The First Woe
Revelation 9:1-12
November 13, 2016
It has been a couple of weeks since we last looked at this Revelation,
However you will remember that we recently saw
THE LAMB OPEN THAT 7TH AND FINAL SEAL.
That scroll is the title deed to the earth, and it contains the judgments
By which the Lamb will redeem this fallen world back to Himself.
And when the Lamb INITIALLY took that scroll HEAVEN WAS EXCITED.
Revelation 5:8-10 “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
The initial response to this idea of taking the scroll and opening it brought absolute jubilation to the saints of heaven.
• In fact we heard those four living creatures enthusiastically shouting “Come” to those horseman as each of the first four seals were opened.
• There was excitement and enthusiasm at the thought of the Lord finally judging sinners and redeeming this earth back to Himself.
But as the seals continue to be opened the scene in heaven changed
From that of excitement to that of a much more solemn tone.
In fact, when that 7th and final seal was opened we read:
Revelation 8:1 “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”
When that seventh seal opened
All of heaven was now able to see all the judgments that were contained.
They could now see the full wrath of God and what it entailed and heaven sat silent.
It was sobering.
And heaven was sort of frozen in regard to the reality UNTIL an angel approached the altar and once again visited the prayers of all those saints who had been martyred throughout the ages for their love of God.
When those prayers were once again heard,
All of heaven united behind the effort.
The angel even threw fire from the altar to the earth.
And the judgments of the 7th seal were begun.
Immediately out of this seal came 7 trumpet judgments,
And we saw the first four last time.
We saw God systematically begin to almost “undo” creation.
• 1/3 of the earth was burned up
• 1/3 of the sea was turned to blood
• 1/3 of the fresh water was turned bitter
• 1/3 of the sun and moon and stars were darkened
God literally attacked creation.
And this was totally and perfectly just.
But it was at this point that we saw a brief pause in the action.
Revelation 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!”
This eagle had a message for the earth.
“Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth”
It was a three-fold woe was because there were three more trumpets left to blast.
God is about to unleash three more terrible judgments upon the earth.
And judgments that are categorized as “Woe”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
“Woe” is a unique term, it is actually more of an expression than a word.
It is what we call an ONOMATOPOEIA,
It is a word in which the sound equals the definition.
“Squawk” or “Knock” or “Baa”
Well in the Greek that is the word the eagle uses.
“Woe” translates “OUAI” (oo-i)
And it is a word of great sigh or groaning or pain or lamenting or disgust.
You may remember Jesus used it repeatedly when examining the religion of the Pharisees, using it 8 times in Matthew 23.
• Saying over and over “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”
• There it was a term of disgust.
Jesus also used it in pronouncing judgment.
Matthew 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”
Matthew 18:7 “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”
There Jesus could only groan as He pictured the judgments that would one day come upon those who had such access to the truth and yet failed to submit to it.
It was also a word often used in the Old Testament.
Isaiah alone uses it over 20 times.
Probably most famously in:
Isaiah 6:5 “Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
There Isaiah pronounced woe upon himself for the absolute horror that was about to come upon him for being a sinful man in the presence of the Holy God.
It is far more than just discipline or even punishment,
To pronounce woe is the most intense form of judgment.
And that angel at the end of chapter 8 said 3 woes are coming.
THIS MORNING WE LOOK AT THE FIRST.
It is probably the most famous judgment scene in the book of the Revelation.
Very few people read through Revelation without being greatly affected by “THE LOCUSTS!”
What we actually have here is Satan being given more liberty on the earth
Than he has ever been given at any previous point.
We are all familiar with the goal of Satan.
John 10:10a “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…:
Peter said:
1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
And if he were to be given absolute free reign
There would be no shortage to the destruction he would unleash.
However, Satan does not have free reign.
His freedom is limited to the sovereign permission of God.
• That is why when we read the book of Job we continually found Satan asking God for permission to afflict Job.
• That is why we have Jesus telling Peter
Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat;”
• That is why in regard to temptation Paul said:
1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”
The reality is that Satan only desires deception and destruction,
But his freedom is limited by God.
