A Real War Or A Spiritual War - the Second Woe of Revelation

[Davy]

The Scriptures in question - the Revelation 9 through 11 Chapters.

The Question: will the mention in Revelation 9 about the army of horsemen of two hundred thousand thousand be about real military infantry invading, like Red China or Russia? Or does it point to something else?

Answer: that army of horsemen were defined back on the 5th Trumpet - 1st Woe...

Rev 9:1-12
9 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

Stars is sometimes used as a symbol for angels in God's Word (Rev.1:20; Rev.12:4). What star would this be here that fell from Heaven? Lucifer, the bright and morning star of Isaiah 14:12.

3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
KJV

There above is the definition of that army of horsemen in the later Revelation 9:16 verse, the two hundred thousand thousand that are prepared once the four angels bound at the river Euphrates are loosed.

Just WHICH angels have been BOUND? Satan's angels of Genesis 6 that left their Heavenly abode and came to earth and took wives of the daughters of Adam, and the result was a hybrid-giant race. Apostle Peter said those angels are kept in chains in tartaroo, which Greek tradition used for the deepest part of the abyss (hell).

And note especially... where that locust army's POWER is...

Rev 9:17-19
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
KJV

We were told back at Rev.9:4-5 that locust army cannot hurt any green thing, nor kill any man, but only STING those NOT sealed with God's Seal for "five months."

And the above Rev.9:17-19 verses reveal the POWER of that locust army is in their MOUTHS! Just what... comes out of ones MOUTH? WORDS! It is their words of DECEPTION that is going to kill, SPIRITUALLY, that one third of verse 18. NOT a literal physical military army of tanks and planes and such.

That 6th Trumpet - 2nd Woe signals the start of the "great tribulation" time, which is what Jesus called the "end" in Matthew 24:6 when He said we'd hear of wars and rumors of war, BUT THE END IS NOT YET. That means the END will be a time OPPOSITE of wars and rumors of war. It will be a time of world peace. Apostle Paul said this also in 1 Thess.5, that when the deceived say, "Peace and safety", then the "sudden destruction" event on the "day of the Lord" will come upon them like a thief in the night.

But the false Pre-trib Rapture doctors instead teach the "great tribulation" is going to be all out WWIII and chaos, so that's why they will not heed what that Rev.9 Scripture flow actually is teaching, but instead treat that "army of horsemen" as an invading literal Red Chinese army. It's so they can SCARE YOU into their trickery of accept their false Pre-trib Rapture theory!

No, that locust army God first mentioned in the prophecy He gave through His prophet Joel. It is about a certain people that takeover this world, not a literal army, but they act like how an army operates.

 

[soberxp]

This is a very profound hermeneutical question. The viewpoint you presented attempts to completely spiritualize the two hundred million horsemen in Revelation 9, interpreting them as a spiritual attack by Satan’s forces through deceptive words, while strongly opposing the literal interpretation of them as an Eastern army (such as China or Russia).

To evaluate the correctness of this viewpoint, we need to apply the principle of “interpreting Scripture with Scripture,” examining it in light of the whole Bible—especially the literary genre of Revelation, the background of the Old Testament prophets, and the overall biblical framework of eschatology.

### I. Strengths of the Viewpoint (What Can Be Affirmed)

1. **Insistence on Symbolic Interpretation**: Revelation belongs to apocalyptic literature and makes extensive use of symbols. Treating the “locusts” and “horsemen” as literal insects or modern mechanized armies indeed risks missing the author’s intention. The observation that “their power is in their mouths” corresponds to “deceptive words,” which shows insight at the level of spiritual warfare.
2. **Attention to Internal Connections**: The viewpoint correctly notes that the “locusts” in Revelation 9 and the “horsemen” later in the same chapter are essentially the same controlled force (both under the authority of the fallen star / the angel of the bottomless pit). This is logically more consistent than interpretations that treat the locusts as psychological control and the horsemen as a nuclear war from the East, which often disconnect the two.
3. **Reflection on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture View**: The viewpoint points out that equating the Great Tribulation solely with world war is a fear tactic, which indeed hits at the emotional manipulation present in some popular eschatology (such as the *Left Behind* series). The Bible does emphasize that the deception of the last days is even more prominent than physical destruction.

