"The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.” (vv. 20-21)
Here in chapter 9 we see the Fifth and Sixth Trumpet Judgments. The Fifth Trumpet Judgment is centered on “idolatrous” man, those who did not repent from the works of their hands (v.20), not mankind in general. Here, Satan’s demons are given permission for a five month period of time to torment, but not to kill them (vv.4-5). The chapter describes this torment as so sever that, “men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them” (v.5).
How blind can idolatrous man be to his need for salvation? How harden would his heart have to become, that he would desire death over repentance, and find neither. After seeing the effects to the earth in the previous four trumpet judgments, and now experiencing 5 months of relentless torment, one would think repentance would seem a natural response, or at least a cry to God for deliverance. But, no such cry is recorded, and no repentance voiced.
The Sixth Trumpet Judgment involves the release of four fallen angels. They have been held back for this one hour in which they enter the world to accomplish their mission - to slay a third part of men by fire, smoke, and by the brimstone, out of their mouths (vv.14-17). Sadly enough, scripture goes on to tell us that, “The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues 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 can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (vv. 20-21). Unbelievable!
Still, God desperately desires to see people who have rejected salvation wake up. And, He will do whatever it takes to get them back on their knees, to finally call out to Him. But, some men have gone beyond what they know to be true and have harden their hearts to the point of blindness, refusing to see the truth. Paul writes in Romans, “The wrath of God will be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). To suppress the truth one has to actively work at it, hold it down. Meaning one knows the truth, but purposely works at denying it.
John sums up this attitude perfectly in his gospel by saying, "The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed” (John 3:19-20). My friends I tell you this, you can either come to the light (Jesus) or be consumed by it. Your choice, for these things shall come to pass.
The Truth: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
