Revelation

As the fifth angel sounded the judgment trumpet, John saw another star that "had fallen to the earth" (v1). This star is not an element of nature, however, but Satan himself, the star of the morning (Isa 14:12), who had long before fallen to earth from heaven (Lk 10:18). Five months of torment ensue (vv5,10) as Satan unlocks the pit of the Abyss (v2) where demons have been imprisoned awaiting their final punishment (2Pet 2:4, Rev 20:10,13-14), where Satan too will be bound during the millennial reign (20:1,3) before God establishes His eternal Kingdom (Ps 145:13, Dan 7:14, Rev 5:10,11:5). From this pit, innumerable demons like locusts will be led by a king whose name means Destruction (v11). They will invoke such pain on the unredeemed (v4) that they will wish for death (v6). When the sixth trumpet sounds, "a voice" (v13) from the horns of the altar before God (therefore, either the voice of Christ or one of the Presence Angels) commands, "Release the four angels who have been bound at the great river Euphrates" (v14). Because "holy" angels are never "bound" in Scripture, we know these are demons. The Euphrates flowed from the river that divided out of the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:14). Near here, sin originated, the first lie was told, the first murder was committed, the Tower of Babel was built, and these demons have been bound. Consider Daniel 10:13 for a possible reference to these demons before they were bound. Their demonic army of 200,000,000 will stalk and slaughter (heads of lions) by incineration and asphyxiation, killing one-third of the remaining mankind (v17-18). By now, with well over half of the pre-Tribulation population of the world dead, those remaining alive and still unredeemed appear no longer capable of repentance (vv20-21).

The angel now descending (v1) is not to be confused with the Lord God even though John tells us of the rainbow on his head just as we read in 4:3. "Another" (allos) strong angel indicates "of the same kind," meaning this angel followed the others pronouncing judgment. God would not have issued the third-person oath of vv5-6 to Himself. The rainbow would have reinforced God's covenant mercy in the midst of judgment, just as it had before. This section is a pause between the sixth and seventh trumpets (10:1-11:14). For the believers that remain alive, this will comfort them with the knowledge that God has not forgotten them and that they will ultimately be victorious. The seven peals of thunder (vv3-4), loud, shattering, and powerful, are separate from the angel's voice (v6) and may represent the voice of God (1 Sam 7:10, Ps 18:13). But John was forbidden to write the message of them (v4), so we don't know what they spoke. Perhaps the horrors of the judgment are too terrifying to be revealed. But speculation is pointless. If God had wanted it to be known, He would not have forbidden it to be recorded. The message spoken by the angel (vv6-7) was simultaneously one of hope and terror. For the believer, hope in God's judgment no longer being delayed (v6). For the unrepentant, terror at God's power demonstrated and His coming final judgment. John demonstrated very literally how this message felt in vv8-10. The knowledge of God's coming judgment would be initially sweet, but knowing the destruction it held for those who remained unrepentant would sit bitterly in their stomach (vv9-10). This will be their call, and is our call today, to prophesy again (v11) in hopes that some yet might be saved (Mt 28:19-20, 1 Cor 9:22).

Recapping - Revelation Chapters 1-3, a message to the seven churches. Chapters 4-5, John sees into heaven as Christ appears and receives the title deed (sealed scroll) of earth. Chapter 6, the first six seals are opened. Chapter 7, a pause to reassure the redeemed. Chapter 8, the seventh seal is opened, unleashing the first four of seven trumpet judgments (physical/natural). Chapter 9, the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments (demonic) *the last three are so bad they are referred to as "woes." Chapter 10, another pause, as the strong angel cries out seven peals of thunder and declares the wait is over.
Chapter 11 opens with John being told to measure off what belongs to God - the Temple in Jerusalem (v1). But this is not to include the outer courtyard (v2), which is turned over for the last 3 ½ years of tribulation, marking the final period of the time of the Gentiles (Lk 21:24). God speaks now, declaring that His two witnesses (martus) will prophesy for 1260 days (v3), unharmed (v5), performing great miracles (vv5-6) until the beast (Satan) of the fifth trumpet (9:1;12:3,9) kills them (v7). But even though the people celebrate (v10) for 3 ½ days (vv9,11) while their bodies lay in the street of Jerusalem (v8), God Himself will breathe life into them and call them up into heaven (vv11-12). In the earthquake that follows, a tenth of Jerusalem will fall, and 7000 "names of men" (people) are killed (v13). But the Jews that yet remain will be terrified and come to faith in Christ (Rom 11:3-4,26). Then the seventh angel will sound (v15), bringing praise (vv15-17), rage (v18a), and promise of both judgment (v18b) and communion (v19).

Chapters 6-11 describe the events of the Tribulation up to the sounding of the seventh trumpet at the conclusion of chapter 11, but the effects are not described until chapters 15-18. Before resuming the chronological narrative of the Tribulation events, John's vision goes all the way back to Satan's original rebellion in heaven (12:1-4a). After describing Satan's subsequent failed attempt to undermine God's plan in Christ to redeem mankind (4b-5), John describes a secured Israel, symbolized by the woman (1,4-6,14-17), then the war in heaven between Michael and his angels, and Satan (the dragon) and his angels (7-9) where Satan is cast out of heaven a second and final time. This would mark the midpoint of the Tribulation. After describing the celebration in heaven following Satan's defeat (10-11), John retells the events of Tribulation leading to the seventh trumpet from the vantage of Satan (12:12-14:20).
Important symbolism to note and understand: The woman (1,4-6,14-17) - Israel. The child (2,4,5) - Christ. The dragon (7,9,13,16) - Satan. Twelve stars (1) - the twelve sons of Jacob (12 tribes of Israel). Seven heads and ten horns (3) - the seven consecutive world empires running their course under Satan's dominion: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and Antichrist's future empire; and the ten kings under the final Antichrist. A third of the stars (4) - a third of the angels that followed Satan when he rebelled against God and were cast from heaven to Earth (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17; Job 38:7).