Revelation Chapter 9:1-12/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 9:1-12 Revelation 9:1 “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2And he opened the bottomless pit; and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4And they were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. 6And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them. 7And the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads, as it were, crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10And they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months. 11They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things” 9:1 “Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth” This star from heaven will be further identified as a “him” (9:1). Notice that the star is “fallen”, that is on the earth. “A star usually symbolizes a great person of high position” (Hailey p. 225). Many writers believe that this star symbolizes Satan (Luke 10:18), and serves as a prelude or introduction to the scene in 12:712, where the great dragon is cast down to the earth. “Lenski dissents from this view, contending that the star is simply a personification of the judgment which is from God” (Hailey p. 225). Consider the contrast between this star and Jesus.

1

Jesus is the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16). Jesus brings light, but the star in this context brings darkness. Jesus has the keys of death and Hades (1:18); this star has the key to the abyss.

9:1 “And the key of the bottomless pit was given to him”: From the term “given”, it is implied that Satan was permitted to open the pit of the abyss, “exercising only that degree of power which God allowed; beyond that he cannot operate (Job 1:12; 2:6)” (Hailey p. 226). The term “key” symbolizes authority and the power to loose and unloose, or open and shut.

9:1 “Bottomless pit”: The region to which demons are consigned (Luke 8:31).

“The abyss, from which the spirit of persecution arose (11:7; 17:8), was ruled over by ‘the destroyer’ (v. 11), and into it Satan was cast when finally bound (20:1,3). The abyss signifies the present abode of the devil and his demons.

“Symbolizes the lower depth of depravity, the cavity from whence originates evil, the abode of the devil and his angels” (Harkrider p. 105). Many see this abyss being different from the final state of the wicked, that is Gehenna. Thus a common view is that the abyss indicates hell before the final judgment (Luke 8:31; Revelation 20:1,3).

The Greek term for “Bottomless pit” is abussos, which means bottomless, an intensive depth, an immeasurable depth, the underworld, and the lower regions.

“The fact that God has power and control over the world of hostile spirits is clearly expressed in this idea of a spirit prison” (Kittel Volume 1, p. 10).

9:2 “And he opened the bottomless pit”: “When we read that Satan opens the shaft of the abyss, the meaning is that he incites to evil” (Hendriksen p. 120).

9:2 “And smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit” “The light of the sun and the air itself grew dark from the smoke that ascends out of the pit” (Harkrider p. 105). Consider the use of the word like, “like the smoke of a great furnace”. The use of the word like indicates the symbolic quality of this vision.

Many writers feel that this vision or judgment depicts Satan’s ability to deceive men and that this fifth seal is all about moral and spiritual decay that comes upon the world. Compare with 2 Corinthians 4:3 and Ephesians 2:2. “It is the smoke of deception and delusion, of sin and sorrow, or moral darkness and degradation that is constantly belching up out of hell. Let us bear in mind that this, too, is one of the trumpets. God uses even the work of the devil as a punishment and as a warning for the wicked, a warning in order that they may repent (9:21)” (Hendriksen p. 120).

2

9:3 “Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth”: Swarms of locusts had come upon Egypt in the eight plague (Exodus 10:12-15), but these locusts are far different from literal locusts. They do not destroy vegetation; they do not even harm it, rather they harm the unfaithful or unbeliever (9:4). “In the East locusts appear in great numbers and men are helpless against their devastating power” (Harkrider p. 106).

9:3 “And power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power”: Hailey notes, “These serpents, scorpions, and enemies symbolize the forces of spiritual evil in the world which the disciples would overcome and tread under foot” (p. 227). Compare with Luke 10:19; 11:12. Lindsey, who claims to take everything literally argues that these are either mutant locusts with demons in them or suggests the possibility that the locusts are really Cobra helicopters.

“The scorpion takes its place with the snake and other creatures hostile to man, and with them symbolizes the forces of spiritual evil which are active in the world” (Gregg p. 177).

9:4 “They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree”: “Again the writer makes clear the difference between locusts in nature and those in a vision” (Hailey p. 227).

9:4 “But only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads”: Remember back in 7:4 God had sealed 144,000, which once again seems to indicate faithful Christians on the earth and not a special group of saved persons in the final day. Please note, contrary to Premillennial theory, Christians are on the earth during these judgments in Revelation. They have not been miraculously removed. Compare with 2 Timothy 2:19 and 2 Peter 2:9. Christians are not immune from the trials of this life (Acts 14:22; John 16:33), thus the harm inflicted by these locusts must be spiritual harm and not physical harm, for these Christians had already and would face physical suffering.

Remember, during the plagues in Egypt, God did make a distinction between His people and the Egyptians (Exodus 8:22; 9:4,6,26; 10:23; 11:7).

9:5 “And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment”: “The devil and agents do not have unlimited power ever over evil men, but are restrained within the limits circumscribed by God. The final destruction of wicked men is retained in the hand and will of God; only He determines the final judgment of nations, societies, and individuals. As mentioned above, the scorpion is seldom fatal, but results in acute pain” (Hailey p. 228).

9:5 “Not permitted to kill anyone”: So much for the Cobra helicopter theory, for such things have been killing men for some time.

