Judicial Hardening is a Judgment of God Through Satan

Revelation 9:1-21

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the One who is, who was, and who is to come. Revelation ends with him winning. We must believe that. He destroys his enemies and comforts his people. But judgment hasn’t ended yet. Jericho is being destroyed before the New Jerusalem can come. So John describes further kinds of judgments on mankind. We’ve seen how Christ is sovereign over world events. He sends conquest, war, famine, and death to judge the earth. He also sends natural, economic, and political disaster. But interestingly, despite these judgments, not all will turn to God. In fact, many will not! Jericho didn’t repent. They knew what God had done and were warned 6 days with trumpets. But they didn’t repent. It’s not true that calamities will soften people’s hearts to God!

And because of such hardened hearts, God will bring judgment. How? God unleashes Satan and his demons to torment the wicked by further hardening their hearts. Yes, the penalty for impenitence is more impenitence. That’s what we’ll see today. God’s not only sovereign over world events, he’s sovereign over the spiritual realm. Satan’s under God’s power. He’s only a creature. We needn’t fear him. As Luther’s hymn goes - “And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.” But we fear Christ. He has the keys of death and hell. He has the seven candlesticks in his hands. This means our souls are secure in him. He loves us. We’re going to heaven; not hell. And therefore, we should respond with gratitude, to live for Christ, to be tender-hearted towards him. This sermon has 2 propositions. Firstly, God uses Satan and his demons to torment the wicked; and secondly, God’s judgment of death will not bring repentance.

Firstly, God uses Satan and his demons to torment the wicked. The fifth and sixth trumpet judgments are worse than the first four. Those brought natural, economic, and political disaster; but with the blowing of the fifth, God unleashed Satan and his demons to torment the wicked. From Christ’s resurrection until his coming, such judgment will affect unbelievers. In verse 1, we’re introduced to the agents of God’s judgment - who they are and from where they come. In verses 1-3, when the fifth trumpet sounded, a star fell from heaven to earth and was given the key to the bottomless pit. The star was a person. It’s identified as a him. And we know it’s Satan. Isaiah 14:12-15 prophesied this fall - “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Jesus himself foretold in Luke 10 how Satan would fall like lightning from heaven. And by John’s vision, the fall had taken place. He used the perfect tense - I saw a star that had fallen. This happened at Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection when Satan was defeated. But even in his fall, he was still given a key. He had power to control the bottomless pit. Yes, Christ in chapter 1 has the keys to death and hell. So this means Satan has derived power from Christ. It’s not infinite power. He’s fallen. He’s not as powerful as he once was. But even before his fall, in the time of Job, he had to get permission to afflict Job.

But make no mistake. He’s given power to torment the wicked. We learn he opened up the bottomless pit and smoke from a giant furnace rushed onto earth and darkened the sun and air. The bottomless pit is another name for hell. This is where the legion of demons begged Jesus not to send them. Now we know it’s hell because of the contrast. Chapter 8 described heaven with prayers rising up to God as incense. But chapter 9 describes hell with smoke. Smoke means judgment. After God judged Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham saw that - “the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.” And this smoke was sent to the earth to torment the wicked. But the smoke was not smoke, but locusts. And the locusts were not locusts but locusts with scorpion stings. Now, to be sure, they’re not literally locusts. Proverbs 30:27 says locusts have no king, but these locusts have a king, verse 11. So who are they? Demons. Christ gave Satan power to send his demonic forces to torment the wicked.

And what do they do? How did they torment? Verses 4-6 tell us their target. Christ commanded them not to hurt grass, plant, or tree. Instead they were to torment the wicked - those not sealed by God. On earth, there are only 2 kinds of people: believers sealed by God; and unbelievers who have the mark of the beast. Remember in Exodus? Those not marked by the lamb’s blood were marked for judgment. So here, the demons only tormented unbelievers. What kind of torment? It wasn’t physical. The New Testament rarely used the word “torment” for physical torment; mostly for mental and spiritual anguish. In Matthew 8, the demons asked if Jesus came to torment them before their time - and demons have no body. 2 Peter 2 - Noah saw the wickedness in his day and his righteous soul was tormented. Soul, not body. So this judgment has to do with mental, emotional, and spiritual torment. We also see this in Deuteronomy 28. There, God threatened idolaters with insanity, blindness, and confusion of mind. But how bad would it be? The distress would be long and cyclical. They’d be tormented 5 months. Now, rather than limiting the length and intensity, this increased it. 5 months was the life cycle of a locust. But these aren’t actual locusts but demons. So as long as demons exist, the wicked would be spiritually tormented. It’d be so bad, they wished to die but couldn’t.

