20. When All Hell Is Turned Loose

Revelation 9:1–12 KJV 1900

1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

The Book of Revelation contains some of the most frightening images in the entire Bible.

We are in the midst of the seven trumpet judgments.

The first four trumpets have been sounded and they brought forth death and destruction.

Ch8 closes with an angel flying through Heaven crying out “woe, woe, woe” upon the “inhabiters of the earth”.

This angel knows that the plagues unleashed by the sounding of the last three trumpets will be far more horrible than anything we have witnessed yet.

Why does the Lord give us these graphic descriptions?

1.  So the church will know what we have been saved from.

God reveals the horrors of judgment so believers will better understand the magnitude of salvation. When we see what the world faces apart from Christ, it magnifies the mercy of God toward those who are saved.

Romans 5:9 KJV 1900

"now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

This is a reminder that Jesus did not merely improve our lives—He rescued us from divine wrath.

2.  A warning to those who have not trusted Jesus as their Savior. God consistently warns before He judges.

Just as He warned before:

the Great Flood

the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

He warns the world about coming judgment in the prophetic Scriptures.

These passages are meant to shake sinners awake before it is too late.

3.  And that we might be motivated to share the Gospel with the lost.

Understanding the reality of coming judgment should produce urgency for evangelism.

The Apostle Paul said:

2 Corinthians 5:11 KJV 1900

“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men”

I. THE FALLEN STAR

Revelation 9:1 KJV 1900

“and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth”

When the fifth angel sounds his trumpet, we are introduced to a terrible sight.

Who is the identify of the “Star”?

1 Satan

2 Angel

Look at how he is described.

A.  He Is called a “star”.

Some commentators attempt to spiritualize this passage while others literalize

Some would link this being with the star of Rev. 8:10-11.

I believe that “star” is a comet while this star is a literal person.

Revelation 9:1 KJV

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

  Of course, the Devil has a name. His name is “Lucifer”,

Isaiah 14:12 KJV

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

“Lucifer” means “Brilliant star; Light-bearer or Shining one”.

Ez 28 describes Satan began as an angel that rebelled against God and led a revolt to secure God’s throne.

The text describes his great beauty and names nine jewels that were a part of that beauty. All of these jewels were also found in the breastplate of the Jewish high priest

B.  He Is Fallen

– The word “fall” in Isaiah 14 is a perfect tense verb.

That means it refers to something that took place in the past which still has present day results.

In other words, he is “fallen”not falling

      Satan’s fall took place sometime in the past, Satan or Lucifer was a highly exalted archangel, but he was not content to be what the Lord created him to be. He wanted to be God, Isa. 14:12-17; Eze. 28:11-19.

Pride was found in Lucifer and he was cast out of Heaven.

He still has access to the presence of God where he accuses the brethren, like in Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7.

Zechariah 3:1 KJV

And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

Ephesians 2:2 KJV

“the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”

But, there will come a day when Satan will be eternally cast down to the earth,

Revelation 12:10 KJV

"for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

So, here we see Satan, cast out of Heaven and forced to confine his activities to the earth.

II. THE FEARFUL PIT

Revelation 9:1 KJV

“and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.”

In this verse, Satan takes the key he has been given and he uses it to open the door to Hell.

This verse tells us just how close men are to Hell. One turn of the key and Hell is unleashed upon the earth

He is given the authority to unlock a terrible prison and unleash a horrific plague upon the world.

In Rev 1:18 Jesus has the keys of “death and of Hell”.

But for a short time, the power over a host of demonic spirits imprisoned in Hell is given to Satan.

A.  We See a “bottomless pit”.

The word “bottomless” gives us our word “abyss”.

It refers to a very deep chasm. …. literally means “well” or “shaft”. Satan will turn the key and open the pit that leads into Hell itself.

      Science denies it; lost men deny it; human reason denies it; but there is a place under this earth called Hell. The souls of lost people suffer in the fires of Hell.

It is clear from the verses that follow in this chapter that certain demons are being held in Hell awaiting their judgement ,

2 Peter 2:4 KJV

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Jude 6 KJV

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

B.  We See smoke ascends out of this pit

( Some don’t believe in a literal hell, or fire but, where there is smoke there is fire.)

