Revelation 09
1 Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss. (Καὶ ὁ πέμπτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν· καὶ εἶδον ἀστέρα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεπτωκότα εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἡ κλεὶς τοῦ φρέατος τῆς ἀβύσσου)
The fifth angel will blow his trumpet. A star will fall from the sky to the earth. In the Old Testament, stars were symbolic of angels (Isaiah 14:12, Job 38:7). This angel is also identified as a personality, since he is identified not with neuter pronouns, but with personal masculine pronouns. He will be given the key to the abyss. Revelation 9:11 will reveal this fallen angel to be Satan.
The Greek for “had fallen” is πεπτωκότα (peptokota), a perfect passive participle, meaning that Satan fell at a point in the past and he will stay fallen forever. He still has access to heaven, where he uses this access to accuse the saints. He is currently walking the earth looking to see whom he can devour.
The Greek word for “shaft” is φρέατος (phrestos), meaning the tunnel which goes from the well to the underground water.
The Greek word for “abyss” is ἀβύσσου (Abussou), meaning a bottomless pit. Somewhere on the surface of the earth, there is a door which leads to a shaft which leads to the abyss. Satan will be given the key to this abyss and he will be able to open it.
It is important to note that the center of the earth is a sphere of hot matter. The sphere of the earth is bottomless, because any direction from the center of this molten sphere is upwards. The demons did not want Jesus to throw them into the abyss. Therefore, Jesus cast them into pigs. The pigs did not want these demons in them, so they jumped off of a cliff and committed suicide. Man is worse that pigs. Man is so totally depraved, that he will tolerate multiple demons inside of his personality. Unclean pigs will not be so tolerant. Basically, the abyss will be a temporary confinement for demons. They will be released by Satan during the fifth trumpet judgment.
9:2 He opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it like smoke from a giant furnace. The sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft. (καὶ ἤνοιξεν τὸ φρέαρ τῆς ἀβύσσου καὶ ἀνέβη καπνὸς ἐκ τοῦ φρέατος ὡς καπνὸς καμίνου μεγάλης καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ ἐκ τοῦ καπνοῦ τοῦ φρέατος)
The fallen angel will open the shaft to the abyss. Smoke will flow out of the abyss. The sun will be darkened by the smoke from the shaft of the abyss. This is the third of five blackouts that will occur during the Great Tribulation.
9:3 Then out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth. (καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καπνοῦ ἐξῆλθον ἀκρίδες εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐδόθη αὐταῖς ἐξουσία ὡς ἔχουσιν ἐξουσίαν οἱ σκορπίοι τῆς γῆς)
These are not literal locusts. They are demons that look like locusts. This will be the first of two demonic invasions. Joel spoke about both of these demonic invasions. They will be given the supernatural power to sting men like a scorpion. If a scorpion sting can bring great pain to men, then imagine what kind of pain a vengeful demon can bring. A scorpion stings for self defense. A demon stings for revenge. Demons hate God. They hate God’s creation. They know that their time is short, because after the resurrection, Jesus preached the gospel message to the creatures in Sheol. Therefore, these demons from the abyss will attempt to bring as much pain upon mankind as they can.
9:4 They were told not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead. (καὶ ἐρρέθη αὐταῖς ἵνα μὴ αδικήσωσιν τὸν χόρτον τῆς γῆς οὐδὲ πᾶν χλωρὸν οὐδὲ πᾶν δένδρον εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μόνους οἵτινες οὐκ ἔχουσιν τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν)
By this time, one third of the vegetation will already be destroyed from a previous judgment. These locust-demons will be commanded not to destroy the grass, trees, or plants. This is unusual for normal locusts because normal locusts often attack in a line which is four miles long. Locusts destroy everything that is green in their path. They will also be commanded not to sting the 144,000 Jewish evangelists on the earth. The sheep Gentiles who believe the gospel message of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists also will not be affected.
It is important to note that these unbelievers are demon worshippers. They worship the devil and the Antichrist. They will be stung by the demons that they worship. This sting will be one of the most severe and excruciating pains in all of history. There will be no medicine, mental or physical breaks from this pain. Because of the total depravity, these unbelievers still will not turn to God. They will still worship those demons who are tormenting them.
9:5 The locusts were not given permission to kill them, but only to torture them for five months, and their torture was like that of a scorpion when it stings a person. (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐταῖς ἵνα μὴ ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτούς ἀλλ' ἵνα βασανισθῶσιν μῆνας πέντε καὶ ὁ βασανισμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς βασανισμὸς σκορπίου ὅταν παίσῃ ἄνθρωπον)
These locusts will sting and torture the unbelievers for five months. However, these locust demons will not have permission to kill these unbelievers.
