Revelation Chapter 9

Pastor Matt Davis, Commentary on Revelation Chapter 9

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Verse 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.[1]

Fifth angel sounded – In chapter 8, we read of the first four angels of which blew their trumpet’s. What followed were plagues that affected the earth in a partial judgement, compared to the complete judgment in the Exodus account.

The judgement’s that followed were, hail and fire mingled with blood, a third of the seas turning to blood, a third of freshwater becoming wormwood, and a third of the lights becoming dark.

The chapter ended with a triple woe from an angel, warning of the following three trumpets that would bring suffering to the people.

The fifth angel sounds his trumpet, and set’s into motion the next judgment of Christ.

Star – That is, an angel. It is debated whether this is Satan being cast down as described in Revelation 12, or if this is another heavenly angel belonging to the Lord. In Revelation 12, the act of casting Satan and his demons to earth is described as judgment on the fallen angels, whereas the focus here in chapter 9 is judgment upon the earth.

It is further debated if this angel is the same person described as being the angel of the bottomless pit in verse 11. However, we should consider the text in relation to both verses. Here in verse 1, the angel with the key comes from Heaven. And later in chapter 20, this same angel locks Satan in the pit for the millennial reign. Whereas the angel of the pit appears to have come from the pit itself.

It is best understood that this star angel is an agent of God acting out the divine judgment of God in accordance with His instructions.

Fall from heaven – The KJV English here mistranslates the phrase to fall from heaven. Rather, the verb in Greek says fallen from heaven. In other words, this angel has already come to the earth when John see’s him in the vision.

In light of what we just discussed, if this is referring to Christ, then fallen from Heaven describes divine judgment in which Satan is thrust from the heavenly realm and falls to earth. Whereas, if it is an agent of the Lord, the verb here may describe an angel who has left heaven to carry out a work here on the earth. I am of this latter opinion.

Bottomless Pit - The bottomless pit here is different and distinct from the lake of fire, hades, and the domain under the earth. It is rather best to picture this, not as a physical geographical representation of the earth or the heavens, but a symbolic one in which the heavenly realm, in which God and the angels dwell, the physical realm on earth in which we dwell, and the demonic realm from which Satan and his demons come hence (an underworld of sense).

The vision here represents God allowing the doors to the demonic realm opening so they may pour out unto the earth and inflict judgment upon the inhabitants thereof.

Verses 2-3

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. [2]

Verse 2

Smoke – Upon the opening of the pit, it says smoke rose from it. The language seems to be literal in this account, as it describes in the following verse that the locusts came from the smoke. Some commentators have suggested that the smoke is merely a representation of the demons flowing onto the earth, whereas others have suggested this is “like smoke” due to the number of locusts that it visually looks like billowing smoke which blocks out the sky. Verse 3 lends to understand that the smoke and locusts are distinct from each other as the locusts came forth out of the smoke.

Whereas it is best to see this smoke as literal, we know not where it comes from. There may be a fire ignited, the smoke may be supernatural, or a third possibility, is this plague could possibly relate to a volcanic eruption? What we do know is that there is smoke present.

In Revelation, and the Old Testament, smoke was used in two opposite ways. Smoke in the Old Testament was used as a sweet savior to God, allowing the smoke from the offerings to rise up to the Heavens. In the opposite manner, smoke was also associated with divine judgment. The same is true in Revelation – our first exposure to smoke was in the form of incense burning before God with the prayers of the saints. Now, Revelation will use smoke as a signal of divine judgment from the throne of God.

Gen 19:28 gives a clear example of the Old Testament uses Smoke as a form of judgment

“28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.[3]:

Sun and air darkened – In chapter 8, we had seen a third of the light darkened both day and night. In this plague, the smoke is so great that it darkens the sky and the air.

Verse 3

Locusts – In the Old Testament, locust were used as divine judgment. We have seen them first used as the eighth plague of Egypt when they devoured the land, all but the portion Israel occupied. Joel and Amos were also aware of later locust plagues sent by God. The threat of a locust plague in the middle east was, and still is a threat, where millions could suddenly swarm up at any time during the five-month dry season (spring through late summer) and cause deadly results, devastating all that is green.

