Grace in Focus – "The Fifth and Sixth Trumpet Judgments (Revelation 9:1–21)"

Podcast: Grace in Focus
Date: December 16, 2025
Hosts: Bob Wilkin and Philippe Sterling

Overview

In this focused 13-minute episode, Bob Wilkin and Philippe Sterling delve into Revelation 9, examining the striking imagery and meaning behind the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments. The discussion emphasizes distinguishing between literal and symbolic interpretations, explores God’s ongoing attempts to encourage repentance, and highlights the eschatological significance of these judgments in Free Grace Theology.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Transition from ‘Natural’ to ‘Supernatural’ Judgments

• [01:07] Bob explains that the first four trumpet judgments relate largely to "natural type of calamities," but with the fifth and sixth trumpets "we’re dealing with bottomless pits and locusts... bringing in basically the angelic realm."
• The escalation marks a shift from environmental disasters to supernatural and direct spiritual afflictions.

2. The Fifth Trumpet (Revelation 9:1–12)

• Bottomless Pit & Locusts
  • [01:42–02:09] Discussion of the "bottomless pit" (Greek: Abyss), possibly referring to a region of Sheol/Hades where certain angels are confined.
• Nature of the Locusts
  • [02:09–02:51] The locusts are not standard creatures. Bob notes: "They appear to be supernatural entities... a different sort of supernatural being than just the fallen angels themselves."
• Role of the ‘Star’
  • [02:51–03:07] The "star fallen from heaven" could be an angel (fallen or unfallen), potentially tasked with opening the abyss.
• Who is Afflicted?
  • [04:05–04:26] Philippe identifies that only "the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads" (the 144,000; see Revelation 7) are protected from harm.
• The Nature of the Torment
  • [04:40–05:22] Philippe draws a connection between the word for "torment" (basanizo) and its New Testament usage, e.g., Luke 16 ("I am in torment in these flames"), suggesting the suffering is excruciating but not "intolerable."
• Desire for Death
  • [05:24–06:04]
    • Philippe: "In those days, men will seek death and will not find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them."
    • Bob expands: "The affliction... is painful... here the torment may be a physical torment... even if they wanted to be liberated from it by death, that's not going to happen."
• Strange Appearance
  • [06:07–06:40] The locusts’ monstrous, hybrid characteristics (human faces, women’s hair, lions’ teeth) signal their spiritual origins. Bob mentions using "artistic renderings" for his eschatology class to illustrate the verses.

3. The Nature of Supernatural Beings

• [07:16–07:37] Bob references Revelation 4’s four living creatures, noting that heaven also contains beings with fantastical traits, implying fallen beings could appear just as outlandish.

4. Leadership of the Locusts

• [08:08] The locusts are led by "the angel of the bottomless pit," named Abaddon (Hebrew) or Apollyon (Greek), both meaning "destruction" or "destroyer."

5. The Fifth Trumpet as the First Woe

• [08:34] Philippe summarizes: "One woe is past, but now still two more woes are coming," referring to the severity escalating with each trumpet.

6. The Sixth Trumpet (Revelation 9:13–21)

• The Four Angels at the Euphrates
  • [08:43–09:33] Four mighty (likely fallen) angels, long bound at the Euphrates, are released. Bob posits their connection to ancient empires.
  • A brief allusion to Genesis 6 and 2 Peter 2, where certain angels were bound for special judgment.
• The Army of 200 Million
  • [10:04–10:41] A force of "200 million horsemen" is released. Bob dismisses popular interpretations (e.g., Chinese armies, helicopters as described by Hal Lindsey or Billy Graham) in favor of supernatural entities: "They appear to be infernal creatures... supernatural beings."
• Destructive Power
  • [10:48–11:07] This infernal army kills a third of mankind—a significant but still limited judgment.
  • Philippe questions the accumulating percentages: "Is it a third of the remaining 75% or a third in addition to the 25%?" Bob asserts, "I'll say a third of the remaining... it's limited in scope," signifying God’s continued restraint.

7. Human Response—and Failure to Repent

• [11:23–11:53]
  • Philippe: "And yet in verses 19, 20, 21, we find they didn’t repent." Bob agrees: "Even with these severe judgments, God is hoping to bring people to repentance."
• The implication: repentance could lessen judgments, but humanity’s refusal leads to the looming "seventh trumpet and seven bowls"—greater devastation ahead.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Nature of the Judgment:

  “It’s bringing in basically the angelic realm... actual judgments.”
  — Bob Wilkin [01:13]

• On the Identity of the Locusts:

  “They appear to be supernatural entities of some kind… demonic entities, but perhaps a different sort of supernatural being than just the fallen angels themselves.”
  — Bob Wilkin [02:18]

• On the Purpose of Limited Judgment:

  “The purpose is still functioning as a warning because it’s limited in scope... even with these severe judgments, God is hoping to bring people to repentance.”
  — Bob Wilkin [11:01], [11:23]

• On Human Stubbornness:

  “They did not repent of the works of their hands... their murders, or their sorceries or their sexual immoralities or their thefts.”
  — Philippe Sterling quoting Revelation [11:30]

• On Spiritual Interpretation vs. Literalism:

  “...they appear to be infernal creatures also because we’re given a description... not a description of the armies that would be there in Armageddon.”
  — Bob Wilkin [10:09]

• On Abaddon/Apollyon:

  “They have as king over them... the angel of the bottomless pit, which is Abaddon or Apollyon, meaning destructor or destruction.”
  — Philippe Sterling [08:08]

Key Timestamps

• [01:07] — First four trumpets vs. fifth/sixth (natural vs. supernatural)
• [02:09] — Literal or symbolic locusts?
• [04:05] — Who is protected? (The 144,000 sealed)
• [05:24] — Men seek death but cannot find it
• [06:07] — Locusts’ bizarre descriptions
• [08:08] — Leadership by Abaddon/Apollyon
• [09:04] — Four angels bound at Euphrates released
• [10:04] — 200-million-strong infernal army
• [11:23] — Continued refusal to repent

Resources Mentioned

• Revelation Commentary by John Claes
• Upcoming Study and Teacher’s Guides on Revelation (Available March-April 2026)

Conclusion

• The episode highlights the terrifying escalation of supernatural judgments in Revelation 9 while underlining God’s intent: to call humanity to repentance before the final, even more severe outpourings. The hosts’ careful Free Grace interpretations underscore God’s justice and mercy, even in the midst of apocalyptic wrath.

Next Episode Teaser:
The series will pause to discuss perseverance in faith, then return to more trumpet judgments.