And remember dearly beloved, this mental torture came only on the wicked. In Egypt, God’s people were spared the locust plague. But not the hardened Egyptians. They could’ve repented after each successive plague; but didn’t. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened even more - with each plague. And that’s what the torment is - hardness of heart. Before John described this torment further, he paused to focus on the description of the locusts. Just how terrible were they? We see in verses 7-12 why the wicked wished for death. In describing them, John used the words “like” or “as” many times. Such as in verse 7, “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses” and verse 8 “… they had hair as the hair of women.” This is apocalyptic language to describe their demonic characteristics. Yes, faithful Christians have struggled to interpret these visions. But I want to provide you with the least complicated or bizarre interpretations. You may disagree, and that’s okay. But to be sure, I look at these with apocalyptic and not literal lenses. Firstly, they’re ready and eager - like horses prepared for battle. John borrowed this language from the prophet Joel where armies like locusts invaded a wicked people. They’d also be successful. Their heads had crowns of gold - they had power. Remember, the New Testament calls these demons “powers and principalities” and Satan is prince of the power of the air. They were also intelligent to deceive. They had human faces. They knew how to torment the wicked. 1 Timothy 4 says in the last days, some will follow lying spirits and the doctrine of devils. And they were also strong. They had women’s hair - meaning long hair; which was a symbol of vitality and strength - like Samson. They were also hungry to devour - having lion’s teeth. They were also unstoppable. They had breastplates of iron. They were also many. The sound of their wings was like thundering horses and chariots. If there are ten thousand upon ten thousands of angels, demons are also innumerable - they’re Legion! They also instilled terror, having tails and stings like scorpions. And lastly, they had a leader - the angel of the bottomless pit - whose name in Hebrew was Abaddon, in Greek Apollyon. They mean the same thing - destroyer. Satan destroys and harms. He hates mankind and has been given power to torment them spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. He unleashes his demons to do this. And they seem unstoppable. But why? Ultimately, this judgment is from God. And it’s not undeserved. But God doesn’t force Satan and his demons to do evil. They do evil all by themselves. God uses Satan and his demons to judge the wicked.

But secondly, God’s judgment of death will not bring repentance. Here, the sixth angel blew the sixth trumpet. In verses 13-16, we learn that a voice from God’s altar told his angel to release 4 angels bound in the River Euphrates. To be clear in this sixth trumpet, the judgment again comes from God through Satan and his demons. Verse 13 says a voice from the 4 horns of the golden altar commanded the release of 4 angels. This was Christ’s voice. It was from the altar. He heard his people’s prayers and he answered. It’s not Satan, he already fell. This vision was mean to remind the 7 churches that judgment on the wicked was God’s ongoing answer to their prayers. But in answering prayer, God used Satan and his demons. After the command, the 4 angels were released from the River Euphrates. Meaning, God had bound them, then released them. Since they were bound, they were demons. But why were they released? To do what they were supposed to do. They’d been prepared for an hour; or more accurately, the hour, day, month, and year. Meaning, they were released for this exact time for this exact judgment by God. Yes, the saints had cried out - How long O Lord? But God had a specific time for judgment.

Consider the location of these four angels and what it means. They were bound at the great River Euphrates. Now, contrary to every Middle East news junkie - especially now - who looks out for final judgment to come in the Middle East - this cannot mean to us what it didn’t mean to the 7 churches. It was a letter to them. And so historically, we must see that this judgment was an assurance God would answer their prayers. Now, we know Rome was persecuting them. Rome was powerful - she’d subdued the west all the way to Britain, the north to the various Germanic tribes, and the south to Egypt. But she never had control of the east. Their arch rivals were the Parthians who were just beyond the River Euphrates. Rome was in constant fear that the Parthians would invade the empire. And what John saw in this vision was meaningful to the 7 churches - that the wicked would be judged by a terrifying army. Now, was this fulfilled historically by the Parthians? Yes, but that’s not the point. The vision was symbolic, not only prophetic. This army wasn’t Parthian. They’re demons. They were described as locusts and 4 bound angels released to torment the wicked. This judgment comes from God who uses Satan and his demons.

And we see what more they did. Previously, they tormented but didn’t kill, now in verse 16, they killed a third of mankind. They led a cavalry of 200 million, literally, a double myriad of myriads. It’s an uncountable number. The riders wore breastplates the color of fire, jacinth, and brimstone. In the prior judgment, the demons had iron breastplates. Same same but different. The sixth trumpet adds more apocalyptic information. The breastplate colors corresponded to the destructive plagues the horses vomited from their mouths. And these horses had heads of lions. Verse 19 says they have tails like snake heads. So what do these visions mean?

