Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).
When Jesus cracks open the seventh seal, God sends the angels to sound the seven trumpets. This brings an intensification of judgment. Seals 1-5 occur as birth pangs (in the Church Age?); seal 6 is more toward the end of history; now the seventh seal lets loose even more severe judgments (during the Tribulation itself). For instance, the seals only affect parts of the Earth, but the trumpets affect the entire Earth. When we get to the bowls, they are more intensified, finishing God’s judgment (Rev. 15:1).
The seventh seal, seventh trumpet, and seventh bowl all seem to overlap. In our view, the seventh seal contains all the seven trumpets (Rev. 8:2) and the seven bowls, because these bowls are contained in the seven trumpets. The result is a crescendo of visions that end with a great and terrible judgment. The interlude of chapter 7 is over. We pick up the text in chapter 8 with the seventh seal.
Seal #7: Massive earthquake, sun blackened out, stars falling, mountains and islands rearranging
(8:1) “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.”
Up until this point, Heaven has been anything but silent! All of creation has been shouting and singing to God (Rev. 4-5). However, when Jesus breaks open the seventh seal, it becomes dead silent (cf. Hab. 2:20). This could refer to standing in “awe at the presence of God,”[1] or a “device for deepening the suspense”[2] or “a hushed expectancy that makes the judgments about to begin more impressive.”[3] We might compare this to the silence that sweeps through a courtroom before the jury gives its verdict. Everyone is hanging on every word in anticipation. Heaven waits to see what God will do.
(8:2) “And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.”
During the seventh seal (which seems to encompass the entire Tribulation), we are introduced to the seven trumpets which sound off at the same time. Trumpets were used in Israel’s history whenever something serious was about to happen, so this could be the imagery being utilized here (Ex. 19:19; Lev. 23:24; 25:9; Num. 10:2-10; Joel 2:1; Zeph. 1:16; Mt. 24:31; 1 Cor. 15:52; 1 Thess. 4:16). Thomas holds that the trumpet was “a signal for war.” Thus, “the trumpet found a natural association with judgment.”[4]
(8:3) “Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.”
Some interpreters believe that this “angel” is Jesus because he intercedes at the altar. We disagree. Angels have already demonstrated that they can have a priestly function in this book (Rev. 4:8-11; 5:8-14; 7:11-12), so we see no reason for thinking this is Jesus. Moreover, Mounce asks a pertinent question, “Would the central figure of Revelation be introduced into the text with such an indefinite title?”[5] We think not.
(8:4) “And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.”
In Revelation, our prayers are often referred to as “incense” that is a pleasing aroma to God (Rev. 5:8).
(8:5) “Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.”
“Peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” This cataclysmic imagery stands in contrast to the silence of verse 1.
The prayer goes up (“Your kingdom come…” Mt. 6:10; cf. Rev. 6:9-11), and judgment comes down. Morris[6] makes the keen observation that the evils on Earth are overthrown by the prayers of God’s people. Prayer matters! The prayers of God’s people initiate justice on the Earth. Indeed, casting the coals was symbolic of judgment (Ezek. 10). Therefore, this event is tied to the saints asking, “How long, O Lord?” (Rev. 6:9-11) In this decisive act, God is finally answering millennia of prayers. Believers have long asked God, “How long?” Here, he answers, “The time is up!”
Trumpet #1: Hail, fire, and blood (destroying land life)
John only records the first four trumpets in this chapter. The three final trumpets are described as “woes” in chapter 9. These plagues are similar to the Egyptian plagues, and just like Pharaoh, the people refuse to repent.
Do these trumpet judgments occur in the first half of the Tribulation or the second? We agree with Hitchcock that these trumpets most likely occur in the second half of the Tribulation. This is because over half of humanity is judged. After all, Hitchcock argues, how could a later judgment be worse than this? This must be taking place in the latter half of the Tribulation.
(8:6-7) “And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. 7 The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”
Mounce[7] thinks this harkens back to the Exodus 9:19-25, where the seventh plague of hail killed the beasts and men in the field. Perhaps. However, the focus is on ecological destruction, rather than the bovine population. In fact, cattle are nowhere mentioned in this text. Neither is “blood” mentioned in the seventh plague of Egypt.