Ex 10:12 “12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.[4]"

Ex 10:15 “15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.[5]”

These locusts, as will be described in the following verses, are not normal locusts. It is best understood that the phrase locust is used to describe the judgment in which God will allow actual demons to inflict suffering upon the inhabitants of the earth.

Power was given – Notice that the demonic realm has no power of its own. Here, the power was given to them to cause the suffering to men.

Scorpions… have power – That is, scorpions have the power to sting and cause a painful reaction.

Verses 4-6

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.[6]

Verse 4

Commanded – John does not specify who this command comes from. Likely because it is to suggest that the command came from God Himself.

Green grass…any green plant… or trees – These locusts, not only supernatural in the fact they are demons, are also different in the food they consume. Rather then consuming plants, which is the normal diet for these beasts, they will feed on men.

Seal of God – Here we see the sealing of the 144,000 from Chapter 7 come to effect. Those who belong to God will be spared from the judgment.

This echoes Ezekiel where God commanded him to mark those he cried out for the evil being done so they would not be destroyed.

Ezekiel 9:4 “ And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and oset a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. [7]”

Verse 5

Torment… Not kill – Again, we see that the demons have no power of their own and are limited to what God allows. Here they are allowed to torment, but not to kill. This echo’s the story from Job 2:6:

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. 7[8]”

Five months – This shows that their ability to inflect torment is also limited in the scope of time. A period of five months, which is the normal length of the locust season.

As the torment of a scorpion – Scorpions were known to have non-fatal, but extremely painful stings that could last for hours to days.

Verse 6

Seek death….desire to die - The men afflicted of this demonic locust plague will desire to die. They will be plagued to the point of even seeking suicide. These locusts will have power to cause pain in all areas of life, except for death – But the pain and suffering will be so great that those receiving it would rather live no longer.

Shall not find it… Death will flee – Even though they shall desire to die and many will even seek suicide, they will find themselves unable to die. This is a super natural prevention of death, and will likely be the lowest death rate in modern history.

Verses 7-10

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.[9]

In these vivid descriptive verses we are aware again of the “camera technique” of John’s writing. He began with a wide-angle view of the locust demons swarming over the face of the earth. Now he zooms in for a close-up and turns up the volume. What he pictures is as symbolic as the portrait of the risen Christ in Revelation 1. The image is nightmarish and repulsive. If you’ve ever wondered “What do demons look like?” here is the most detailed description Scripture gives, but it’s all figurative. This is demonstrated by the use of like in John’s language:[10]

As we dive into these verses, be aware that while John gives the description as he sees it, he does not expound on what any of it means. This is all interpretive and opinionated.

Verse 7

Shapes of locust - in the following description, John will describe not the size of the locusts, but their “design”. He will picture them as able and equipped to carry out the five months of torture.

Horses… prepared for battle - Horses were specifically bred for battle in strength and endurance. These locusts were ready.

As it were crowns of gold – Notice it doesn’t say that they did have crowns of gold on their heads. It said as it were – It is as if their victory has already been handed to them, and this army will be victorious in the carrying out of their portion of judgment.

Faces as the face of man – John does not say that they are men but have faces as men. These locusts are obviously not natural, and they are not men, but they are the demons of Satan.

Verse 8

Hair long like a woman – The ancient romans kept their hair short and groomed. John points out that this army has long hair as a woman. It has been suggested this is to represent fierceness.

Sharp teeth like a lion – These supernatural beings have the means and ability to be destructive. Unlike normal locusts, which feast not on man, but on vegetation, these locusts are reserved for the attacking of mankind.

Verse 9

Breastplates of iron – The locusts are well armored and ready for battle. The language here lends the idea that they don’t only protect their vital regions, but their full body is armor.

Sound of wings… Many horses - John describes to us that there are so many demon locusts in this attack that they sound they make is like many horses running.

Verse 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 xApollyon.[11]

John’s camera now pans to the head of the line. He spies as king over them the angel of the Abyss. This is neither the holy angel of God with the key (verse 1) nor Satan, who is introduced in chapter 12. This is some other archdemon that appears here in Scripture and perhaps also in 11:7. If the angels in heaven have different ranks and orders, then we should expect the same of the hosts from the underworld. For the first (but not the last) time in Revelation, the word angel (Greek angelos, “messenger”) is applied to evil supernatural beings. That they have a fierce leader demonstrates further that these are no ordinary locusts, for “locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks” (Prov. 30:27).[12]

Abaddon… Apollyon – Both mean “the destroyer” and reflect to the reader what Satan and his angels are. They are destroyers of mankind and good. Abaddon is the central figure of the destructive forces from the abyss that was opened up in verse 2.