### II. Weaknesses and Controversies (Needs to Be Examined in Light of the Whole Bible)

Although this viewpoint offers spiritual insight, when examined within the full context of Scripture, it has several notable hermeneutical issues:

#### 1. Confusion Regarding the “Bound Angels”
The viewpoint equates the “four angels bound at the great river Euphrates” with the fallen angels of Genesis 6 (the Watchers).
- **Biblical Comparison**:
- **2 Peter 2:4** and **Jude 1:6** do mention angels who “did not stay within their own position of authority” and are kept in chains (tartaroo) until the judgment. These angels are **already bound and imprisoned**.
- **Revelation 9:14–15** speaks of “four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates,” who are **released** to carry out a killing mission.
- **Analysis**: There is no direct biblical evidence that the Genesis 6 angels are imprisoned in the Euphrates. Equating these two different “bindings” lacks textual support. The four angels are more likely a type of evil spiritual force associated with earthly politics (the Euphrates was the eastern border of Rome, symbolizing powers from the East).

#### 2. Logical Contradiction Regarding “Power in Their Mouths” and “Killed a Third”
The viewpoint emphasizes that “their power is in their mouths” means “words,” and therefore concludes that the “killing” is spiritual (deception) rather than physical.
- **Textual Conflict**:
- **Revelation 9:18** clearly states: “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”
- Throughout the biblical context, “kill” (apokteinō) in Revelation usually refers to physical death (e.g., the fourth seal in chapter 6, the death of the two witnesses in chapter 11).
- If “kill” here is forced into a spiritual meaning (deception), it creates a contradiction with verse 4. Verse 4 makes a clear distinction: during the fifth trumpet, those without the seal are only **tormented** and **not permitted to die**; but during the sixth trumpet, a third of mankind is **directly killed**.
- **Analysis**: This viewpoint reduces the “killing” of the sixth trumpet to the “stinging” of the fifth trumpet, ignoring the escalation in severity. A more coherent interpretation is that the fifth trumpet locusts (demonic / deceptive forces) cause torment but preserve life, while the sixth trumpet horsemen (released destructive forces) bring large-scale physical death.

#### 3. One-Sided Interpretation of the Great Tribulation
The viewpoint claims that the Great Tribulation is a time of “world peace,” citing Matthew 24:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
- **Balancing the Texts**:
- **Matthew 24:6–8**: Jesus says “the end is not yet… these are but the beginning of birth pains.” The term “birth pains” implies **increasing intensity**.
- **Matthew 24:21**: Jesus defines the Great Tribulation: “from the beginning of the world until now, there has never been such tribulation, nor will there ever be.” If the Great Tribulation were merely “world peace” and “peace and safety,” this would contradict Jesus’ description of it as unprecedented suffering.
- **1 Thessalonians 5:3**: Paul’s “peace and safety” is a **false illusion** that precedes **sudden destruction**, not a description of the Great Tribulation itself.
- **Analysis**: The viewpoint appears to conflate the “sudden destruction” at the beginning of the Day of the Lord with the entire period of the Great Tribulation. The biblical flow of Revelation shows that the sixth trumpet (midpoint of the tribulation) involves large-scale war and death; only after the seventh bowl does the coming of Christ bring what might be called “peace” (actually judgment).

#### 4. The Symbolism of “Two Hundred Million”
The viewpoint argues that “two hundred million” (200,000,000) should not be taken literally. This is reasonable, as numbers in apocalyptic literature often carry symbolic weight.
- **Direction of Symbolism**:
- The viewpoint treats this purely as a “spiritual army of deception.”
- However, in the context of Revelation (9:13–21), this number appears in the **sixth trumpet**, immediately after the release of the **Euphrates**. In the Old Testament (Isaiah, Jeremiah), the Euphrates is often a symbol for physical invaders like Assyria, Babylon, or the kings of the East.
- This connects with **Revelation 16:12** (the sixth bowl): “the water of the Euphrates was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.” The “kings from the east” parallel the “horsemen” of chapter 9. Therefore, most mainstream interpretations (whether historical, patristic, or some dispensationalist) see this as pointing to a **massive military-political alliance from the East** (traditionally, east of the Euphrates), not merely psychological deception.

