REVELATION CHAPTER 9

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G) [(Rev 8:12-13]:

(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 8:12-13]:

(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

"12 The fourth trumpet. The heavens are struck with partial darkness, reminiscent of the ninth plague (Exod 10:21-23). The references to "a third of..." refer to a partial impairment of the ordinary light from these bodies. In the OT the darkening of the heavens appears in connection with the theophany of God in judgment (cf: Isa 13:10; Ezek 32:7-8; Joel 2:10; 3:15; cf. Matt 24:29). An unusual darkness also attended the crucifixion of Christ (Matt 27:45).

2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 8:12-13]:

(Rev 8:12 NASB) "The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.

"7. THE FOURTH TRUMPET (8:12-13)

8:12 At the sound of the fourth... light of the sky was reduced by one third. Without a third of the sun a third of the day was lacking normal light, and a third of the night was without light from the moon and the stars. Again the best interpretation is literal. Just as the first three trumpets dealt with a third of the earth, so the fourth trumpet dealt with a third of the heaven.

8. Announcement Of The Final Three Trumpets (8:13)

8:13. Warning was  given that the next three trumpets would be more severe and devastating than those which preceded them. The triple woe announced by an eagle warned of coming judgment. Eagles are also mentioned in 4:7 and 12:14."

II) [Biblestudymanuals Commentary On Rev 9:1-11]:

(Rev 9:1 NASB) "Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

(Rev 9:2 NASB) He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

(Rev 9:3 NASB) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

(Rev 9:4 NASB) They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

(Rev 9:5 NASB) And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

(Rev 9:6 NASB) And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

(Rev 9:7 NASB) The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

(Rev 9:8 NASB) They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

(Rev 9:9 NASB) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle .

(Rev 9:10 NASB) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

(Rev 9:11 NASB) They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 9:1-11]:

(Rev 9:1 NASB) "Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

(Rev 9:2 NASB) He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

(Rev 9:3 NASB) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

(Rev 9:4 NASB) They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

(Rev 9:5 NASB) And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

(Rev 9:6 NASB) And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

(Rev 9:7 NASB) The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

(Rev 9:8 NASB) They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

(Rev 9:9 NASB) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle .

(Rev 9:10 NASB) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

(Rev 9:11 NASB) They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon."

"9:1-11 The fifth trumpet. John now focuses attention on the fifth and sixth trumpets (first and second woes) by giving more than twice the space to their description that he gives the previous four trumpets together. The fifth trumpet releases locusts from the Abyss. For five months these locusts torment the inhabitants of the earth who do not have the seal of God. John sees a "star" that has fallen to the earth. Since this star is given a key to open the Abyss, it is reasonable to understand it as being a symbolic reference to an angel. This is supported by v. 11, where "the angel of the Abyss" is mentioned and named "Abaddon," as well as 20:1, where reference is also made to "an angel coming down" (i.e., stars "fall") and having the key to the Abyss, where Satan is thrown.

The Abyss is also referred to in 11:7 and 17:8 as the place from which the beast arises. The word abyssos ("Abyss") refers to the underworld as (1) a prison for certain demons (Luke 8:31; cf. 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6) and (2) the realm of the dead (Rom 10:7; TDNT, 1:9). When the Abyss is opened, huge billows of smoke pour out, darken the sky, and release horselike locusts on the earth.

