting destruction of the great battles that lay ahead. These four angels have been prepared, and “they were released.” It is done in God’s mind. There is a logical progression to all things, and God knew before He created anything what that progression would be. All things are according to His purposes and we are merely participants in His great unfolding plan for the ages. We need not get concerned about the things that are ahead because God is completely in control of them.

And for those who have called on Him, His promises hold fast. No matter what comes, be it in life or death or in trials or ease, nothing can remove us from His powerful grasp. So, if the events of Revelation seem terrifying, just trust that God already knows His good plans and purposes for you. If you have called out to God through the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is the anticipation of eternal joy in His presence. Whatever evils come in this lifetime are fleeting in comparison. Be sure to accept the gospel by trusting in what God has done through the giving of JESUS!

Heavenly Father, when we see that You already know the future, it gives us great comfort. Even if things are troublesome in our own lives, we can be certain that these things will never spin out of Your control. And we can certainly know that all of our trials are being worked out for our good and for Your glory. Because of this, we can shout “Hallelujah!” Amen.

Saturday, 16 January 2021

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

The words now come from the “voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,” as was presented in the previous verse. The sixth angel just sounded, and now that voice speaks “to the sixth angel who had the trumpet.” As noted in a previous commentary, the word angel signifies a messenger. Of the various views concerning who these angels are, one is that they represent the “seven Spirits of God” seen in Revelation 1:4, 3:1, and 4:5. If so, this is the Lord speaking as the Mediator of God’s people now relaying the directive.

If such is the case, this doesn’t mean the Lord has multiple personalities. Rather, it would simply be the word revealing the many roles of the Lord in a way that we can understand. Regardless of this, the words say, “Release the four angels.”

The number four, though already explained, should again be defined here –

“Now the number four is made up of three and one (3+1=4), and it denotes, therefore, and marks that which follows the revelation of God, namely, His creative works. He is known by the things that are seen. Hence the written revelation commences with the words, ‘In-the-beginning God CREATED.’ Creation is therefore the next thing—the fourth thing, and the number four always has reference to all that is created. It is emphatically the number of Creation; of man in his relation to the world as created; while six is the number of man in his opposition to and independence of God. It is the number of things that have a beginning, of things that are made, of material things, and matter itself. It is the number of material completeness. Hence it is the world number, and especially the ‘city’ number.” EW Bullinger

The main aspect of focus here is the thought, “of man in relation to the world as created.” The world as created, and as it is being revealed now in Revelation, is focused on Israel. They are being brought through the tribulation to the point where they will call out to Christ. This is the purpose of their final seven years under the law. It is to bring them from the Mosaic Covenant to the New Covenant (as defined in Daniel 9:24-27). Understanding this, these angels are representative of the forces of man. They are to be released, allowing the great army to come against Israel. John says they are those “who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

One must understand the biblical significance of the Euphrates in order to understand why it is even mentioned. It is the outermost point of the land promised to Abraham –

“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— ¹⁹ the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰ the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, ²¹ the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.” Genesis 15:18-21

It is the outermost point of the land held during the reign of Solomon (called “the River”), typical of the ideal that is anticipated in the millennial reign of Christ –

“Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. ²¹ So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.” 1 Kings 4:20, 21

Beyond this river, and since the earliest times, this area has been in a state of war – physically and spiritually – against the forces of goodness.

The boundaries began at the time of Cain when he dwelt “in the land east of Eden.” The two highlighted cites of the Bible are Jerusalem – the city of peace and the place where God dwells, and Babylon – the city of confusion and where wickedness dwells. In Genesis 14, the four kings of the area around the Euphrates come against five kings dwelling in the land of Canaan.

Later in the Bible, the king of Assyria is called the “rod” of God’s anger (Isaiah 10:5) and is used as God’s judgment against the northern tribes of Israel, carrying them away captive in 722 B.C. After that, the king of Babylon is used as God’s judgment against the southern land of Judah, carrying them away in 586 B.C. In Jeremiah, Babylon is called “the hammer of all the earth.” Jeremiah, writing in Habakkuk asks the question –

Why do You look on those who deal treacherously,
And hold Your tongue when the wicked devours
A person more righteous than he? Habakkuk 1:13

For a further analysis of this border, Vincent’s Word Studies says –

“The Euphrates was known as the great River, the River, the Flood. It rises in the mountains of Armenia, breaks through the Taurus range and runs south and southeast until it joins the Tigris in lower Babylonia[.] Its total length is from 1,600 to 1,800 miles, and it is navigable for small craft twelve hundred miles from its mouth. It was the boundary-line of Israel on the northeast (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 1:4. Compare 2 Samuel 8:3-8; 1 Kings 4:21). It thus formed the natural defense of the chosen people against the armies of Assyria. The melting of the mountain snows causes an annual flood, beginning in March and increasing until May. These floods became an emblem of the judgments inflicted by God upon Israel by means of Babylon and Assyria. The brook of Shiloah which flowed past Zion and Moriah was a type of the temple and of its mighty and gracious Lord; and the refusal of allegiance to God by the chosen people is represented as their rejection of the waters of Shiloah which flows softly, and their punishment therefor by the bringing in of the waters of the mighty and great river (Isaiah 8:5-8; compare Jeremiah 17:13). To the prophets the Euphrates was the symbol of all that was disastrous in the divine judgments.”

Understanding the symbolism of this great river, one could stop right here and exclaim, “Disaster is coming.” And indeed, the verses ahead will reflect just this. The nations are coming against Israel because Israel has not yet come to Christ.