9:5 “Torment”: The word here can denote mental and spiritual torment (Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28; 2 Peter 2:8). Many see this being a judgment that is simply the

3

sinner being allowed to reap the consequences of his life apart from God, “The very atmosphere of deception and delusion turned loose upon the earth brings its locusts of destruction. Sin spawns its own means of ravage, ruin, and perdition” (Hailey p. 227). People do reap what they sow (Galatians 6:7-8; Romans 1:25ff).

9:5 “For five months”: “It probably also indicated the incompleteness of the woe, as the first four trumpets indicated incomplete judgments. The torment inflicted was spiritual and mental; it did not kill, although the pain was intense and the outlook seemed hopeless” (Hailey p. 229). “This number probably signifies the fact that the wrath of God will not reach its full end in this woe. More is yet to come that will be even worse. But for now, no death is incurred, only a sort of hell on earth” (Harkrider p. 107).

9:6 “And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them” Some commentators see this as applying to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who longed for the Romans to come into the city and put them out of their misery (see Luke 23:27-30). Premillennialists argue that this is where the unbelievers in the world become demon-possessed and thus are incapable to ending their own lives even if they wanted to. “There are many who live in misery as a consequence of sin. Disease, hunger, and sorrow made daily existence undesirable. The burdens in the flesh produced by a life of sin are enormous.

And many who are suffering would rather die than live because they seek release from their physical misery” (Harkrider p. 107).

9:7 “The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle”: “These locusts of John’s vision are as horsemen prepared for war in the camp of the unregenerated as they represent sin’s own destructive force. Sin inflicts pain and culminates in the self-destruction of those involved. The sinner is actually at war against himself” (Hailey p. 230). Harkrider notes that the description of these locust’s symbolizes the many deceitful aspects of sin. “One is deceived by the things that seem at the first to be advantages. For example, they are strong, shaped like horses prepared unto battle. On their heads appear to be crowns of gold, signifying victory. To look at them was to see faces of men, indicating human qualities” (p. 107).

9:7 “On their heads appeared to be crowns of gold”: The crowns they wear are not truly crowns of victory, but rather “The victory of wickedness is only an imitation of the genuine; it is never lasting or true” (Hailey p. 230).

9:7 “Their faces were like the faces of men”: “The face of a man on a man is all right, but the face of a man on an animal would be spooky indeed!”

(McGuiggan p. 141).

4

9:8 “They had hair like the hair of women”: Some writers feel this refers to the gangs that roamed Jerusalem during the Roman siege, who looted, killed, plundered and adorned themselves with woman’s clothing and perfume, see Josephus , The Jewish War, iv. Ix. 10. I believe McGuiggan has a better view when he notes, “Here is a horror indeed. They combine the beauty and softness of a woman’s hair with the ‘teeth of a lion’. This surely speaks a sinister message. The destructive power with the soft appearance. The combination of innocence and yieldingness with vicious and devastating power. Isn’t this so characteristic of decadence? Doesn’t it offer so much, while eating and devouring? Doesn’t it combine a natural healthiness (or a healthy naturalism) with a deadly eating at the inner man?” (p. 141).

9:9 “They had breastplates like breastplates of iron”: “They sought to give the impression of invincibility; but this also was a deception” (Hailey p. 231).

“How powerful they are. How hard to beat or kill. Fully equipped to dispose of the enemy. Evil seems to have the right answer to every protest of conscience or reason. Think for a moment of the decadence, which threatens to devour our societies—how well it defends itself. Is the issue pornography? Well, we’ve got to protect freedom of speech” (McGuiggan p. 141).

9:9 “And the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle”: “Like the noise of countless prancing horses and jolting chariots on the field of battle” (Hendriksen p. 121).

9:10 “They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months”: “The five months seems to be repeated for emphasis, indicating the time of torment and not the life span of the locusts or scorpions” (Hailey p. 231).

9:10 “In their tails”: The Premillenialist Lindsey argues that this is a kind of nerve gas that is sprayed from the tails of Cobra helicopters.

9:11 “They have a king over them, the angel of the abyss”: Is this Satan himself or some “angel” under Satan? “Satan, symbolized as a great red dragon having seven diadems (crowns of royalty) on his seven heads (12:3), is thus portrayed as ruling over the realm which is at war with God and His purpose.

Satan rules over the forces represented by the locusts” (Hailey p. 232).

9:11 “His name in Hebrew is Abaddon”: (ah BAD un). The term means “destruction” and is used in the Old Testament for the realm of the dead (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 15:11; 27:20).

9:11 “And in the Greek he has the name Apollyon”: Which means “the destroyer”. “Both names are appropriate for this one who rules over destruction.

He was a murderer from the beginning, and the great liar and deceiver (John 8:44) who rules through deception and falsehood” (Hailey p. 232).

5

Closing Observations The term “destroyer” may refer to moral corruption. “One of the leading factors in the demise of the Roman Empire was self inflicted by its indulgence of Satan’s evil influence. The ungodliness of the Roman era is summarized in Romans 1:18-32” (Harkrider p. 108).

The term “Apollyon” may be a derogatory barb against the Greek god Apollo, of whom the locust was a symbol. Mounce points out that Domitian, whom he believes to have been the emperor reigning when John wrote Revelation, ‘liked to be regarded as Apollo incarnate’. Gaebelin considers the fact that this name is given in both Hebrew and Greek indicates that ‘both Jew and Gentile come under his power” (Gregg p. 185).

6