Locust plagues are one of the severest plagues of mankind. The imagery of locusts, appearing like armies, advancing like a cloud, darkening the heavens, and sounding like the rattle of chariots, goes back to Joel's vision of the locust army that came on Israel as a judgment from God (Joel 1:6; 2:4-10). But the locusts of the Apocalypse inflict agony like scorpion stings (vv. 3, 5, 10). This, together with the fact that they do not eat grass (v. 4), shows that these locusts are something other than ordinary earthly insects. Indeed, they have the special task of inflicting a nonfatal injury only on the beast worshipers, who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (v. 4); (cf. comments on 7:3). This may imply that these locustlike creatures are not simply instruments of a physical plague such as that in Moses' or Joel's day or under the first four trumpets but are demonic forces out of the Abyss from whom the true people of God are protected (cf. John's use of frogs to represent demonic powers in 16:13). The five months of agony (vv. 5, 10) may refer to the life span of the locust (i.e., through spring and summer [Charles, Commentary on Revelation, 1:243]). So severe is the torment they inflict that their victim will seek death (v. 6; cf. Job 3:21; Jer 8:3; Hos 10:8).

John describes the locusts as an army of mounted troops ready for the attack (v. 7). The heads of the locusts resemble horses' heads. John does not say that the locusts had crowns of gold on their heads but that they wore "something like crowns of gold" on their heads. Charles suggests that this might refer to the yellow green of their breasts (ibid., 1:244). This, combined with their resemblance to human faces, suggests something unnatural, hence demonic. The comparison of their "hair" with that of women may refer (as in other ancient texts) to the locusts' long antennae, while their lionlike teeth suggest the terrible devastation they can bring (cf. Joel 1:6-7). The "breastplates of iron" refer to their scales, which appeared as a cuirass of metal plates across the chest and long flexible bonds of steel over the shoulders. Their sound was like the rushing of war chariots into battle (v. 9; cf. Joel 2:5).

This description creates an image of the fearful onslaught of demonic powers in the last days. Therefore, their leader is called "Abaddon" in Hebrew and "Apollyon" in Greek. The Hebrew term )abaddo|n means "destruction" or "ruin" (Job 26:6 mg.; Prov 27:20 mg.), and more often "the place of ruin" in Sheol (Job 26:6mg.; Prov 15:11 mg.; 27:20 mg.), or "death" (Job 28:22 mg.), or "the grave" (Ps 88:11 mg.). In late Jewish apocalyptic texts and Qumran literature, it refers to the personification of death (IQH 3.16, 19, 32; IQ ap Gen 12:17 [TDOT, 1:23]).

The Greek term apollyon means "exterminator" or "destroyer" and does not occur elsewhere in the Bible, though it can be readily understood as John's way of personifying in Greek what is personified in the Hebrew word )abaddo|n (LXX apoleia). Some understand Apollyon as a separate angel entrusted with authority over the Abyss. Attempts to identify Apollyon with the Greek god Apollo, who in some Greek texts of Revelation is connected with the locusts, or another Greco-Roman deity have not met with much success. The creature, his name, and his responsibility seem to be original with the author of the Apocalypse.

Why John names the king of the Abyss in both Hebrew and Greek is open to question. Perhaps his readers' background in Hebrew, on which John's names and thoughts seem to turn (cf. 16:16), was so slender that an additional help here and there was necessary. This stylistic trait of giving information in bilingual terms is peculiar to Revelation and the fourth Gospel (John 6:1; 19:13, 17, 20; 20:16). It may also reveal a mind steeped in the Targum tradition of the ancient synagogue, where it was customary to render Scripture in Hebrew and then in either Aramaic or Greek for those who did not understand Hebrew.

2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 9:1-11]:

(Rev 9:1 NASB) "Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

(Rev 9:2 NASB) He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

(Rev 9:3 NASB) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

(Rev 9:4 NASB) They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

(Rev 9:5 NASB) And they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

(Rev 9:6 NASB) And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

(Rev 9:7 NASB) The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

(Rev 9:8 NASB) They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

(Rev 9:9 NASB) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle .

(Rev 9:10 NASB) They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

(Rev 9:11 NASB) They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon."