He only gets to do what God allows.
What we are about to see taking place under this 5th trumpet blast
Is Satan being given more liberty than he has had
At any time since his removal from heaven.
I used to liken this scene to a 5 month taste test of hell,
And certainly there are some similarities there, what when you consider the fire and the heat and the torment and the unending nature.
However hell will be much worse than even this.
What we have here is NOT the pain that God inflicts upon sinners.
What we have here is the pain Satan would inflict upon sinners.
God’s wrath is seen in the fact that God allows him to do it.
THIS IS WHAT SATAN WOULD DO IF HE HAD MORE FREEDOM.
And I think understanding this has VALUE EVEN FOR OUR OWN DAY.
There is a real fascination occurring in our day
With the things of darkness or evil or even Satanic things.
• Our culture is obsessed with shows like “The Walking Dead”
• Or love stories as seen from vampires.
• There is a movie recently released called “Ougi” presumably dealing with the propensity to call evil spirits through a ougi board.
• Witches and warlords and demonic expressions in horror movies have long been popular,
• FOX even has a new sitcom out called “Lucifer” which is of course about how the devil works in our world.
There is a fascination with darkness and demonic and satanic activity.
But if there was every any confusion regarding his plans for people
Let this passage answer those questions,
For here we see what he does once he is given a little more freedom
And in this we are reminded of the fate that awaits sinners.
God’s judgment is no laughing matter.
Let’s look at this scene together (5 things)
#1 THE AUTHORITY IS RECEIVED
Revelation 9:1
Let me explain some of the symbolism here.
You all know who that old fallen star is.
He is none other than the devil himself.
He is that evil angel who was kicked out of heaven
For trying to lead a rebellion against God.
Isaiah describes his fall
Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.”
The old fallen star we read about here is the devil,
Isaiah spoke of his fall from heaven.
We know that now (in the tribulation) he has been confined only to earth.
Revelation 12:7-12 “And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”
Currently Satan has some sort of unique access to the Father.
• He is currently referred to as “the prince of the power of the air”
• We see in the book of Job how he is required to present himself before God
But later, during the tribulation, we find that
He will be permanently removed from the heavens and will dwell on earth,
At which time he will be exceedingly angry.
It is part of that fury that is seen here.
And we find that while on earth, there is authority that is given to him.
“and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.”
Who gave him that key?
Well, who currently has it?
Revelation 1:17-18 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, ” Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
Jesus owns that key.
Let me explain it a little.
This “bottomless pit” or “abyss” as it is also translated
Is a prison created by God for the incarceration of the damned
As they await eternal punishment in hell.
You may know of it as “Hades”
Hades is not hell. It is horrible, but it is not yet hell.
Revelation 20:14 “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”
• Hades is a prison, also called the pit, where the ungodly are imprisoned in utter torment as they await final judgment.
• It is filled both with demonic beings who have been imprisoned and with sinners who have died without Christ.
Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
Luke 16:22-24 “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. “In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. “And he cried out and said, ‘ Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’”
That man died without Christ and was placed in Hades
As a place of horrific punishment and torment.
But it is not just unredeemed humanity that is in the pit.
2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;”
Jude speaks of the same angels:
Jude 6 “And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,”
We don’t have time to get into the story, but
If you read Genesis 6 and the story of Noah you will learn that in Noah’s day the sons of God (angelic beings) entered the earth and sought to cohabitate with human women thus producing some sort of half human half demonic unredeemable race.
God punished those angels who went after “strange flesh” (that is flesh unlike their own) and committed them to these pits of darkness.
The fact that it is horrific also to angels is seen in the begging and pleading of demons with Jesus that He not send them there.
Luke 8:30-31 “And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.”
So what we have here is a prison.
An awful place of torment feared by men and demons alike.
It is an awful place where the most vile demons and sinners
Are currently kept awaiting final judgment
Now, if you will remember, when Jesus died,
He entered that place and proclaimed Himself king.
1 Peter 3:18-19 “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,”
Jesus dropped into this place and declared Himself king.
Thanks to Revelation 1 we know He also took the keys and busted out.
