Revelation 9:1-12

The 5th Trumpet – An Army from the Pit

Scripture reading…

Eph. 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Eph. 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph. 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Pray

Introduction

√ Chapter 9 records the 5th and 6th trumpet judgments

First 4 Trumpet’s target nature

Trees and grass

Saltwater (the oceans)

Fresh water (the rivers)

Sun, moon & stars

To the inhabitants of the earth it must seem like…

“The sky is falling!”

…the result of which is the incredible desolation described - a third of the planet and a third of the light wiped out!

Many people killed - "collateral damage" as human beings were not targeted.

Trumpet Judgments 5 & 6 specifically target Mankind

Two armies are released upon mankind to inflict judgment on those who refuse to repent of their sin.

5th Trumpet = An army from the pit

6th Trumpet = An army from the East

If you thought the first four trumpets were bad, hold on to your seat it only gets worse!

Ap. Reminds us that we’re engaged in a spiritual war today!

Christians need to be cognizant of the war, and active in the service of the Jesus to combat the work of the enemy.

A star fallen (vs. 1-2)

Rev 9:1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. And to him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

Rev 9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

√ What kind of star is this?

First thing that we want to notice is that this isn't a normal "star" as we would understand a star.

• Described as having gender - "him" in vs. 1

• Fallen to earth

• Active on the earth - given a key and opens a pit

Here again we're reminded how important it is to pay close attention to the scripture that we might discern the truth that we read.

Ex. Rev. 8:10 - a literal star described that destroys a third of the fresh water when it strikes the earth.

Here in chapter 9 we're given clues by John that make it clear that this is not a literal "natural" star - a mass of gas.

So, if we're to understand the message that the Lord is communicating we must give ourselves to the study of His Word - not just to casual reading.

√ So, what is this star?

We're not given the identity of the star, however, there are some clues here in Rev. 9 that will help us.

"And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth"

vs. 1

1) "Fallen", or "falling" in some translations in the Greek is in the perfect tense; which means...

...it's a completed - it's already happened. John is only recording that he is looking at a star that had fallen at some time prior to John's record.

2) Sounds very similar to a couple of other scriptures...

Isa 14:12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!

And, Jesus said...

Luk 10:18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

3) "Star" is used symbolically to represent angels...

Rev 1:20 "The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

Satan is a fallen angel.

The best interpretation then is to identify this "star" as Satan himself.

• He's identified in scripture as fallen from heaven

• He's a fallen angel

• Star = angel

Further evidence that this is Satan is found as we look at what the "star" does on the earth.

√ What does he do?

He's given a key, symbolic of authority, to open the bottomless pit.

Ex. Jesus has the keys to Death & Hades (Rev. 1:18)

We'll look at the pit in the next verses, but what we don't want to miss is this point...

"And to him was given the key to the bottomless pit."

...he was given the key; he didn't take it, or win it, or wrestle it from God.

The key was "given" to him.

The point is that Satan is no rival to God. He is a created being - though powerful - he operates only at the discretion of God.

√ What about the bottomless pit?

Greek = abyssos

Translated as either the "abyss" or the "bottomless pit", mentioned 7 times in the Revelation.

It is the prison of demons.

Ex. Luke 8 - the demons - Legion - begged that they not be sent to the Abyss.

• It's the place from which the Beast comes (Rev. 17)

• The place where Satan is bound during the

Millennium.

Jude gives us a little insight also...

Jud 1:6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own habitation, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;

So, this bottomless pit is temporary holding place - jail - for demons where they wait for their final judgment.

Here in Rev. 9 we find that God gives Satan the key to open the Abyss as part of His judgment on sinful Mankind.

Ap. Wow - there's a place - unknown to us - where hordes of demons wait to be released so that they can wreck havoc upon the world!

And we think the world is filled with evil today! What we see today is the work of only a fraction of the demons that exist!

The army from the pit (vs. 3-6)

Rev 9:3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Rev 9:4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Rev 9:5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

Rev 9:6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

√ Locusts?

Locusts in the scripture always speak of divine judgment.

Ex. The 8th plague (Ex. 10)

To this day locusts strike fear into the hearts of the people of Africa and the Middle East.

It was one of the few plagues in which Pharaoh called for Moses and begged him to intercede!

What about these locusts?

Are these literal locusts or symbolic?

Again we have to pay close attention to John's description to discern what he's communicating to us;

John calls them locusts - so at first pass we would lean toward a literal interpretation.

Except, these locusts...

• Don't eat grass and leafs like normal locusts

• They have a sting like a scorpion and attack men

• Their physical description in vs. 7-11 NOT natural locust

So, we can't hold to a literal interpretation - that is - that they are natural locusts.

So, what are they?

Let's consider what we know about them...

• Released from the Abyss.

• Led by Satan

• Torment mankind

They must be demons then - symbolically called locusts because of the mass destruction they bring to the earth.

√ What does this army of demons do?

