The sixth trumpet is the second woe as further judgment on men—two hundred million cavalry troops killing the third part of men (Rev. 9:13-16). Revelation 16:12 indicates that these troops come from the rising of the sun, from the east. In the sixth trumpet, the four angels which are bound at the great river Euphrates were loosed. They had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they might kill the third part of men by the two hundred million cavalry troops. "For the hour and day and month and year" means that the four angels had been prepared unto the hour, plus the day, plus the month, and plus the year—altogether thirteen months, one day, and one hour for the killing of men. The killing will last firstly one hour, then one day, then one month, and lastly one year. The riders of the horses had breastplates of fire, hyacinth, and sulphur. The heads of the horses were like heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulphur as three plagues to kill the third part of men. The authority of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails, which were like serpents and had heads, and with them they injure men. The rest of men did not repent of their idolatry, murders, witchcrafts, fornication, and thefts (Rev. 9:13-21). This indicates that the intention of God's judgment is that men may repent, but Revelation tells us that even after these severe judgments, men will still not repent.
God's judgment in the sixth trumpet as the second woe is seen in Revelation 9. All the items in Revelation 10—14, except the rapture of the man-child and of the one hundred forty-four thousand firstfruit, will take place during the last three and a half years, the time of the great tribulation. Chapter ten tells us that during the three and a half years of the great tribulation Christ will come to the air to take possession of the earth (Rev. 10:1-7). Chapter eleven says that Jerusalem will be given to Antichrist and his people and will be devastated for forty-two months (Rev. 11:2). In the meantime, God sends His two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, to prophesy during the time of the great tribulation when Antichrist is blaspheming God and persecuting His people. These two witnesses will testify against him. Then they will be killed, resurrected, and raptured to Christ's parousia (presence) in the air (Rev. 11:3-12).
Chapter twelve points out that right before the beginning of the great tribulation, the man-child, the dead overcomers, will be raptured (Rev. 12:5). The rest of the saints, which are the majority of the church, will be kept in a place to be nourished by God for twelve hundred sixty days, which is forty-two months or three and a half years, the time of the great tribulation (Rev. 12:6). Chapter thirteen tells us that when Antichrist comes up out of the sea and the abyss, he will act according to his own will against God, persecute God's people, and kill the saints (Rev. 13:1-10). The false prophet will set up an image of Antichrist and force people to worship it (Rev. 13:11-15).
Chapter fourteen speaks of the Lord's reaping of the believers. The firstfruit of the believers will be raptured to the third heaven to be with Christ before the great tribulation (Rev. 14:1-5). Then Antichrist will destroy all religions when he breaks the covenant with Israel in the middle of the last week (Dan. 9:27; 11:31). The destruction of religious Babylon, the apostate Roman Catholic Church (Rev. 17:16), will take place at the beginning of the great tribulation (Rev. 14:8). Furthermore, during the great tribulation, an angel will preach the eternal gospel, telling people that they should fear and worship God and not be deceived to follow Antichrist (Rev. 14:6-7). This gospel will be received by a number of people who will obey this word and who will do much to help the persecuted Christians and Jews during the great tribulation. When the Lord returns, sits on His throne of glory, and judges the nations, He will consider these righteous ones as the sheep, who will enter into the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world. They will be the people, the citizens, in the millennial kingdom on earth for one thousand years. Those of the nations who do not obey the eternal gospel during the great tribulation, who mistreat the Christians and the Jews, will be condemned by Christ at His throne of glory. They will be considered as goats and will be cast directly into the lake of fire, where they will suffer eternal punishment (Matt. 25:32-46).
In addition to speaking of the eternal gospel in the great tribulation, Revelation 14 also speaks of the harvest of the majority of the believers and of the war of Armageddon, which is called "the great winepress of the fury of God" (Rev. 14:19). The evil persons are likened to grapes who will be gathered together at Armageddon. Christ will come down to tread on them as one treading a great winepress. Now we come to the seventh trumpet.