"9. THE FIFTH TRUMPET (9:1-11)

9:1-6. The events after the sounding of the fifth... trumpet are given considerable explanation, implying that this is a most important step in God's progressive and increasing judgments on the earth. Because of the he in verse 2 and "king" in verse 11, the star that fell to the earth was a person rather than a fragment of a star (cf. Isa. 14:12-17; Luke 10:18). Even in modern terminology it is customary to speak of an unusual athlete or performer as a star. This star, probably representing Satan cast out of heaven at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12:9), was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss ("bottomless pit," KJV). The "Abyss" (abyssos) is the home of demons (cf. Luke 8:31; Rev. 9:11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3; in Rom. 10:7 it is translated "deep"). Satan will be confined for a thousand years in the Abyss during the reign of Christ on earth (Rev. 20:1-3).

Here the star (Satan) used his key to allow demons in the Abyss to come out and afflict the earth. Visually this event was represented as a great smoke, darkening the sky and the sun. Out of the smoke came creatures called locusts with the deadly sting of scorpions. While they were harmless to natural vegetation and trees, they stung people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

In chapter 7 the 144,000 of Israel were sealed, and protection from the plague was extended to all who knew the Lord in that day (cf. Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Tim. 2:19). In the Old Testament locusts were a fearful plague, for they were able to reduce the land to starvation by eating up all green vegetation (Ex. 10:12-20; Joel 1:4-7). These locusts, however, did not eat vegetation, but had the power to torment people for five months (cf. Rev. 9:10). Thus they might be demons who appeared in the form of locusts. This is confirmed by the fact that they came from the Abyss, the home of demons (Luke 8:31). Their demonic control over people was such, however, that though the victims desired to die they could not take their own lives.

9:7-11. The description of the locusts compared to horses prepared for battle is awesome: human faces... crowns of gold... women's hair... lions' teeth, ironlike breastplates, and wings that sounded like horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle.

Obviously John was describing what he saw but did not interpret each characteristic. The picture is one of Satan's awesome supernatural power and the demon world especially in relation to unbelievers.

Unlike the previous judgments which apparently were short in time this judgment extended for five months (v. 10; cf. v. 5). This is important as it refutes clearly the notion that all these judgments will occur in a brief span of time immediately before the second coming of Christ.

The demons had a ruler over them whose Hebrew name is Abaddon and whose Greek name is Apollyon. Both words mean "destroyer." Though Satan is sometimes portrayed as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), here Satan and his demons are seen for what they really are, destroyers of people. This judgment confirms what was already intimated in preceding judgments, that the Great Tribulation, as Christ described it, will be a time of "great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again" (Matt. 24:21)..."

FIFTH TRUMPET (9:1-11)

9:1-6. The events after the sounding of the fifth... trumpet are given considerable explanation, implying that this is a most important step in God's progressive and increasing judgments on the earth. Because of the he in verse 2 and "king" in verse 11, the star that fell to the earth was a person rather than a fragment of a star (cf. Isa. 14:12-17; Luke 10:18). Even in modern terminology it is customary to speak of an unusual athlete or performer as a star. This star, probably representing Satan cast out of heaven at the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 12:9), was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss ("bottomless pit," KJV). The "Abyss" (abyssos) is the home of demons (cf. Luke 8:31; Rev. 9:11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3; in Rom. 10:7 it is translated "deep"). Satan will be confined for a thousand years in the Abyss during the reign of Christ on earth (Rev. 20:1-3).

Here the star (Satan) used his key to allow demons in the Abyss to come out and afflict the earth. Visually this event was represented as a great smoke, darkening the sky and the sun. Out of the smoke came creatures called locusts with the deadly sting of scorpions. While they were harmless to natural vegetation and trees, they stung people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

In chapter 7 the 144,000 of Israel were sealed, and protection from the plague was extended to all who knew the Lord in that day (cf. Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Tim. 2:19). In the Old Testament locusts were a fearful plague, for they were able to reduce the land to starvation by eating up all green vegetation (Ex. 10:12-20; Joel 1:4-7). These locusts, however, did not eat vegetation, but had the power to torment people for five months (cf. Rev. 9:10). Thus they might be demons who appeared in the form of locusts. This is confirmed by the fact that they came from the Abyss, the home of demons (Luke 8:31). Their demonic control over people was such, however, that though the victims desired to die they could not take their own lives.