Given authority to torment anyone on the planet during a five month period who is not sealed by God.

Note the torment that they inflict;

Like the sting of a scorpion – vs. 5

Ex. Scorpions are feared around the world - grow from small to the size of your hand.

I’ve been told that their sting feels like a razor blade!

So great will the torment be that those inflicted by it will seek to kill themselves but will not be able to!

How could it be that a man would not be able to kill himself?

Ex. Some have suggested that they will try - men walking around with holes in their heads, etc.

A better understanding would be that those stung by this demon army are actually possessed by these locust-like demons.

So great is the power of these demons that those inflicted by their sting find themselves under the dominion of the demon to the extent that they can no longer exercise free-choice!

Though they would desire death to escape their torment, they find themselves without the power to take their life! (Much like “Legion” in Mark 5)

What a horrible picture of what happens to a person who is demon possessed!

So, these locust-like demons represent God's divine judgment upon a wicked world.

The torment that people experience at this point in the Tribulation is no longer limited to physical suffering…

…now the wicked is inflicted by demons from within!

Ah, but not everyone is subject to their sting!

√ Protected by God

Very important - note that the only people on the planet safe from this demon horde are those who have the seal of God (vs. 4).

• Would include the 144,000 sealed in Rev. 7

• Most likely include also those who had given their

lives to Christ since the rapture (sealed Eph. 1)

Sober reminder that if you don't know Christ - you are free game to the power of Satan and his demon host and that there is no deliverance from Satan except in Jesus Christ.

Locusts described (vs. 7-11)

Rev 9:7 And the shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

Rev 9:8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.

Rev 9:9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.

Rev 9:10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. And their power was to hurt men five months.

Rev 9:11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

√ Decked out Demons

Ever wondered what a demon looks like? While they don't have a material form, John describes what he is seeing in the spirit world using symbols.

Note that he employs the word "like" with each description to tell us that he is speaking symbolically.

• "like horses prepared for battle" - decorated and

armored

• "crowns of something like gold" - a head dress

• "faces like the face of a man" - humanoid in

appearance

• "hair like woman's hair" - long hair

• "teeth like lion's teeth" – sharp!

The total combination of these qualities is to communicate their awful and fearful character as instruments of divine judgment.

They are also described as having...

• "breastplates of iron" - symbolic that they are

immune to destruction from man.

• "wings" to take them into battle - sound like many

chariots.

• "tails like scorpions" - where the sting comes from.

Interesting that they have power over men "5 months" - just like the natural locusts pattern (May to September.)

√ They have a king!

In addition to their description John tells us that they have a king!

Further evidence that these are not natural locusts for we’re told in Proverbs…

Pro 30:27 the locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks;

Yet, here we find that these locusts have a king named Abaddon - or Apollyon which means "destroyer".

Such is the character of Satan and the fallen angels who follow him. He has only one desire for man - destroy him!

Satan's true colors are shown here. The Bible tells us that today in the Age of Grace he appears as an "angel of light" - (II Cor. 11:14) to deceive people…

…yet, here we see him unmasked and his true character revealed!

He's a destroyer!

Ap. People who toy with Satanism have no idea what they're doing. Satan is only too happy to give power to those want it - but it comes with a price - eternal destruction.

Pray that they find out before it's too late!

√ As ugly as all this is...

The destruction of much of the planet with Trumpets 1 to 4

The torment of men by demons with the 5th Trumpet

John records a chilling warning in vs. 12...

Bad news (vs. 12)

Rev 9:12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

√ There's still more to come!

In the Bible a "woe" refers to some great judgment that is coming.

Ex. Jesus pronounced a woe upon the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida for not believing in Him (Matt. 11:21).

Here in this verse we're told that the earth's inhabitants have two more coming!

Close

√ Troubles coming!

We've had a look into the future and the combat that will go on in the spirit realm.

The ultimate battle between God and Satan, the angels of Light and the demon’s of darkness.

But don’t forget – there is a spiritual war going on today

Ap. We’re in a war today!

What is true of the future is true in some measure today…

…that is, there is a war going on right now in the spirit realm for the souls of people.

Christian, Satan seeks…

To distract you and make ineffective for the Kingdom of God.

To trap you by leading you into sin so that your witness of Jesus will be tarnished.

Lull you into a spiritual slumber so that you won’t be of any consequence to the war being waged.

Unbeliever, Satan seeks to…

Keep you from the Truth in Christ that will set you free from sin.

To keep you distracted with the things of this world so that you remain in bondage to him.

To ultimately steal you from the love of God, destroy your soul, and finally to kill you and bring you into hell with him.

There is only One Who can protect us from the Devil – Jesus Christ!

Do you know Jesus today?

He alone can defeat the destroyer.

Christian - you're safe from the destroyer, but we can't let our guard down - Satan still wants to destroy your work for the kingdom and his best weapons are to put you to sleep spiritually.