Life application: God has used the unrighteous to bring about His purposes against His people and to bring about His plans in a way that demonstrates His sovereignty over all creation. Nothing happens apart from the sovereign decisions of God – including the great battle to come in the judgment of the sixth trumpet.

As you read your Bible, look to the geography of the lands and see how God is using real locations to make spiritual applications. By understanding these things, your knowledge of world events will certainly be increased. But more, in every such description, you will also better understand the ongoing redemptive narrative. It is a narrative laid out by God with the intent of bringing man back to Himself. And He is doing this through His Son, our Lord JESUS!

O God, Your word is beyond compare. It is beautiful in all it teaches. Every time we look into it, we can be more amazed at the complexity and beauty of how it is arranged. Every time we think we have a full understanding of all it contains, we will inevitably find ourselves realizing that it is far deeper and more glorious than we had previously imagined. Time and again, we realize what a treasure Your word is. Thank you for this precious and sacred word. Amen.

Friday, 15 January 2021

Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Revelation 9:13

John had just noted the sounding of the fifth trumpet and the subsequent first woe. The swarm of locusts and the destruction they brought must have been amazing for him to behold. But now his attention is redirected to the heavenly throne room again with the words, “Then the sixth angel sounded.”

With the sounding of the trumpet, John continues with, “And I heard a voice.” The Greek reads, “And I heard one voice.” It is specific. There is one Mediator between God and man, the God/Man Christ Jesus. The symbolism of the golden altar was seen in Chapter 8 –

“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. ⁴ And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.” Revelation 8:3, 4

The golden altar is the altar of incense. The incense is the prayers of the saints directed through Jesus Christ. The one voice John hears is said to be “from the four horns of the golden altar.” It is a remarkable statement.

In the construction of the altar of incense recorded in Exodus, the number of horns is never explicitly mentioned. Though implied, and unlike the brazen altar (the altar of sacrifice), the number was noticeably left off of the description of the golden altar. It was a significant omission. As four is the number of creation, the brazen altar having four horns signified the judgment on sin throughout creation. However, because Christ’s intercessory work is in heaven, no number of horns was stated. Thus, it reflected a transcendence from the earthly to the heavenly.

Now, however, the number of horns is explicitly stated. This is because the altar pictures Christ in His intercessory role. It is He who speaks for all people on earth – from every corner of it, north, south, east, and west. He alone brings the prayers of the saints to the throne. As it says, this altar is “before God.”

Life application: The events to come are happening because God’s judgment is due on the world that has martyred His saints and rejected Him and His offer of peace through Christ Jesus. When Christ mediates on behalf of His people, an answer is certain to come: judgment. And that answer is to be one of judgment. Israel has rejected the Lord, the people of the world have rejected the Lord. The events of Revelation are prophesied in advance to show what will happen to both as the events of redemptive history continue to unfold.

God does hear the prayers of His people because His people are in Christ. He will no more reject their calls than He will reject His own Son. However, how He responds is solely up to Him. We may think that He doesn’t hear, but He does. And we may think He is unresponsive to our needs, but He is not. The plan must come to its fulfillment, and we must be patient in the process. But God does hear our prayers because our prayers are mediated through JESUS!

O Lord God, You have opened our eyes to future events while keeping some things hidden. In this, we can speculate on what those things mean. But no matter what our personal opinion about the hidden things may be, those things which have been revealed belong to us as a heritage and a means of understanding what is to come. Thank You for these insights. Amen.

Thursday, 14 January 2021

One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. Revelation 9:12

John has seen the revealed trumpet judgment. This was most probably a judgment against Israel and which consisted of the locusts. They were jet fighters sent to soften up the land in order to make a land invasion easier. That is exactly what occurred in the Gulf War, and it was an effective way of preparing the field of battle. With that judgment complete, John says, “One woe is past.”

The Greek literally reads, Hē ouai hē mia, or “The woe, the one.” With the completion of the first woe noted, John next says, “Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.” This next woe will continue, with interesting inserts, until verse 11:14 where the third woe will then be ushered in.

Further, it will come in conjunction with the sixth trumpet, and the third will come with the seventh trumpet. But the seventh trumpet will also be immediately followed by the seven “bowl” or “vial” judgments. These events are going through a progression and they are only going to get worse, not better.

Life application: Surely the people affected by these judgments will be thinking that each trial will be the end of sorrows and that an era of peace will be ushered in – by the actions of man and through the leadership of the anti-Christ. However, such is not the case. The world has said to God, “We can do it without you.” And God will allow them to try. But man is not inherently good.

Rather, the Bible teaches that we are fallen and that we are corrupt by nature. Because this is so, we can only botch things up and make it all worse. The good we do, such as inventing things, writing poetry, and helping out the homeless is inevitably short-lived and overshadowed by the bad we do.

Without the light of Christ in the human soul, there is only darkness and a desire to shun God for self and for selfishness. Let us remember this, and then let us lean wholly on our Creator God, and not on our own understanding. The Lord will be with those who call on Him and He will never forsake them. This is the promise of God found in Christ. It is the reason He sent forth His Son. This is the wonder of JESUS!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the forgiveness of sins that comes through the shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus. We know that we don’t deserve the favor You have lavished on us, but because of Your great love and mercy for the work of Your hands, You have looked upon us and been gracious to us. We will ever sing the praises of Your name. Amen.