Jesus has the authority over this awful place of torment.
He sends people there, and only He can deliver from that place.
But on this day, at the blasting of the 5th trumpet
Jesus gives the keys to this horrific spiritual prison to the devil
Who has been thrown to the earth.
Are you figuring out that this can’t be good for the people on earth?
Jesus just gave authority of the worst prison ever created to the devil in his fury.
“WOE”
The Authority is Rendered
#2 THE ARMY IS RELEASED
Revelation 9:2-3
The Scriptures says that Satan “opened the bottomless pit”,
In this pit are the imprisoned demons.
The worst of the demonic army.
These are the demons who aren’t presently free to roam the earth.
Imagine if all American prisons were opened.
Imagine what that would do to America.
WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS WORSE.
THE EARTH’S SPIRITUAL PRISON IS OPENED.
In this action, we catch a glimpse of SATAN’S REAL DESIRE for the world.
“He opened the bottomless pit, 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.”
When that rich man said he was in agony in the flame,
It is apparent that he wasn’t joking.
It is like taking the lid off of the earth’s biggest barbecue pit.
Smoke belches forth so thick that you can’t breathe,
And it literally blots out the sun.
If you are asking me, that is some kind of big fire.
“Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
The smoke was bad enough, but I feel certain that humanity could in no way be ready for what is about to be revealed when the smoke clears.
“out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth,”
Now before you start joining all the other apocalyptic experts and talk about how this must be an apache helicopter firing missiles on the earth, let me draw you back for a moment.
Turn to Joel 2:1-11
I want you to follow along with me as I read these eleven verses.
Do you see how similar that is to the passage we are reading in Revelation?
But who is this army?
Joel 1:1-12
That army was a locust invasion.
Joel used its imagery to explain what the Babylonian army would do to Judah.
A locust invasion was just about the worst thing the people could envision.
EXPLAIN A LOCUST INVASION.
John is using the same imagery here.
He describes this devastation in the worst way he knows how.
It’s like a locust invasion.
Before them was life, and peace, after them was utter destruction.
“and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
Again we find that “power was given them”
God is allowing them to do this.
And their power is “as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
• In Israel the native scorpion is known as “The Deathstalker Scorpion”
• It is yellow in color and between 3 & 4 inches long.
• Aside from the obvious super painful bite one of the main effects of being stung
by this scorpion is paralysis.
(https://askabiologist.asu.edu/venom/scorpion_venom)
JUST LIKE DEMON POSSESSION.
Acts 8:7 “For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.”
The point is that John isn’t talking about locusts that wipe out a crop.
He is talking about demons that are unleashing torment on people,
With affliction similar to that of a scorpion sting.
This is the effect of Satan releasing his army from the pit.
Authority is Rendered; Army is Released
#3 THE AGONY IS REVEALED
Revelation 9:4-6
Here is another reason we know this aren’t actual locusts.
They aren’t attacking vegetation, they are attacking people.
(4) “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.”
God does agree to allow Satan to release his army,
But as they are released, God sets some parameters.
You cannot afflict creation and you cannot afflict believers.
We know this would have most certainly been the 144,000 who were sealed,
But I think it would also include those who have believed as a result of their message.
Now this is very interesting to me.
• Satan is allowed to release his army.
• But he can’t attack creation and he can’t attack God’s people.
What is left to attack?
The only possible thing left for Satan to attack would be
Those who are currently rejecting Christ and currently following him.
And we would assume at this point that Satan would say,
“Oh very clever God, well thanks but no thanks,
There is no way I’m attacking my own people.”
But can I remind you again of the purposes of Satan?
John 10:10a “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”
• He doesn’t care about his own.
• He doesn’t comfort his own
• He doesn’t provide for his own.
• His only desire is to destroy…even his own!
Think back with me for a moment to the greatest servant Satan ever had.
You know him as Judas.
• This man yielded up his own body for Satan’s personal usage in order to
betray the Christ unto death.
• If ever there was a man who should have received a “Well done” from Satan
you’d think it would have been Judas.
• And yet, as soon as Satan was finished with him, he left alone to despair and
suicide.