9:7-11. The description of the locusts compared to horses prepared for battle is awesome: human faces... crowns of gold... women's hair... lions' teeth, ironlike breastplates, and wings that sounded like horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle.

Obviously John was describing what he saw but did not interpret each characteristic. The picture is one of Satan's awesome supernatural power and the demon world especially in relation to unbelievers.

Unlike the previous judgments which apparently were short in time this judgment extended for five months (v. 10; cf. v. 5). This is important as it refutes clearly the notion that all these judgments will occur in a brief span of time immediately before the second coming of Christ.

The demons had a ruler over them whose Hebrew name is Abaddon and whose Greek name is Apollyon. Both words mean "destroyer." Though Satan is sometimes portrayed as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), here Satan and his demons are seen for what they really are, destroyers of people. This judgment confirms what was already intimated in preceding judgments, that the Great Tribulation, as Christ described it, will be a time of "great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again" (Matt. 24:21)."

III) [Biblestudymanuals Commentary On Rev 9:12-21]:

(Rev 9:12 NASB) "The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

(Rev 9:13 NASB) Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

(Rev 9:14 NASB) one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

(Rev 9:15 NASB) And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

(Rev 9:16 NASB) The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

(Rev 9:17 NASB) And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.

(Rev 9:18 NASB) A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.

(Rev 9:19 NASB) For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

(Rev 9:20 NASB) The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

(Rev 9:21 NASB) and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."

1) [Expositor's Bible Commentary On Rev 9:12-21]:

(Rev 9:12 NASB) "The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

(Rev 9:13 NASB) Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

(Rev 9:14 NASB) one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

(Rev 9:15 NASB) And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

(Rev 9:16 NASB) The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

(Rev 9:17 NASB) And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.

(Rev 9:18 NASB) A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.

(Rev 9:19 NASB) For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

(Rev 9:20 NASB) The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

(Rev 9:21 NASB) and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."

"12 This seems to be a transitional verse, indicating that the "first woe" (fifth trumpet) is finished and two woes are yet to come (presumably the sixth and seventh trumpets; cf. 8:13 with 11:14). There may be in this verse a resumption of the eagle's words (cf. 8:13).

13-19 The sixth trumpet: The second woe. Here we find a description of disasters that reach to the death of a third of mankind (vv. 15, 18; cf. 8:7). "Four angels," the instruments of God's judgment, are held at the river Euphrates, whence traditionally the enemies of God's ancient people often advanced on the land of Israel (Jer 2:18 mg., 13:4f. mg; 51:63; Rev 16:12) and which was recognized as its eastern extremity (Gen 15:18). John here makes use of the ancient geographical terms to depict the fearful character of the coming judgment of God on a rebellious world. While the language is drawn from historical-political events of the OT, it describes realities that far transcend a local geographical event. God's dealings are not accidental but planned and precise in time as to a definite hour of a definite day of a definite month of a definite year. By a reference to the "golden altar" of incense, the release of these angels is again connected with the prayers of God's saints for vindication (6:9; 8:3).

At v. 16 a mounted army of some 200 million horses and riders is rather abruptly introduced. While some (e.g., Walvoord) argue for a literal human army here, several factors point to their identity as demonic forces. First, the horsemen are not in themselves important but wear brightly colored breastplates of fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow, more suggestive of supernatural than natural riders. More important are the horses, which not only have heads resembling lions but are, rather than their riders, the instruments of death by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that come from their mouths. Furthermore, these horses have tails like snakes that are able to kill (vv. 17-19), unlike the locusts' scorpionlike tails that do not inflict death but only injury (v. 5). Finally, according to General William K. Harrison (an expert in military logistics), an army of 200 million could not be conscripted, supported, and moved to the Middle East without totally disrupting all societal needs and capabilities ("The War of Armageddon," xerographic copy of unpublished, undated article). As General Harrison brings out on this aspect of Revelation, God has made men with certain limitations; and the actual raising and transporting of an army of the size spoken of in v. 16 completely transcends human capability. All the Allied and Axis forces at their peak in World War II were only about 70 million (The World Almanac, 1971, ed. L. H. Long [New York: Newspaper Enterprise Association, 1970], p. 355).

