TRV
Revelation 9:1
Bible Versions
¶ And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
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.
Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and it was given the key to the pit of the Abyss.
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.
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Revelation 8:10
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; -
Revelation 9:2
And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose 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. -
Romans 10:7
Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) -
2 Timothy 3:1
¶ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. -
2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. -
Revelation 1:18
[I am] he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. -
Luke 8:31
And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep.
Revelation 9:1 describes the beginning of the fifth trumpet judgment, a dramatic event unfolding in the sequence of God's final judgments revealed to John. This verse introduces a key figure and a significant location central to the next phase of tribulation.
Context
This verse follows the first four trumpet judgments described in Revelation chapter 8, which impacted the natural world (earth, sea, rivers, sun, moon, stars). The sounding of the fifth trumpet marks a shift from judgments primarily affecting nature to those involving supernatural entities and causing direct torment upon humanity, specifically those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (Revelation 9:4).
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "bottomless pit" translates the Greek word abyssos (ἄβυσσος), meaning "abyss," "depthless," or "boundless." In biblical and extra-biblical Jewish thought, the abyss was often seen as a dwelling place for demons, a prison for evil spirits, or the temporary holding place for the dead (sometimes distinct from Hades/Sheol). It is the same term used later in Revelation for the place where Satan is bound for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3).
Commentary and Interpretation
The identity of the "star fall from heaven" has been debated. Interpretations include a literal celestial body, a powerful angel (either good, acting under God's command, or fallen), or even Satan himself, referencing his fall from heaven (Luke 10:18). Given the context of unleashing demonic forces, many understand the star to represent a powerful spiritual being who is granted authority (the "key") to open the abyss. The bottomless pit is presented not merely as a void but as a real place where malevolent spiritual entities are held captive until God permits their release for specific purposes within His judgment plan. The act of giving the key signifies that this unleashing is under divine control, part of God's sovereign will, not an independent action by the fallen star.
Reflection
Revelation 9:1 serves as a stark reminder of the reality of spiritual warfare and the existence of confined evil forces that are ultimately under God's control. While the imagery is intense and speaks to future judgment, it also highlights God's ultimate authority, even over the darkest aspects of creation. For believers, understanding this verse can deepen our reliance on God's protection and sovereignty in a world where evil is real.