THE FIFTH TRUMPET

In short, the Fifth Trumpet details how the truths brought forth by Wycliffe and his followers successfully caused commotion in the world of Papal teachings. The result was that many WANTED to be free from Papal domination but could not accomplish that freedom yet. It had to wait for the days of Luther.

Revelation Chapter 9

VERSE 1 “Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.”

THEN THE FIFTH ANGEL SOUNDED:

The fifth angel was Wycliffe. A most distinguished man of religious letters, he wrote over 200 hundred works in addition to his part in the translation of the Bible into English. (Part of the translation work he committed to others). Most of his writings were either directly or indirectly in defense of the ransom. It is easy to see why Rev 8:13 warned that this BLAST OF THE TRUMPET would cause WOE to those who dwelt on the earth — those who tried to retain the status quo.

AND I SAW A STAR FALLEN FROM HEAVEN TO THE EARTH:

While Wycliffe, for a while, was bright in the religious heavens, the controllers of those heavens (Papacy) were angered with his actions and words. Wycliffe, who had a doctorate in theology, was soon removed from his university teaching post; two failed attempts were made to convict him as a heretic. Because of his immense appeal among the people and his temporary favor with the crown, however, he retained much influence. Again, STAR is used to represent one of the seven Church messengers. It is fallen to earth because the Papal heavens cast him out; but the earth, the people, received him. Compare Rev 8:10 where very much the same symbolism is used in regards to Arius.

TO HIM WAS GIVEN THE KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT:

The pit here symbolizes the condition of powerlessness. The same word is used elsewhere, but frequently translated differently. Note the following:

In Rom. 10:7 it is the condition from which Jesus was resurrected.

In Luke 8:31 it is the powerless condition of demons when they cannot possess a material body.

In Revelation it is used for the same symbolism of powerlessness in Rev 11:7, and 17:8.

Likewise, it is the powerless condition of Satan during the Millennium in Rev 20:3.

Wycliffe was given (the “key”, viz.,) ACCESS to this condition in order to release something from it — something which had been for a long time rendered quite powerless: DISPENSATIONAL TRUTHS.

VERSE 2 “And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So, the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.”

AND HE OPENED THE BOTTOMLESS PIT:

Wycliffe released long-lost truths both by his writing and his preaching; additionally, by making the Bible available in English, he gave access to many others to find what had been captive (powerless) in the pit.

AND SMOKE AROSE OUT OF THE PIT:

Smoke was NOT what had been captive; but, by opening the pit and giving access to its contents, the RESULT is that smoke comes out.

Smoke symbolizes both obscuration (the concealing of something) and the evidence of judgment (fire) having occurred. In the following context, it seems to have both meanings. Smoke (obscuration) comes out of the pit BECAUSE the emerging truths cause confusion about the current doctrines of Papacy. But additionally, this smoke is LIKE something:

LIKE THE SMOKE OF A GREAT FURNACE:

The PURPOSE of furnaces was REFINING, i.e., testing and purifying metals.

Therefore, this smoke (obscuration and confusion) which comes out of the pit is LINKED to what is happening:

Something (Papal doctrine and practice) is, by the emerging truths, being TRIED to ASCERTAIN ITS PURITY — which, of course, it doesn’t have! Truth is measuring Papal lies. The result is confusion and obscuration.

SO, THE SUN AND THE AIR WERE DARKENED BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE OF THE PIT:

Recall that the first woe (Rev 8:13) is ACTUALLY a plague. Then use this information to compare Exod. 10:22-23.

“So, Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

The Egyptians (representative of Papacy) were in darkness; the Israelite’s were in light. This corresponds to Rev. 9:4: ONLY those without the seal are hurt by these affairs. A quote from Ludlow Loomis is so appropriate here:

“How darkness increases when those in error come in contact with the truth!”

This is a verifiable fact; anytime the truth (light) is shown upon any one of the various errors held by the professing church, viz., the trinity, the supposed immortality of the soul, eternal torment as the wages of sin and etc., those clinging to these errors make the vain attempt to substantiate these falsehoods with still further falsehoods. Thus, darkness (error) is increased by still more darkness (errors).

THIS explains WHICH sun and which air were darkened by the smoke of the pit: the Gospel (sun) of the apostates and the Spiritual things (air) of the apostates are darkened by the resulting questions brought forth through the spread of long-lost truths.

This opens the way for what comes out of the smoke:

We continue with Verse 3 in our next post.