Thus it seems better to understand the vast numbers and description of the horses as indicating demonic hordes. Such large numbers do occasionally indicate angelic hosts elsewhere in Scripture (Ps 68:17; Rev 5:11; cf. 2 Kings 2:11-12; 6:17). This would not eliminate the possibility of human armies of manageable size also being involved. But the emphasis here (vv. 16-19) is on their fully demonic character, utterly cruel and determined, showing no mercy to man, woman, or child. These demons might also be manifest in pestilences, epidemic diseases, or misfortunes as well as in armies. Such would explain the use of "plagues" to describe these hordes (vv. 18, 20; cf. 11:6; 16:9, 21).

20-21 God's purpose for the plagues is first of all a judgment on man for his willful choice of idolatry and the corrupt practices that go with it (v. 21). John had earlier called the churches to "repent" of their faithless tendencies lest they too should share in God's judgment (2:5, 16, 21-22; 3:19). In these verses we see the end result of refusing to turn to God. This stubbornness leads to worship of demons as well as worship of cultic objects made by human hands (gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood; cf. Pss 115:4-7; 135:17; Jer 10:1-16; Dan 5:23). "Demons" may mean either pagan deities (Deut 32:17; Ps 106:37) or malign spirits (1Cor 10:20-21; 1Tim 4:1). But since the Greek here in Revelation distinguishes the cultic objects from the demons, John no doubt shared Paul's concept of demons as evil spirits (Rev 16:14; 18:2). Hence, there is a twofold evil in idol worship: it robs the true God of his glory (Rom 1:23) and it leads to consorting with evil spirits that corrupt man.

This demonic corruption is manifest in the inhuman acts of those who have given up God for idols—acts of murder, sexual immorality, and thefts (cf. Rom 1:24, 28-31). In general, these are violations of the ten commandments. "Magic arts" (pharrnakon) means a practice of sorceries or "witchcraft" (LXX Exod 7:11; 9:11; Gal 5:20; Rev 21:8; 22:15). Usually drugs were involved in these arts. Sometimes the word pharmakon means "to poison," as in a Jewish prayer from the first century B. C.: "I call upon and pray the Most High, the Lord of the spirits and of all flesh, against those who with guile murdered or poisoned [pharmakon] the wretched, untimely lost Heraclea, shedding her innocent blood wickedly" (MM, p. 664).

The second purpose of God revealed in the agonizing plagues described in chapters 8 and 9 is to bring societies to repentance (cf. 16:9, 11). God is not willing that any person should suffer his judgment but that all should repent and turn to him (Luke 13:3, 5; 2 Peter 3:9). But when God's works and words are persistently rejected, only judgment remains (Eph 5:6; Heb 10:26-31).

Notes

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8:13 In place of ἀετός (aetos, "eagle") read by ‏א‎ A B and most MSS and versions, other texts read ἄγγελος (angelos, "angel") (P and some minuscules). Metzger suggests aetos was corrupted to angelos by scribal concerns "to harmonize what is done by the eagle into line with what is ascribed to angels elsewhere" (Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament [New York UBS, 1971], p. 743).

9:1 Ἄβυσσος (abyssos, "Abyss") (from Heb. ‏תּהֹום‎ [tehom, "the deep"]) is referred to in 1 Enoch in the sense of both an intermediate and a final abode for fallen angels, satan, demons, and fallen men (1 Enoch 18:12-16; 21:7-10; 108:3-6; Charles, Commentary on Revelation, 1:240-41).

