| THE LOCUSTS ARE RELEASED |
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| The first four trumpets describe an attack on the 1/3 of the kingdom of heaven, who are the lawless ones. In the fourth trumpet, the lawless are darkened, meaning they no longer belong to the kingdom of heaven. The darkening of the lawless ones, the kingdom of the beast, is also recorded in the fifth bowl of wrath. The lawlessness has been fully removed from the kingdom of heaven. The beast has been captured, as recorded in Rev 19:20. There are no more “attacks” on the kingdom of the beast, 1/3 of the kingdom of heaven, because the kingdom of heaven has been fully “cleansed” after 2,300 days, as prophesied in Dan 8:14. Satan, the “Angel of the Abyss” (Rev 9:11; Rev 20:3), has been bound for 1,000 years (2,300 days less 1,290 days, in Dan 12:11). But now Satan and his angels are released from the bottomless pit, and deceive the nations once again, as we read in Rev 20:7-8. The work of these demons is recorded with the sixth bowl of wrath, in Rev 16:13. But here, this plague is described in a “separate” account. Because, God wants to show us that none of the plagues will affect the people of God. This message began with the “plague on Egypt,” described in the first trumpet. Satan has no permission to harm those who have the seal of God on their forehead (vs 4). He only attacks the men of this world, who will long for death, because of his tormenting demons (vs 6). Through this torment, Satan gathers the men of this world, who long for death, as sand on the seashore for the Battle of Armageddon. |
| 1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. |
| Rev 9:1 A star from heaven which had fallen – like Satan in Isa 14:12, and Rev 12:13, an Angel who has fallen from heaven. the key of the bottomless pit was given to him – in the fifth trumpet, 1/3 of the lawless in the kingdom of heaven are not effected, telling us that the fourth trumpet completed the cleansing of the kingdom, after 2,300 days, as prophesied by Daniel. This ends the 1,000 years in which Satan is bound, as described in Rev 20:2. The key to the bottomless pit is given to release Satan, and his demons, as described in Rev 20:7-8. Satan will ultimately deceive the nations to gather for war at the Battle of Armageddon. |
| 2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a great furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. |
| Rev 9:3 Out of the smoke – these are demons who come up from the pit. Although you may think these resemble helicopters, only spiritual beings, allegorical, or real come from the bottomless pit, ie. the beast, and Satan (see Rev 11:7; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:1). |
| 4 They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads. |
| Rev 9:4 not to hurt the grass, nor any green thing, nor any tree – the grass, as in Rev 8:7 represents the men of the world generally, any green thing is any other life, and the trees represent those in the Kingdom of heaven. the seal of God on their foreheads – this is entirely a spiritual attack on all those in the kingdom of the beast, those who are not sealed by the holy spirit (Rev 9:4, Eph 1:13). The fifth trumpet, and bowl of wrath is not against “the lawlessness of the kingdom of heaven.” The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of the beast are now fully separated. The Angels have finished their job of separating the wheat from the chaff, and those who remain are being given over to total destruction. There is now no protection for those outside of the Sanctified Church. There has been a progressive revelation of the truth, and the tolerance is completely taken away for those who do not obey the truth. God is allowing all the power of demons to torment them. The fifth bowl of wrath describes it in this way: “they (in the kingdom of the beast) gnawed their tongues because of the pain” (Rev 16:10). |
| 5 They 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 man. 6 In those days men will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. |
| Rev 9:5 and was given (ἐδόθη) to them – compare to Rev 13:5, “forty-two months was given (ἐδόθη) to him.” This 42 months was 1278 years, days as years. for five months – every prophecy of Daniel has been proven as days equivalent to years, and there seems no reason for any exception in the Book of Revelation. Even, the three and a half days in Rev 11:9, can also be explained as 3 1/2 years. Therefore, we have every expectation that this prophecy takes place over a 150 year period. like a scorpion when it stings a man – there is no greater torment than eternal spiritual torment. Rev 9:6 men will seek death – those who are demon possessed no longer love their lives. When God’s protection is taken away, men will “long to die.” Satan will prepare mankind to desire the Battle of Armageddon. |
| 7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like gold crowns, and their faces were like men’s faces. |
| Rev 9:7 crowns of gold – these demons work through the “respected in society,” to deceive men according to societal status. faces of men – these spirits work through men, see also Dan 7:8, the Antichrist “had the eyes of a man.” |
| 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9 They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war. |
| Rev 9:8 hair like women, and teeth like lions – all the deception of beauty devours those who do not love the truth. Rev 9:9 breastplates like iron – these demons cannot be defeated, they are as “out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet,” (Rev 16:13). They have military power, the power of false miracles, and the power of the lie. like the sound of chariots – they will attack with a great fury |
| 11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon,” but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon.” |
| Rev 9:11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss – Satan, who was thrown into the abyss, for one thousand years, in Rev 20:3. Abaddon, Apollyon – in Greek, Apolluón, meaning “destroyer.” The Antichrist who comes to “kill and destroy,” in Greek, apollumi, (John 10:10). As contrasted with Christ, who came to bring “life and life abundantly.” |
