Revelation 9:13-16: Analyzing the Four Angels Bound At the Euphrates

I am currently working on a series of articles about a major, wide-scale conflict that I see unfolding during the latter portion of the End Times along with the series articles about Ezekiel 38 & Ezekiel 39 I previously mentioned. I noticed while working on these articles yesterday that I had written enough about the four angels who will be released from the Euphrates River after the sounding of the sixth trumpet to devote an entire article to the topic.

• Today I’ll share what I have written about them with you.

Revelation 9:13-15 describes the release of four angels who are bounded at the Euphrates River and the aftermath of their release: the slaying of a 1/3 of mankind.

• Rev 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
• Rev 9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
• Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
• Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

The angels released from the Euphrates River are probably fallen angels because they have been bounded there. The Greek word for “bound” (deō) is only used twice in the Book of Revelation. The other verse where this word appears is in Revelation 20:2, which describes Satan being bounded for 1000 years.

• Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Revelation 20:7 indicates that the binding of Satan for one thousand years is connected to his imprisonment:

• Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Given the context of how the word “deō” is used in Revelation 20:2, 7, it is likely that the use of deō in Revelation 9:14 is meant to convey the sense that the four angels bounded at the Euphrates River are imprisoned in a similar manner that Satan will be imprisoned for one thousand years.

The treatment of these four angels is interesting to note because they will be temporarily released from their bondage unlike the group of angels described in Jude 1:6 and 2 Peter 2:4.

• Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

• 2Pe 2:4  For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 

I believe the Bible is inerrant and without contradiction, so I do not believe there is a contradiction between Revelation 9:14, Jude 1:6, and 2 Peter 2:4.  I think these verses can be harmonized by the likely possibility that the four angels are kept at a different location than the group of angels mentioned in Jude 1:6 and 2 Peter 2:4 (the location Peter mentioned is hell/Tartarus).

Revelation 9:14-15 states that the four angels who will be released “were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year” at the Euphrates River. This phrase indicates that these angels are reserved for a specific purpose-primarily causing the type of chaos that leads to the death of a third of mankind.

• This is purely speculation, but perhaps these four angels specialized in causing chaos on Earth before they were bounded at the Euphrates River.

Some More Speculation
The theory that I will present next is purely speculation at this point (I'm not 100% sure about it and there is a chance that I could be wrong),  but I think it is something that is worth considering.

The Theory
The reason the (evil) nature of these four angels may be relevant is that it may account for why Jeremiah 25:31-33, a passage which I think may relate to the sixth trumpet, mentions that “evil shall go forth from nation to nation”. The “evil” going from nation to nation may refer to the four angels who will be released from the Euphrates River.

• Jer 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
• Jer 25:32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
• Jer 25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.

The four angels may play some role in stirring up a large-scale conflict like unclean spirits mentioned in Revelation 16:13-14 rally the kings of the earth to battle. “The great whirlwind” mentioned in Jeremiah 25:32 could potentially be the 200 million referenced in Revelation 9:16 onward as Isaiah 66:15 equates chariots with a whirlwind.

Jer 25:32  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

Isa 66:15  For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Isa 66:16  For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

I hope you found this article useful in any way. I’ll continue my work to get these series of articles completed and work further on this theory.