Revelation 9:1-12

THE FIFTH TRUMPET BRINGS THE FIRST TERROR

Revelation 9:1-12

The first four trumpets were against nature. I am sure that during that period many were killed because of the first four Trumpet's. The next two trumpets are against humans. Specifically those humans that did not have God's seal on them. The fifth trumpet will torture and the sixth will kill one third of all that are left on earth that have not repented. The number of  humans is steadily dwindling. I would think that you would repent at this time. The Anti-Christ is not able to help them any more.

Rev 9:1  Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. Rev 9:2  When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke.

 Life Application New Testament Commentary states the fifth trumpet this way. "9:1-2 The first “terror” occurred when the fifth angel blew his trumpet. John saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky. There is much debate as to the identity of this star, whether the “star” is Satan, a fallen angel, Christ, or a good angel. Some scholars point to Rev_9:11 and identify this angel with the “angel from the bottomless pit,” thus, a demon (see also Rev_12:4; Rev_12:9; Isa_14:12; Luk_10:18). If the star is a demon, he loosed evil forces upon the inhabitants of the earth. The evil forces, however, were only allowed to harm those who belonged to them, not the sealed believers (Rev_9:4). Most likely, this “star” is a good angel, because he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit, and that key, normally, would be held by Christ (Rev_1:18), and because in Rev_20:1 an angel came down from heaven with this key. If it is a good angel, then he was simply obeying God’s directions to let loose calamity upon the earth. Most importantly, this angel is under God’s control and authority.

The bottomless pit, is the eternal destination of the wicked and the abode of the demonic forces (see Luk_8:31; 2Pe_2:4; Jud_1:6; also referred to in Rev_9:11; Rev_11:7; Rev_17:8; Rev_20:1-3). It is full of smoke and fire, for when it was opened, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace. There is so much smoke upon the opening of this pit that the sunlight and air were darkened."

Rev 12:4 has a lot of meanings in it. This is a list of the possibilities:

      The woman, is representing Israel

      The dragon, is representing Satan

      The man-child, is referring to Jesus

      The angel Michael, head of the angelic host

      The offspring of the woman, is representing Gentiles who come to faith in the Tribulation

      The beast out of the sea, is representing the antichrist

      The beast out of the earth, is representing the false prophet who promotes the antichrist

Rev 9:3  Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. Rev 9:4  They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Rev 9:5  They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. Rev 9:6  In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!

The description of the Locust was also told in Joel_2:4. This sounds like a horrible trumpet. I am sure that now that you are presented for the first time creatures that have never been seen. They tortured for 5 months. There is one issue here that stands out to me is that the new Christians will not be attacked. God protects them. They will be known after the 5 months are over. I am not sure if there will be ramifications to them  at that time or not.

Rev 9:7  The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. Rev 9:8  They had hair like women's hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. Rev 9:9  They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. Rev 9:10  They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months they had the power to torment people.

Not unlike Joel_2:4 which only refers to the horse like appearance. This description is much more elaborate and a lot more terrifying.

Rev 9:11  Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon—the Destroyer.

Rev 9:12  The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!

Agape

Dave