Revelation Now :
Daily Devotional Bible Studies in Revelation
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Fiery Angels Sound Their Trumpets : Day 38 
"The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come. The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.' And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was two hundred million. I heard their number. The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulphur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulphur. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths. The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury. The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts." (Revelation 9:12 to 21)
Destruction upon Earth
Here comes a series of destructions upon the earth. Four unidentified angels will be exceedingly evil and destructive. They do not have the power to release themselves and do their evil work on earth. They are held back by God and will be released at a specific time, doing only what he allows them to do. Here, one third of all people are killed. A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulphur. In earlier chapters, one fourth of mankind was killed. Thus, over one half of the people in the world will have been killed by God's great judgments. Even more would have been destroyed if God had not set limits.
Two Hundred Million Troops
In John's day, two hundred million troops in an army was inconceivable, but today there are countries, like China or India that could gather this many soldiers. This huge army, led by the four demons, will be sent out to destroy one third of the earth's population. But the judgment is still not complete.
Hardhearted People
These people were so hardhearted that even plagues did not drive them to God. They did not repent of the work of their hands. People don't usually fall into immorality and evil suddenly, they slip into it a little bit at a time until, hardly realizing what has happened, they are mired. Any person who allows sin to take root in his or her life can find himself or herself in this predicament. Temptation entertained today becomes sin tomorrow, then a habit the next day, then death and separation from God.
Meditation
How is being hardhearted or unrepentant destructive?
Prayer
"Cleanse me from my sin, Lord.
Put thy power within, Lord.
Take me as I am Lord.
And make me all your own.
Lead me day by day Lord.
Underneath thy sway, Lord.
Make my heart thy palace and thy royal throne."
(1)
Notes
(1)
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place."
