1The 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. 2He 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. 3Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4They 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. 5They 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. 6In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7The 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. 8They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9They had breastplates like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses rushing to war. 10They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
12The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.
13The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”
15The 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. 16The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. 17Thus 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 horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. 18By these three plagues, one third of mankind was killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 19For 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.
20The 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’t see, hear, or walk. 21They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.
The Seal on the Forehead
Revelation 9
The Seal on the Forehead
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 aburning 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.
The star, fallen from heaven, is no doubt Lucifer, Satan, the Devil. In Isaiah 14:12, the prophet Isaiah refers to Satan as the “morning star” (compare this with Jesus, who is the “Bright and Morning Star".) Satan is the one with the keys to the “Abyss.” These locusts referred to are demonic. They are beings coming from the abyss. They are let loose on the earth to torment, but only the unbelievers are allowed to be tortured here. So, the 144,000 that are sealed (most likely Jewish Christian evangelists), along with all the other believers on the earth at that time, will be protected from the demonic attacks.5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. (Revelation 9:5-6, NKJV).
The torment will go on for five months. Something will be out creating so much misery that the afflicted will want to escape it by death, and they’ll not be able to die.7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 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. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 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. [Both אֲבַדּֽוֹן Ἀπολλύων mean destruction and destroyer.] (Revelation 9:7-11, NKJV).
The imagery seems to me nothing short of a teeming mass of demons. They will descend in a horde to plague the earth. Reader, these demons are already out doing the destroyer’s business. Jesus made it clear that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus comes that we might have life and have it more abundantly. It is easy to read these passages in Revelation and to become scared and apprehensive of what is to come. Well-meaning theologians have all sorts of beliefs as to whether we, the saved, will be here or not. None of that should really matter. If we are not, then praise God. If we are here at that time, then praise God. Whatever God brings each of us to, He will give us grace to get through it. He that is in you and me is greater than he that is in the world. Deliverance comes at the name of Jesus. Claim His name. We are already engaged in spiritual warfare, whether we know it or not, and the victory is ours through Him. When I was a little boy, my mother prayed that I would be protected from the world, the flesh, and the devil. I pray that for each of you who will read these words. He is able. You and I are not, but HE IS ABLE!