Originally Posted by Epoisses 
I agree that Satan and his angels are pictured under the fifth trumpet but what about the sixth trumpet? These angels are somewhat different and are permitted to kill a third of mankind. I have read some commentaries that identify them as the Lord's angels while others say they are more of luficer's angels while yet others place them as armies of the past.
I am more inclined to see them as the Lord's angels. Just one angel of the Lord killed 185,000 assyrian troops in one night so 200 million could do alot of damage. I would like to understand more of meaning behind the euphrates river.
Greetings Epoisses,
You have brought up some excellent questions. First of all, lets take a look at the sixth trumpet.
"The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, 'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.' And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops were two hundred million. I heard their number." (Rev. 9:13-16)
When the five months allotted for the fifth trumpet end, the sixth angel will blow his trumpet. The death and destruction on earth will expand. The sixth trumpet describes the establishment of Lucifer's world government; a counterfeit theocracy. The devil will be permitted to eliminate all religions, all governments and his forces will kill a third of mankind (those who oppose him). For a short time, Lucifer will reign over the world as king of kings and lord of lords.
During Bible times, the Euphrates River was the northern boundary of Israel. The river was a natural barrier that protected Israel from the marauding kings of the north. In ancient times, predator kings would pounce on weaker nations each spring and take what possessions and loot they could carry off. However, Spring thaws in the mountains caused the great river Euphrates to flood each spring and this flooding kept the kings of the north from invading Israel. When the sixth trumpet sounds, Jesus will remove the barrier that He imposed on Lucifer and his demons during the fifth trumpet. During the fifth trumpet, the devil and his demons are not permitted to kill anyone; however, this limitation will be removed in the sixth trumpet. The devil and his troops will be allowed to kill one-third of mankind.
In Bible times, people believed that divine destruction came out of the north. Because the Euphrates River was a natural barrier on Israel's northern boundary, the release of the four demons bound at the river indicates the river will no longer be a barrier of protection. When released, Lucifer's four demons will raise up an army of two hundred million troops to kill a third of mankind. This slaughter is associated with the Euphrates River because excessive flooding was totally destructive and in Bible times, divine judgment always came out of the north.
Lucifer is represented as the horn power out of the north in Daniel 8 and also the King of the North in Daniel 11 for an important reason. Lucifer will be released from the Abyss to destroy. The torture of the wicked non-believers during the fifth trumpet, the mark of the beast, and the slaughter of saints and rebels during the sixth trumpet will force all survivors into a firm decision regarding whom they will worship.
John goes on to describe visions of modern weapons that will be used to kill those who oppose Lucifer. Those who do not have the mark of the beast will be killed.
YSIC,
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