Revelation 9 Woes #1 and #2 The 5th & 6th Trumpet Judgments REV. 9:1-2 Ø WOE #1: The 5TH TRUMPET is Sounded—Plague of Demonic Locusts th The 5 TRUMPET is sounded. This TRUMPET JUDGMENT introduces a plague of ‘locusts’ with tails that sting like scorpions that are unleashed from the ‘bottomless1 pit2’ also called “the abyss”. We shall soon come to see that this is a description of demonic creatures used by God in Judgment. This judgment affects mankind and the earth’s atmosphere. A “Star” (Gk. “aster”) was fallen from Heaven to earth and is referred to as “him” and “he” (vv. 1-2), denoting a heavenly messenger doing the LORD's bidding. So, unlike the ‘star’ rd described in the 3 TRUMPET JUDGMENT, we have a different kind of star here. This star appears to be person rather than a thing because it acts not only with intelligence but is given a key which “he” uses. No literal star could do this. He [the “star”] is given the key to the bottomless pit or ‘abyss’ [see notes], which in this context can be considered a prison that is a deep shaft sealed with a hatch. Refer to Figure 9-1. Possible Location of the Abyss: • The abyss is identified in connection with the ‘place of the dead’ in Romans 10:6-7 and which refers to Sheol (Heb) or Hades (Gk). See also Jonah 2:1-7 and Matt. 12:38-40. • However, there are two compartments in Sheol/Hades as we learn from Jesus in Luke 16:22- 26. A place of torment and a place of peace and rest, referred to by Jesus as ‘Paradise’ in Luke 23:40-43. When Jesus ascended into Heaven one of the things He apparently did was take the believers in Paradise Sheol with Him for such is implied in Eph. 4:7-10. This corresponds to the time that Jesus said that the Son of Man would be “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”, i.e., Sheol {Matt. 12:40}. Thus, for a Christian to die (be absent from the body) is to be present with Christ 2 Cor. 5:6-8 and that’s in Heaven where Christ is “on the right hand of God” {Acts 7:55-56; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 8:1; 1 Pet. 3:22}. • In 2 Peter 2:4 the angels that “sinned” (i.e., rebelled, “missed the mark”) were cast “down” to a place called “tartaroo” in the Greek, from “Tartaros”, the abyss of Hades according to Greek usage. This was the deepest part of Hades. It should be remembered that Hades is not Hell, Gehenna or the "Lake of Fire", but is separate and distinct place. Hades itself, along with death and the unsaved, will be thrown into the LAKE OF FIRE {Rev. 20:14} at the end of the 1000 years. This event is referred to as the “second death”. • In Luke 8:30-31 the demons Jesus confronted [Legion] feared to be sent to the ‘deep’ (Gk. ‘abussos’: abyss) and pleaded with Him not to be sent there. 1 bottomless [12 abussos (ab'-us-sos)] abyss, lit. “without depth”; depthless. This word is also translated “deep” in Luke 8:31; Romans 10:7. It appears that a demon who comes from the abyss (Revelation 11:7; 17:3, 7-8) energizes (possesses) the 10-horned, 7-headed beast from the sea: the anti-Christ. Perhaps the same as the one called “Apollyon” in verse 11. pit [ 5421 phrear (freh'-ar)] refers to a pit or well dug for water, a cistern or well; a mine shaft or hole in the ground. Therefore, “bottomless pit” means lit. “well (hole, shaft) without depth”. (i.e. it's bottom cannot be seen or usually reached in this mortal life). Figuratively, an abyss (as a prison); like a missile silo with locking hatch 2 pit [ 5421 phrear (freh'-ar)] refers to a pit or well dug for water, a cistern or well; a mine shaft or hole in the ground. Therefore, “bottomless pit” means lit. “well (hole, shaft) without depth”. (i.e., its bottom cannot be seen or reached using conventional methods). Revelation 9 -1- Copyright Ó 1999, 2007 K. G. Schiessel IDENTITY OF THE STAR: We have already concluded that this ‘star’ is an angelic being that is given the key to the ‘bottomless pit’ (see notes on Revelation 1:20 for stars symbolizing angels). This star is different, rd therefore, from the literal star mentioned at the sounding of the 3 TRUMPET. Although at least three notable Bible scholars whom I admire tremendously, J. Vernon McGee, John F. Walvoord and Jon Courson all say this angelic being is Satan/Lucifer