5th Trumpet Blows - Army of Locusts and Pain

Revelation 9:1-12

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.  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.  Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth.  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.  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.  And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

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, their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 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.  They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails.  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 first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

Description complete.  I believe John’s vision is quite comprehensive as to the first of the 3 woes from the remaining Angel’s trumpets.  As the 5th Trumpet sounds, we discover a few things:

1) The bottomless pit is within the Earth, and God has the key.  The fallen Star could be a reference to Satan or another fallen angel, but it must still follow the authority of God.

2) The locusts rise from the bottomless pit, but are restrained by God’s command as to what they can and cannot do for 5 months.

3) Abaddon (Hbrw) and Apollyon (Grk) are names given to Satan, as he is given authority over these locusts for 5 months.  Here again, though, he is still under the sovereignty of God Almighty.

The first of the three woes is going to bring excruciating pain to those left on the Earth at that time.  Those with God’s seal on their foreheads will be protected from this pain.  We know from Revelation 5 of the 144,000 that God has sealed, but we also know from several scriptures that those who have given themselves to Christ are also sealed with the Holy Spirit.  

If indeed we, as believers, are still here during the great tribulation, I find comfort in knowing that God will protect me through this pain.  I then think of my loved ones who aren’t believers, or those who will say they are, but there is no substance or fruit to their walk.  We must all check ourselves and our relationship with Christ.  Are we truly following Him, or simply claiming a faith as a means to escape judgment?  My fear is that there are many of us in this latter camp.  We say we are, but live a lifestyle and endorse those things of evil in this world.  

Fear is one catalyst that can cause a person to seek redemption, true repentance, and salvation from this world’s ways.  John’s vision in Revelation 9 begins to show what is in store for those who refuse to come to Jesus.  There is a bottomless pit, and God holds the key.  There will come a time when that pit is opened, and pure evil is unleashed on the face of the Earth.  I, for one, do not want to be here to witness it, and I pray that you can see it for yourself to understand the severity of God’s wrath.  Take a moment and reflect on the sincerity of your relationship with Christ.  Is it a relationship of convenience, prosperity, purpose, or truth of servanthood?  God knows where you stand, do you?