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Commentary on Revelation 9 verses 1–12
Upon the sounding of this trumpet, the things to be observed are, 1. A star falling from heaven to the earth. Some think this star represents some eminent bishop in the Christian church, some angel of the church; for, in the same way of speaking by which pastors are called stars, the church is called heaven; but who this is expositors do not agree. Some understand it of Boniface the third bishop of Rome, who assumed the title of universal bishop, by the favour of the emperor Phocas, who, being a usurper and tyrant in the state, allowed Boniface to be so in the church, as the reward of his flattery. 2. To this fallen star was given the key of the bottomless pit. Having now ceased to be a minister of Christ, he becomes the antichrist, the minister of the devil; and by the permission of Christ, who had taken from him the keys of the church, he becomes the devil's turnkey, to let loose the powers of hell against the churches of Christ. 3. Upon the opening of the bottomless pit there arose a great smoke, which darkened the sun and the air. The devils are the powers of darkness; hell is the place of darkness. The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by extinguishing light and knowledge, and promoting ignorance and error. He first deceives men, and then destroys them; wretched souls follow him in the dark, or they durst not follow him. 4. Out of this dark smoke there came a swarm of locusts, one of the plagues of Egypt, the devil's emissaries headed by the antichrist, all the rout and rabble of antichristian orders, to promote superstition, idolatry, error, and cruelty; and these had, by the just permission of God, power to hurt those who had not the mark of God in their foreheads. 5. The hurt they were to do them was not a bodily, but a spiritual hurt. They should not in a military way destroy all by fire and sword; the trees and the grass should be untouched, and those they hurt should not be slain; it should not be a persecution, but a secret poison and infection in their souls, which should rob them of their purity, and afterwards of their peace. Heresy is a poison in the soul, working slowly and secretly, but will be bitterness in the end. 6. They had no power so much as to hurt those who had the seal of God in their foreheads. God's electing, effectual, distinguishing grace will preserve his people from total and final apostasy. 7. The power given to these factors for hell is limited in point of time: five months, a certain season, and but a short season, though how short we cannot tell. Gospel-seasons have their limits, and times of seduction are limited too. 8. Though it would be short, it would be very sharp, insomuch that those who were made to feel the malignity of this poison in their consciences would be weary of their lives, Rev 9:6. A wounded spirit who can bear? 9. These locusts were of a monstrous size and shape, Rev 9:7, Rev 9:8, etc. They were equipped for their work like horses prepared to battle. (1.) They pretended to great authority, and seemed to be assured of victory: They had crowns like gold on their heads; it was not a true, but a counterfeit authority. (2.) They had the show of wisdom and sagacity, the faces of men, though the spirit of devils. (3.) They had all the allurements of seeming beauty, to ensnare and defile the minds of men - hair like women; their way of worship was very gaudy and ornamental. (4.) Though they appeared with the tenderness of women, they had the teeth of lions, were really cruel creatures. (5.) They had the defence and protection of earthly powers - breastplates of iron. (6.) They made a mighty noise in the world; they flew about from one country to another, and the noise of their motion was like that of an army with chariots and horses. (7.) Though at first they soothed and flattered men with a fair appearance, there was a sting in their tails; the cup of their abominations contained that which, though luscious at first, would at length bite like a serpent and sting like an adder. (8.) The king and commander of this hellish squadron is here described, [1.] As an angel; so he was by nature, an angel, once one of the angels of heaven. [2.] The angel of the bottomless pit; an angel still, but a fallen angel, fallen into the bottomless pit, vastly large, and out of which there is no recovery. [3.] In these infernal regions he is a sort of prince and governor, and has the powers of darkness under his rule and command. [4.] His true name is Abaddon, Apollyon - a destroyer, for that is his business, his design, and employment, to which he diligently attends, in which he is very successful, and takes a horrid hellish pleasure; it is about this destroying work that he sends out his emissaries and armies to destroy the souls of men. And now here we have the end of one woe; and where one ends another begins.
“He opened the shaft of the pit” means that he revealed his own heart and taught people to sin without any fear or shame. “And smoke arose from the pit,” that is, from the heart of a blasphemous people which also persecutes the church. “And the sun and air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.” The sins that people constantly commit through the world obscure among them the sun of faith and of righteousness and in some produce a blindness so that they do not see the light of truth. “As smoke from a great furnace.” This smoke that precedes the fire of the furnace generally refers to the last persecution, for the earlier persecution burns against the church, and then the crowd of hypocrites and unbelievers will be manifested. And outside [the church] the insanity of many caused by this smoke is already advanced.