Is a literal third of the earth going to be burned up? The apocalyptic genre allows for great flexibility in symbolic interpretation. But Revelation attests that it is primarily “prophecy” (Rev. 1:3), which should be taken literally. Perhaps John is using round figures or symbolism to some degree. However, “Rationality and artistry are not mutually exclusive.”[8]
Whatever the case, a large amount of greenery will be destroyed. Furthermore, the OT prophets predicted that God would judge the nations and rescue his people in the same way that he acted during the Exodus (Isa. 11:12-16; Jer. 16:14-15; 23:7-8; Ezek. 38:22; Amos 4:10; 8:8-9). The best example comes from Micah who writes, “As in the days when you came out from the land of Egypt, I will show you miracles” (Mic. 7:5).
“All the green grass was burned up.” Grass still exists later in the book (Rev. 9:4). Thomas[9] argues that this must mean that the grass is temporally burned up, but it regrows later.
Trumpet #2: Something like a great burning mountain strikes the sea (destroying marine life)
(8:8-9) “The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, 9 and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.”
The sea becoming blood could be similar to Aaron turning the Nile into blood (Ex. 7:20-21). Or this could refer to the aquatic life dying and turning the waters into blood in the sense of death.
But what does this imagery of a “mountain being cast into the sea” refer to? Morris holds that this is simply some form of “divine visitation,” and the “precise agent is unimportant.”[10] However, if Dispensational authors are sometimes guilty of overinterpreting the text, this is surely an instance of underinterpreting the text. We think several views are plausible:
(1) Some interpreters understand this mountain to be Babylon, destroying a third of humanity (i.e. “the sea”). Of course, Babylon is symbolized as a mountain by Jeremiah (Jer. 51:25), and later, Babylon is brought up in Revelation 17-18 alongside the imagery of the “sea” of humanity. However, Walvoord criticizes this perspective.[11] After all, the text specifically mentions the “creatures” and “ships” being destroyed. If the sea is symbolic for humanity, then why mention the ships and the aquatic population? Hitchcock also critiques this view because there is nothing mentioned about these objects being symbols.
(2) Other interpreters understand this to be an angel falling to Earth in judgment. These interpreters base this off of 1 Enoch 18.13 which states, “I saw there the seven stars [angels] that were like great burning mountains.” However, we disagree with the tendency of NT scholars to primarily interpret Revelation through the lens of intertestamental Jewish literature! While we should read intertestamental literature (e.g. the Apocrypha, the Pseudepigrapha, etc.) to gain an understanding of the genre of apocalyptic literature and even to gain historical nuance, we disagree that this should be our primary lens for understanding Revelation. For too long, NT scholars have placed far too much emphasis on this extrabiblical literature—even appealing to it above OT allusions! Indeed, out of 404 total verses in Revelation, 278 allude to the OT.[12] In our view, this methodology is entirely misguided, and we would do well to look to OT and NT symbols before jumping into the morass of extrabiblical literature in search of an interpretation.
(3) We believe that this is some sort of planetary disaster (e.g. asteroid, modern warfare?). To an ancient prophet, what would a falling and burning mountain look like? Osborne concurs, “It is clear that this is a meteorite or falling star blazing through the atmosphere as it falls to earth… There is no evidence that this is an angelic visitation, however, and none of the other plagues has been angelic in nature. Rather, this also is a judgment from nature, a divinely sent disaster.”[13] Likewise, Thomas holds that this is a “mountain-like mass” or a “meteoric chunk, ablaze with fire.”[14]
Trumpet #3: The Wormwood star… like a torch (poisoning the water supply)
(8:10) “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. 8:10) Is this star simply an angel?
