Revelation 9:13-18

Revelation 9:13: “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.”

In this judgment, four imprisoned angels are set free. Since these angels have been prisoners for thousands of years, it seems likely that these were fallen angels (otherwise known as demons). These demons are going to kill one-third of mankind. We saw earlier in Revelation that the pale green horse killed one-fourth of mankind; now one-third of those that remain are going to be killed as well. Together these two judgments will kill more than half of mankind.

Revelation 9:16: “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”

Most people claim that this verse refers to a giant army of 200 million Chinese soldiers. However, Dr. Fruchtenbaum argues in Footsteps of the Messiah that this is referring to an army of demons, and I think he is correct. If this passage was referring to a human nation it would mention the kings of the east – but it doesn’t. This army does not come from China; it comes from the Euphrates River. This army is not led by men; it is led by four demons. This is a demonic army with four demonic generals – and it is a massive army, with 200 million soldiers.

Revelation 9:18: “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.”

The first demonic invasion could torment people, but it could not kill them. This one, though, is different. Here people die in large numbers, “by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone”. When it is over, this unstoppable army of demons will have slaughtered one-third of mankind.