Day 119: Why does God allow wars? - Revelation 9 vs 13 – 21
13-14 The sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.” 15-16 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops.
17 And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armour that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulphur billowed from their mouths. 18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulphur that came from the mouths of the horses. 19 Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people.
20-21 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood - idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (New Living Translation) Link to English Standard Version.
As each angel in the vision John saw blew a trumpet, so a terrible judgement fell upon the world. At the blast of the sixth trumpet four other angels were let loose to bring more havoc on earth. The fact that they had 'been bound' and were 'released' suggests that these were fallen and wicked angels. What shape do vs 15-16 suggest this judgement took?
It certainly sounds like a terrible war, and vs 17-19 could easily represent war machines and the carnage of battlefields. John speaks of three plagues of this war (vs 18) that cause the death of an enormous number of people. Once again, Christians have differed on exactly what is pictured here and when it all takes place. Some see it as a great battle shortly before Jesus' return; others see it as representing the terror of wars through the ages. Still others see it as a picture of demonic forces unleashed on the world. But whatever view one takes, the crucial point is surely in vs 20-21. What is the amazing thing that strikes John following these plagues?
One would think that the horror of war would cause people to seek after God. The last century alone saw over 100 million people killed in World Wars I and II and the Russian Civil War. But despite the suffering and death that came on the world, most people refused to repent of evil deeds. Demonic idols were still worshipped and murders, sexual immorality, witchcraft and stealing were still rife. Oh how hard the human heart must be to not be turned from sin by the suffering and destruction of wars.
I've often read books or heard programs where the question was asked: “Why does God allow war?” Surely if He is a God of love and is all-powerful He could prevent wars from happening. This vision of John gives us a big part of the answer to that question. Wars are one of the trumpets God uses to sound a warning to mankind of how much He hates sin, and of the greater judgement that awaits all who will not repent of their wicked ways.
The bad news is that, for those who refuse to repent, there is still worse to come! In Revelation 11:18 we read: “The nations were filled with wrath - but now the time of God's wrath has come! It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.” Just as in a war there are two sides – so here there are two groups of people as well. How blessed and forever happy are those who have repented, and who have a holy fear of God – even the least important of them.