“Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.”
The final three trumpets summon three woes to call attention to the severity of the last three judgments (Rev 8:13). The bowl judgments yet to come are even greater in intensity.
9:1
Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
The fifth trumpet covers the first eleven verses. Since God gives this trumpet notable attention by its length, we infer that this trumpet’s events carry great weight in God’s economy of things.
The “him” of this verse is a person. The fifth trumpet causes John to see a fallen star from heaven; this “star” is Satan. The Greek indicates that this star is in a fallen state. Satan also fell from heaven on a previous occasion because God kicked him permanently out of heaven (Isa 14:12f; Lu 10:18; Re 12:7-17). The event in chapter nine is not Satan’s original fall but something that will happen in the future.
God gave Satan a “key” to allow demons in the Abyss to come out and torment the earth. The “bottomless pit” is a residence of demons, or what is called Tartarus (Rev 9:11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3); it is a place of permanent confinement for fallen angels or demons.
9:2
And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
God cast Satan out of heaven at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Re 12:9, the Great Tribulation begins halfway through the Tribulation). Satan is Lucifer turned devil. Satan opened the bottomless pit with the key given to him, which released demons upon the earth. This event darkened the sky, giving the image of evil upon the earth.
9:3
Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Scripture associates locusts with judgment (Ex. 10:12-17). Locusts can come in such great swarms that they destroy everything in their path. The demons of verse two took on the appearance of locusts. Swarms of locusts pictured judgment of plagues in the Old Testament.
This passage does not say that these demons were scorpions but simply that they have the power of scorpions. They were a special class of demons.
9:4
They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
God restricted these demons from hurting vegetation or the ecological system; they will hurt people. These demons hurt everyone except the 144,000 because God protects them with His seal (Rev 7:3-4; 14:1). This seal protects them from demons. God guards these believers from demonic possession.
God sends these demons to afflict the earth with His discipline. God places certain restrictions on these invaders. They can hurt only those God allows them to hurt, and only for a limited period. God sovereignly controls the demonic world.
9:5
And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
God gave these demons “authority” to do this, so they are not autonomous in their destruction. They were not permitted to kill men. God limits their torture to five months.
9:6
In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
Men will seek to commit suicide, but they will not be able to die. Their torture is not fatal. Funeral directors will be out of work for five months.
9:7
The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
John enumerates eight characteristics of these demons. First, their shape was like horses prepared for battle; these creatures had mobility. These horses were invading creatures; they came like cavalry. Secondly, they had crowns like gold, a distinctive of a conqueror. This situation could refer to the domination of demons with cultic thinking. Thirdly, their faces were like the faces of men; this image may imply intelligence.
Locusts were a nemesis of the day of the Bible. Hoards of locusts could wipe out an entire crop in one day.
9:8
They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
The fourth characteristic of these demons is that they have women’s hair. Hair length may indicate long, loose hair, giving the impression of ferocious beings. The opposite interpretation might also be accurate: They are of such striking beauty and charisma that few can reject their false teaching. Many will buy into their propaganda because of the authority and power of these false teachers.
Their teeth will be like a lion’s teeth. This symbol of teeth is something frightening. Those who surrender to false teaching will find it vile and hurtful to their beliefs. False teachers will show no mercy to their followers.
9:9
And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
Fifth, they had breastplates like iron, which may have been iron chariots. These demons were not vulnerable to attack.
Sixth, the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots going into battle. The sound of false teaching can intimidate.
9:10
They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
These locusts did not attack crops but people. God only permitted them to execute judgment for five months.
9:11
And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
These demons have a king, an archdemon whose name, “Abaddon,” means destroyer or destruction.
PRINCIPLE:
No demon can possess a Christian.
APPLICATION:
The coming judgment of God is real. This section of Scripture is not a place for amusement. False teaching is no joke. When people follow false teachings, it always leads to despair. Despair will increase with great severity in the Tribulation. Today, people fall into “strong delusion” as well. Satanic power will drive people from lie to lie. They want to believe anything but the truth. No demon can touch those with the seal of God on them. No demon can possess a Christian. The Christian is “in Christ.” He holds the same status that Jesus holds before God forever.
I was noticing that the star John saw was already fallen. It does not say he saw the star falling. I taught the Bible (Genesis & Exodus) to children in AWANA and remember telling them about satan the “fallen angel”. I look back in the scriptures now and don’t find a written reference in those books to the fallen angel. Is Isaiah the first reference to that? head scratcher.
Gregg, Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28
The host of heaven and Satan and his company of demons were thrown out of heaven (past tense).
It’s clear in the Holy Eternal word of God that Satan was Satan from the beginning. For it was he who lied to and deceived Eve.
God had already cast him down to Earth, for there was “no place found for them” (in Heaven).
The Demons described. In Revelation 9:1-11, are exactly as they are described. These are creatures, that only humanly traits are a face AS A man’s, and hair AS of a woman.
They have wings, and literal tails with which they torment mankind. God NEVER said,nor implied that these demonic creatures preach any doctrines or speak at all.
Mankind for one reason or another will not be able to die. They will seek to commit suicide, and they will fail with every attempt to escape the horrors of God and Satan’s wrath upon them.
Will they find a scientific means by which they make themselves immortal? Find the tree of life?
God bless and Merry Christmas 2015!
Shaun, souls of men will live forever either in heaven or hell. Fallen angels (demons) will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever (Rev 20).
The description of they have wings and tails like scorpions sounds to me like a jet fighter
Grant revelation 20:14,15
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Both humans and demons are cast into the lake of fire.
Linko, Re 20:14-15 is a future event to this event in the Tribulation. Your point is not clear.
Good Morning,
I read in Revelation 8:7 it says all grass is burned up and then again in Rev 9:4 don’t hurt the grass just wondering if I missed something just seems a little odd on those verses.
A Friend In Christ,
Don
Don, the contexts are different in the two passages (Re 8:1,7 and 9:1). The latter passage is a command not to hurt people figuratively presented as vegetation. If it were to refer to literal vegetation, then there would have been enough time to move into a new season of vegetation growth. However, the contrast here is to those who do not have the seal (the 144,000 and any under God’s protection).