9:6 In those days people will seek death, but will not be able to find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them. (καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ζητήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸν θάνατον καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσουσιν αὐτόν καὶ ἐπιθυμήσουσιν ἀποθανεῖν καὶ φεύξεται ὁ θάνατος ἀπ' αὐτῶν)
Instead of turning to God, these unbelievers will attempt to commit suicide. Sleeping pills, poison, knives, guns, and other suicide attempts will have no effect upon them. Every unbeliever on earth will be immortal for five months. Every unbeliever on earth will be given five months to turn to God.
9:7 Now the locusts looked like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were something like crowns similar to gold, and their faces looked like men’s faces. (Καὶ τὰ ὁμοιώματα τῶν ἀκρίδων ὅμοια ἵπποις ἡτοιμασμένοις εἰς πόλεμον καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν ὡς στέφανοι ὅμοιοι χρυσῷ καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὡς πρόσωπα ἀνθρώπων)
These beings are not helicopters or flying war machines. These beings are literal demons who look like war horses with men’s faces. They will be wearing golden-like crowns on their heads. Their faces will look like the face of a man. The Greek word for “crown” is στέφανοι (stephanoi), meaning victory crowns. These demon-locusts will think that they are victorious in their attacks upon the unbelievers.
9:8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. (καὶ εἶχον τρίχας ὡς τρίχας γυναικῶν καὶ οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῶν ὡς λεόντων ἦσαν)
They will have long hair and sharp teeth. The Greek word for “lion’s teeth” is οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῶν ὡς λεόντων (oi odontes aotown os leontown), meaning the “fangs of a lion.” Their teeth will be like the fangs of lions.
9:9 They had breastplates like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wingspan was like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. (καὶ εἶχον θώρακας ὡς θώρακας σιδηροῦς καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τῶν πτερύγων αὐτῶν ὡς φωνὴ ἁρμάτων ἵππων πολλῶν τρεχόντων εἰς πόλεμον)
They will have strong breastplates like iron. They will have noisy wings that sound like the chariots of horses charging into battle.
9:10 They have tails and stingers like scorpions, and their ability to injure people for five months is in their tails. (καὶ ἔχουσιν οὐρὰς ὁμοίας σκορπίοις καὶ κέντρα ἦν ἐν ταῖς οὐραῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτῶν ἀδικῆσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μῆνας πέντε)
They will have long tails that sting like scorpions.
9:11 They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon. (καὶ ἔχουσιν ἐφ' αὐτῶν βασιλέα τὸν ἄγγελον τῆς ἀβύσσου ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἑβραϊστὶ Ἀβαδδὼν καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἑλληνικῇ ὄνομα ἔχει Ἀπολλύων)
They will be organized like an army. The name of their demon king in Hebrew will be Abaddon. In Greek, his name will be Apollyon. This name means “destroyer.”
9:12 The first woe has passed, but two woes are still coming after these things!
This fifth woe of the demon locusts will be a terrible judgment. It will be so terrible, that the unbelievers will want to commit suicide to escape it. However, the unbelievers will not be able to kill themselves. The liberals who will eventually worship demons will be tormented by these same demons. Two trumpet judgments will follow, and they will be even worse. This is the end result of liberalism.
9:13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the horns on the golden altar that is before God,
The sixth angel will blow his trumpet. A single voice will cry out. The voice will come from the horns of the golden altar. This voice will be the voice of God. The golden altar will be located in heaven before the throne of God.
It is important to note that the earthly tabernacle was built by Moses, but it was divinely patterned after the actual and literal tabernacle in heaven. On the Day of Atonement, the lamb was slaughtered at one of the slaughtering tables. The blood of the lamb was poured into a basin. The remainder of the sacrifice was burnt at the golden altar. The blood was taken to the laver. The High Priest washed his hands at the laver. The priest entered the Holy Place. The High Priest went through the curtain and entered into the Holy of Holies. The blood of the lamb was poured upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. This ritual had to be repeated once every year until the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ.
At the crucifixion of Christ, the curtain of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom. This curtain was so thick, that it would take six chariots of horses to split this curtain. This tearing of the curtain represented that the Holy of Holies was accessible not only to the High Priest, but to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was the final sacrifice. The Jews no longer need to repeat this ritual, because Jesus fulfilled it.
Does God listen to all prayers? The answer is “no”. God does not listen to the prayers of unbelievers. He does not listen to the prayers of believers who are out of fellowship with Him. The only prayers that God listens to are those of believers who are in fellowship with Him.
