THE FIRST WOE

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth, and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.... And there came out locusts upon the earth, and the shape of the locusts was like horses prepared unto battle and their power was was to hurt men five months [150 prophetic days]. Revelation 9:1-11.KPC 43.1

This trumpet, represented by the first horseman on the Chart, was fulfilled by the Saracens. The fifth trumpet commenced to sound July 27th, 1299, when Othman, the founder of the Turkish empire, made his first attack on th Greeks. It extended 150 years, to 1449. Their power was to torment, not to kill. During that whole period the Turks were engaged in almost perpetual war with the Greek empire, but yet without conquering it. When the fifth angel ceased, it was said, “One woe is past, and behold two more woes come hereafter.”KPC 43.2