(Rev. 8:10) Is this star simply an angel? Some interpreters believe that this “star” is simply an angel. After all, “stars” are symbolic of angels (cf. Rev. 1:20; 9:1). Others think this is a “meteorite,”[15] which would be an omen for judgment. However, when we correlate the Tribulation with various other biblical texts, we discover that this is a time of intense and widespread warfare. With this in mind, what might John be describing when he sees a star “burning like a torch” that makes the waters “bitter” (v.11)? If this is phenomenological language, it could refer to a missile or something in the category of modern warfare. (How else would John describe modern-day weaponry if he saw a vision of one?) To be clear, we are not claiming that this is what John saw. Instead, we are saying that he saw a burning object falling into a massive water supply, poisoning it in the process (v.11). This sounds like modern warfare—not ancient imagery.
Others, like Hitchcock, understand this to be an asteroid. The term “torch” (lampas) was used to describe meteors. Indeed, Thomas writes, “Ancient usage of “torch” (lampas) to denote a meteor shooting through the air confirms this conclusion.”[16]
Some Dispensational authors hold to a hyper-literal view. For instance, even great Bible expositors like Warren Weirsbe contend that this is a literal star! He writes, “If a star actually struck the earth, our globe would be destroyed; so this star must ‘come apart’ as it enters the atmosphere. Of course, this event is a divinely controlled judgment; therefore, we must not try to limit it by the known laws of science.”[17] As we noted above, this is a hyper-literal hermeneutic. If literal stars collided with the planet, their massive centers of gravity would suck the surface of the Earth clean before impact ever occurred. The Earth would also cook to incredible temperatures before collision ever occurred.
(8:11) “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. 8:11) Why is the star called Wormwood? Regarding Wormwood, Johnson writes, “The star’s name is ‘Wormwood,’ which refers to the quite bitter herb Artemesia absinthium found in the Near East and mentioned elsewhere in the Bible (Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19; Amos 5:7).”[18] The water doesn’t merely have an unpalatable taste; it results in the deaths of “many men.” Thomas writes, “Wormwood itself was not a poison, though poisonous effects were sometimes connected with it (e.g., Jer. 23:15). Its bitterness at times could sometimes lead to death, however.”[19] Whatever struck the water also poisoned the water. In the ancient world, how could something poison the waters of the Earth on such a massive level? This would be incredibly hard to imagine. But in modern times? This is entirely plausible.
Trumpet #4: Sun, moon, stars darkened
(8:12) “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 world doesn’t go pitch black, but a third of the luminosity becomes dampened—similar to the darkness sent as a judgment in ancient Egypt. Indeed, darkness is usually associated with judgment (Isa. 13:10; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 2:10; 3:15; cf. Matt 24:29). Since this darkness is partial, this likely means that the judgment isn’t total. At least, not yet. This fits with other descriptions of the “day of the Lord” (Amos 5:18; cf. Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:2; Mk. 13:24).
(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!’”
John mentions an eagle in Revelation 4:7 that refers to an angel. He mentions one in Revelation 12:14 to refer to how God will rescue his people during the Tribulation. This “eagle” (an angel?) screams a message of pity for the people of Earth who are still in rebellion from God.
Questions for Reflection
Read chapter 8. What sort of judgments will people experience during the Tribulation?
Read chapter 8. Which of these images is literal, and which are symbolic? And how do you justify seeing a difference between the two forms of communication?
Repeatedly, we read that God’s judgment only affects a “third” of creation. What do you think is the importance of God restraining his justice to only a “third” of creation? Why not more? What might this imply?
Revelation 9 (Trumpets 5-6)
John devotes more writing to the fifth and sixth trumpets than the first four combined. In fact, he devotes three times the amount of writing to these two trumpet judgments. This literary convention shows that these latter trumpets are intensifying.
Hitchcock states that books, TV shows, and movies all describe the end of the world in a variety of ways. However, whatever humans imagine the end of history to be like, the Bible’s picture is far more startling than whatever we can imagination.
Trumpet #5: Locusts
(9:1) “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.”
“Star from heaven.” This “star” is not a lifeless object, because it receives a “key.” Later, this “star” is called “the angel of the abyss” (v.11; cf. Rev. 20:1).
