Revelation Chapter 9

(Rev 9:1) The Fifth Angel Sounded

The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth.  The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.

The fifth angel sounded

This is the fifth angel that sounded a trumpet. There were seven seals, followed – thematically if not chronologically – by seven trumpets. In their arranged order, they are similar.

The first four seals and trumpets presented judgments directed against the earth. In the first four seals, these were the “four horsemen” bringing tyranny, war, famine, and death on the earth. In the first four trumpets, these were the ecological destruction of the vegetation, seas, fresh waters, and sky.

The last three seals focused upon heaven: the cry of the martyrs, cosmic disturbances, and the heavenly prelude to the seven trumpets. The last three trumpets will speak of hell, in terms of the demonic. (David Guzik)

I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth

The text clearly shows us that this star is a person (to him), not a literal star. The verb tense (fallen) indicates that he already had fallen.

But who is this star? Suggestions have included Nero, a fallen angel, an evil spirit, Satan, the Word of God, a good angel, or even Jesus Himself.

In the context, this star is best seen as an angel; whether he is a good or bad angel depends on his relation to the angel of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:11. If the angel of Revelation 9:1 is the same as the angel of Revelation 9:11, it is an evil angel – perhaps Satan himself. If it is a different angel, it may be a good angel sent by God to open up this bottomless pit (or pit of the abyss) for the purpose of judgment. (David Guzik)

The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him

That this star is fallen makes us associate him with Satan, or another high-ranking evil angelic being. But the fact that he is given the key to the bottomless pit (pit of the abyss) makes us not want to associate him with Satan. The idea that Satan is the master of hell is foreign to the rest of Scripture. He will be hell’s victim, not ruler.

At the same time, we notice that the key is given to this being, and that it is given at a specific time and for a specific purpose that furthers God’s plan. This angel – evil or good – serves God’s purpose, even if he does not intend to. (David Guzik)

pit of the abyss

The word for pit, abussos (Greek meaning “without a base”) is translated “deep” in Luke 8:31 and Romans 10:7. Modern versions usually transliterate it simply as “abyss.” This pit is apparently the lowest compartment of Hades, at the very center of the earth. Its “bottomless” description can thus be taken literally, since all of its boundaries are, in effect, ceilings. It probably refers to the lowest hell, or tartarus (II Peter 2:4), where “the angels that sinned” (evidently the transgressing “sons of God” of Genesis 6:1-3) are confined in “chains of darkness” awaiting their final judgment. It is probably these that will temporarily be released by Abaddon from the bottomless pit. (Henry Morrris)

(Rev 9:2-6) Out of the smoke came locust on the earth

He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace.  The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.  Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads.  They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months.  Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person.  In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it.  They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.



When the pit was opened, smoke emerged as though the door of a furnace had been loosened. Jesus compared hell to a furnace of fire (Matt 13:42, 50), an image that ought to make people stop and think before they jest about it. The smoke polluted the air and darkened the sun, which had already been darkened when the fourth trumpet sounded.

But it is what came out of the smoke that truly terrorized mankind: an army of demons, compared to locusts. The eighth plague in Egypt was a devastating swarm of locusts (Ex. 10:1–20). People who have never encountered these insects have little idea of the damage they can do. When God wanted to judge His people, He would sometimes send locusts to devour the harvests (Deut. 28:38, 42; Joel 2).

These are not literal locusts, because locusts do not have scorpion-like stings in their tails. These creatures do not devour the green vegetation; in fact, they are prohibited from doing so. This demonic army is given the assignment of tormenting all who have not been protected by the seal of God. The 144,000 men from the tribes of Israel would therefore escape this painful judgment (Rev. 7:1–8). In fact, it is likely that all who have trusted the Lord will be sealed in some special way and protected from torment.

The normal lifespan of the locust is about five months (May to September), and this is the length of time that the judgment will last. These demons will sting people and thus create such pain that their victims will actually want to die, but death will flee from them (Jer. 8:3).

