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.

The Fifth Trumpet: Demonic Locusts Released

1
The fifth angel sounded his shofar; and I saw a star that had fallen out of heaven onto the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft leading down to the Abyss. ​
2
He opened the shaft of the Abyss, and there went up smoke from the shaft like the smoke of a huge furnace; the sun was darkened, and the sky too, by the smoke from the shaft. ​
3
Then out of the smoke onto the earth came locusts, and they were given power like the power scorpions have on earth. ​
4
They were instructed not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant or any tree, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ​
5
The locusts were not allowed to kill them, only to inflict pain on them for five months; and the pain they caused was like the pain of a scorpion sting. ​
6
In those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. ​
7
Now these locusts looked like horses outfitted for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces.
8
They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.
9
Their chests were like iron breastplates, and the sound their wings made was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.
10
They had tails like those of scorpions, with stings; and in their tails was their power to hurt people for five months.
11
They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is “Abaddon” and in our language, “Destroyer.” ​
12
The first woe has passed, but there are still two woes to come. ​

The Sixth Trumpet: The Euphrates Army

13
The sixth angel sounded his shofar, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the gold altar before God, ​
14
saying to the sixth angel, the one with the shofar, “Release the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates!” ​
15
And they were released. These four angels had been kept ready for this moment, for this day and month and year, to kill a third of mankind; ​
16
and the number of cavalry soldiers was two hundred million! — I heard the number. ​
17
Here is how the horses looked in the vision: the riders had breastplates that were fire-red, iris-blue and sulfur-yellow; the horses’ heads were like lions’ heads; and from their mouths issued fire, smoke and sulfur.
18
It was these three plagues that killed a third of mankind — the fire, smoke and sulfur issuing from the horses’ mouths.
19
For the power of the horses was in their mouths — and also in their tails, for their tails were like snakes with heads, and with them they could cause injury.

Humanity Refuses to Repent

20
The rest of mankind, those who were not killed by these plagues, even then did not turn from what they had made with their own hands — they did not stop worshipping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. ​
21
Nor did they turn from their murdering, their involvement with the occult and with drugs, their sexual immorality or their stealing. ​

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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