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Trumpet 6 (Revelation 9)
16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. 17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. 18 By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm.
20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. 21 They didn't repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.
The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them.
I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel: (Revelation 7:4)
There is a lot of numbering going on in Scripture, some good and some not so good. But this is the only two times in Revelation where John declares that he heard the number. This leads me to believe that likely this group is in some way connected or contrasted with the previous one, meaning that this could likely be a counterpart of the 144,000, or the army of the enemy – Satan's special forces.
Coming on the heels of what we have seen in the previous trumpet, it appears these are the enforcers, maybe even Satan's bodyguards who accompany him as he installs his government openly on this world. That has been his desire ever since he deceived our first parents into handing over their dominion into his control, and the only thing preventing him from claiming this world as fully his has been the remnant of God's people throughout history who have refused to give him their allegiance.
This book is all about the war between Michael and His allies against Satan the dragon and his allies. These battles have been foreshadowed many times in history, but this it becomes increasingly intense with the goal for total annihilation of all resistance so he can reclaim being the rightful prince of this world. Likely one aim is to displace Jesus as the representative of this world in the councils of heaven, recapturing that seat by asserting that the claim of Jesus to represent humanity is a fraud as there are no humans left alive who want Him representing them. This spiritual tug of war that has been going back and forth ever since the fall is a very real war, and the stakes are extremely high, much more than most of us begin to imagine. After the cross, Satan realized that his very existence had come into question, because he knew that if God managed to find a way to clear up all doubts about the superiority of His ways and His government, then the last shred of hope would disappear for Satan.
the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million
the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand (KJV)
The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains. The mountains of Bashan are rugged. Why do you look in envy, you rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign? Yes, Yahweh will dwell there forever.
The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands. The Lord is among them, from Sinai, into the sanctuary. You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there. Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burdens, even the God who is our salvation. Selah. (Psalms 68:15-19)
Here we find a reference to the envy driving the rebellion of Lucifer, portrayed in terms of mountains. Within this context we find similar numbers, one being thousands of thousands belonging to God. Consistent with how interpreters have often understood prophetic numbering, a plural number can be viewed as two (it has to be more than one to be plural), coupled with a singular number. While this is not completely clear in this figure, we do find a two connected with the number one thousand, though the two is multiplied by one hundred here in Revelation while in Psalms it is inferred by making it plural.
I am not trying to force this into saying anything particular, just making an observation here. I do sense that whatever the reason is for John hearing a specific number in this scene, it must have some significance, while it is also likely that the number should be viewed through the lens of being more of a symbol than one taken literally. That is more consistent with what we are finding all throughout our study of this book.
One thing is for sure, Satan generally counterfeits everything we find on God's side of the issue. And I think there is little doubt that whatever these forces are, they are on the side of darkness and are being used to fight against the advancement of those on the side of the Lamb.
Might there be some connection between these horsemen and those that suddenly appeared during the breaking of the first 4 seals by the Lamb? This trumpet begins by the release of 4 angels and involves the appearance of millions of horsemen. Might these 4 angels be the same as the 4 horsemen exposed during the breaking of the seals? There is a lot of continuity between the three sets of sevens laid out in this book.
Is this a release of reinforcements by the enemy, the second wave of a massive, all out assault that was begun in the previous trumpet releasing entities all over the planet to spread fear and induce torment? Whatever these are, they increase the intensity of what has already transpired previously as the level of violence is increased. The only limitation here is this mysterious one third that shows up again. But is the one third a limiting number or a symbol of a group of people as we have discussed previously? We certainly need wisdom from above if all of this is to become more clear to us, and I prefer to wait for input from heaven rather than trying to force our conclusions to lock in on some agenda just to bring closure to our questions. I believe God will bring light to us increasingly if we are willing to remain humble and open to receiving in due time what I am confident He wants us to know.
I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them
Notice the distinction between the horses and the riders at this point. This is the very same language used to describe the four horses and those who sat on them in the first four seals. This reinforces my belief that there is a direct link between these and the ones exposed by the Lamb originally. Then we find one more reference using the same kind of description, though in this case it is referring to the authentic, the One these riders are warring against.
I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11)
Counterfeit Kinds of Battle Horses and Horsemen
The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm. (Revelation 9:16-19)
And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. (Revelation 6:2)
Another came forth, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.
...And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand. (Revelation 6:4-5)
And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him. (Revelation 6:8)
He made ready his chariot, and took his army with him; and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them. Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand. The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon. When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.
