Revelation 9:3-6 (ESV)
Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
The purpose of God’s plan is to bring people to repentance. Note:
2 Peter 3:9 (ESV)
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
In the above passage we are in the “angel blew his trumpet” judgements. There are seven trumpets to sound and the above text is the result of the fifth trumpet. That trumpet releases a hoard of locust. The locust start to consume the entire earth. But these locust were like scorpions. They were sent to attack anyone who was not identified with God. God’s wrath is intended to work His plan: Bringing people to Himself. At this point, His offering of love has not drawn them to Himself. He sent His Son to die on the cross for their sins, but they rejected that truth. In the end times God turns to wrath and they, once again, would rather die than to submit to God’s rule in their lives. In fact, in the above text we are told they would beg to die. But God did not give them their death. That would come. He would give them torment. Their refusal to repent would bring them fear and pain. Mankind would rather just reject God and take the punishment than to submit to God in faith and enjoy His blessings. These verses might tell us more about the nature of man than we could have imagined.
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