Hour Day Month Year - Rumor notes 55

 

Trumpet 6 (Revelation 9)

15 The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.

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 four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind

So, which four angels are being set free here? Is it the four angels in chapter 7 who were holding the four winds from blowing, or was it the four winds who are in actuality the four angels who were being held and are now here released?

These are angels intent on killing, so they are not likely God's loyal angels but rather major angelic generals in Satan's kingdom (Zech 6:4-5) that have been blocked, held in check from carrying out their evil assaults until God's servants are finished being sealed.

They are freed. This means they are no longer restrained by the merciful protection of God's grace that has commissioned His angels to thwart their intents up to this point in history. This is part of judgment, for to allow evil to accomplish its full desires without continued interference on God's part is to respect the choices of the majority of people to spurn God's authority and give their authority to the enemy who has convinced them that his counterfeit kingdom and methods are superior to God's.

This is actually the same thing as God's wrath as defined clearly in Romans 1. God's wrath is when He releases or lets go all who have firmly spurned His ways and have given their authority to another master to govern them. The outcome of such a choice is always disastrous, yet it is essential that this be allowed to happen at some point in order that free sentient beings be allowed to witness for themselves the full nature of evil. Otherwise there would always be a lingering question about God's integrity and a place would remain for fear and suspicion to reignite the fuel of evil once again. Every trace of doubt about God's goodness, kindness, methods and motives must be eliminated, and it can only be effectively done so apart from use of force of any kind. This is the nature of the war, for the war is not over who can wield more power to defeat their opponent but what kind of power is more effective, the power of force or the power of kindness.

This releasing of the winds of evil takes place after fulfillment of God's sealing process, causing His character to be indelibly integrated into the minds and hearts of those who have given Him full access to their souls by those who choose to behold His beauty rather than the distractions and fears of the enemy. This sealing process is happening right now in our own lives, and we need to be much more aware of it and how to participate with it if we wish to be prepared for what is about to be released in our world all around us. We must be intentional and not passive about this sealing, for without it we will be swept away in the flood of fear and deception and violence that is even now looming on the horizon and beginning to take shape around the world. This is what it means to strive to enter into His rest. We have to regulate what is allowed to occupy our imagination, our faith.

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

The time is now ripe for the final showdown between the powers of darkness and those who allow themselves to be aligned with the light of agape love so as to display the full fruits of their choices. The last half of Romans 1 and into chapter 2 reveals the natural consequences of being released into the power of the lie that has been exchanged with the truth about God as revealed in Jesus. That same description is paralleled here as these demonic forces are allowed access to plunge all those who dwell on the earth into a time of darkness and trouble such as has never been witnessed in all of history.

At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1)

I cannot help but believe that our current study involves a direct appeal by the Spirit and all of heaven for us to join in participating in this transformation that alone can prepare us to endure and reflect the glory of God amidst the gross darkness that is even now enveloping the whole world.

that hour and day and month and year

There are obviously a number of ways to approach solving this riddle, but I don't want to spend too much energy attempting to nail it down to some length of time or some specific point in time. Rather at I choose to approach it from the following perspective.

Great specificity! Given that the voice that precipitates this comes from the horns of the altar, and in symbolic language and sanctuary synthesis, horns are the sharpest points of anything described in the physical attributes of the furniture or building. Similarly, this list of time increments covers all the ways of counting time biblically speaking. I also sense that this may correspond to references of the Great Day of God the Almighty found in Revelation 16:14. That too may be a specific time identified in prophecy, though this idea is sometimes hotly disputed. This specified point in time might relate to a global death decree against all dissenters issued by an attempted world-wide empire. Or it may specify a point of transition called the close of probation after which there is none left who are willing or able to change their views about God's character. But whatever this is, it is a situation that is unique in the history of this war between Christ and Satan.

Let's look at other places where some of these time words are mentioned in Revelation.

Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

Another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" (Revelation 14:15)

The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. (Revelation 17:12)

The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning, standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.' (Revelation 18:9-10)

For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like the great city?' They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate. (Revelation 18:17-19)

It is rather clear that in nearly every mention of this word hour throughout Revelation, that it is involved in the actions or outcomes of judgment. The process of exposing what hides in darkness with the light of truth, and the consequences of clinging to the Lie are seen in each of these passages.

Hour of Worship

Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. You worship that which you don't know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshippers. (John 4:21-23)

I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father. (John 16:25 NRSV)

Hour of Betrayal, Darkness and Contrast

When the wine ran out, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever he says to you, do it." (John 2:3-5)

Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, "You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don't know. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. (John 7:28-30)

"I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me." They said therefore to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. (John 8:18-20)

When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world. (John 16:21 NRSV)

looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don't grow weary, fainting in your souls. (Hebrews 12:2-3)

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--' Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name."

Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all [people] to myself." (John 12:20-32 NRSV)

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. (John 13:1-5 NRSV)

The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. (John 16:32 - 17:5 NRSV)

He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch." He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire."

Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn't know what to answer him. He came the third time, and said to them, "Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

(Mark 14:33-36,40-41)

Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn't stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

(Luke 22:52-53)

Persecution from Human Judgment

Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations. But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. (Matthew 10:18-20)

The Good News must first be preached to all the nations. When they lead you away and deliver you up, don't be anxious beforehand, or premeditate what you will say, but say whatever will be given you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. (Mark 13:10-11)

I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' (John 16:1-5 NRSV)

Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. They went out from us, but they didn't belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us. You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth. (1 John 2:18-20)

Second Coming

Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God's voice; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. Don't marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:25-29)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only. "As the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man." (Matthew 24:35-37)

Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don't expect, the Son of Man will come.

But if that evil servant should say in his heart, 'My lord is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards, the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn't expect it, and in an hour when he doesn't know it, (Matthew 24:44,48-50)

Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them. They will be blessed if he comes in the second or third watch, and finds them so. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what hour the thief was coming, he would have watched, and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore be ready also, for the Son of Man is coming in an hour that you don't expect him." (Luke 12:37-40)

The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)

they might kill one third of mankind

This one third reminds us of the first four trumpets where we thought they might relate to professed followers of Jesus whose hearts are not purified of selfishness and dark views of God. If so, now we find them released to be exposed to the forces of evil because they lose God's protection around them. Sadly there is no more God can offer to win their heart allegiance over to embrace the methods and motives of the Lamb.

What does it mean to kill, in a prophetic book where we view everything as symbolic?

Compare this with the previous trumpet as well as what we find in other places.

They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. (Revelation 9:5-6)

The name of the star is called "Wormwood." One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter. (Revelation 8:11)

The winepress was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia. (Revelation 14:20 )

I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered with great amazement. (Revelation 17:6)

He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

(John 12:25)

In prophecy, being killed does not necessarily mean losing one's physical life. As seen in the words of Jesus, choosing to die to self does not equate to physical suicide but rather what goes on in the inner life, the spirit, the way we choose to view ourselves and most importantly, who is allowed to define for us what it means to be alive.

A little later in this trumpet we find another reference to this one third being killed. At this point I will leave the details of that for another study, but here it is for reference sake.

By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. (Revelation 9:18)