Day 247, Revelation 9
We are a culture inoculated against terror. Movies and late-night TV show us all kinds of frightening things that we brush off as “just fiction.” But chapter 9 is here to remind us that God allows terrible things to wake up those who have ignored Him or dismissed Him as “just fiction.” John describes the locusts unleashed by the fifth trumpet in such detail that multiple misguided logical literalists have identified them with specific 20th and 21st Century armaments. We must keep reminding ourselves that this is a poetic, dramatic, prophetic work of creativity! It is designed to be experienced, not just read. Heard and spoken, so that the words leap off the page and ignite the imagination into redemptive action.
After the fifth trumpet unleashes the first woe the eagle spoke of at the end of Chapter 8, the sixth angel blows his trumpet, and now the four angels representing the invading enemies of Israel are released. This would have been a powerful imagery for John and his readers. They have experienced the horrors of invasion personally, and they come from a long heritage of invasion, exile, and enslavement. Suffering is real and personal for them. And remember that the purpose of these invading soldiers bringing deadly plagues is to prompt repentance by those who have turned away from God into murder, sorcery, theft, or immorality. All these are manifestations of idolatry – replacing the true God with human artifacts, whether idols or philosophies.
And sadly, Chapter 9 tells us that they did not repent. There have been six trumpets. What will the seventh bring? We shall have to wait (again). Will we see how God’s plan continues to unfold in our next chapter?
Have a great day!
Mark.