In The End...

Scripture:

Revelation 9:1-12 (ESV)

And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

 Devotional:

When I read these passages I wonder what the locusts look like.  Some people think they are modern warfare equipment such has helicopters or military aircraft.  Other people think they are creatures or monsters that we have not seen before.  One thing we know is that they come up out of a bottomless pit that is opened after the fifth angel blew his trumpet.

In the end it really doesn’t matter what they are.  If you have the seal of God on you then you will be safe.  If not, you will wish you were dead.  These locusts will torment you to no end for five months. 

Ok, now I do have a question for you.  Have you ever felt tormented?  Did it seem to go on and on?  Maybe it only lasted a short while.  Regardless all of us goes through some sort of affliction in our lives.  Sometimes they seem unbearable and to go on forever.  Let’s face it, Satan has control of this earth.  At the moment this is his world.  We are a fallen race full of sin and torment. 

We are not exempt from hardship, trials, and troubles of all kinds.  James 1:2-4 (ESV):

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Look at everything Paul went through.  He was beaten, shipwrecked, and put in prison.  He had good times as well as hard times.  Face it in this world there will always be suffering.  But the good news just as it is in today’s scripture reading these times are only temporary.  They too will pass.  When the time comes you say I fought the good fight and ran the good race.  2 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV):

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

I want to be able to say this when the end is near.  Hardships will come.  Due to man’s fall we live apart from God.  Because of this there will be judgments, hardships, tribulations throught out lives.  Revelation is about God’s judgment being poured out.  However, we do not have fret or stress for God is with us.  God will prevail.  He has won.  We can endure…