Revelation 9:1-11

Revelation 9:1-11

[1] And  the fifth  angel  sounded,  and  a star  fall  from  heaven  unto  the earth:  and  to him  was given  the key  of the bottomless  pit.  [2] And  he opened  the bottomless  pit;  and  there arose  a smoke  out of  the pit,  as  the smoke  of a great  furnace;  and  the sun  and  the air  by reason of  the smoke  of the pit.  [3] And  there came  out of  the smoke  locusts  upon  the earth:  and  unto them  was given  power,  as  the scorpions  of the earth  have  power.  [4] And  them  hurt  the grass  of the earth,  neither  any  green thing,  neither  any  tree;  those men  which  have  not  the seal  of God  in  their  foreheads.  [5] And  to them  it was given  kill  them,  but  that  they should be tormented  five  months:  and  their  torment  was as  the torment  of a scorpion,  when  he striketh  a man.  [6] And  in  those  days  shall men  seek  death,  and  not  find  it;  and  shall desire  to die,  and  death  shall flee  from  them.  [7] And  the shapes  of the locusts  were like  unto horses  prepared  unto  battle;  and  on  their  heads  were as it were  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were as  the faces  of men.  [8] And  they had  hair  as  the hair  of women,  and  their  teeth  as  the teeth of lions.  [9] And  they had  breastplates,  as it were  breastplates  of iron;  and  the sound  of their  wings  was as  the sound  of chariots  of many  horses  running  to  battle.  [10] And  they had  tails  like  unto scorpions,  and  stings  in  their  tails:  and  their  power  was to hurt  men  five  months.  [11] And  they had  a king  over  which is the angel  of the bottomless pit,  whose  name  in the Hebrew tongue  is Abaddon,  but  in  the Greek tongue  hath  his name  Apollyon. 

What does Revelation 9:1-11 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

"Already introduced by the eagle"s proclamation in Revelation 8:13, the fifth trumpet sets the tone for the last three trumpets through its specificity and independence of the two to follow. This feature marks the last three seals too. The seventh trumpet also resembles the seventh seal in the way it solemnly concludes the whole and contains the next series within in its scope. As with the seals also, two episodes intervene between the sixth and seventh members. In so doing, the episodes set the stage for the seventh trumpet." [1]