Luke 16:19 KJV

19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

Luke 16:22 KJV

…. the rich man also died, and was buried;

Luke 16:23 KJV

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

*** Which means in Hell you’ll have eyes to see. And you’ll be able to see places that you can’t go

Luke 16:24 KJV

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

*** He cried = means he still has his voice and speech

*** Have mercy = means he desires to escape

*** Desires water = means he has thirst

Luke 16:25 KJV

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

*** Remember = means he still has his memory

Luke 16:26 KJV

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

*** Great gulf = means separation

Luke 16:27 KJV

Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

*** I pray thee = means prayer in hell

Luke 16:28 KJV

For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

*** Thoughts of family in hell, fear for them

III. THE FEARSOME DEMONS

Throughout the NT, Hell is associated with demonic activity.

Luke 8:31 teaches us the truth that the demons fear being sent to the abyss.

Rev. 11:7 tells us the Beast, will ascend out of this place. As I have already mentioned, fallen angels are bound there and Satan himself will spend eternity in Hell.

When the abyss is opened a demonic plague spews out onto the earth.

*** Some say these are demons that have been “reserved unto judgment” in 2 Pet. 2:4, are released to carry out their mission. Others say its a demonic plaque

      Imagine a world in which every prison door was suddenly opened. Murders, rapists, serial killers, the criminally insane, are all allowed to walk free. Can you imagine the chaos, the pain the suffering that would occur?

Well, the prison doors of earth will not be opened, but Hell’s prison will be opened and emptied and a lost world will be thrown into a time of terrible judgment!

John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment.

They are described as locusts. But, these are no insects. The description probably comes from the greatness of their numbers. One locust swarm reported in 1889 covered over 2,000 square miles. The image here is of an innumerable host of demons or demonic creatures being allowed to ascend out of Hell onto the earth.

There are a couple of reasons why I say that these are not real locusts.

1.  v4  They do not harm plant life, but they torment humans.

2.  v11  They have a king.

Proverbs 30:27 KJV 1900

The locusts have no king, Yet go they forth all of them by bands;

A.  We See Their Strength

v3-4 These demons are described as locusts, but unlike locusts they will not harm the vegetation. A literal locust swarm will leave a green landscape looking like a desert in a short time. Locusts devour the leaf, the grain and the stalk. These locusts do not come for the plant life but for human life.

      The power to sting like a scorpion. Scorpion stings are known to be very painful. They cause swelling and numbness, but they are rarely fatal in humans.

      So, these demonic beings are allowed out of Hell, they have the power to cause great pain to people. But, their targets are limited.

B.  We See The Suffering They Cause

v5-6 When this attack comes, people will not be killed, but they will be tormented for 5 months.

5 months, May to September, is the typical lifespan of a locust. These hellish locusts will torment men for five months.

      The pain inflicted upon men will be unimaginable. Every moment of every day that demon will be there, tormenting, stinging, causing pain and suffering. There will be no escape!

      “In those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

If you are not saved today, please come to Jesus and avoid this terrible time.

C.  We See Their description

v7-11 Beginning in v6, these demons are described for us.

1.  v7  Horses prepared to battle

mighty war horses, prepared for battle, straining at the bit.

2.  v7  Golden crowns on their heads

They come to the earth as conquerors.

For five long, awful months, these demons reign on the earth.

3.  v7  Faces like those of men

4.  v8  Hair like a woman

attractive ...may be that they have some seductive charm by which they lure their victims to them.

5.  v8  Teeth like a lion

Their bite is infectious and painful.

6.  v9  Breastplates of iron

They are invulnerable to attack and they are insensitive to the sufferings of humans.

7.  v9  Wings that sound like chariots –

8.  v10  Stings in their tails

We have already touched on their capability to inflict pain. It is mentioned here to emphasize the fact that the pain and torment of men is their sole objective.

9.  v11  They have a king over them

They will be organized and united in their attacks

The fact that this king’s name is given in Hebrew and Greek shows us that all unbelievers, both Jew and Gentile, will be targeted by this demonic invasion.

What would it be like to awaken one morning to find this creature waiting for you?

That day will come for multiplied millions of lost people. Don’t be one of them.