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, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. ​
2
He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. ​
3
Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. ​
4
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads. ​
5
They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. ​
6
In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. ​
7
The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.
8
They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.
9
They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war.
10
They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.
11
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”. ​
12
The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this. ​

The Sixth Trumpet: The Euphrates Army

13
The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, ​
14
saying to the sixth angel who had one shofar, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” ​
15
The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind. ​
16
The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. ​
17
Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.
18
By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.
19
For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm.

Humanity Refuses to Repent

20
The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t 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
They didn’t repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, 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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