📅 April 3, 2025

📖 DAILY BIBLE READING

✨ Revelation 9 – The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets
📯 The First and Second Woes: God’s Judgment on the Enemies of His People

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📜 Bible Text – Revelation 9 (King James Version)

1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

20 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:

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

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🔵 Introduction

Revelation 9 is a harrowing chapter, full of images of judgment, supernatural visitation, and spiritual darkness. At first glance its symbols can seem terrifying and obscure. Yet a closer look shows God’s purpose: not mere destruction, but a call to repentance.

The trumpets herald warnings—God’s invitations to self-examination. In His mercy, He allows the effects of sin to manifest so humanity might turn back to Him.

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🟡 Commentary

1.Verses 1–12: The Fifth Trumpet – Demonic Locusts

• vv. 1–2: A fallen star (an angel, likely representing Satan or a fallen spirit) opens the Abyss—symbolizing hell or a demonic realm. Smoke darkens sun and sky: spiritual confusion and judgment.

• vv. 3–4: Locusts represent demonic forces. They torment only the unsealed—those outside God’s protection.

• vv. 5–6: They inflict pain but cannot kill, for a precise period of five months—showing God’s sovereign control even over judgment. Their torment is so intense that people seek death but cannot find it.

• vv. 7–10: Vivid imagery—golden crown-like structures, human faces, lion’s teeth, scorpion tails—underscores the deceptive, brutal nature of these forces.

• v. 11: Their king is the “angel of the Abyss,” Abaddon/Apollyon (“Destroyer”), highlighting that evil’s source is demonic, not God.

• v. 12: The first “woe” has passed; two more are to come.

2.Verses 13–21: The Sixth Trumpet – Riders of Judgment

• vv. 13–15: Four angels bound at the Euphrates—symbolizing geopolitical powers—are released at God’s appointed time. This again shows divine timing and limitation.

• vv. 16–17: A vast host (twice ten thousand times ten thousand symbolically) with fiery, sulfurous armor; lion-like heads; mouths spewing fire and smoke—portrays devastating, divinely sanctioned judgment.

• vv. 18–19: One third of humanity perishes. Their destruction flows from the powers unleashed by their words (mouths) and deeds (tails), underscoring how rhetoric and action spread evil.

• vv. 20–21: The survivors do not repent. Even after immense suffering, they continue in idolatry, sorcery, immorality, and violence—highlighting human stubbornness in sin.

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🟢 Summary

Through the fifth and sixth trumpets, God issues a stern call to the world: witness the consequences of rebellion. His people, marked by His seal, are protected, while the unrepentant face the full impact of spiritual forces they have aligned with. Yet these judgments are measured and purposeful, aimed at awakening hearts to genuine repentance.

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🔴 Message for Today

The visions of demonic locusts and fiery riders speak powerfully to our age of moral confusion, cultural decay, and spiritual warfare. The key question is not how dreadful these images are, but: Am I prepared? Do I bear God’s seal?

✨ God calls us to repentance—today.

• Not through fear, but through the truth of His Word.

• Not by compulsion, but by His loving invitation.

• Not someday, but now.

Let us heed His trumpet calls, turn from sin, and rest in the protection of the Lamb.

📯📯📯📯📯📯📯

📆 March 30 – April 5, 2025

📆 WEEKLY READING OF THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

📖 Ellen White | Steps to Christ – Chapter 11

✨ Prayer as a Gift of Grace

📖 Read here online

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🔵 Introduction

Prayer is more than a religious duty or a fleeting cry for help in distress—it is the bridge between the human heart and the throne of God. In Chapter 11 we learn that prayer is not only possible but a gift of grace, an incomparable privilege and means of communion with the almighty, loving Father. Yet this gift often remains unused, weakening our spiritual life.

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🟡 Commentary

1. The Necessity of Prayer (Paragraphs 1–4)

• God speaks to us in many ways—through nature, His Word, providence, and the Spirit.

• Without our personal response in prayer, this relationship remains incomplete.

• Prayer is more than speaking—it is opening the heart and turning toward God.

2. Christ’s Example in Prayer (Paragraphs 5–6)

• Jesus Himself—sinless and divine—felt the need for prayer.

• He sought the Father in solitude, bore our weaknesses, and interceded as our model.

• If the Son of God prayed, how much more do we need prayer!

3. God’s Readiness to Hear (Paragraphs 7–10)

• God longs to bless us—yet we pray so little!

• The angels scarcely understand our reluctance; for them, prayer is supreme joy.

• Without prayer we lose our connection to heaven and stand defenseless against temptation.

4. Conditions for Answered Prayer (Paragraphs 11–18)

• A sincere desire for God, repentance, confession, and forgiving others.

• Faith is essential—even if visible answers are delayed.

• God hears and answers in His timing according to the true needs of our hearts.

5. The Power of Personal and Persistent Prayer (Paragraphs 19–25)

• Prayer in the secret place has special value.

• Continual communion with God is possible amid daily life.

• Examples like Enoch and Nehemiah show that true prayer is a constant life posture.

6. The Danger of Neglecting Prayer (Paragraphs 26–30)

• Prayerlessness leads to estrangement from God and weakens faith.

• We should combine the fellowship of believers, devotional worship, and service.

• Those who isolate themselves or pray without action lose the joy of prayer.

7. The Joy of Prayer and Praise (Paragraphs 31–End)

• Thanksgiving should be central to our prayer life.

• God desires our worship to be marked by joy, trust, and love—not fear.

• Praise and thanks open our hearts to new blessings.

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🟢 Summary

Prayer is a holy gift of grace through which we can stand in intimate fellowship with God. It is the “key in the hand of faith” that unlocks heaven’s treasure chamber. Prayer is indispensable for spiritual life, yet its power emerges only under certain conditions: humility, faith, forgiveness, and perseverance. Christ Himself was our perfect model—and invites us to find strength, comfort, and divine nearness in prayer.

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🔴 Message for Today

In a world full of noise, distractions, and uncertainty, prayer remains our direct lifeline to heaven.

📜 “Ask, and it will be given to you…” (Matthew 7:7)

God waits to commune with us—not as a distant judge but as a loving Father. Prayer does not change God; it changes us: our trust grows, our vision clears, our hearts become still and receptive to the Spirit’s work.

👉 What does this mean for you today?

• Set aside time for silent prayer—not as a duty, but as a source of comfort and strength.

• Stay connected to God throughout your day. Let your heart speak to Him often—in thought, in whisper, in stillness.

• Trust His answer—even if it comes differently than expected.

• Forgive others. How can we ask for God’s mercy if we harbor unforgiveness?

• Praise God! Thanksgiving transforms our hearts and makes us ready for further blessings.

🌿 Prayer is not just talking to God—it is living with God.
Let us learn to live in the light of this gift of grace.

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