### III. Overall Assessment

**This viewpoint represents an extreme form of “spiritualizing interpretation” (or a purely non-military / purely spiritual interpretation).**

1. **Its Value**: It rightly reminds believers that the ultimate conflict of the last days is spiritual, and the greatest danger is the deception of the Antichrist (Rev 13:11–14), not merely earthly warfare. It serves as a helpful balance against those who reduce Revelation to geopolitical news headlines while neglecting apostasy.
2. **Its Major Flaws**:
- **Ignores the Progressive Nature of the Text**: It reduces the “large-scale killing” of the sixth trumpet to the “torment” of the fifth trumpet, which does not align with the escalating structure of the trumpet judgments.
- **Inconsistent Hermeneutics**: If the sixth trumpet’s two hundred million horsemen represent “words,” then the “fire, smoke, and sulfur” coming from their mouths that “kill a third of mankind” become an unsustainable metaphor.
- **Neglects Parallel Passages**: It overlooks the Old Testament typology (Joel, Jeremiah) of the “northern army” or “kings of the East” as instruments of physical judgment, as well as the connection between the sixth trumpet and the sixth bowl in Revelation regarding the Euphrates / East theme.

**Conclusion:**
The viewpoint is **incorrect** in that it attempts to completely “dematerialize” and “demilitarize” the sixth trumpet judgment. From the perspective of the whole Bible, the two hundred million horsemen in Revelation 9 should be understood as a **force of enormous destructive power** that, in the middle of the Great Tribulation, is driven by satanic forces (under the authority of the angel of the bottomless pit) and arises from the East (the Euphrates). It is **neither limited to** a simple geopolitical label like “China or Russia” (which would narrow the text’s scope) **nor merely** “psychological deceptive words.” Rather, it is more likely an **eschatological instrument of judgment that combines political, military, and demonic elements**, resulting in the physical death of a third of humanity. This demonstrates the severity of the end-time judgments and the hardness of human hearts that refuse to repent even in the face of such severity (Rev 9:20–21).

**Suggestion**: When studying Revelation, avoid two extremes: first, forcing every symbol to correspond to modern nations (such as China, Russia, the EU); second, abstracting every concrete description into “inner feelings.” Instead, maintain a balance between a literal-grammatical interpretation (allowing for symbolic language) and letting the text itself—together with its use in the Old Testament prophets—determine its meaning.

 

[soberxp]

This is a very profound hermeneutical question. The viewpoint you presented attempts to completely spiritualize the two hundred million horsemen in Revelation 9, interpreting them as a spiritual attack by Satan’s forces through deceptive words, while strongly opposing the literal interpretation of them as an Eastern army (such as China or Russia).

To evaluate the correctness of this viewpoint, we need to apply the principle of “interpreting Scripture with Scripture,” examining it in light of the whole Bible—especially the literary genre of Revelation, the background of the Old Testament prophets, and the overall biblical framework of eschatology.

### I. Strengths of the Viewpoint (What Can Be Affirmed)

1. **Insistence on Symbolic Interpretation**: Revelation belongs to apocalyptic literature and makes extensive use of symbols. Treating the “locusts” and “horsemen” as literal insects or modern mechanized armies indeed risks missing the author’s intention. The observation that “their power is in their mouths” corresponds to “deceptive words,” which shows insight at the level of spiritual warfare.
2. **Attention to Internal Connections**: The viewpoint correctly notes that the “locusts” in Revelation 9 and the “horsemen” later in the same chapter are essentially the same controlled force (both under the authority of the fallen star / the angel of the bottomless pit). This is logically more consistent than interpretations that treat the locusts as psychological control and the horsemen as a nuclear war from the East, which often disconnect the two.
3. **Reflection on the Pre-Tribulation Rapture View**: The viewpoint points out that equating the Great Tribulation solely with world war is a fear tactic, which indeed hits at the emotional manipulation present in some popular eschatology (such as the *Left Behind* series). The Bible does emphasize that the deception of the last days is even more prominent than physical destruction.