who will be cast out of Heaven {Rev. 12:7-9}; I respectfully disagree for the following reasons: • God will not need Satan to help judge the world and usher in Christ’s Kingdom. Even the idea that Satan would ‘relish’ the opportunity to release the vilest of demonic creatures from their prison upon mankind, I do not think God would give this job to him. {For an example of this see Acts 16:16-18}. • Christ Jesus holds all the keys {e.g., Rev. 1:18} including the one to the bottomless pit and I do not think He is going to hand it over to Satan. • If this ‘star’ was such an important angel as Satan then the ‘he’ would probably be associated with one of his other names such as “dragon”, “ancient serpent” or ‘the devil’ as elsewhere (e.g. Revelation 12:9; 20:2). • But finally, and conclusively, in Revelation 20:1-3, apparently this same angel reappears having the key to the bottomless pit but is also holding a great chain and takes Satan, lays hold of him, and casts him into the bottomless pit, shuts him up and puts a seal on him for 1000 years! Satan would not lay hold of himself, bind himself with a chain and cast himself into the abyss - after all, his messengers the demons did not want to go there. (Luke 8:30-31). Satan is not divided against himself (Matt. 12:25-26; Mark 3:26; Luke 11:17-22). There is an old goldmine in Grass Valley, California, called the Empire Mine which has one of the deepest main shafts of any mine in the world – 8 miles deep! This mine is open to visitors and its entrance is well lit. However, when one stands on the steps at the top of the mine shaft and peers down into the throat of this hole, the tracks that the mine cars used to ride on disappear into literal ‘blackness’. No matter how hard one tries to see past a certain point there is only blackness. This is an example of an ‘abyss’. There is evidently a lower part of Hades, reserved for the fallen angels or demons, where they are held prisoners, i.e., ‘chained’ until some are called upon by God to be used in His Judgment during the GREAT TRIBULATION. The abyss is where Satan will be bound for 1000 years (Revelation 20:1-3). Refer to the schematic diagram shown in Figure 9-1. th At the sounding of the 5 TRUMPET then, a way is made open from the deepest part of Hades, the abyss, releasing a demonic army of creatures described as “locusts” which torment all those who do not have the SEAL OF GOD on their foreheads. They will be allowed to do this for five months. Smoke from the abyss will rise like from a great furnace, further darkening the sun and air and making the sun and moon both appear red like blood. (NOTE: In Ephesians 2:2 we are told that Satan is the “prince of the power of the air”! This world, the earth, sea and air, which has been corrupted by Satan and men acting under his influence, is now being judged by God). Revelation 9 -2- Copyright Ó 1999, 2007 K. G. Schiessel -3- REV. 9:3-6 Ø THE ACTIONS OF THE DEMONIC “LOCUST” ARMY The action of the angel opening the bottomless pit causes ‘locusts’ to come out upon the earth. But these cannot be real locusts – they have the general appearance of a horse prepared for battle but they also have an arching, stinging tail like a scorpion. They are not real locusts but like them they are numerous and voraciously attack not the vegetation but mankind. So what or who could these demonic locusts be? We know that they come from the bottomless pit and have seen [Figure 9-1] that this to be a place located deeper than Hades. It may then be the place that the apostle Peter describes in 2 Peter 2:4……. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to Tartaros and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment…. ……..and which are extremely rebellious according to Jude 1:6: And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode3, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day….. th But with the 5 TRUMPET plague these demonic creatures are freed from their prison and used by the LORD to punish the rebellious and those who are unrighteous. These demonic locusts are given power like that of the scorpion, with ‘tails’ that sting men. In the Old Testament, locusts and scorpions were very prominent as instruments of God's judgment.