It is important to note that God is omniscient. He sees the past, present, and future all at once. He knows the prayers of unbelievers and out-of-fellowship believers before the foundations of the world, but He refuses to listen to them.
14 saying to the sixth angel, the one holding the trumpet, “Set free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”
The Greek word for "set free" is Λῦσον (lusson), an aorist imperative active verb, meaning "You are commanded to release." The verb is active, meaning that the sixth angel will actively release some powerful demons from the Abyss.
The Greek word for "bound" is δεδεμένους (dedemenous), a perfect passive indicative verb, meaning "he was bound in the past and he will be bound through eternity." The verb is passive, meaning that they did not release themselves. They were released by the angels by the command of God. These four demons will be released for a short time, and then they will be bound again in the Abyss. At the end of the Great Tribulation, these demons will be thrown into the Lake of Fire for eternity.
The sixth angel will be commanded to set free four fallen angels who have been bound at the Euphrates River. The Euphrates River is located in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was the original land of the city of Babylon. Babylon was the city of the Tower of Babel. All of the mystery religions originated from Babylon.
These demonic angels were evil, but God will use them for His sovereign purpose.
9:15 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour, day, month, and year were set free to kill a third of humanity.
One third of the unbelievers were already killed by the seal judgments. Another 1/3 of the unbelievers will be killed by the demons from the Euphrates River. At this time in history, over 1/2 of the unbelievers will be killed by the seal and trumpet judgments. In today's population, this would be a total of about four billion deaths.
There will be four angels who will be generals of a large demonic army. These will be fallen angels who have been prepared specifically for this task. Their job is to slay one third of the unbelievers who have rejected God. It is interesting to note that many of the unbelievers will be worshipping demons. They will be killed by the same demons whom they worship.
Where will the people be buried? They will most likely be mass cremated or left to the birds and wild animals. Basically, the earth is a big graveyard filled with the dead bodies of sinful men who have lived throughout history.
9:16 The number of soldiers on horseback was two hundred million; I heard their number.
The Greek word for "soldiers" is στρατευμάτων (strateumatown), meaning soldiers. Some Greek scholars will exegete these soldiers as human soldiers. Others exegete these soldiers as demonic soldiers.
There will be 200 million horsemen (human or demon soldiers) who will come from the Euphrates River. Chairman Mao Zedong of China once made the statement that he could field an army of 200 million soldiers. Many newspaper exegetes took this as a fulfillment of this prophecy. However, this is not so for several reasons.
Those who claim that these beings are demonic will use the following arguments. First, this is an army of demons, not humans. Second, the army comes from the Euphrates River, not China. Third, chapter sixteen speaks of a different invasion from the east. However, in Scripture, the east is always Mesopotamia, not China.
9:17 Now this is what the horses and their riders looked like in my vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow in color. The heads of the horses looked like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths.
The argument continues. This is not a description of human soldiers from China or Mesopotamia. This will be a literal army of evil demons. The breastplate of these demons will be a mixture of red, blue, and yellow. The heads of the horses will possess heads that look like that of lions. The horses will exhale fire, smoke, and sulfur. These evil demons have always wanted to attack mankind, but God would not allow them to do so. During the Great Tribulation, God will remove His protection and allow mankind to experience what demons are really like.
9:18 A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths.
This demonic army will kill a third of mankind. Their deaths will occur from three types of plagues. The three plagues will all come literally out of the mouths of these horses. The first plague will be death by fire. The second plague will be death by smoke. The third plague will be death by sulfur. This is the same type of destruction which occurred at Sodom of Gomorrah.
9:19 For the power of the horses resides in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries. The demons will have supernatural power in their mouth and tails.
The mouths and tails of these demonic horses will both attack all unbelievers simultaneously. The tails of these demonic horses will be like snakes. They will inflict fatal injuries upon those whom they sting.
9:20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about.
The response of humanity is that they will not turn to God. They will continue to worship those demons who are destroying them. They will not turn to God. This is the end result of total depravity. Man is so totally depraved and evil, that he prefers the torment, pain, and suffering which is enforced by demons instead of the love, grace, and compassion offered by God.
It is important to note that during this time period, man will still have a choice. Believers will have their eyes opened by God. They will choose God. They will be protected from this demonic invasion. Unbelievers will be left alone by God. Because they are totally depraved and evil, they cannot and will not choose God. They will become so hardened, that they will reject the Lord Jesus Christ and choose the Antichrist. They will desire to worship created fallen angels who want to destroy them. They will worship the demons who are stinging them.