### II. Weaknesses and Controversies (Needs to Be Examined in Light of the Whole Bible)

Although this viewpoint offers spiritual insight, when examined within the full context of Scripture, it has several notable hermeneutical issues:

#### 1. Confusion Regarding the “Bound Angels”
The viewpoint equates the “four angels bound at the great river Euphrates” with the fallen angels of Genesis 6 (the Watchers).
- **Biblical Comparison**:
- **2 Peter 2:4** and **Jude 1:6** do mention angels who “did not stay within their own position of authority” and are kept in chains (tartaroo) until the judgment. These angels are **already bound and imprisoned**.
- **Revelation 9:14–15** speaks of “four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates,” who are **released** to carry out a killing mission.
- **Analysis**: There is no direct biblical evidence that the Genesis 6 angels are imprisoned in the Euphrates. Equating these two different “bindings” lacks textual support. The four angels are more likely a type of evil spiritual force associated with earthly politics (the Euphrates was the eastern border of Rome, symbolizing powers from the East).

#### 2. Logical Contradiction Regarding “Power in Their Mouths” and “Killed a Third”
The viewpoint emphasizes that “their power is in their mouths” means “words,” and therefore concludes that the “killing” is spiritual (deception) rather than physical.
- **Textual Conflict**:
- **Revelation 9:18** clearly states: “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”
- Throughout the biblical context, “kill” (apokteinō) in Revelation usually refers to physical death (e.g., the fourth seal in chapter 6, the death of the two witnesses in chapter 11).
- If “kill” here is forced into a spiritual meaning (deception), it creates a contradiction with verse 4. Verse 4 makes a clear distinction: during the fifth trumpet, those without the seal are only **tormented** and **not permitted to die**; but during the sixth trumpet, a third of mankind is **directly killed**.
- **Analysis**: This viewpoint reduces the “killing” of the sixth trumpet to the “stinging” of the fifth trumpet, ignoring the escalation in severity. A more coherent interpretation is that the fifth trumpet locusts (demonic / deceptive forces) cause torment but preserve life, while the sixth trumpet horsemen (released destructive forces) bring large-scale physical death.

#### 3. One-Sided Interpretation of the Great Tribulation
The viewpoint claims that the Great Tribulation is a time of “world peace,” citing Matthew 24:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
- **Balancing the Texts**:
- **Matthew 24:6–8**: Jesus says “the end is not yet… these are but the beginning of birth pains.” The term “birth pains” implies **increasing intensity**.
- **Matthew 24:21**: Jesus defines the Great Tribulation: “from the beginning of the world until now, there has never been such tribulation, nor will there ever be.” If the Great Tribulation were merely “world peace” and “peace and safety,” this would contradict Jesus’ description of it as unprecedented suffering.
- **1 Thessalonians 5:3**: Paul’s “peace and safety” is a **false illusion** that precedes **sudden destruction**, not a description of the Great Tribulation itself.
- **Analysis**: The viewpoint appears to conflate the “sudden destruction” at the beginning of the Day of the Lord with the entire period of the Great Tribulation. The biblical flow of Revelation shows that the sixth trumpet (midpoint of the tribulation) involves large-scale war and death; only after the seventh bowl does the coming of Christ bring what might be called “peace” (actually judgment).

#### 4. The Symbolism of “Two Hundred Million”
The viewpoint argues that “two hundred million” (200,000,000) should not be taken literally. This is reasonable, as numbers in apocalyptic literature often carry symbolic weight.
- **Direction of Symbolism**:
- The viewpoint treats this purely as a “spiritual army of deception.”
- However, in the context of Revelation (9:13–21), this number appears in the **sixth trumpet**, immediately after the release of the **Euphrates**. In the Old Testament (Isaiah, Jeremiah), the Euphrates is often a symbol for physical invaders like Assyria, Babylon, or the kings of the East.
- This connects with **Revelation 16:12** (the sixth bowl): “the water of the Euphrates was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east.” The “kings from the east” parallel the “horsemen” of chapter 9. Therefore, most mainstream interpretations (whether historical, patristic, or some dispensationalist) see this as pointing to a **massive military-political alliance from the East** (traditionally, east of the Euphrates), not merely psychological deception.

### III. Overall Assessment

**This viewpoint represents an extreme form of “spiritualizing interpretation” (or a purely non-military / purely spiritual interpretation).**

1. **Its Value**: It rightly reminds believers that the ultimate conflict of the last days is spiritual, and the greatest danger is the deception of the Antichrist (Rev 13:11–14), not merely earthly warfare. It serves as a helpful balance against those who reduce Revelation to geopolitical news headlines while neglecting apostasy.
2. **Its Major Flaws**:
- **Ignores the Progressive Nature of the Text**: It reduces the “large-scale killing” of the sixth trumpet to the “torment” of the fifth trumpet, which does not align with the escalating structure of the trumpet judgments.
- **Inconsistent Hermeneutics**: If the sixth trumpet’s two hundred million horsemen represent “words,” then the “fire, smoke, and sulfur” coming from their mouths that “kill a third of mankind” become an unsustainable metaphor.
- **Neglects Parallel Passages**: It overlooks the Old Testament typology (Joel, Jeremiah) of the “northern army” or “kings of the East” as instruments of physical judgment, as well as the connection between the sixth trumpet and the sixth bowl in Revelation regarding the Euphrates / East theme.

