Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Revelation 9
Revelation 9:4They 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.
This verse highlights that God's people are marked and protected from the spiritual torment that affects those who have rejected Him. It shows that even in the middle of judgment, God remembers and cares for His own.Revelation 9:6And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.
This describes a state of deep despair where people seek an escape from their pain but cannot find it. It illustrates the heavy emotional and spiritual weight of living apart from God's grace.Revelation 9:20The 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,
This is a heartbreaking observation that even after witnessing such power, many people still refuse to change their ways. It emphasizes how stubborn the human heart can become when it is set on its own path.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Abyss Opens and the Locusts Rise
Following the first four trumpet judgments in chapter 8, which affected the natural world, the scene shifts to a more direct spiritual assault. A star falls from heaven - representing a spiritual being - and is given the key to the bottomless pit, a place where dark forces are confined. When the pit is opened, a thick smoke rises like a massive furnace, darkening the sun and the air, signaling the start of the first great woe.
The Great Army of the Euphrates
After the first woe concludes, the sixth angel blows his trumpet, triggering a command from the golden altar in heaven. Four angels who had been held at the Euphrates River are released to lead a staggering army of 200 million mounted troops. This army brings a plague of fire, smoke, and sulfur, resulting in the death of a third of mankind, yet the survivors continue to cling to their idols and sinful habits.
The Sounding of the Fifth and Sixth Trumpets
In Revelation 9:1-21, the vision moves from the physical environment to the human soul and global conflict. John watches as the fifth and sixth trumpets are blown, revealing a world under intense spiritual pressure and the release of long-bound forces of destruction.
The Torment of the Locusts (Revelation 9:1-6)
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.
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.
3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.
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.
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.
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.
Commentary:
Demonic forces are released to torment those without God's protection, showing the reality of spiritual warfare.
The Appearance of the Destroyers (Revelation 9:7-12)
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,
8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9 And 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.
10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.
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.
12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.
Commentary:
The locusts are described as a disciplined army of destruction led by a king named the Destroyer.
The Release of the Four Angels (Revelation 9:13-19)
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,
14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
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.
16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number.
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.
18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.
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.
Commentary:
A massive army is released to bring a deadly judgment, showing God's control over the timing of history.
The Tragedy of the Hardened Heart (Revelation 9:20-21)
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,
21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Commentary:
Despite the clear warnings of judgment, the survivors refuse to turn away from their sins and idols.
Spiritual Realities and the Call to Repentance
The Limits of Evil
This chapter shows that while evil forces are terrifying, they are not all-powerful. They can only act when given a key, they are restricted in what they can harm, and they are limited in how long they can operate, proving that God is still the ultimate authority.
The Security of the Sealed
The mention of the seal of God on the foreheads of believers provides a powerful message of hope. It suggests that those who belong to God possess an inner spiritual security that protects them from the specific type of soul-deep torment unleashed by the abyss.
The Deception of Idolatry
The chapter concludes by exposing the worthlessness of idols made of gold, silver, and stone. These things cannot see, hear, or walk, yet people cling to them even when their world is falling apart, illustrating how easily we can be deceived by things that offer no real help.
Applying the Lessons of Revelation 9 to Our Lives
In Revelation 9:4, the seal represents God's ownership and protection over His people. For you, this means that when you put your trust in Him, you are marked as His child, giving you a spiritual peace and security that the world's troubles cannot take away.
The survivors in Revelation 9:20 refused to give up their idols, which are things we value more than God. You can apply this by regularly asking God to show you if you are relying on money, status, or other things for your happiness, and then choosing to put Him back at the center of your life.
This chapter reminds you that God is in control of the 'keys' and the 'timing' of all events, as seen in verses 1 and 15. Even when things look frightening, you can take heart knowing that God sets the boundaries for evil and is working out His plan for the world.
God's Sovereignty Amidst Spiritual Warfare
Revelation 9 reveals that God is the ultimate authority even over the darkest forces of the abyss. While the trumpets unleash terrifying woes, they also serve as a final, dramatic warning for a world lost in its own self-destruction. The message is clear: God's protection is the only true safety, and His call to repent is an invitation to escape the torment of a life lived apart from Him. We are urged to look past the 'idols' of our hands and turn to the Creator who holds the keys to all things.
What This Means for Us Today
Revelation 9 is a sobering reminder that our spiritual choices have real consequences. It invites us to check where our loyalty lies and to find comfort in the fact that God protects those who belong to Him. Today, we can respond by choosing to trust in His grace rather than the temporary things of this world.
- Is there anything in my life that has become an 'idol' I am afraid to let go of?
- How can I live more confidently knowing that God provides spiritual protection to His children?
- Who in my life needs to hear the message of God's grace and invitation today?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
The first four trumpets are sounded, focusing on the destruction of the natural environment.
An interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets where a mighty angel appears with a small scroll.
Connections Across Scripture
A prophetic description of a locust army that serves as a precursor to the imagery used in Revelation.
The account of the plague of locusts in Egypt, which mirrors the judgment seen in this chapter.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think the text emphasizes that the locusts were not allowed to harm the grass or trees, but only people without God's seal?
- In verses 20-21, why is it so difficult for people to repent even after experiencing such clear signs of judgment?
- How does the fact that God limits the time and scope of these judgments (like the 'five months' in verse 5) change your view of His character?