Revelation 9

John T. Hinds Commentary On Revelation 9 THE OF THE FIFTH TRUMPETRev_9:1-12 Rev 9:1 —And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.—The language of Rev 8:13 shows an evident division between the first four trumpets and the last three. How long a period intervened between the fourth and fifth is not indicated in the text. Only historical facts can give any light on that. We have already found that a star indicates a person of rank or distinction. The star had already fallen (had been cast down) when John saw it. “ From heaven” would indicate that the person represented probably claimed divine honors. The pronoun “ him” shows that a person is meant. The “ abyss” means the abode of Satan and evil spirits. (Revelation 20:1-3.) The “ key” given him indicates his power to turn loose the multitude of evil workers described in the following verses.

Revelation 9:2 —And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.—There poured out of the open pit smoke as if com­ing from a furnace. Such a smoke would darken the sun in the section where it spread. This emblem indicated some evil influence coming directly or indirectly from Satan. Prob­ably referred to false teaching which would darken the minds of men.

Revelation 9:3 —And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.—There is nothing in verses 1 and 2 to indicate either time or place for the fulfillment of the vision. The word “ locusts” is the first significant term. John saw them upon the earth; hence, they must represent a host of men bent on some evil work. The description of the locusts (verses 7-11) will not allow them to be understood literally. In the eighth plague of Egypt the locusts came from the east— that is, from Arabia. (Exodus 10:12-15.) This, doubtless, indicates that the hosts they represent would come from that part of the world, and would strike its blow against the Eastern Empire, the capital of which was Constantinople. If so, the fallen star was Mahomet, and the vision was fulfilled in the rise and spread of Mahometanism.

This is the view of several ex­positors, and is accepted here as the view that best accords with all the facts. Since the Roman Empire was divided into Western and Eastern, the fall of the Western in 476 left the Eastern standing. Against this the Mahometans came in the first part of the seventh century. The history, then, if the facts fit the vision, will justify the application to them. The sting of the scorpion is extremely painful, indicating the ter­rible damage and distress to be accomplished by the powers they represent.

Revelation 9:4 —And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their fore­heads.—Real locusts would destroy grass, vegetation, and leaves. Those John saw were forbidden to damage vegetation; hence, they were symbolical of something else. Regarding the inva­sion of Syria (A.D. 632), Abubeker, the successor of Mahomet, said: “ Destroy no palm trees, nor burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit trees.” (Decline and Fall, Vol. 5, p. 189.) This is another significant item in helping to identify the Mahometan scourge as the fulfillment of this emblem. Hurting men on earth is a feature that must be taken literally, as there is no other apparent way to understand it. Another proof that in symbolical passages some things may be understood literally.

Seal on forehead indicates a convert— one who receives a doc­trine in the mind. The command not to hurt such shows that the vision refers to a religious conflict. The text does not sav who gave the command to hurt only those not sealed. If from Satan, then it could mean those who would not accept Mahomet as a prophet of God, which he claimed to be. His converts would be considered as having God’ s seal on their foreheads. It seems improbable that the leader of such a host would have respected the true people of God.

Revelation 9:5 —And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man.—This does not mean that no individuals would be killed; wars of invasion do not usually result that way. But the purpose was not to kill, but to convert men to the so-called prophet. Killing would have defeated that purpose with those destroyed. They were to be tormented with ills comparable to the stings of scorpions. This was clearly the nature of the Mahometan scourge. It is not credible that such a torment as here described would last only five literal months— 150 days.

Hence, the prophetic day, according to Ezekiel 4:6, is probably meant. That means a day stands for a year, and the torment would last 150 years. Expositors are not agreed on the date when this period of time began, but this is an immaterial point since we know that about this time (seventh century) the followers of Mahomet started out to make the world submit to the Koran.

Revelation 9:6 —And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them.— This language indicates that the torment was to be so terrible that men would desire death as a release, but would not find it. Revelation 9:7 —And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses pre­pared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men’ s faces.— This is how the locusts appeared to John— what he saw in the vision. Horses prepared for war would indicate warfare, and probably cavalry in the main. Such seems to have been the Mahometan method of war. The words “ as it were” show that what they wore on their heads were neither crowns nor gold, but only what looked like crowns made of gold. If the Mahometans are represented by this symbol, their yellow turbans would fill the demand for this part of the picture. Faces like men must be in contrast with the faces of women.

The essential difference is that men’s faces grow beards. As the Arabians wore beards, this feature of the symbol would also fit them.

Revelation 9:8 —And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.—The women wore long hair. (1 Corinthians 11:15.) As a fulfillment of this some refer to the Ara­bian poem, “ Antar,” from which Elliott (Vol. I, p. 438) quotes as follows: “ He adjusted himself properly, twirled his whiskers, and folded up his hair under his turban, drawing it from off his shoulders.”