If you think Satan won’t turn on his own you’ve got another thing coming.
Not only that:
(5-6) “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. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.”
Here we find out that God puts yet another limitation on him.
Not only can he only attack his own people,
BUT HE ALSO CANNOT KILL ANYONE.
All he can do is hurt people for 5 months.
• It doesn’t make sense that you’d attack your own people just for the purpose of making them miserable.
Well, let me introduce you to the plans Satan has for you.
Apparently he is more than happy to afflict even his own followers
With pain that they wish they could die from.
Authority is Rendered; Army is Released; Agony is Revealed
#4 THE AFFLICTION IS RELENTLESS
Revelation 9:7-11
We just learned that men seek death and can’t find it.
That reminds us that this torment is absolutely relentless.
But that is also revealed in the description of this demonic army.
Here we learn about them
And why no one will be able to escape their torment.
“Like horse prepared for battle”
Strength and courage charging into battle
Job 39:19-25 “Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane? “Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrible. “He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength; He goes out to meet the weapons. “He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword. “The quiver rattles against him, The flashing spear and javelin. “With shaking and rage he races over the ground, And he does not stand still at the voice of the trumpet. “As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’ And he scents the battle from afar, And the thunder of the captains and the war cry.”
“Crowns of gold”
“stephanos” = victors crown – Confident and victorious over men
They are winners, and they have authority to afflict.
“Faces like men”
Intellect – not stupid insects, but scheming, and executing war minds.
“Hair like women”
Seduction – their main weapon to devour is deception
“Teeth like lions”
Destruction – they may appear pretty, but they will tear you apart
“Breastplates of iron”
Invulnerable – protects the vital organs, you can’t kill them
“Sound like many chariots”
Multitudes of them, too many to fight
“Tail like Scorpions”
Heartless – they torment everyone without the seal of God.
Vile, scheming, deceiving, destructive,
powerful, cruel, unbeatable enemies,
And there are lots of them.
A foe who is:
• Smarter than you
• More powerful than you
• That deceives you to destroy you
• That can’t be killed
• And that outnumbers you.
And just in case you are confused as to their purpose,
John gives ONE MORE DETAIL.
(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 name of their ruler is given in both Hebrew and Greek for both the Jew and the Gentile to have full understanding,
• But in both languages his name means the same: DESTROYER
And I remind you again that the thief ONLY comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
All he does, even for those who bear his mark, is steal and kill and destroy.
And here God has turned him loose as a form of His great wrath
On sinful humanity who has rejected His Son.
What is the point?
• Rejecting Christ brings judgment.
• It is not ok, it is not optional.
God has already given Jesus the name which is above every name.
That name is “Lord”
And it is already declared that every knee will bow to Him.
Refusal to bow to Him only results in having your knees broken.
Psalms 2:7-12 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
This isn’t optional.
Failure to submit to the Son only brings intense judgment from God.
HERE SEEN in the reality that God will allow Satan to afflict the earth
To an even greater extent than he has ever been allowed before.
And then one more quick point.
Authority is Rendered; Army is Released; Agony is Revealed; Affliction is Relentless
#5 THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS REPEATED
Revelation 9:12
“The first woe is past; behold, two more woes are still coming after these things.”
After the fourth trumpet we heard that eagle say “Woe, woe, woe”
Because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet.
The first brought a demonic army full of torment on all who do not believe.
And now the eagle reminds that there are still two more to go.
You get the point don’t you?
• Being stiff necked toward God will not pay off.
• It’s not worth it and you can’t win.
It is imperative that all yield to Christ and submit to Him as Lord.
It is imperative that all bring Christ the glory due His name.
The punishment for failing to do so is not worth it.
And let me say one more thing:
This is not some sermon where I tell you to submit to Christ so you won’t go to hell. THAT IS THE WRONG MOTIVATION.
You need to submit to Christ because you have offended God
And Christ is the only way to reconcile that relationship.
It’s not about you skipping torment, it’s about God being satisfied.
This passage reveals just how unsatisfied He is at the rebellion of sinners.