The “bottomless pit” (abyssos) is a maximum-security prison for a specific species of demons (Lk. 8:31). We commonly think that all demons are the same. Not so. Just like God created a variety of plants and animals, we have good evidence to believe that God designed various forms and types of demons (Eph. 6:12). Theologian Charles Hodge writes, “There is every reason to presume that the scale of being among rational creatures is as extensive as that in the animal world.”[20] In our view, these are most likely the demons God incarcerated after they produced the Nephilim in Genesis 6 (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). The last time these demons roamed the Earth, God was so appalled that he flooded the world in judgment. At this junction of history, God unlocks the gates to this prison, and the abyss is opened.
(Rev. 9:1) Is this angel Satan? It’s possible that this is describing Satan himself, because John describes him as already having fallen. Later, Satan is confined in this prison during the Millennium (Rev. 20:2-4).
(9:2) “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.”
The smoke from the pit interacts with the sun and air in the material world. This has led some fundamentalists to think that hell literally exists beneath the surface of the Earth. Some conspiratorial Christians have even claimed that researchers have recorded the screams of the damned in the openings of deep tunnels that descend into the Earth. This is not only totally bizarre and fraudulent (!!), but it is a poor inference from the text. It’s quite bizarre to hold that spiritual beings could be confined by physical prisons in the dirt. Instead, this spiritual prison opens into our physical realm, resulting in an ecological disruption that dampens the atmosphere.[21]
(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.”
Are these just regular locusts or something more? The description of these beings surely exceeds regular locusts (vv.4-7). For one, they come from the “bottomless pit,” which doesn’t speak to regular locusts. Second, they only target humans—not crops (v.4). Third, they are violent (vv.5-6). Fourth, their description is nothing like regular locusts (vv.7-9). Fifth, they have a “king” that is an “angel” (v.11), but regular “locusts have no king” (Prov. 30:27). The use of “locusts” is probably a symbolic reference to the plagues delivered to Egypt (Ex. 10:4ff). But these are not common locusts. They are demons.
“As the scorpions of the earth have power.” John doesn’t say that these demons look like “scorpions.” Rather, they have power like the scorpions. This imagery might reinforce the notion that these are demonic beings. Jesus told his disciples, “I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you” (Lk. 10:19). In this context, Jesus is referring to “spirits” (Lk. 10:20).
Limitation
(9:4) “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.”
These aren’t ordinary locusts because they don’t eat grass. They target people who worship the beast (“who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads”).
Thomas notes the irony in the fact that both these demons and these humans are rebelling against God, but the demons are torturing these humans. He writes, “This is a classic example of the confusion and irrationality of the forces of evil which logically should have formed an alliance with one another.”[22]
(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.”
“Not permitted to kill.” This shows that God is still in charge, setting the limits for these demonic forces.
“Torment” (basanizō) can refer to pain that is “physical (Matt. 8:6; Rev. 12:2), mental (Matt. 8:29; 2 Pet. 2:8), or metaphorical (Matt. 14:24; Mark 6:48).”[23]
“Five months.” Locusts typically live for five months (May-September, v.10). This is a time of torment for people who worship the beast.
(9:6) “And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.”
This is truly “hell on earth.” We’re not sure if John is saying that humans won’t be able to die during this time, or that the locusts will harm humans, but not kill them (v.5). Charles Ryrie holds that people will be unable to commit suicide during this time (!). This seems like an example of over-interpreting the text, but we are not entirely sure.
What a truly awful vision of the human heart! Instead of leading these people toward repentance and turning to God from their murdering (Rev. 9:20-21), these people seek death instead![24]
Description
John uses the literary device of simile nine times throughout this section (“like… like… like…”). He cannot adequately describe these creatures. So, he grasps at language that comes close.
(9:7-8) “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.”
Some Dispensational authors believe that these describe helicopters with metal armor and pilots inside (“faces… like the faces of men”). Some press the imagery even further to say that the “hair” describes the propellers on the helicopter, and the teeth are like decals painted on the front of the helicopter! However, this is straining the text far too much. Clearly, the text describes these beings as fallen angels (v.11), and their description doesn’t fit with any known military warfare.
