S – The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. ²¹ And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts. 

Revelation  9:20–21 CSB

O – Commentary

Though the judgment was devastating and obviously from God, it did not bring men to repentance, and they continued to worship demons and their representation in idols and kept on murdering and participating in the occult (magic arts, pharmakeiōn, from which is derived “pharmacies”; cf. Gal. 5:20; Rev. 18:23; 21:8; 22:15), their sexual immorality, and thievery.

The trumpet judgments clearly grew in a crescendo, becoming worse and more devastating. In spite of the clear evidence of God’s power to judge the world, no evidence was given John that there would be any change of heart on the part of the great mass of humanity. Though the sixth judgment produced fear, it did not produce repentance.

 John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 953–954.

A – The intensity of the judgement should have brought repentance but it did not.  Let’s not be so stuck in our sin or our own ways that we do not repent.  We must recognize our sins and confess them to God.  

R – Heavenly Father, you are Just in you judgement.  You do not judge us unfairly.  You established the absolute truth for us to follow in your word.  Help us to recognize our sin and confess them to you.  We ask that you forgive us of our sins today.