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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_9:13-19
13Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.
Rev_9:13 "I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar" This is an allusion to the altar of incense in the Tabernacle (cf. Exo_30:2-3; Exo_30:10). There are two altars mentioned in this section: the altar of sacrifice under which the souls of the martyrs were found (cf. Rev_6:9-11), and the altar of incense upon which the prayers of God's people are placed (cf. Rev_8:3-5). The horns were an OT symbol of power. Both the incense altar and altar of sacrifice had horns. See note at Rev_8:3.
Rev_9:14 "'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates'" Those who are looking for historical first century allusions see this as the Parthian hordes just beyond the Euphrates River (i.e., the boundary of the Roman Empire, cf. I Enoch 56:5-8). Others, however, see this as an allusion to the OT where, as the four horses of the apocalypse are found in Zec_1:8; Zec_6:1-8, these four angels seem to be another metaphor for God's appointed servants bringing judgment on a fallen, rebellious world (cf. Rev_7:1). However, because these angels are bound, it may be a reference to evil angels (cf. Jud_1:6). These angels bring death to one-third of mankind (cf. Rev_9:18).
The northern part of the headwaters of the Euphrates River was the northeastern boundary of the Promised Land (cf. Gen_15:18; Deu_1:7; Deu_11:24; Jos_1:4).
Rev_9:15 "And the four angels, who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, were released" There is a definite article with the term "hour," which implies the definiteness of this complete phrase. This is a reference to God's sovereignty and control of history (cf. I Enoch 92:2). This is a great help to those who are undergoing persecution.
Rev_9:16 "The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million" This is a symbolic number of the demonic hordes that engulf unredeemed mankind. This number is comparable to the myriads of angels who serve God (cf. Rev_5:11; Deu_33:2; Psa_68:17; Dan_7:10; Heb_12:22; Jud_1:14).
Again, to try to relate this to the modern nation of China is another example of forcing figurative literature into current history. The desire of Christians to figure out the future and impress each other with esoteric knowledge is a recurrent problem.
Rev_9:17-19 "the horses and those who sat on them" The description that follows sees the horses and riders as one unit. The real agents of death and torment are the horses themselves (cf. Rev_9:19). The colors of the horses—red (fire), blue (hyacinth) and yellow (brimstone)—identify this particular demonic horde as related to the three plagues of fire, blue smoke, and sulphur mentioned in Rev_9:18.