Thomas holds that these demons present themselves in this way “for the sake of enhancing their terrifying effect.”[25] Demons, of course, can possess physical objects like animals (Mt. 8:30-32; Mark 5:11-13; Luke 8:32-33) or humans. Angels and demons can take on wildly different shapes and sizes (see “Angelology”). So, we have no reason to believe that they cannot present themselves in a terrifying, physical form (2 Cor. 11:13).
(9:9) “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.”
“Like breastplates of iron.” These creatures appear to be armored, but once again, John uses the language of simile (“like breastplates of iron”). So, it isn’t clear that these creatures are indeed metallic.
“Like the sound of chariots.” The OT describes various armies as sounding like chariots (Joel 2:4-5; 2 Kin. 7:6)
(9:10) “They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.”
They are similar to scorpions, but again, this is the language of simile. Once again, their rule will only last five months (v.5).
(9:11-12) “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.”
“Hebrew is Abaddon… Greek… Apollyon.” John gives bilingual descriptions in his gospel as well as here (“in Hebrew… in Greek…”). Abaddon means “ruin” or “destruction.” Johnson writes, “In late Jewish apocalyptic texts and Qumran literature, it refers to the personification of death (1QH 3.16, 19, 32; IQ ap Gen 12:17 [TDOT, 1:23]).”[26] Thomas states that this is an “otherwise unknown angel who is in charge of the abyss.”[27] Satan has various leaders under his control (Eph. 6:12), and this demon must simply be one of them.
“The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.” Just when we might think that it cannot get any worse, John signals to the reader that more is on the way. While the demonic locusts brought “torment,” the next judgment brings “death.”
Trumpet #6: The four angels bound at the Euphrates River
(9:13-14) “Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God. 14 One saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’”
(Rev. 9:14) Why are the angels “bound” to the river Euphrates? God is progressively releasing his restraint on evil. These angels had been bound at this river, but no longer. This is similar language to Satan being “bound” (deo, Rev. 20:2). In both cases, John uses the term to describe being bound to a certain location. The border of the Euphrates River could align with the borders of Israel (Gen. 15:18).
(9:15) “And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.”
“The hour and day and month and year.” God’s plan is orchestrated to the day and even the hour.
Previously, God didn’t allow the locusts (demons) to kill any humans. Now, however, a third of the population is destroyed (cf. Rev. 6:7-8; 8:10-11). The term “angel” always refers to good angels in Revelation. However, we agree with Hitchcock and Morris[28] who argue that this is a key exception: These “four angels” are evil. For one, they were previously bound. Second, they come from the Euphrates River, which was the location of the ancient city of Babylon—a classic symbol of evil in the Bible. Third, they kill a third of mankind. These “four angels” seem similar in function to the four horsemen of the apocalypse in Revelation 6. God uses them as agents of judgment, but they themselves are evil.
(9:16) “The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.”
When John wrote this, there were roughly this many total people on Earth.[29] To put this in perspective, the Roman army of the first century had only 125,000 soldiers.[30] To further compare, during World War II, somewhere between 70 million[31] to 85 million soldiers[32] served in all the armies on Earth combined. Not until today have we been able to see a human army of this size. According to the Central Intelligence Agency Factbook, China contains 385 million fit for military service (males between the ages of 16-49), adding 10 million people per year.[33]
Does this refer to an angelic army? Thomas,[34] Johnson,[35] Mounce,[36] and Morris[37] believe that this is a demonic army—not a human army. Though, Morris believes that smaller human armies could be in view. In our estimation, this is a human army, because these are called “the armies of the horsemen.” If the horsemen are a spiritual force, this implies a distinction between the horsemen and the armies. The former are demons, while the latter are humans (see further comments below).
(9:17) “And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.”
Many commentators believe that the army is demonic because of the description of the horses. Of course, the horsemen are demonic (v.19), but the human armies are separate and distinct from the horsemen. It seems likely that these demonic horsemen manipulate and even lead this vast army into war. This army comes from the Euphrates, and Revelation 16:14 states that it is composed of the kings of the east.
(9:18) “A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.”
