Revelation 8

v1-6: Our prayers “stand in need of the incense and intercession of Christ to make them acceptable and effective.” Wonderfully Christ will do this for us.

v7-13: God warns this world that judgment is coming. “He sounds an alarm through the written word, ministers, people’s own consciences, and the signs of the time.” Natural disasters are like trumpet blasts warning people of the danger they are in when Jesus returns to judge. These lesser judgments “have their bounds and limits set on them” by God. If people will not listen to them, they must expect greater ones when he comes to punish the world.

Revelation 9

v1-12: “The Devil pursues his intentions by blinding people’s eyes, extinguishing light and knowledge and advancing ignorance and error.” His messengers deceive and cause harm to people by advancing “superstition, idolatry, error, and cruelty.” But God’s people will be preserved by His “electing, effective, distinguishing grace.”

v13-21: Part of God’s present judgment on the earth is allowing demonic deception to take place. Spiritual forces of evil will poison “human minds with error and idolatry.” The purpose of this judgment is that people would “repent of their sin and learn righteousness.”