The meaning conveyed by both the fifth and sixth trumpets - whether locusts with breastplates and scorpion stings or riders with breastplates on lion headed horses with snake head tails spewing out fire, smoke, and brimstone; the meaning is intense judgment on the wicked. There was torment and now death - up to a third of the people - caused by Satan and his demons as judgment from God. Now, what are these? These could be wars. Or deceit that led to wars. World events can be instigated by Satan and his demons. Remember, Satan entered into Judas and changed the course of history. Satan directed the Babylonian king in Isaiah 14. And sometimes these judgments are so bad that a third of humanity is affected. We shouldn’t expect they’re different from what we’ve already seen - conquest, war, famine, death, natural, economic, and political disasters. But brought on by Satan.

But despite such horrific judgment, what’s the response of mankind? What’s the response of those who survive? We think they’d cry out to God and seek for forgiveness, right? But truth is stranger than fiction. How did survivors respond to this lethal judgment? Verses 20-21 say, “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” Instead of repenting and turning to the living and true God, they’d continue in their idolatry. And interestingly, whom they were worshiping were the very demons that tried to destroy them! This is what 1 Corinthians 10:20 says - “the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.” This is torment. This is the fear that comes from idolatry. People worship their idols because of fear. We worship God because of love.

But this impenitence is not unusual. People who survive horrific judgment still continue in their old ways. Pharaoh and the Egyptians were judged 10 times over by horrific plagues - each plague showing how their gods were nothing - but they still wouldn’t turn to God. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God because he hardened his heart. Despite all that happened, he still pursued the people to the Red Sea. Wasn’t he afraid? And the Egyptians - they gave gifts so the Israelites would leave - when the right response was to leave with the Israelites! That’s why even when alcohol destroys health, but what do alcoholics still do despite their ruined health? They turn to more alcohol. When adultery destroys family, what do adulterers still do? They still continue in fornication. This judicial hardening is also the torment that comes from Satab. Wanting to escape, but not able to escape! And in those days, the 7 churches saw that. They refused to participate in Caesar worship and were persecuted for it. But what happened to the Romans who persecuted them? Nero was a wicked ruler who burned up Rome, killing many of his own people. The emperor they worshiped brought destruction on them.

And we see that even today. People who worship the idol of social acceptance often destroy themselves trying to be accepted. Those who want job security and happiness, find no security and happiness despite being in multiple jobs. Those who desire the perfect partner, find no satisfaction in the most perfect partner. This judgment of Revelation is not future, it’s now. And we see it in the torment that many experience in their lives. They’re hardened but won’t turn to God. The question is this - what about God’s professing people?

But we who believe the gospel, how are we cultivating Christ? Christ accepts us when we acknowledge we’re sinners and misfits. Christ grants us contentment when we find security in him. We submit to him so we’d be the perfect partner for others. But if we don’t submit ourselves to Christ, all the afflictions in this life will not cause us to change our ways. That’s why the rich can be miserable. The famous find comfort in drugs. The beautiful are inwardly hideous. We know that Satan can’t separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus. But he tries. Satan’s tempting you today; he’s Apollyon and Abaddon. He desires to destroy you - he’s a ravenous locust with a scorpion’s sting; a frightful lion-headed horse with a snake’s head as a tail - prowling around like a roaring lion seeing whom he can devour, looking to turn you away from the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of you are currently pursuing and practicing sin - not repenting of it. And you know which particular sin it is that’s gripping you. You know the Lord’s calling you to forsake your idol. Is it a secret sin? Is it a sinful relationship? Flee Satan. As you prepare for the Lord’s Table, examine your heart for this hardness. God’s true people will be tender-hearted. You know the Lord is calling you to forsake something right now. And if you respond to Christ to forsake sin, he’ll free you from torment. Can you this morning, be assured of his great love for you? Yes. Love him back - put away your sin. Respond to him. Put away hardness. You’ve already seen the torment of the idol that you serve. Give it up. Flee from the devil. Put on the whole armor of God to resist him. And you will stand.

1. God Uses Satan and His Demons to Torment the Wicked

A. From where do they come?

B. What do they do?

C. How are they described?

2. God’s Judgment of Death Will Not Bring Repentance

A. From where does it come?

B. What do they do?

C. How do they respond?

Conversation for Change:

1. What is a healthy and unhealthy fear of the Devil?

2. Knowing that hardness of heart, impenitence, and disbelief are a work of the Devil and a judgment of God upon the wicked, how should true believers take steps to respond when they are living in unconfessed sin or being tempted to sin?

3. How have you seen this hardness of conscience in professing believers?