11 Εβραΐστι (Hebrai+sti) has generally been understood here and elsewhere in the NT to mean "Aramaic," but recent studies are questioning this identification and arguing for the sense "in Hebrew" rather than "in Aramaic" (Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, "The Language Spoken by Jesus," New Dimensions in New Testament Study, ed. R N Longenecker and M.C. Tenney [Grand Rapids Zondervan, 1974], pp. 127-28).

2) [Bible Knowledge Commentary On Rev 9:12-21]:

(Rev 9:12 NASB) "The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

(Rev 9:13 NASB) Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

(Rev 9:14 NASB) one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."

(Rev 9:15 NASB) And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

(Rev 9:16 NASB) The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

(Rev 9:17 NASB) And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.

(Rev 9:18 NASB) A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.

(Rev 9:19 NASB) For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

(Rev 9:20 NASB) The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

(Rev 9:21 NASB) and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."

"10. THE SIXTH TRUMPET (9:12-21)

9:12. The fifth trumpet described as the first woe is now to be followed by the two final trumpets, also called "woes" (cf. 8:13).

9:13-15. The sixth... trumpet seems to relate to the final military conflict described in 16:12-16 (cf. Dan. 11:40-45). At the sounding of the sixth trumpet John heard a voice coming from the horns of the golden altar that is before God. The sixth angel was then instructed to release the four angels... bound by the Euphrates River. These four angels are clearly demons, as holy angels are not bound. The release of these four is minutely timed at a particular hour and day and month and year, and they kill a third of the world's population.

The fourth seal (Rev. 6:7-8) resulted in a fourth of the earth's people being killed. Here a third of the remainder were put to death. These two judgments alone, disregarding all intervening judgments, would account for the death of half the earth's population. This fact is to be taken literally as it confirms the statement by Daniel (Dan. 12:1) and the words of Christ (Matt. 24:21) that the Great Tribulation will be without precedent and would end in the death of all mankind if it were not stopped by His second coming (Matt. 24:22).

9:16. The loosing of the four angels (not the same as the four angels of 7:1) resulted in releasing an army of 200 million... mounted troops. Most interpreters do not take the number literally, though there is good evidence that all other numbers in Revelation are literal. Even if taken symbolically, this figure clearly represents an overwhelming military force. Years ago Red China claimed to have an army of 200 million (cf. Time, May 21, 1965, p. 35).

Some interpreters say these millions are demons, but demons are not normally marshaled as a military force. The fact that John heard the number, as obviously he could not visually count 200 million men, seems to lend credence to the concept that this is literal and predicts that an army will come from the East crossing the dried-up Euphrates River (16:12).

Great dams have already been placed across the Euphrates River to divert water for irrigation so that at times the riverbed is dry or partially so. A large invasion from the East and North in the end times is predicted in Daniel 11:44.

9:17-19. The horses and their riders had breastplates of red, dark blue, and yellow. The lionlike heads of the horses imply something other than natural horses. Furthermore, John declared, out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur. Some have taken this as a picture of modern warfare including the use of armed vehicles such as tanks. Whether symbolic or literal, the passage certainly implies terrible destruction and an awesome invading force. The results are twice stated and include the death of a third of mankind (vv. 15, 18).

9:20-21. Though the judgment was devastating and obviously from God, it did not bring men to repentance, and they continued to worship demons and their representation in idols and kept on murdering and participating in the occult (magic arts, pharmakeiōn, from which is derived "pharmacies"; cf. Gal. 5:20; Rev. 18:23; 21:8; 22:15), their sexual immorality, and thievery.

The trumpet judgments clearly grew in a crescendo, becoming worse and more devastating. In spite of the clear evidence of God's power to judge the world, no evidence was given John that there would be any change of heart on the part of the great mass of humanity. Though the sixth judgment produced fear, it did not produce repentance."