Here we see the parallel of the sixth angel blowing the trumpet to release four angels at the great river Euphrates and the sixth angel pouring out his bowl on the great river Euphrates (16:12). In addition, as the sixth trumpet reaches the climax of afflictions, so the opening of the sixth seal proved to be climactic (6:12–17). Here is explicit evidence of the parallelism that permeates the entire book of Revelation.
The four horns of the altar are not those of the altar outside the tabernacle or temple but of the altar of incense in front of the Most Holy Place. This altar was overlaid with gold.
The sixth angel receives a command to release four angels. There is no indication that these four angels should be linked to those standing at the four corners of the earth (7:1). Here the angels are bound at the great river Euphrates, but in 7:1 the four angels hold the four winds of the earth. We face the question of whether the angels that are bound are good or evil. We read that they are to be set loose, so that the plagues God has ordained to punish the godless may take effect.
The fact that these angels are bound, which in the Greek is in the perfect tense to denote a lapse of time, points to evil angels (And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great dayJude 6). When they are released, the plagues that they have held in check are set in motion: the plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that will kill a third part of the human race (v. 18).
When the name Euphrates occurs in a chapter filled with symbolism, it is sound to affirm that next to a literal reading there is room for a figurative version. Symbolically, the name Euphrates marks the boundary between good and evil, between the kingdom of God and that of Satan.
The text reveals that when the four angels are released at the great river Euphrates, all hell breaks loose in a worldwide war.
The passive construction of the verb to set free means that God is the agent who commands the release of these four angels.
The number four signifies worldwide impact, as is evident from the destruction that these angels induce: a third part of the world’s population perishes. This is a picture of a war that encompasses the entire world as it faces God’s judgment.
Following the opening of the fourth seal, Death and Hades are given “authority over the fourth part of the earth to kill with a sword, and famine, and disease, and by the wild beasts of the earth”. But now we read that a third part of the earth’s population is slain.
To be exact, after the plagues that affect a third of creation, God releases a plague on ungodly people. This plague is so severe that these people long to die but cannot because death slips away from them. Then as a result of the next plague a third of mankind perishes.
A Descriptive Vision 17-19
In the Divine Command of verses 13-16 John described what he heard: the sound of a trumpet blown by an angel; a voice coming from the golden altar; the command to release four angels; and the number of the mounted troops. Now in the Descriptive Vision he describes in detail what he saw: the color of breastplates; the appearance of the horses; the killing of a third of humanity; and the power of these horses.
The colors of these breastplates are illustrative: red refers to fire, blue to the hyacinth plant, and yellow to sulfur. The Septuagint mentions the expression hyacinth in connection with a dye that was used to give a blue color to fine linen and the curtain of the tabernacle. Here it describes the blue smoke of a sulfurous flame.
Comparing the horses’ heads to those of lions, John depicts ferocious destructiveness.
The description of fire, smoke, and sulfur coming forth from their mouths fits the ancient tales of dragons spewing forth fire. The flow of these three elements is portrayed as one continuous stream of devastation. This picture evokes terror and represents evil stalking the globe with brute force.
The horses and their riders are controlled by demonic beings that are bent on causing death and destruction.
John enumerates the three plagues that destroy a third of the human race (v. 15); they are fire, smoke, and sulfur discharging from the mouths of devilish monsters. These three natural elements are symbols that represent war, desolation, and destruction.
John relates that the power to kill human beings resides in both the front and the back of the horses, that is, in their mouths and tails.Their mouths figuratively spew forth fire, smoke, and sulfur, while their tails resemble snakes that bite.
A Refusal to Repent 20-21
These two verses serve as a brief summary of the catastrophes God has sent, including calamities in both nature and warfare. The word plagues in the Greek text conveys the sense of God administering blows. Even though plagues destroy a third of the world’s inhabitants, survivors appear to become accustomed to the repeated calamities.
These concluding verses relate not to God’s people but rather to unrepentant sinners. This passage, therefore, emphasizes not adversities but hardened unbelievers. In spite of the traumatic loss of life, the rest of humanity refused to repent from the works of their hands.
God employed plagues to hopefully cause sinners to change their ways and convert; instead they repudiated him.
Idolaters daily witnessed death and destruction as reminders of the penalties that follow the transgressing of divine commandments. In a direct affront to God, they served idols. They committed murder, witchcraft, adultery, and theft—sins perpetrated against society. These sins violate the Law of God: not to serve other gods and make idols; not to kill; not to commit adultery and fornication; and not to steal.
The people refused to repent and thus at the Judgment Day must take full responsibility for their actions. Six trumpets, blown as warning signs of impending judgment, are designed to call sinners to repentance, conversion, and a new life. But when hardened sinners ignore the trumpet calls, they will be unable to blame anyone but themselves.
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