Why would evil so readily and willingly consume the wicked man, also a servant of the devil? These events show that evil ultimately always collapses and will consume even itself.

Verse 12

One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.[13]

The trumpets of the last chapter focused on the earth, and ended with an angel warning of three trumpets that would directly affect and kill men. This was the closing of the first of the three woe’s, and has been presented as the first with a known amount of time for the judgment to take place.

Verses 13-15

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. [14] And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and fa day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.[15]

Verse 13

Sixth seal - Seems to be connected with the final military conflict from Revelation 16:12-16.

Four horns of the golden altar – A connection from the altar made in Exodus, and is the same altar from the vision in Rev 6:9. The horns came forth from the top of each corner of the altar and projected strength.

This altar is described in Exodus 30:1-3

“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it. 2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same. 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.[16]”

Verse 14

Loose the angels – The command to loose the angels identifies them as demonic angels because Godly angels need not be bound. These angels were prepared for a specific moment in time, even to a specific minute, hour, month, and year (verse 15).

River Euphrates – This is the longest river in western Asia and was the primary water source for the most important civilizations in ancient history. This river, often called the great river, or simply, the river is one of two rivers that define the land known as Mesopotamia “the land between rivers”.

The third part of men - Last weeks judgments had a fourth of the population killed, and tonight we see another third. Given the current world population of 7,794,798,739 and a conservative number of 20% of the population being saved, there would be 6,235,838,992 people left on the earth. Of those people, 1,558,959,748 people would have died in last weeks judgment and another 1,543,370,150 people would die in tonight’s judgments. Given those numbers, our population would drop from about 8 billion to about 3 billion people.

Verses 16-19

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. 18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.[17]

Verse 16

Two hundred thousand thousand – Or, in more common English, this army was 200 million strong. The releasing of the four angels brought about a massive army with the power to conquer a third of earths population.

Verse 17

Vision – This is the first time in the chapter John explicitly states this is a vision.

Breastplates - These breastplates of armor are tri-colored, representing the three plagues referenced immediately after. These horses and their riders are armed and they destroy, and are not destroyed.

Heads of Lion - Used to describe their power and ability to bring about the destruction they were brought forth to bring.

Fire.. Smoke.. Brimstone - Kind of reminds me of a volcanic eruption, where everything in the way of the fire, smoke and falling rock gets destroyed. Only, picture this as a house where these things come forth from it’s mouth. These three things are described in the next verse as three plagues by which the army destroyed a third of the earth.

Verse 19

Even scarier then all we’ve read so far, these horsemen have the ability to kill not only with their mouth, but with the tail as well. These beasts are well equipped and prepared for bringing about mass destruction. All power is given to them to destroy and kill.

Verses 20-21

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols sof gold, and ssilver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: swhich neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their usorceries, nor of their vfornication, nor of their thefts.[18]

Verse 20 echo’s that of Deuteronomy 32:17

“They sacrificed unto devils, not to God;

To gods whom they knew not,

To new gods that came newly up,

Whom your fathers feared not.[19]”

In these closing verses, John turns his attention to those who survived the last two judgements. Theologically speaking, when God brings about divine judgment, we have but two options. We can turn from our ways and repent, or else, we can resume in our sin. All too often, humans tend to ignore judgments, and John shows that not even the pouring out of God’s wrath is enough to turn the hearts of sinful man.

[1] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[2] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:2–3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[3] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ge 19:28). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[4] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ex 10:12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[5] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ex 10:15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[6] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:4–6). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[7] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Eze 9:4). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[8] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Job 2:6–7). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[9] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:7–10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[10] Easley, K. H. (1998). Revelation (Vol. 12, p. 158). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[11] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:11). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[12] Easley, K. H. (1998). Revelation (Vol. 12, pp. 158–159). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[13] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:12). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[14] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:13–14). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[15] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:15). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[16] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Ex 30:1–3). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[17] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:16–19). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[18] The Holy Bible: King James Version. (2009). (Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., Re 9:20–21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.