The Greek word for "repent" is μετενόησαν (metanoia), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning to change your attitude immediately as a once and for all competed action of the past. The unbelievers have to change their attitude about the Lord Jesus Christ. They need to believe that Jesus is both Lord (deity) and Christ (the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament who would bless all people).
The Greek word for "worship" is προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunasuosin), a future active indicative verb, meaning to kiss the feet of demons and idols. The unbelievers of the Great Tribulation will be so totally depraved and evil that they will reject the Lord Jesus Christ and worship idols and demons. According to the Apostle Paul, idols are nonexistent, but they are backed up by the power of demons (! Corinthians 10:19-21).
It is important to note that the modern so-called science of evolution may be acclimating the world for a strong return to nature worship, animal worship, and astral worship. These doctrines of demons are already present in Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age, spirit guides, astrology, horoscopes, white magic, and in many Hollywood movies (such as Star Wars).
Much of the music of the satanic world system is promoting satanism. The lyrics are filled with blasphemy, homosexuality, fornication, drugs, and satanism. Satan is using the music of the culture to condition young people to tolerate and accept the message of the Antichrist.
9:21 Furthermore, they did not repent of their murders, of their magic spells, of their sexual immorality, or of their stealing. (καὶ οὐ μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν φόνων αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν φαρμακειῶν αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν κλεμμάτων αὐτῶν)
The Greek word for “repent” is μετενόησαν (metenoasan), an aorist active indicative verb, meaning that the unbelievers refused to change their attitude about God. This decision was a completed action of the past which would never be changed.
The Greek word for “murders” is φόνων (photown), meaning first degree murder with the intent to kill. During the Great Tribulation, murder will become a solution to problems. Murder is a sin against God, because a murderer is killing one who is made in the image of God. It is unbiblical and a great sin for the electorate to elect politicians who do not support the death penalty. God has given human governments the authority to execute those who commit first degree murder.
In Exodus 20:13, the second commandment is often translated as “Thou shalt not kill”. This is an English mistranslation. The Hebrew word is לא תרצח (lo reattach), meaning “Thou shalt not murder in the first degree”. Liberals misuse the English translation to include capital punishment and war. Satan is “the Father of all lies and the first murderer”.
Before the flood, angels stood at the entrance of the Garden of Eden with a fiery sword. Capital punishment would be enforced upon anyone who attempted to enter the Garden of Eden. After the flood, Noah was given the responsibility of capital punishment. This responsibility was passed unto earthly governments. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed,for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:6)
God gives life, Only God can take away life. One who commits suicide is committing murder on himself, which is a sin against God. Suicide will not send a believer to hell, but it will cost him rewards in heaven. One who commits suicide is not trusting in God to deliver him out of his situation. God will never tempt one beyond what he can handle.
A baby is a gift from God. Every baby was born by an act of God, even if it is by incest or rape. Abortion is murder. When a woman fornicates, she does not have the authority to murder her baby. According to Jeremiah 1, God creates a human being in the mother’s womb. If man takes away what God creates, then this is murder. If a woman is raped or commits forced of unforced incest, then it is God’s responsibility to decide when to take away the life of the child. No human being, not even parents, possess this right. In Exodus 23:21-22, if a baby was killed in the womb, then the penalty of life-for-life was enforced. Abortion is accepted in evil societies. The people who support abortion do not care what God says on this matter. They elevate their own human opinion above the Word of God. Satan’s deception on abortion is so effective, that even carnal and baby Christians are deceived on this matter. It is not man’s job to destroy what God had created. If governments do not stop the murder of innocent babies in the womb, then God will remove that government. When one argues for abortion, then he is arguing against God. The abortionist cannot win this argument.
Psychologists and secular humanists look for reasons for the motives of murder by blaming it on society. The real reason for murder is the hatred which is found inside of those who are totally depraved and evil.
If a nation invades another nation and attempts to kills it citizens, then they have committed murder. The government of the invaded nation has the biblical authority to defend themselves and execute the murderers who come against them.
These unbelievers will continue to commit murder, especially against the saints of God. They will continue dabbling in the occult. They will continue their sexual immorality, which will be homosexuality, lesbianism, adultery, fornication, sex with children, and sex with animals. They will continue to steal from those who are earning money by work. This could include socialistic programs which rob from those who work and produce and give to those who do not work.
At the end of the seal and trumpet judgments, 1/2 of the world's population will be killed. Unbelievers will still refuse to turn to God. The sixth trumpet judgment will end the first half of the Great Tribulation. The seventh trumpet judgment will begin the last half of the Great Tribulation. The last half of the Great Tribulation will be even more terrible than the first.