The prayers of the saints are mighty to accomplish things on earth (James 5:16), including the release of demons upon earth who would give people a foretaste of what hell is like. Though Christians may be seen as insignificant players by earth’s population, they have in fact a central role to play in the unfolding of God’s plan. Upon Jesus’ command they pray the second petition: Your kingdom come. That petition includes, as the Heidelberg Catechism has it, Destroy the works of the devil, every power that exalts itself against you, and every conspiracy against your holy Word
(Lord’s Day 48). The Lord wonderfully answers his people’s prayers.
This release of demonic forces in response to the blowing of the fifth trumpet introduces horror on earth beyond what people can imagine. Here is the beginning of eternal weeping and gnashing of teeth. People may attempt to escape this torment through substance abuse, pursuing wealth, distracting oneself through pornography, venting one’s inner anger through violence, etc., but nothing will work. There is no escape from the agony of God’s judgments as he sends them through his servants, the demons. Though this passage does not say it in so many words, escape is possible only through the blood of the Lamb.
1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.