Reading the detailed description of these creatures, we realize that John is not writing about ordinary locusts. Yet, despite its obvious symbolism, it aptly portrays a powerful enemy armed for battle. With bodies like horses but faces like men, the demons’ heads are crowned and covered with long hair. They have teeth like those of lions, and their skin is like a coat of mail. When they fly, the noise is like an army of chariots rushing by. It is unnecessary to try to “spiritualize” these symbols, or to interpret them in light of modern means of warfare. John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment.

Real locusts do not have a king (Prov. 30:27), but this army follows the rule of Satan, the angel of the bottomless pit. His name is “Destroyer.” “The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). Real locusts are pervasive destroyers, but this army only tortures those who do not belong to the Lord.

As God’s people, we can be thankful that Jesus Christ holds the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18) and exercises divine authority even over Satan. God has His timetable for all these events, and nothing will happen too soon or too late (2 Thess. 2:6; note also Rev. 9:15) (Wiersbe)

(Rev 9:7-10) The locusts were like horses prepared for war

The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war.  On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people's faces.  They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.  They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron.  The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war.  They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings.  In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.

Many attempts have been made to show that this is an accurate (though poetic) description of natural locusts. This approach misses the obvious demonic connection.

Why would God call them locusts if they are not literal locusts, but demonic spirits who swarm and destroy like locusts? Among other reasons, because locusts are agents of God’s judgment. This is a consistent Old Testament figure in passages like Exodus 10:4-14, Deuteronomy 28:38, 1 Kings 8:37, 2 Chronicles 7:13, Joel 1:4, and Amos 4:9.

The repetition of like indicates something other than a literal description is intended. The total impact of this picture is one of unnatural and awesome cruelty.

Suggestions that these locusts actually describe something such as the helicopter gunships of the Antichrist or a one-world government are interesting, but purely speculative, and don’t fit all the details.(David Guzik)

“There seems to be no alternative to concluding that God, satisfying the age-long desire of those wicked spirits to possess bodies of their own, has created bodies for them, bodies appropriate in demonic appearance to the character of the demonic inhabitants.” (H. Morris)

“There can be no specific answer to the question of exactly who or what is symbolized by the plague of locusts. All we can know for sure is that in the period immediately before the end the wicked will be subjected to a time of unprecedented demonic torment. Exactly how this will take place will remain unknown until disclosed by history itself.” (Mounce)

(Rev 9:11) The angel of the abyss

They have over them as king the angel of the abyss.  His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon", but in Greek, has the name "Apollyon".

Abbadon, or Apollyon, means “Destroyer.” The word occurs only here in the New Testament, but six times in the Old Testament, where it is translated “destruction” (see Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 15:11; 27:20). See note on Proverbs 15:11. (Henry Morris)

(Rev 9:12) The Woes

The first woe is past.  Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

Fearful as is the torment inflicted by the locusts out of the pit of the abyss, it is only the first of three great judgments which conclude the trumpet period. In verse 12, we are informed that the woe described as following the fifth trumpet is now past, and two more woes are going to follow. The word woe refers in Scripture to some great calamity, usually a judgment from God such as Christ pronounced upon Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matt. 11:21). Desperate indeed will be the situation of those who know not Christ in these tragic hours preceding His return to judge the wicked world.

The tribulation period unmasks human wickedness and also demonstrates the true character of Satan. In our modern day while Satan is still restricted it is easy to forget the great conflict which is raging between the forces of God and the forces of Satan referred to in Ephesians 6:12. In the great tribulation, and especially in the time of the fifth trumpet, with the release of the confined demons the full character of Satan will be starkly manifested. For the first time in history all those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour will come under demonic possession and affliction. What is true in that hour is also true in some measure today, for there is no deliverance from the power of Satan nor from his affliction apart from salvation in Christ and the delivering power of God. (John Walvoord)

(Rev 9:13) The Sixth Angel Sounded

The sixth angel sounded.  I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God

With the sounding of the sixth trumpet, John hears a voice described as coming from the four horns of the golden altar before God. In 8:3, this altar is the scene of the offering of incense with the prayers of saints. Here in its final mention in the book of Revelation, it is related to the judgment of the sixth trumpet. The inference is that this judgment like those preceding is partially an answer to the prayers of the persecuted saints on earth and a token of divine response and preparation for their deliverance. The four horns seem to indicate that this altar is similar to the design of the altar of incense used in the Tabernacle and in the Temple. If the horns have significance, they refer to the sovereignty and judicial government of God. (John Walvoord)

(Rev 9:14-15) Four angels kill one third of mankind

. . . saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!"

