Revelation9

Revelation 9 details the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets, initiating two terrible woes upon the earth. The fifth trumpet unleashes demonic locusts from the bottomless pit, commanded to torment for five months those without God's seal, causing men to seek death without finding it. The sixth trumpet releases four angels from the Euphrates, leading an immense army of horsemen who slay a third part of mankind with fire, smoke, and brimstone. Despite these devastating judgments, the surviving populace refuses to repent of their idolatry and wicked deeds.
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The Fifth Trumpet: Demonic Locusts Released

1
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. ​
2
And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up 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 out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. ​
4
And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. ​
5
And it was given them 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 it striketh a man. ​
6
And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them. ​
7
And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’s faces.
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 rushing to war.
10
And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months.
11
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon. ​
12
The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter. ​

The Sixth Trumpet: The Euphrates Army

13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, ​
14
one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. ​
15
And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. ​
16
And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them. ​
17
And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone.
18
By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.
19
For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt.

Humanity Refuses to Repent

20
And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: ​
21
and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. ​

Study Notes for Revelation 9

Verse 1

The star is an angelic figure (not necessarily fallen) commissioned by God to initiate this judgment. The 'bottomless pit' (Abyss) is the place where powerful evil spirits are imprisoned until the final judgment.

Verse 2

The smoke symbolizes the spiritual darkness, horror, and oppression released from the Abyss, so intense that it obscures both physical light (sun) and spiritual clarity.

Verse 3

These are not natural locusts (which consume vegetation) but demonic entities. Their power is limited to causing intense pain, like the sting of a scorpion, emphasizing targeted torment rather than environmental destruction.

Verse 4

This restriction indicates the divine control over the plague. The judgment is highly specific, targeting only those who rejected God and lack the protective 'seal' given to believers (Rev. 7:3).

Verse 5

The 'five months' is a limited duration, perhaps symbolizing the typical lifespan of a locust swarm or indicating that this intense suffering is finite and controlled by God's plan.

Verse 6

The excruciating, non-lethal torment forces men to seek death, but they are prevented from finding it. This reflects a judgment where the victims must endure the full, appointed measure of suffering.

Verse 11

Abaddon (Hebrew) and Apollyon (Greek) both mean 'Destroyer.' This confirms the organized, military nature of the plague and identifies its commander as a specific, powerful demonic entity.

Verse 12

This transitional verse marks the end of the first of three major 'woes' (Rev. 8:13), signaling that the judgments are about to escalate in severity.

Verse 13

The voice coming from the altar of incense (which holds the prayers of the saints) suggests that this judgment is a direct response to the prayers of the righteous appealing for God’s justice (cf. Rev. 8:3–5).

Verse 14

The Euphrates River was the traditional boundary between the Roman Empire and hostile eastern powers (like Parthia). Symbolically, it represents the source of terrible, overwhelming military threats against God's people.

Verse 15

The release of the four angels is precisely timed ('an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year'), emphasizing that this massive destruction, which slays one-third of humanity, is fully orchestrated by divine providence.

Verse 16

Two hundred million is a hyperbole signifying a countless, irresistible army. This overwhelming force emphasizes the magnitude and inescapability of the judgment.

Verse 20

The central theological tragedy of the trumpets: despite witnessing catastrophic divine judgment, the survivors refuse to repent of their primary sins, specifically idolatry and demon worship.

Verse 21

The term 'sorceries' (Greek: *pharmakeia*) refers to magic, the use of drugs, potions, and occult practices often associated with idolatry and the worship of spirits.

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