**Conclusion:**
The viewpoint is **incorrect** in that it attempts to completely “dematerialize” and “demilitarize” the sixth trumpet judgment. From the perspective of the whole Bible, the two hundred million horsemen in Revelation 9 should be understood as a **force of enormous destructive power** that, in the middle of the Great Tribulation, is driven by satanic forces (under the authority of the angel of the bottomless pit) and arises from the East (the Euphrates). It is **neither limited to** a simple geopolitical label like “China or Russia” (which would narrow the text’s scope) **nor merely** “psychological deceptive words.” Rather, it is more likely an **eschatological instrument of judgment that combines political, military, and demonic elements**, resulting in the physical death of a third of humanity. This demonstrates the severity of the end-time judgments and the hardness of human hearts that refuse to repent even in the face of such severity (Rev 9:20–21).

**Suggestion**: When studying Revelation, avoid two extremes: first, forcing every symbol to correspond to modern nations (such as China, Russia, the EU); second, abstracting every concrete description into “inner feelings.” Instead, maintain a balance between a literal-grammatical interpretation (allowing for symbolic language) and letting the text itself—together with its use in the Old Testament prophets—determine its meaning.


Answered by Ai

 

[soberxp]

**Where is the Euphrates River?**

The Euphrates is one of the most important rivers in West Asia and a key river repeatedly mentioned in the Bible.

**1. Geographic Location**
It originates in the Armenian Highlands of eastern Turkey, flows roughly southeastward through Syria and Iraq, and eventually joins the Tigris River before emptying into the Persian Gulf.

**2. Significance in the Bible**
- **Cradle of Human Civilization**: It was one of the four rivers flowing out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:14) and forms the core of Mesopotamian civilization.
- **Boundary of the Promised Land**: The land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants had the Euphrates as its eastern border (Genesis 15:18).
- **Source of Judgment**: In Revelation, it is mentioned in connection with the sixth trumpet (9:14) and the sixth bowl (16:12). In the Old Testament, empires that judged Israel, such as Assyria and Babylon, typically came from east of the Euphrates. Therefore, in eschatological prophecy, the river often symbolizes “forces from the East” or “instruments of Gentile judgment.”

In short, it flows through what are today **Turkey, Syria, and Iraq**, and served as the northeastern boundary of ancient Israel.

 

[soberxp]

Where is the Persian Gulf and what role does it play in this year’s US-Israel-Iran war?

In the 2026 US-Israel-Iran war, the strategic position of the Persian Gulf has been pushed to an unprecedented level. It is not only the core battleground for the opposing sides, but also, as the location of the Strait of Hormuz—the “chokepoint” for global energy—has become the key arena that determines the direction of the war and even affects the global economy.

 

[Davy]

Where is the Persian Gulf and what role does it play in this year’s US-Israel-Iran war?

In the 2026 US-Israel-Iran war, the strategic position of the Persian Gulf has been pushed to an unprecedented level. It is not only the core battleground for the opposing sides, but also, as the location of the Strait of Hormuz—the “chokepoint” for global energy—has become the key arena that determines the direction of the war and even affects the global economy.

Smoke and mirrors. Waste of time.

God's Word tells us what will come to pass, if... we'd only listen to His Word. And for the end of this present world, God's prophecies in His Word even declare 'which' nations will come up against Israel and Jerusalem at the end.

 

[soberxp]

Smoke and mirrors. Waste of time.

God's Word tells us what will come to pass, if... we'd only listen to His Word. And for the end of this present world, God's prophecies in His Word even declare 'which' nations will come up against Israel and Jerusalem at the end.

The Bible says don't force the interpretation of prophecy.If you don't understand, you can't understand. What are you trying to explain there?

