1. The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.
2. When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.
3. And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.
4. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5. They were not given power to kill them, but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6. During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7. The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.
8. Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
10. They had tails and stings like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
11. They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
12. The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
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Reflection |
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Evil Knows No Good (9:1–6)
When people think about judgment day, they may feel that God is unfair and cruel. But one sobering look at Satan and the evil he is capable of reveals how absolutely good and gracious God is. How evil is Satan? How dark are the demons who have pledged their allegiance to him? When given permission to torment, they even torture those who follow them. They do not look out for their own kind because, by nature, they do not know how to. Satan and his demons only know how to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). They only know darkness. Evil knows no good—all evil knows is evil, and it brings only destruction and death.
All Jesus Knows Is Good (9:7–12)
Those who do not follow Jesus may think that they are on one team, united in their purpose against God and His ways. But just as Satan and his demons only look out for themselves and bring death and destruction to all, those on Satan’s side will become victims of their own schemes. They are not excluded from the death evil brings, and they will suffer the consequences of their own crimes. There is no refuge found in Satan. But even now, Jesus seeks out those who have betrayed Him. He is the great hero who goes boldly into the realm of death and evil to save sinners from themselves and from the evil that knows no mercy. He is the gracious and mighty Savior.
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Application |
- Think about what sin does to people and about the consequences of evil. Then, reflect on the nature of God and His redeeming character. Worship Him for all He has done and is doing for you.
- To understand the true nature of evil, we must remember that evil only brings death, even to its own kind. But Christ brings refuge. Run to Him today, and bring others along with you.
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A Letter to
God |
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Father, thank you for saving me from the evil that destroys everything in its path. It is easy for me to become desensitized to evil because it is so prevalent. Help me not to grow numb to evil, but to hate it, fight it, and proclaim Christ’s victory over it. In His name. Amen.
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