Verse By Verse Through Revelation
Chapter Nine
Revelation 9:1 “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.”
- We are in the context of the seventh seal being opened and then the seven angels sounding their trumpets (Revelation 8:1-6).
- This angel of the bottomless pit is a king, a prince, a leader (Revelation 9:11).
- The imagery in this Scripture draws our minds to Satan (Luke 10:17-18, Ephesians 2:1-3, and Revelation 12:7-9).
- Later in Revelation there will be an angel come down from Heaven [not fall from] that will have the key to the bottomless pit and he will secure Satan (Revelation 20:1-3).
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.”
- In the next verse, out of the smoke will come locusts (Revelation 9:3).
- A darkness that covered the sun. It makes me think back to the darkness that covered Egypt. That was a darkness that could be felt (Exodus 10:21-23).
Revelation 9:3 “And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
- Going back to Egypt, think about what locusts can do (Exodus 10:3-15). What we will see in this next verse is that were not going to attack the grass or trees or any green thing.
- The locusts received power [ἐξουσία], meaning that they had authority [Strong’s # 1849] (cf. Matthew 28:18).
- The reference to a scorpion ties to their being able to torment as a scorpion (Revelation 9:5).
Revelation 9:4 “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”
- “Them” is still the locusts (Revelation 9:3).
- In verse three we saw they were given authority. This verse shows the limitations upon that authority. This is similar to the limitations God placed upon Satan when Satan was attacking Job (Job 1:1-2:13).
- As we saw in chapter seven, the instruction is not to hurt those sealed in their foreheads (Revelation 7:1-3).
Revelation 9:5 “And to them it was given 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 he striketh a man.”
- “Them” is still the locusts (Revelation 9:3). The “them” that they should not kill were men who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads (Revelation 9:4).
- This “five months” is repeated later in the context (Revelation 9:10). As we discussed when we studied chapter two, we cannot take that literally (cf. Revelation 2:10).
Revelation 9:6 “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”
- We saw a similar situation with the opening of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17; cf. Jeremiah 7:30-8:3 and Luke 23:28-30).
Revelation 9:7 “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.”
- These locusts are like horses with the faces of men wearing crowns like gold. We have a lot more similes coming too.
- Joel prophesied of judgment against Judah and about Judah having their captivity turned back (Joel 3:1). In that context, an invading army of men was described as looking like horses (Joel 2:1-11).
- In this letter the 24 elders had crowns of gold (Revelation 4:4) as well as “one like unto the Son of man” (Revelation 14:14). These “locusts” have crowns “like gold.”
Revelation 9:8 “And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.”
- Hair length of a man and a woman is naturally different (I Corinthians 11:14-15). This adds confusion as the face is that of a man.
- With teeth like lions, those among these locusts are among predators (Psalms 57:4).
- In the notes on verse 7, I made mention that the invading army against Judah was likened to horses. The same prophet talked of a nation whose teeth were of a lion (Joel 1:6). The point being, this just illustrated an invading army with qualities that cause certain fear.
Revelation 9:9 “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 running to battle.”
- They wore armor. Imagine this imagery. Locusts having power like scorpions, that were like horses, with the faces of men, hair as a woman, teeth like lions, wearing breastplates as it were iron. With wings like the sound of chariots running to battle. This is likened to a mighty army (cf. Ezekiel 38:1-12).
Revelation 9:10 “And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.”
- Not only the power of scorpions (Revelation 9:3), but tails like unto scorpions.
- This imagery can apply to men (Ezekiel 2:6).
- We talked about what they could do for five months (Revelation 9:5). This just signifies a short period of time (respectfully speaking).
Revelation 9:11 “And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”
- The angel of the pit that was their king (Revelation 9:1).
- “Abaddon” in the Hebrew tongue [אבדּון] means: “place of destruction, destruction, ruin, Abaddon” (Strong’s Hebrew #11). Translated in the Old Testament as “destruction” (Job 26:6, Job 28:22, Job 31:12, Psalms 88:11, and Proverbs 15:11).
- “Apollyon” in Greek [Ἀπολλύων] meaning: “a destroyer (that is, Satan): - Apollyon” (Strong’s Greek # 623).
- In the Scriptures the destroyer is not just Satan or under the power of Satan. The Lord passed through Egypt (Exodus 12:11-12 and Exodus 12:29). He said He would pass through to smite the Egyptians and used the term “destroyer” there in His actions (Exodus 12:23).
