The sixth angel is instructed to release four angels
bound at the River Euphrates. The Euphrates is called great,
not just for its size, but because of its prominence and
importance in Scripture.
Who are these angels? They are fallen angels, demonic
spirits similar to those in Revelation 16:13-14. The four
angels of Revelation 7:1 are faithful angels who carry out
the judgment of God. These, however, are fallen angels
because they have been bound. Faithful angels are never
spoken of as bound, on the other hand, demonic spirits or
fallen angels are bound or will be ( Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4;
Revelation 20:2).
The expression “For the hour and day and month and year”
refers not to the duration of their activity, but to the
fact this occurs on the exact hour of the day, month, and
year that God ordained it. God raises up both men and demons
as His instruments to accomplish His purposes in history.
Each acts out of their own volition, according to their
schemes and nature, but God, knowing them from eternity
past, raises them up in history to carry out His purpose
even at the exact hour (Isaiah 10:5f; Romans 9:11-18).
“So that they might kill a third of mankind,” states their
purpose in the plan of God. How do they do this? The
following verses tell us. They do it through an army of
200,000,000. Earlier one-fourth of the earth’s population is
killed in the fourth seal. Now one-third of the remaining
population of humanity is wiped out. This means these two
judgments alone reduce the earth’s total population one-half
and these judgments do not account for all the deaths that
will occur. The other judgments also will result in
widespread destruction of human life.