People are killed from the pollution of this warfare. Nuclear warfare could pollute the world like this. This doesn’t mean that nuclear warfare is being described. Rather, military warfare is plausible, even if it’s an uncertain referent.
(9:19) “For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.”
This seems like a demonic description.
(9:20-21) “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.”
“Did not repent… Did not repent.” The Greek language is emphatic and intensified, using the word “not even” (oude) to describe their lack of repentance.[38]
This is truly a terrifying vision! But what exactly is the scariest part? It’s not the warfare; it’s not the plagues; it’s not the death. The most horrifying part of this vision is this: People actively choose to continue to live in a living hell, rather than turn to God! Even when the world is coming to an end, many still won’t have a change of heart. This is the great and terrible “delusion of sin.”[39] Wiersbe wisely writes, “The most frightening thing about Revelation 9 is not the judgments that God sends but the sins that men persist in committing even while God is judging them.”[40] The Proverbs state, “The foolishness of man ruins his way, and his heart rages against the Lord. They ruin lives with their own foolishness” (Prov. 19:3).
Questions for Reflection
Read chapter 9. What sort of judgments will people experience during the Tribulation?
Read chapter 9. Which of these images is literal, and which are symbolic? And how do you justify seeing a difference between the two forms of communication?
Read verses 20-21. What do we learn about the effects and nature of human sin from these verses?
[1] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 118.
[2] Kiddle, p.144. Cited in Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 170.
[3] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 3.
[4] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 7.
[5] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 173-174.
[6] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 120.
[7] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 178.
[8] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 16.
[9] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 18.
[10] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 123.
[11] Walvoord writes, “To make the mountain a form of human government, the sea the Roman Empire, and the ships that are destroyed the church or organized religion, is to read into the passage far more than is justified.” John F. Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Galaxie Software, 2008), 155.
[12] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1992), 40.
[13] Grant R. Osborne, Revelation, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 354.
[14] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 19.
[15] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 180.
[16] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 21.
[17] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 593.
[18] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 492.
[19] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 22.
[20] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1952), vol. 1, p. 636.
[21] Similarly, when Jesus was transfigured (Mk. 9, Lk. 9, Mt. 17), the spiritual realm burst into the physical realm on the mountain. Moses and Elijah appeared as well. This shows that the spiritual realm can have an impact on the natural world.
[22] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 31.
[23] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 32.
[24] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 33.
[25] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 35.
[26] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 493.
[27] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 38.
[28] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 131.
[29] The Encyclopedia Britannica explains, “By the beginning of the Christian era, 8,000 years later, the human population approximated 300,000,000, and there was apparently little increase in the ensuing millennium up to the year ad 1000.” http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/470303/population/60687/Trends-in-world-population
[30] Mark Hitchcock, The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2010), 143-144.
[31] The World Almanac, 1971, ed. L. H. Long (New York: Newspaper Enterprise Association, 1970). p.355.
[32] Several factors complicate the question of how many troops fought in World War II: (1) Are the numbers reliable? Some governments kept better records than others. The USSR often inflated their numbers. (2) Is the number a total number of soldiers from start to finish? Some give a number of standing soldiers at one time. Others give a complete number. (3) Who counts as a soldier? Some military police, medics, and administrative workers are often counted or not counted, affecting the number. (4) Should we count only major countries like USA, Russia, Germany, France, Britain, etc., or should minor countries count also? At most, a nation can mobilize 10% of their people for war. For instance, Russia mobilized this many because they were fighting for absolute survival, but historians believe that this is unsustainable. To put this in perspective, the United States mobilized 4% of their population for World War II. I’m indebted to my friend Joe McCallum for these insights.
[33] https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html.
[34] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 46.
[35] Alan F. Johnson, “Revelation,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 12 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 494.
[36] Mounce acknowledges that it is interesting that China could mount such an army, citing Walvoord. However, he considers this of “no special help.” See footnote. Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 195.
[37] Leon Morris, Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1987), 133.
[38] Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22: An Exegetical Commentary (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1995), 52.
[39] Robert H. Mounce, The Book of Revelation, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 198.
[40] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 596.