Topics Research — Study R.7: Trumpets 5-6: The Three Woes (Rev 9)¶

Question¶

What do the fifth and sixth trumpets (the first two "woes") represent? What historical events correspond to the locust army and the Euphrates army? How does the altar voice at 9:13 connect to the altar vindication arc?

Topics¶

TRUMPET¶

Nave's entry reveals the trumpet's comprehensive biblical role: military summons (Judg 3:27; 6:34; 1 Sam 13:3), liturgical worship (1 Chr 15:24; Psa 81:3-4), and prophetic warning (Ezek 33:3-6; Joel 2:1). The connection to the Day of Atonement is explicit: "On the great day of atonement ISA 27:13." The jubilee connection (Lev 25:9) adds the eschatological dimension. The SYMBOLICAL entries directly reference the Revelation trumpets: MAT 24:31; 1CO 15:52; 1TH 4:16; REV 1:10; 4:1; 8; 9:1-14; 10:7; 11:15.

LOCUST¶

The entry traces locust imagery from Exodus plague (EXO 10:1-19; PSA 105:34,35) through agricultural devastation (DEU 28:38; 1KI 8:37; JOL 1:4-7) to apocalyptic symbolism (REV 9:3-10, 7-10). Joel's four-stage locust devastation (JOL 1:4-7) is the bridge between Exodus agricultural locusts and Revelation's demonic-military locusts. The Proverbs 30:27 entry on locust instincts — "have no king" — contrasts sharply with Rev 9:11 where these locusts DO have a king (Abaddon/Apollyon).

SCORPION¶

All symbolical references point to Rev 9 (9:3, 5, 10). The sting in the tail (Rev 9:10) is the key detail. The figurative uses — enemies (Ezek 2:6) and cruelty (1 Ki 12:11,14) — suggest the scorpion represents inflicted suffering and oppressive power. Luke 10:19 (power over scorpions given to the seventy) provides an NT counterpoint to Rev 9's scorpion-tailed locusts.

EUPHRATES¶

The entry maps the Euphrates as: (1) Eden boundary (Gen 2:14), (2) promised land boundary (Gen 15:18; Exo 23:31; Deu 11:24), (3) invasion source (Jer 46:2-10), (4) prophetic symbol of Assyrian extension (Isa 8:6-8), and (5) apocalyptic marker (Rev 9:14; 16:12). The dual Revelation reference — sixth trumpet AND sixth bowl — confirms SP055 trumpet-bowl domain correspondence.

ALTAR (of Incense / Golden Altar)¶

The golden altar entries trace from tabernacle construction (Exo 30:1-5; 37:25-28) through Solomon's temple (1 Ki 6:19-20; 7:48) to John's vision (Rev 8:3; 9:13). The horns of the altar (Exo 27:2) connect to Rev 9:13 where the voice comes "from the four horns of the golden altar." In the OT, blood was applied to the altar horns (Lev 4:7,18; 16:18), and the altar served as a place of refuge (Exo 21:14; 1 Ki 1:50) — now the altar speaks to direct judgment rather than provide refuge.

INCENSE¶

The incense entry confirms the prayer-incense connection: "FIGURATIVE: Of prayer PSA 141:2" and "SYMBOLICAL: Of the prayers of saints REV 5:8; 8:3,4." The atonement use (Lev 16:12,13; Num 16:46,47) links incense to intercessory protection — the very function active during the trumpet series.

PIT (Bottomless)¶

The bottomless pit entries cluster in Revelation: REV 9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3. The figurative OT uses of "pit" suggest entrapment and judgment (Psa 7:15-16; 57:6; Jer 48:44). Rev 9 is the only chapter where the pit is OPENED to release destructive forces; in Rev 20:1-3 the pit is used to CONFINE Satan.

BRIMSTONE¶

The brimstone entries connect Sodom's destruction (Gen 19:24; Luk 17:29) to Revelation's judgment imagery (Rev 9:17,18; 14:10; 19:20; 21:8). The Ezekiel 38:22 reference places brimstone in the Gog/Magog context. Rev 9:17-18 is significant as the ONLY Revelation brimstone passage where the brimstone comes from horses' mouths rather than falling from heaven or being part of a lake.

IDOLATRY¶

The FOLLY OF subsection is directly relevant: Psa 115:4-5,8; 135:15-18; Dan 5:23; Rev 9:20 all belong to the same idol-polemic tradition — idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood that cannot see, hear, or walk. Rev 9:20 is explicitly listed under both WICKED PRACTICES and FOLLY OF IDOLATRY.

SORCERY¶

The entry identifies sorcery (pharmakeia, G5331) as part of the "works of the flesh" (Gal 5:20), punishable by death (Exo 22:18; Lev 20:27). The Rev 9:21 reference places sorcery alongside murders, fornication, and thefts as the moral failures the trumpets were designed to address.

REPENTANCE¶

The extensive entry shows repentance as God's desired response to judgment. The key theological note: repentance is "a complete reversal of one's attitude and values." The INSTANCES section shows Pharaoh's shallow repentance during the plagues (Exo 9:27; 10:16-17) — a direct parallel to Rev 9:20-21 where the trumpet plagues fail to produce repentance.

HORSE¶

The SYMBOLICAL entry links horses to Rev 6:2-8 (four horsemen), Rev 9:17 (sixth trumpet army), and Rev 19:11-21 (Christ's return). The cavalry association (2 Ki 18:23; Jer 47:3; 51:21) is relevant to both the fifth trumpet's horse-like locusts (Rev 9:7) and the sixth trumpet's 200 million horsemen (Rev 9:16).

ARMIES entry contains the CAVALRY cross-reference and lists REV 9:16 under FIGURATIVE armies
SOLOMON entry mentions "cities for cavalry" (1 Ki 9:15-19), showing cavalry was a standing military institution
The GRASSHOPPER/LOCUST translation note (Judg 6:5; 7:12; Job 39:20; Jer 46:23) suggests the OT locust vocabulary is broader than a single species