Revelation 9:1-21 — The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets (The First Two Woes)

Revelation 9 continues the progression of God’s judgments with the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets. These trumpet judgments are more intense than the previous ones and are also referred to as the first and second “woes,” signaling the increased severity and direct impact on humanity. In this chapter, demonic forces are unleashed to torment and kill large portions of the earth’s population, demonstrating the escalating nature of God’s wrath and the spiritual dimensions of the coming judgment.

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Verses 1-12: The Fifth Trumpet (First Woe)

Verse 1:

“And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.”

• The fifth trumpet introduces a “star fallen from heaven,” which is widely interpreted to be a reference to a spiritual being, possibly a fallen angel, rather than a literal star. The star “was given” the key to the abyss, or “bottomless pit,” indicating that this being is acting under God’s sovereign authority. This “bottomless pit” (or abyss) is often associated with the realm of demonic forces and imprisonment for fallen angels (cf. Luke 8:31, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 20:1-3).

Verse 2:

“He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.”

• When the abyss is opened, smoke billows out, darkening the sky, reminiscent of a volcanic eruption. The smoke may symbolize the spiritual darkness and chaos unleashed by the opening of the pit. This imagery conveys a sense of foreboding and impending doom, as the opening of the abyss leads to the release of demonic entities.

Verse 3:

“Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.”

• Out of the smoke come “locusts,” which symbolize a horde of demonic beings. These are not ordinary locusts, but supernatural creatures with the power to inflict painful torment, much like the sting of scorpions. This imagery recalls the plague of locusts in Egypt (cf. Exodus 10:12-15), though the destructive power of these demonic locusts is far more severe, focusing on human torment rather than vegetation.

Verse 4:

“They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.”

• Unlike normal locusts that consume vegetation, these demonic locusts are commanded to target only humans—specifically those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. This indicates that the sealed servants of God (Revelation 7:3) are protected from this judgment. The locusts are instruments of torment for the unrepentant, showing a clear distinction between those who belong to God and those who reject Him.

Verse 5:

“They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.”

• The locusts are permitted to torment people for “five months,” which is the typical lifespan of locusts and represents a limited period of judgment. During this time, people will suffer intense pain, compared to the sting of a scorpion. However, the torment is not fatal, showing that this judgment is designed to cause suffering without immediate death, possibly as a call to repentance.

Verse 6:

“And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.”

• The torment is so intense that people will desire death as an escape, but they will be unable to die. This verse emphasizes the hopelessness and despair of those enduring this judgment. The inability to die, even in the face of extreme suffering, reflects God’s sovereign control over life and death, and highlights the inescapable nature of His judgment.

Verse 7:

“In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,”

• John describes the locusts in detail, emphasizing their terrifying and unnatural appearance. They are “like horses prepared for battle,” symbolizing their readiness for war and destruction. The “crowns of gold” suggest a form of authority or victory, while their “human faces” indicate intelligence or cunning. The description shows that these locusts are not mere insects but demonic forces bent on causing suffering.

Verse 8:

“their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth;”

• The locusts’ “hair like women’s hair” could symbolize seduction or beauty, drawing people in before causing harm, while their “teeth like lions’ teeth” signify their ferocity and ability to tear apart their victims. This dual imagery of beauty and destruction reflects the deceptive and dangerous nature of these demonic forces.

Verse 9:

“they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.”

• The “breastplates of iron” symbolize their invulnerability, indicating that they cannot be easily stopped or defeated. The sound of their wings, like the noise of many chariots rushing into battle, creates a sense of overwhelming force and terror. This adds to the sense of chaos and unstoppable destruction brought by these creatures.

Verse 10:

“They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.”

• The emphasis returns to the scorpion-like stings in their tails, where their power to torment lies. The five months of torment is repeated, stressing the intensity and limited duration of this particular judgment.

Verse 11:

“They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.”

• The locusts are ruled by a king, the “angel of the bottomless pit.” His name is given in both Hebrew (“Abaddon”) and Greek (“Apollyon”), both meaning “destroyer.” This figure is likely a high-ranking fallen angel or demon who oversees the forces of destruction. The presence of a demonic king over the locusts emphasizes the organized and deliberate nature of this judgment.