- God sent “evil angels” (Psalms 78:40-51).
- God sent HIs angels to destroy too (I Chronicles 21:1-15).
- Remember, of long ago, God has destroyed (Genesis 6:7, Deuteronomy 4:3, Psalms 145:20, Isaiah 13:9, etc.).
Revelation 9:12 “One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.”
- What news could be worse than a message that basically says, “it’s not over yet?” This is unsettling for the seven churches of Asia to have to read.
- We see in the book of Isaiah God’s anger not being turned away, “but His hand is stretched out still” (Isaiah 5:25, Isaiah 9:12, Isaiah 9:17, Isaiah 9:21, Isaiah 10:4, and Isaiah 14:26-27).
- Nahum recorded: “Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him” (Nahum 1:6).
Revelation 9:13-14 “And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.”
- These plagues have the goal to bring about repentance, but many will dig in their heels and refuse to repent (Revelation 9:20-21 and Revelation 16:9-11).
- There were horns at the altar in both the tabernacle and the temple of old (Leviticus 16:18 and Ezekiel 43:15).
- The four angels that had power to hurt were on hold until God’s servants were sealed (Revelation 7:1-3).
Revelation 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.”
- The language here shows God had an hour, day, month, and year for this to occur. Such as He did with the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 9:5), punishment for David numbering Israel (II Samuel 24:15), and other prophecies (Daniel 8:19, Habakkuk 2:1-3, Galatians 4:1-5, etc.).
- God shows His Omniscience in times such as this (Isaiah 46:9-10).
Revelation 9:16 “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.”
- Angels and the imagery of an army (Psalms 68:17).
- Remember this too though, God has used His angels for sure to bring His wrath (I Chronicles 21:15-16).
- God has also used the armies of men (Isaiah 10:5-13). The language following though indicates more than man can do.
- We will see that this includes plagues (Revelation 9:20).
Revelation 9:17 “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.”
- Imagine horseman with breastplates of fire, color, and brimstone. This is what God has dropped upon the ungodly in times past (Genesis 19:24; cf. Psalms 11:5-6). Later we will read of God’s wrath poured out with like imagery (Revelation 14:9-10). Then, of course, the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8).
- Fire breathing horses!?! This is how a third of men will be killed according to the next verse (Revelation 9:18).
- Think back to when Elijah was carried into the sky in the presence of Elisha (II Kings 2:9-12).
Revelation 9:18 “By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.”
- By these three is: fire, smoke, and brimstone.
- The angels were set forth to slay the third part of men (Revelation 9:15).
- God has shown many wonders in the sky of such nature (Acts 2:19; cf. Joel 2:28-32).
- Think about what a Psalmist said (Psalms 18:6-17).
Revelation 9:19 “For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.”
- The imagery gets even more scary here. Fire breathing horses certainly have something to fear in their mouths. The word “power” takes us further than just the image of fire. This is about authority as the Greek word “ἐξουσία” is translated in Matthew 7:29 and Mark 1:22. The type of “power” or “authority” Jesus gave the Apostles (Luke 10:19-20). The type of “power” or “authority” given to civil governments to punish evildoers (Romans 13:1-4).
- Power in their head and tail, that is from front to back or from top to bottom. See the imagery used in Isaiah (Isaiah 9:14-15).
- The authority is to “hurt.” This is like what we read about the horse like locusts earlier in this chapter (Revelation 9:10).
Revelation 9:20-21 “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”
- Five of the seven churches addressed in this letter were told to repent, (Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:16, Revelation 2:22, Revelation 3:3, and Revelation 3:19). So, repentance is a theme in this letter.
- God is a repent “or else” God (Luke 13:1-5).
- To turn away His wrath, they could have repented (Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 26:1-6, Ezekiel 18:30, Jonah 3:1-10, etc.).
- We read here and will again later in this letter, they did NOT repent (Revelation 16:9-11).
- The Lord questioned Israel “for why will ye die” (Ezekiel 18:31).
- Instead of turning to God, they turned to devils and idols out of stubbornness as we have seen with people in the past, to face further wrath from God (Deuteronomy 32:15-29).
- These false gods, made with their hands, did not have life in them (Psalms 115:1-8 and Isaiah 44:6-20).
- The works of the flesh they engaged in would not lead them to Heaven (Galatians 5:19-21).
Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22