(Exodus 14:6-10)
Have you given the horse might? Have you clothed his neck with a quivering mane? Have you made him to leap as a locust? The glory of his snorting is awesome. He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength. He goes out to meet the armed men. He mocks at fear, and is not dismayed, neither does he turn back from the sword. The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin. He eats up the ground with fierceness and rage, neither does he stand still at the sound of the trumpet. As often as the trumpet sounds he snorts, 'Aha!' He smells the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting. (Job 39:19-25)
There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power. Behold, Yahweh's eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness; to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine. Our soul has waited for Yahweh. He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let your loving kindness be on us, Yahweh, since we have hoped in you. (Psalms 33:16-22)
At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both chariot and horse are cast into a deep sleep. (Psalms 76:6)
He doesn't delight in the strength of the horse. He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness. Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion! (Psalms 147:10-12)
A wicked man hardens his face; but as for the upright, he establishes his ways. There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh. The horse is prepared for the day of battle; but victory is with Yahweh. (Proverbs 21:29-31)
I listened and heard, but they didn't speak aright: no man repents him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.
(Jeremiah 8:6)
Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet was she more corrupt in her doting than she, and in her prostitution which were more than the prostitution of her sister. She doted on the Assyrians, governors and rulers, her neighbors, clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. I saw that she was defiled; they both took one way. She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion, girded with girdles on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them princes to look on, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. As soon as she saw them she doted on them, and sent messengers to them into Chaldea. The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them. So she uncovered her prostitution, and uncovered her nakedness: then my soul was alienated from her, like as my soul was alienated from her sister. Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt. She doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses. (Ezekiel 23:11-20)
You shall come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you, and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army; and you shall come up against my people Israel, as a cloud to cover the land: it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:15-16)
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses, and as horsemen, so do they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devours the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array. (Joel 2:4-5)
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery. The prey doesn't depart. The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots, the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies, because of the multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through her witchcraft. (Nahum 3:1-4)
In that day," says Yahweh, "I will strike every horse with terror, and his rider with madness; and I will open my eyes on the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. (Zechariah 12:4)
Through all of these passages we can see the theme of violence as relating to horses.
From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)
For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)
This sounds very much like a correlation to what was being described in the 5th trumpet. Now for a transition to looking at the kind of horses and riders found on the side of the Lamb, let us consider these thoughts.
Transitional Views of Horses
Don't be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you. (Psalms 32:9)
Thus says Yahweh, who makes a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters; who brings forth the chariot and horse, the army and the mighty man (they lie down together, they shall not rise; they are extinct, they are quenched like a wick): "Don't remember the former things, and don't consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs forth now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. The animals of the field shall honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; because I give water in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people which I formed for myself, that they might set forth my praise.
(Isaiah 43:16-21)
Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and [Israel] is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name. You are my battle axe and weapons of war: and with you will I break in pieces the nations; and with you will I destroy kingdoms; and with you will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with you will I break in pieces the chariot and him who rides therein; and with you will I break in pieces man and woman; and with you will I break in pieces the old man and the youth; and with you will I break in pieces the young man and the virgin; and with you will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with you will I break in pieces the farmer and his yoke of oxen; and with you will I break in pieces governors and deputies. (Jeremiah 51:17-23)
What is the main point of this repeated phrase, “with you I will break in pieces...”? In what way does God use His people to break all these things in pieces? Keep in mind that the Lamb uses very different methods and with very different motives than those of His enemies. And God is revealed accurately only by the Lamb.
This passage is highlighting the things that various people rely on for their identity, their strength, their defense, their sense of value and fitting into society. So what is God really wanting to break in pieces?
Can we ask God to show us today what we might be relying on in similar ways?
Are we willing to allow God to break our false sources into pieces? What might happen if He did?
How might all these things we are learning here fit into the prophecies in this 6th trumpet?
"I raised up some of your sons for prophets, and some of your young men for Nazirites. Isn't this true, you children of Israel?" says Yahweh. "But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets, saying, 'Don't prophesy!'
Behold, I will crush you in your place, as a cart crushes that is full of grain. Flight will perish from the swift; and the strong won't strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself; neither shall he stand who handles the bow; and he who is swift of foot won't escape; neither shall he who rides the horse deliver himself; and he who is courageous among the mighty will flee away naked on that day," says Yahweh. (Amos 2:11-16)
Again we see horses and those who ride them connected to inadequate methods for protection and strength. Note the contrast between what God raised up and what the people wanted to rely on. How do we treat those God raises up today any better than how these people treated those raised up then?
In our next study we will finish up our Scripture analysis on horses and take a close look at how God seeks to alter the way we view His disposition, methods and motives, particularly when it comes to warring against His enemies.
