Revelation 9

1. Why is there a break before the final 3 trumpets?
2. What does the 5th trumpet represent?
3. What does the 6th trumpet represent?
4. What does the massive army represent?
5. How could no one repent after such things?

Futurist-Prophecy yet to be fulfilled
1. The first four trumpet judgments were physical in nature, these are spiritual
2. Satan is given permission to unleash hell on earth. The locusts are demons tormenting the unbelieving world. Some, however, view this as the military power of the antichrist and the locusts, specifically, as cobra helicopters spraying nerve gas from its tail.
3. Four evil angels pave the way for demon-possessed invaders from the orient to attack Palestine and its now God-fearing inhabitants
4. The army is either made of demons, men, or both. Some believe it is Islam attacking the revived Roman empire, others believe China is the aggressor. The description of the army projects the image of military apparatus (tanks/bombs/etc)
5. Punishment does not, in itself, lead men to repentance. The very sins mentioned as dominant in the Tribulation are those we see on the rise in our world.

Historicist-Prophecy fulfilled throughout the church age
1. Trumpets 5-6 describe the destruction of the Eastern Roman Empire.
2. The locusts represent the Saracens (Muslim Arabs) attacking the Eastern Roman Empire from 612-763 under Mohammed (their King). The 5 months represents the 150 years of Mohammad’s ‘conversion by sword’ policy.
3. The third of mankind destroyed here is the eastern third of the Roman Empire (Byzantine). The Turks (later known as the Ottoman Empire) conquered Constantinople in 1453. Verse 15 describes the length of this event as just over 396 years starting in 1055 when the Turks gained power.
4. The size of the army represents an indefinite number. The colorful description fits well with the Turks. The fire, smoke & brimstone refers to the heavy use of artillery, for great guns were first used by the Turks at Constantinople.
5. This speaks of the impenitence of the apostate Eastern Church.

Preterist-Prophecy fulfilled in distant past
1. The final three woes refer specifically to the destruction of Jerusalem in 3 stages
2. Prior to its destruction, Israel, and Jerusalem in particular, had become a moral wasteland. The cities inhabitants became demon-possessed in their final years. Both the New Testament (Matt. 12:43-45) and Josephus record their horrifying state. The king is Satan himself (John 8:44)
3. The Roman armies, some of them stationed at the Euphrates, invaded Israel at the time specifically determined by God (Daniel 9:24-26, Luke 21:20+32).
4. This was fulfillment of the promised curse on Covenant-breakers in Deuteronomy 28:49-68 carried out by the Roman army (not literally 200 million men).
5. God had given them over to a debased mind (Romans 1:28), so repentance was no longer an option.

Spiritualist-Prophecy fulfilled repeatedly throughout history
1. History will become more intense as the end approaches
2. Satan unleashes his demonic forces upon the earth clouding the minds of men. These demons are powerful, intelligent, seductive, fierce, and malicious. They have authority, appear invulnerable, and (unlike real locusts) are ruled by a king
3. The prayers of the saints unleash further warnings/judgment on mankind
4. War is one of those recurring phenomena God uses to punish civilizations. The number 200 million is not to be understood literally
5. The judgments are intended to produce repentance, but man does not respond in kind.