 

[Davy]

The Bible says don't force the interpretation of prophecy.If you don't understand, you can't understand. What are you trying to explain there?

Hot air, that is what you are about. All you do is criticize while not giving one bit of Bible Scripture evidence for what you claim and say. Why don't you go back to your little asp hole.

 

[Davy]

What the 6th Trumpet, 2nd Woe is about brethren in Christ, are events that begin the time of "great tribulation" which Lord Jesus warned us about in His Olivet discourse of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

Per the Revelation 13:4-8 Scripture, the "dragon", another title for Satan, is to reign over all the earth and over all nations, including over all... religions on earth, for a period of 42 months, the same time equal to the 1260 days when God's "two witnesses" will prophesy against the beast. It is also the same 42 months the Gentiles will be given to tread the holy city (Jerusalem) with a new stone temple in Jerusalem, per Revelation 11.

Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:6 revealed that future time at the END will be a time of world peace, not all out war, when He said we'd hear of wars and rumors of war, but not to be troubled for those things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. That means the end is to be a time of world peace.

In 1 Thessalonians 5, Apostle Paul showed the same idea when he said, that when they (the deceived) say, "Peace and safety", then "sudden destruction" shall come upon them. Paul was referring to the Old Testament prophets about the "day of the Lord", which means the day of Christ's future return.

This is why the 200 million man army mentioned in Revelation 9 does not mean a literal... military army with tanks, planes and such. It is about Satan and his host coming to earth attacking the peoples of the earth through DECEPTION by what comes out of their MOUTHS. It does not mean literal war, but SPIRITUAL WARFARE.

Revelation 11 and Matthew 24:29-31 makes it clear that Lord Jesus' return happens on the 7th Trumpet to end the "great tribulation", not on the 6th Trumpet. So some are simply confusing the locust army 'spiritual warfare' working of Revelation 9 on the 6th Trumpet with the 'literal' battle of Armageddon that only happens on the 7th Trumpet with Jesus' return.

 

[Zao is life]

The Scriptures in question - the Revelation 9 through 11 Chapters.

On the heads of those locusts were something like stephanos crowns, similar to gold, and their faces looked like men's faces.

There are only two types of crown mentioned in the New Testament, and in the Revelation.

Stephanos crown worn by the saints in:

I Corinthians 9:2; Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:11.

Stephanos crown worn by the 24 elders in: Revelation 4:4 and Revelation 4:10.

Stephanos crown worn by "the woman" who gave birth to the Messiah in: Revelation 12:1.

Stephanos crown placed on Christ's head when He was arrested - in order to mock Him: Matthew 27:29 (parallel Mark 15:17 and John 19:2 & 5).

Stephanos crown worn by Jesus when He comes to gather His harvest: Revelation 14:14.

In the Revelation, we find the following:-

Jesus' head and hair appear white like wool (Rev 1:14).
A white stone with a saint's name written on it (Rev 2:17).
The white raiment of the saints (Rev.3:5 & 18; 6:11; 7:9, 13 & 14).
The white clothing of the 24 elders (Rev 4:4).
The white clothing of angels (Rev 15:6).
The white raiment of the bride of Christ (Rev 19:8).
The Great White Throne (Rev 20:11).
Christ seated on a white cloud (Rev 14:14).
Christ returns on a white horse, leading His armies (Rev 19:11 & 14).
Christ's armies are riding white horses (Rev 19:14).

Incidentally, the first horseman of the first seal in the Apocalypse is also riding a white horse (Revelation 6:2). He too is given a stéphanos (crown). He has a bow, but no arrows.

(The second horseman is riding a red [purrhos] horse - and the only other verse in the New Testament using that same word to describe the color red, is Revelation 12:3 - the color of the dragon).

The red horse is given a sword and goes out to take peace from the earth.

The locusts are not given permission to harm those who have the seal of God on their foreheads - but everyone who does not have the seal of God is harmed - tortured, but not killed.

The only other type of crown mentioned in the Revelation is a (royal) diadem (diadema) - worn by the dragon, the beast,

- and by the One who is called "King of kings and Lord of lords", who is wearing many diadema (crowns) on His head when He comes back to destroy the beast (Revelation 19).

He is the only one seen wearing both types of crown in the Revelation and in the New Testament.

The type of crown worn by the locusts (something like stephanos crowns) suggests the (possible) identity of the locusts. They are the only creatures who are said to wear crowns that APPEAR TO BE stephanos.

