Verse 13: “And the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a sound from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God.”

These words, ‘before God’, teach us that God is in control. God sets before everyone life and death. (Deuteronomy 30v15-20) His will is that we would choose life but, because we have a free will, we can reject His will. God responds to the choices that we make. If we choose to obey, and submit to Him, we are blessed. If we choose to rebel we are cursed.

Verse 14: “It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet in his hand: ‘Release those four angels who are tied at the great river. The Euphrates.’”

The Middle East is key to understanding Bible prophecy. If we are wise we will pay close attention to it. (The Euphrates is located in modern day Turkey, Syria and Iraq.) Yeshua also commanded us to watch the fig tree (Matthew 24v32-35, Luke 21v29-33); so that we can understand the times, and know where we are on the prophetic calendar. Hosea tells us that the fig tree is Israel (Hosea 9v10). Exiled for nearly 2000 years, she went back to her own land in 1948!

Verse 15: “And the four angels were released. They were prepared for that hour, that day, that month and that year; to kill a third of humanity.”

A very large amount of people die in a very short space of time. God ups the ante. He is the King of kings, and He does not tolerate sin. He would provide grace, mercy and forgiveness to these people, but they are not seeking this.

Verse 16: “And the number of the army of horsemen was 200 million. I heard their number.”

These horsemen could be:

1. A demonic army
2. A coalition of armies from many nations
3. (Not necessarily) From one specific nation

Verse 17: “I looked, and I saw the appearance of the horses and their riders: They had breastplates like fire (red), techellet (blue) and sulphur (yellow). The heads of the horses were like the heads of a lion. And it went forth from their mouths fire, smoke and sulphur.”

This army is bringing about death. They represent Heavenly judgement coming upon this world. God allows this judgement – but the cause of it is sin in the world. Fire, smoke and sulphur represent hell; the condemnation and punishment of God. God will move, in an undeniable way, to show that hell is a reality and that His Word is true. The only way to escape hell is to accept His mercy and forgiveness through Messiah Yeshua (Yeshua is the way, the truth and the life; without Him is eternal death – John 14v6)

Verse 18: “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed; by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”

Verse 19: “For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tail. For their tails were similar to that of a serpent. And they had heads, and with them they destroyed.”

Serpent here is the same word as the one that was in the Garden of Eden. It brings into our understanding a satanic aspect. It unites this judgement (punishment and consequences) with rebelliousness. Adam and Eve rebelled against the truth of God.
Heads has to do with intelligence; an ability to see. They act for one purpose – to bring devastation.

Verse 20: “And the rest of mankind, which were not killed with those plagues, nevertheless they did not repent from the works of their hands. To bow down to demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood. – which does not see, does not hear, and does not walk.”

Two thirds of mankind are still alive. Instead of choosing life they still choose death; and to worship created things, that have no power or life of their own, rather than the Creator.

Verse 21: “And they would not repent of their deeds; of murder, sorcery, sexual immorality or stealing.”