Verse 12:

“The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.”

• The first of the three woes (the fifth trumpet) is completed, but John warns that there are still two more to come, indicating that the judgments will continue to intensify.

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Verses 13-21: The Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe)

Verse 13:

“Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,”

• The sixth trumpet sounds, and John hears a voice coming from the golden altar, which plays a significant role in the offering of the prayers of the saints (cf. Revelation 8:3-5). The “four horns” of the altar were part of the structure of the Old Testament altar and represented God’s mercy and forgiveness (cf. Exodus 30:1-10). However, in this context, the voice from the altar signals a new wave of judgment.

Verse 14:

“saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.’”

• The voice commands the release of four angels bound at the Euphrates River. Being “bound” suggests that these are fallen angels or demons, imprisoned until this appointed time of judgment. The Euphrates River, often viewed as the eastern boundary of ancient Israel, historically represents a region from which foreign invaders came to bring destruction (cf. Isaiah 8:7-8). Its mention here may symbolize the unleashing of destructive forces from this boundary region.

Verse 15:

“So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind.”

• The four angels had been prepared for this specific moment, demonstrating God’s precise timing and control over these judgments. Their mission is to kill “a third of mankind,” marking a significant escalation from the earlier torment. While the previous judgments had been non-lethal, the sixth trumpet results in massive loss of life, showing that the severity of the judgments is increasing.

Verse 16:

“The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.”

• John describes an army of 200 million mounted troops (literally “twice ten thousand times ten thousand”). The immense size of this army suggests a supernatural or demonic force rather than a literal human army. John “hears” the number, indicating that this is a divinely revealed figure rather than something he could visually count. This massive force is part of the judgment unleashed by the sixth trumpet.

Verse 17:

“And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.”

• John describes the terrifying appearance of the mounted troops. The riders wear breastplates resembling fire, sapphire (or hyacinth), and sulfur, symbolizing destruction, judgment, and death. The horses have lion-like heads, emphasizing their ferocity, and they breathe fire, smoke, and sulfur, which are associated with hell and judgment (cf. Genesis 19:24, Revelation 14:10). These descriptions highlight the demonic nature of this army.

Verse 18:

“By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.”

• The fire, smoke, and sulfur that issue from the horses’ mouths are described as “plagues,” and these plagues kill a third of humanity. The large-scale death and destruction signify a direct outpouring of God’s wrath through these demonic forces, a sharp escalation from the previous judgments that tormented but did not kill.

Verse 19:

“For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.”

• The horses’ power is not only in their mouths but also in their tails, which are described as being like serpents. This imagery recalls the serpent in the Garden of Eden, symbolizing deception and deadly danger (cf. Genesis 3:1). These demonic forces have multiple ways of inflicting harm, further emphasizing the completeness of their destructive capability.

Verse 20:

“The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,”

• Despite the catastrophic judgments, the surviving population refuses to repent. Their hearts remain hardened, and they continue in idolatry, worshiping false gods and demons, represented by idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. This highlights the depth of human sinfulness and rebellion, even in the face of clear and severe judgment (cf. Romans 1:18-25).

Verse 21:

“nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

• The people also refuse to repent of their moral sins, including murder, sorcery (which often involved occult practices and drug use), sexual immorality, and theft. This catalog of sins reflects the widespread wickedness of humanity. Even after experiencing God’s judgment, they persist in their rebellion, illustrating the hardness of their hearts and their refusal to turn to God in repentance.

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Summary of Chapter 9:

Revelation 9 reveals the devastating judgments of the fifth and sixth trumpets, also known as the first and second woes. The fifth trumpet unleashes demonic locusts from the abyss, which torment people for five months but do not kill them. The sixth trumpet releases four bound angels who lead a massive demonic army that kills a third of the world’s population. Despite these terrifying judgments, the survivors still refuse to repent of their idolatry, immorality, and wickedness. The chapter highlights both the severity of God’s judgments and the depth of human rebellion. These escalating judgments are intended to bring people to repentance, but the hardness of their hearts prevents them from turning to God.

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