[The devil] revealed his own heart, which sins without any fear or shame. “And smoke rose from the pit,” that is, from a people that covers and obscures the church, so that it is said that “the sun and air were darkened with the smoke.” It says that the sun was darkened, not that it fell to the earth. For the sins of evil and prideful persons, which are constantly being committed throughout the world, obscure the sun, that is, obscure the church and sometimes cause darkness for the saints and the righteous. For the number of the evil is so great that it is often with great difficulty that the good among them become evident.
And the smoke of the pit arose, like the smoke of a great furnace, etc. Proclaiming the great furnace, that is, the final persecution, the heretical madness rages, not only attempting to obscure the light of the weaker ones, who, like the air, touch the boundaries of the earth and heaven in some way, but also striving to obscure the light of the exalted ones, though not able to extinguish it. For even the elect will be led into error, if possible (Matthew XXIV).
And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth, and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. And he opened the pit of the abyss: and the smoke of the pit arose, as the smoke of a great furnace. What is represented by the angel and the star has already been said. By the abyss are symbolized the hearts of the wicked, darkened by the darkness of errors. By the pit of the abyss, we should understand preachers of errors, for if the mouth of an abyss is a pit, it is right to symbolize by the pit those through whom the iniquity of the wicked pours out the venoms of its heart. By the key of the pit is represented temporal power, with which the old adversary unlocks the mouths of the reprobates so that they may speak wrong doctrines, and it is right for these doctrines to be compared to smoke because they turn the light of truth into darkness for themselves, and even seem to darken the brightness of faith in others. As for the great furnace, it is the Antichrist's persecution, out of which comes smoke, that is wrong doctrine, to turn the souls of those who perish into darkness. However, how can it be said that this smoke is similar to that of a great furnace whereas the Lord says concerning that tribulation, There shall be then great tribulation, etc.? [Matt. 24:21] One should know then that it is not on account of torments or false doctrines that that tribulation is said to be more terrible than all the others (among which is this “similar” one) but on account of miraculous signs through which it will deceive people more easily. And the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke of the pit. See, the fifth angel says that what the fourth had foretold would happen with the sun, the moon, and the stars, has already happened with the sun and the air.
And it was said to him, "You are given the key to the shaft of the abyss". The shaft of the abyss is called Gehenna.
Therefore, "smoke rose from the shaft", like the smoke of a great fire burning in the shaft. Indeed, the "smoke" signifies not only fire but also darkness; "for the voice of the Lord interrupting the flame of fire," (Ps. 29:7) as spoken by the prophet, is interpreted by the saints as the ending of the illuminating fire from the Gehenna's fire, leaving only the burning fire together with darkness within it.
And it is said that "the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke" of the pit; not that these elements themselves were darkened, but that those cast into the pit, filled with "darkness" due to punishment, have the "air" and the "sun" unseen. For therefore one of the holy prophets also said: "The sun will be darkened at midday," (Amos 8:9) referring to the calamities of the Jews, not to the darkening of the sun itself, but to those suffering in tribulation who do not see the sun; for the magnitude of calamities is accustomed to be filled with darkness.
'On this Caius objects, that according to this, the unrighteous are consumed by the locusts; whereas Scripture has said that sinners prosper and the righteous are persecuted, in the world' [Ps. lxxiii. 12 ] ; and Paul, that the faithful shall be persecuted and the evil shall flourish, deceiving and being deceived [2 Tim. iii. 12, 13].
But Hippolytus answers him, and says that the faithful, those who are persecuted by the unrighteous, at this period are to have rest, because they have been sealed; but the unrighteous who persecuted the saints, on them comes the plague of locusts; even as the Egyptians were devoured, and the Hebrews were free from the plagues, while they dwelt in one place. Thus the saints in this time are to be in well-being, even as our Lord said, When these things begin to be, be of good cheer, and lift up your heads, inasmuch as your redemption is nigh [St. Luke, xxi. 28]; that is, when plagues come on the evil, the righteous have rest. And this, that evil men deceive and are deceived [2 Tim. iii. 13], at the present day is coming to pass : that crafty men, who alter the words of the Lord and of the Scriptures after their evil thoughts, that even though at the present day they are proceeding further, yet in the end they are to be rebuked : even as Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses [ib. 8, 9], and afterwards were overcome and put to shame.'