Those crowns it would seem, are fake

- and you may find some of those locust trainers in training in places like this very place, so that when the abyss is opened, everything is ready.

Whatever weapons of war the beast, dragon and false prophet are said to be using in the 6th trumpet, are said to come out of their mouths.
​

A religious war does not preclude that religious war being fought with man-made weapons of mass destruction.

- and no one fully understands the Revelation. If you ever hear someone tell you he does, block your ears and run a mile.

 

[Davy]

BRETHREN IN CHRIST JESUS:

Where... does the FALSE BELIEF that the locust army of Revelation 9:16 is a literal military army come from??

It comes from those who do NOT understand how God uses symbology and metaphor in His Word. And it comes from false teachers who try to get the believer to accept man's false 1830's Pre-trib Rapture theory that the Church will be raptured prior to the "great tribulation", which by the way, is nowhere written in God's Word.

For centuries, the Church has been teaching that the time of "great tribulation" is going to be all out chaos and war, earthquakes, famine, pestilences, and such, when Lord Jesus taught those things happen PRIOR to the "great tribulation". (See Matthew 24; Mark 13).

When man's FALSE Pre-trib Rapture theory came along after 1,800 years of the Church keeping to a Post-tribulation return of our Lord Jesus, That is when preachers really... stepped up the false idea of all out chaos and war for the tribulation, using it as a SCARE TACTIC to get us to believe we will be raptured out of here before the start of the "great tribulation."

Well add one more FAKE IDEA OF THEIRS, the false idea of that locust army of Revelation 9:16 being about a literal military army attacking God's people, when it is 6th Trumpet "great tribulation" timing when ALL WARS HAVE STOPPED!

Matt 24:6-8
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
KJV

Lord Jesus showed above that as long as wars and rumors of war are happening, the END is NOT YET. How difficult then is it for one to use their brain and grasp that means the OPPOSITE of war, like a little ole' thing called PEACE?

This is why the Revelation 13:4 verse asks, "Who is like the beast? who is able to make war with him?"

No one will be able to make war with the beast during the "great tribulation", not literal military war, that is. Spiritual war, YES! WE will, that is, those with the intestinal fortitude provided by Lord Jesus to make a stand against the beast and give Christ's Testimony against the beast, like Jesus spoke of in the Mark 13 Chapter.

So when you go to a Church that keeps preaching scare tactics like that 200 million man army of Revelation 9:16 being a literal military army, you can just sit back and laugh (silently to yourself), for those preachers have not studied God's Word to the depth necessary to understand that the 6th Trumpet - 2nd Woe Period is "great tribulation" timing, and will be a time of 'deception' using WORLD PEACE.

This is why Apostle Paul said in 1 Thess.5 that when the deceived say, "Peace and safety", that is when "sudden destruction" will come upon them, meaning the "last trump" "day of the Lord" events, and that means the 7th Trumpet - 3rd Woe when Jesus returns to gather His faithful Church.

So will you be faithful to Lord Jesus our True Husband, and wait on Lord Jesus to come on the 7th "last trump", or will you be gathered to Satan's host EARLY with being RAPTURED prior to the tribulation?? Your choice.

 

[Wrangler]

A Real War Or A Spiritual War​

No, that locust army God first mentioned in the prophecy He gave through His prophet Joel. It is about a certain people that takeover this world, not a literal army, but they act like how an army operates.

With all due respect, your dichotomy is false. All real wars are also spiritual wars.

Not sure what your use of the word "real" and "literal" are in comparison to, fake or pretend? The foundation of the text is "certain people taking over this world," which is a real and literal take over. The form of the army - military or bureaucrats - is irrelevant.

Consider this as we are in "tax season" where the IRS is a bureaucratic army. Of course, like a military army, the power of any bureaucracy is the power to ultimately invoke coercive agents, 100% like an army - only their enemy target are not collective militaries from a sovereign power but individual and peaceful citizens.

'We intentionally ran him over': California standoff ends at the speed of a roaring Bearcat * WorldNetDaily * by Bob Unruh

Sheriff explains action taken against man who shot and killed deputy

www.wnd.com

 

[Davy]

With all due respect, your dichotomy is false. All real wars are also spiritual wars.

With all due respect, that statement leaves the reality of a 'literal'... war.