The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.

Four Angels

These four angels have no necessary connection with the four angels of Revelation 7:1. They may be the same four angels or they may not be. Whoever they are, they are prepared for the hour and day and month and year of the unleashing of this judgment. (David Guzik)

Free the Four Angels

“Most of Satan’s angels are yet free – being the principalities against which we wrestle, but some terrible offenders of high rank have been bound.” (Newell)

This assumes these are “bad” angels; they may or may not be, but they probably are evil angels. No matter what, they are servants of the divine purpose. (David Guzik)

So that they might kill a third of mankind

The demonic locusts described earlier in the chapter were restricted to tormenting mankind. But these four angels have the authority to kill on a massive scale.

These angels have a specific sphere of activity (a third of mankind), and are only activated in God’s timing. They execute God’s will in God’s timing. (David Guzik)

The great river Euphrates

These angels were connected with the Euphrates River because the Euphrates was a landmark of ancient Babylon. It was the frontier of Israel’s land as fully promised by God (Genesis 15:17-21). It was also the boundary of the old Roman Empire, which will be revived under the Antichrist.

i. The Euphrates is also associated with the first sin (Genesis 2:10-14), the first murder (Genesis 4:16), the first organized revolt against God (Genesis 11:1-9), the first war confederation (Genesis 14:1), and the first dictatorship (Genesis 10:8-10). (David Guzik)

(Rev 9:16-19) An Army of Two Hundred Million

The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million.  I heard the number of them.  Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses' heads resembled lions' heads.  Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.  By these plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths, and in their tails.  For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm.

The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million

Is this number literal or symbolic? “It is possible that the number is not to be taken literally, but simply suggests an army that is impossible to count and is greater than anything mankind has ever seen.” (Hocking)

These horsemen are described in weird, grotesque terms. This is a powerful picture of horror, destruction and demonic association.

Does this speak of a natural or a supernatural army? Is this an army of men or an army of demons?

If this describes a natural army of men, then the weird description may speak of modern, mechanized warfare. It may be John simply describes modern machinery in the only terms he can, and the result is this weird, grotesque, terrifying account.

But, a human army this size has never been seen. The total size of all armies – on both sides – at the height of the Second World War was only 70 million. In 1965 China claimed to have an army and militia of 200 million, but this claim was doubted by many. Even if such an army was assembled, and marched towards the west, it is hard (but not impossible) to see such an army killing a billion or more people – a third of mankind.

Therefore, perhaps the safest interpretation is to see this as a literal 200 million strong army, but a demonic army invading earth. This continues the idea of the demonic army like locusts described earlier in the chapter. (David Guzik)

(Rev 9:20-21) They Did Not Repent

The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't worship demons, and the idols of gold, silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can't see, hear, or walk.  They didn't repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

In spite of the dramatic judgment inflicted by this invading military force, those who survive are declared to be unrepentant. Such is the hardness of the human heart even though faced by worldwide destruction and divine judgment from God and a clear testimony of God’s power to deal summarily with every human soul. The character of their wickedness is unfolded in these verses. They do not repent of the evil works of their hands. They do not repent of their worship of devils, or demons, and the worship of idols which their hands have formed, which John dramatically describes in the words “which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.” Their worship of idols does not change their lives, and verse 21 indicates that they do not repent of their murders, their wicked sorceries, their fornication, nor their thefts. Though the power of satanic false religion is evident in the world, it does not have the transforming, purifying, redeeming quality found only in the power and grace of God. Though men can be made to fear God by demonstration of divine power, they are not brought to the place of repentance apart from faith in Christ and divine grace. Scott observes, “The two closing verses of the chapter reveal an astounding picture of human depravity.” (John Walvoord)