Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
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The Fifth Trumpet Is For The Pits
Rev 9:1-12
NKJV 1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. NKJV 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things. NKJV
 

NASU 1 Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 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. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 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. 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. 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them. 7 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. 8 They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 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. 12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things. NASU

Introduction:
Tonight we are going to look and behold how Satan was kick out of one part of heaven. He will latter be kicked out of another part of heaven. But let me sight some passages of scripture that tell us some of Satan's angels are excluded in the abyss or pit.

Matt 8:28-32 28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.  31 So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." 32 And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. NKJV

Matt 8:28-32 28 When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, "If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." 32 And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. NKJV

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; NKJV

Jude 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; NKJV
 
 
 

1.    The . . Potentate of the Pit. 1:1-2 & 11

potentate  n. 1. One who has the power and position to rule over others; a monarch. 2. One who dominates or leads a group or an endeavor.

A. The . . Descent of the Potentate. 9:1
        1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

    1.    This is past Tense.
        Luke 10:18-19 18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. NKJV

Isa 14:12-15 12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.' 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit. NKJV

B.    The . . Disturbance of the Potentate. 9:2
    2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

C.    The . . Description of the Potentate. 9:11

        1.    Described As . . Angel King. 9:11 a
            "And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit,"

        2.    Described As . . Abaddon. 9:11 b
            "whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon,"
            a.    This means "Destruction".

        3.    Described As . . Apollyon. 9:11 c
            "but in Greek he has the name Apollyon."
            a.    This means "Destroyer".
 

2.    The . . Populace of the Pit. 1:3-5

A.    The . . Picture of the Populace. 9:3 a
          3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth."

B.    The . . Power of the Populace. 9:3 b
        And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

C.    The . . Prohibition of the Populace. 9:4-5
    4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
 

3.    The . . Persecution of The Pit. 9:6

A.    The Persecution Causes A Desire they Cannot . . Find. 9:6 a
        6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it;

B.    The Persecution Causes A Desire That . . Flees 9:6 b
        " they will desire to die, and death will flee from them."

Illustration
When local magistrates sentenced [John] Bunyan to imprisonment unless he promised them he would not preach, he refused, declaring that he would remain in prison till the moss grew on his eyelids rather than fail to do what God had commanded him to do. -- "John Bunyan and the Pilgrim's Progress," Christian History, no. 11.
 
 

4.    The . . Personages of the Pit. 9:7-10

A.    The . . Portraits of the Personages. 9:7-10 a

        1.    This speaks to Strength and Speed. v 7 a
            7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle.

        2.    This Speaks to Royalty. v 7 b
            "On their heads were crowns of something like gold,"

        3.    This Speaks to Intelligence. v 7 c
            "and their faces were like the faces of men."

        4.    This speaks to attractiveness. v 8 a
            8 They had hair like women's hair,

        5.    This speaks to Cruelty. v 8 b
            ". . . and their teeth were like lions' teeth.

        6.    This Speaks to Power and Cruelty. v 9-10 a
            9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails.

B.    The . . Prohibition of the Personages. v 10 b
    "Their power was to hurt men five months. "
 

Illustration
When the army of Julian the Apostate was on the march to Persia some of the soldiers got hold of a Christian believer to torment and torture him in brutal sport. After they wearied of it, they looked into his eyes and said to their helpless victim, with infinite scorn in their voices, "Where now is your carpenter God?" The prisoner looked up through pain, blood, and agony to say, "Where now is my carpenter God? He is building a coffin for your emperor." -- R. Geoffrey Brown, "Look! A Great White Horse!" Preaching Today, Tape No. 111.
 

Conclusion

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