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SUMMARY
Revelation 9:2 vividly describes the immediate consequence of the bottomless pit being opened as part of the fifth trumpet judgment. From this infernal abyss, an immense smoke billows forth, resembling the smoke of a great furnace, so dense and pervasive that it darkens the sun and the very air. This dramatic imagery signals a profound disruption of the natural order and the unleashing of oppressive spiritual forces, setting the stage for the subsequent torment described in the chapter.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 9:2 is rich in Apocalyptic Imagery, designed to convey profound theological truths through dramatic, often hyperbolic, visual metaphors. The entire scene of the bottomless pit opening and spewing forth smoke that darkens the cosmos is a classic example of this genre. Symbolism is central: the "bottomless pit" symbolizes a realm of demonic confinement and the source of evil; "smoke" symbolizes judgment, oppression, and the blinding influence of evil; the "darkened sun and air" symbolize the pervasive spiritual and physical distress, the obscuring of truth, and the disruption of creation's order. The phrase "as the smoke of a great furnace" employs a powerful Simile, comparing the emerging smoke to something familiar yet terrifying, emphasizing its intensity, volume, and destructive potential. This vivid imagery aims to evoke a sense of dread and the overwhelming nature of the impending judgment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 9:2 powerfully illustrates the biblical truth that even the forces of darkness operate under the sovereign hand of God. The opening of the abyss and the subsequent release of its contents are not random events but are part of God's meticulously orchestrated plan of judgment, demonstrating His ultimate control over all creation, including the spiritual realm. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the reality of spiritual evil and its capacity for widespread oppression and deception, yet it simultaneously affirms that its power is limited and its actions are permitted only for specific divine purposes. The cosmic darkening points to a period when spiritual light and clarity will be severely diminished, making discernment challenging and highlighting the desperate need for divine intervention and the true light of Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The terrifying imagery of Revelation 9:2, with its overwhelming smoke and cosmic darkness, serves as a profound call to spiritual vigilance and a deeper reliance on God's unchanging light. While describing a future prophetic event, it holds timeless truths for believers. In a world often shrouded in spiritual confusion, moral ambiguity, and the oppressive weight of sin and evil, this verse reminds us that genuine darkness is a real and potent force. It challenges us to examine where we seek our light and truth. Do we rely on fleeting human philosophies, or do we anchor ourselves in the unwavering light of Christ? Furthermore, the fact that even the abyss is opened by divine permission should instill in us a profound sense of God's absolute sovereignty. No evil, however vast or terrifying, operates outside His ultimate control. This truth should comfort us, knowing that He is orchestrating all things, even judgments, towards His ultimate redemptive purposes. Therefore, in times of personal or societal darkness, we are called to be beacons of Christ's light, reflecting His truth and hope to a world that desperately needs it.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "bottomless pit" mentioned in Revelation 9:2?
Answer: The "bottomless pit" translates the Greek word ábyssos (G12), meaning "abyss" or "deep." In biblical cosmology, particularly in Revelation, it refers to a specific subterranean realm or chasm that serves as a place of confinement for powerful evil spirits and demons. It is where demons begged Jesus not to send them (Luke 8:31), and where Satan himself is eventually bound for a thousand years (Revelation 20:1-3). Its opening in this verse signifies a temporary, divinely permitted release of its inhabitants for the purpose of judgment upon the earth.
What does the "smoke" symbolize in this verse?
Answer: The "smoke" (Greek: kapnós, G2586) rising from the bottomless pit, described as "the smoke of a great furnace," is highly symbolic. It represents several things: the oppressive and suffocating nature of the demonic forces being unleashed; the spiritual and psychological torment that will accompany their activity; the obscuring of truth and clarity, plunging humanity into confusion; and the pervasive, destructive nature of divine judgment. It evokes a sense of dread and the overwhelming presence of evil.
Who is "he" that opens the bottomless pit?
Answer: The "he" in Revelation 9:2 refers to the "star fallen from heaven unto the earth" mentioned in Revelation 9:1. This fallen star is widely understood to be an angel, likely a malevolent one, who is given the "key of the bottomless pit." This act of opening is not an independent rebellion but occurs under divine permission, emphasizing God's ultimate control and sovereignty over all events, even the release of evil for His purposes of judgment.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 9:2 describes a terrifying scene of darkness and judgment, its ultimate fulfillment and meaning are profoundly illuminated by the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "bottomless pit" represents the realm of spiritual darkness and confinement for evil, a domain over which Christ has absolute authority. Unlike the angel who is merely given the key, Jesus Himself holds the "keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18). He is the ultimate victor over all the powers of darkness and the abyss, having triumphed over sin and death through His crucifixion and resurrection (Colossians 2:15). The smoke that darkens the sun and air symbolizes spiritual oppression and the obscuring of truth, yet Jesus declared, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). His coming into the world pierced the deepest spiritual darkness, and His gospel continues to bring light and liberation to those enslaved by sin and spiritual blindness (Ephesians 5:8). Ultimately, the temporary release of darkness in Revelation 9:2 serves to highlight the glorious and eternal reign of Christ, who will ultimately cast all darkness and evil into the eternal abyss, establishing His kingdom of light and truth forever (Revelation 20:10 and Revelation 21:23).