Main Idea: By divine permission, demonic forces bring about the Lord’s judgment as He protects His people from their terrors.

The Horrific Judgment of Demonic Oppression and Deception

• The Lord unleashes demonic forces as judgment on the wicked
  • Revelation 9:1–4a, 12–15
• The demonic locust oppress and torment the wicked
  • Revelation 9:5, 6
  • Psalm 73:3–5, 18–20
  • Revelation 9:7–10
  • Revelation 9:11
  • John 10:10
• The demonic horses and riders greatly deceive and torment the wicked
  • Revelation 9:16–19

The Divine Protection of the Sealed

• 4 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.
  • Ezekiel 9:4–6
  • 2 Thessalonians 3:3
  • 1 John 5:18, 19
  • Ephesians 6:11–17

The Wicked Refuse to Repent and Continue to Walk in Darkness

• 20, 21 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:20
  • Revelation 22:10, 11

So What?

• As the Lord regularly imposes His righteous judgment on the wicked around us, we find our sole source of protection in Him.
  • Psalm 91:1–8