Welcome to our new project, the Daily Bible Devotional. The goal is to help you understand and apply

scripture as you go through a New Testament Bible read five days a week, Monday through Friday,

as we move from Matthew straight through to Revelation. In under four minutes each morning, we will recap the chapter,

make some application, present thought questions for the day, and offer a prayer together.

I'm excited about exploring God's Word with you, so let's get started.

Welcome to our daily Bible devotional this last month of the year and last book of the New Testament.

Today we're in Revelation chapter 9.

The fifth angel sounds his trumpet and a star falls from heaven to earth.

He has given the key to the bottomless pit and opens it, releasing smoke that darkens the sky and a swarm of locusts with power like scorpions. These locusts do not harm plants, but torment

people who lack the seal of God on their foreheads. Their king is called Abidon in Hebrew and Apollyon

in Greek. The sixth angel then sounds his trumpet, and four angels bound at the Euphrates are released

to kill a third of mankind.

A vast army of horsemen appear, bringing death through fire, smoke, and sulfur.

Despite these terrifying plagues, the rest of humanity does not repent of their sins, including

immorality, murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft. Their hearts remain hardened.

You know, if you look at the details, God released these scorpions that are wild-looking creatures

for five months to torment the sinner,

but not kill them. And then when the horsemen are released, one-third are killed, but the other

are left. There's all these pleas by God to turn from their wicked ways, and yet they will not repent.

We reflect on these scenes as fulfilled in the past, yet they still speak to our hearts today.

The judgments were severe and the suffering was great, yet people continued in rebellion.

This shows the tragic reality of hardened hearts when pride resists repentance.

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