Teeth like those of lions indicate the fierceness with which they wrould prosecute their operations. That the Arabians wrere fierce and unmerciful in forcing submission to Mahometan teaching is perfectly evident from their history. This char­acteristic is manifested in their actions more than any other feature of the Mahometan soldier. It would be nothing against this interpretation if some feature in the symbol found no like­ness in the thing represented; for in all figurative language only similarity is necessary to justify the comparison, not like­ness in everything. This is true of parables, metaphors, or other figures. Hence, it could be true in these symbols as well.

Revelation 9:9 —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 rushing to war.—The locusts had breastplates that looked like iron. This would indicate the strong protec­tion they would have against their enemies. Mahomet said to his soldiers: “ God hath given you coats of mail to defend you in your wars.” The sound of the wings of the locusts seemed to John as the onrushing of war chariots. Doubtless this was a fair representation of the way that the Arabian cavalry made their charges. To say the least, there are too many similarities between the locusts and the Arabian soldiers to deny that they may be the ones indicated by the symbol.

Revelation 9:10 —And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months.—See notes on verse 3. As the sting of the scorpion’ s tail would be intensely painful, so the torment inflicted by the Mahometan army would be fearful torture. On the five months see notes on verse 5. It does not mean that this false religious system would last only 150 years, but that the torment would continue that long. The history of the Mahometan scourge harmonizes with that fact.

Revelation 9:11 —They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon.—The king over the locusts is said to have been the angel (messenger) of the abyss. If the applica­tion to the Mahometan scourge is correct, the king or leader was first Mahomet and then his successors, the Caliphs. But the real leader was Satan himself who inspires and influences men in all evil. These Hebrew and Greek words both mean destroyer, a term which accurately describes the work of Satan. On the word “ abyss” see notes on verse 1.

Revelation 9:12 —The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter.—This verse simply announces the interval between the first and second woes, but gives no hint as to the time limit — the beginning or ending of either. Some further facts should be observed here, if the symbol is correctly applied to the Mahometan uprising. Note the fol­lowing :

1. As collected from various sources these items give the general history of the movement. Mahomet was born about A.D. 570, and in due time became one of the most effective false teachers known to the world. He began his preaching privately in A.D. 609, and his public work in 612. In 632 the Saracens left Arabia to begin their work in forcing the world to accept the Koran; in 634 the city of Damascus was taken; Jerusalem fell to them in 637, and Alexandria in Egypt in 640. Elliott (Vol.

I, p. 449) says that in ten years, 634 to 644, the Caliph had reduced 36,000 cities or castles to obedience, destroying 4,000 churches, and built 1,400 mosques for the wor­ship of Mahomet. Twice, 675 and 716, they besieged Constan­tinople, but were repulsed each time; in 762 their capital was moved from Damascus to Bagdad on the Tigris River, and was called “ the city of peace." From this time, says Gibbon (Vol. V, p. 300), “ War was no longer the passion of the Saracens."

A.D. 609, 612, and 632 are all suggested dates to begin the 150-year period. If 612, the time that Mahomet began public preaching, be taken, the period ended with the founding of Bag­dad, when war ceased as their passion. This is as probable as any, and fits this feature of the symbol. 2. If it be contended that Mahometanism fails as an unques­tionable fulfillment of the symbol, the fact remains that some­thing in that general period of the world must be its fulfillment. To say the least, the Mahometan effort to subvert the whole world to the worship of the prophet may be the thing repre­sented. This false religion came into existence at the right time, swept the nations like a raging forest fire, and forced hundreds of thousands into submission. It would be remarkably strange if it were not included in a book of prophetic symbols touching the welfare of the church.

OF THE SIXTH TRUMPETRev_9:13-21 Rev 9:13 —And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,—In the temple the golden altar was the altar of incense before the veil. (Exodus 40:26.) See notes on 8: 2, 3. John sees this in heaven where God was seated upon his throne. (Revelation 4:1-2.)

Revelation 9:14 —one saying to the sixth angel that had the trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates.— Since there is no vision intervening between the fifth and sixth trumpets, it is safe to presume that the fulfillment of the sixth vision was probably in the east also, and it will be found after the events pictured in the fifth trumpet vision. It is unneces­sary even to mention the conflicting views of expositors on this verse. As the word “ angels” means messengers— agents through whom something is accomplished— and these four had been held in check for a time, it is evident that the command here means to release them for the accomplishment of what was designed. It seems wholly incredible that such a vision should not represent some great historical movement. If ap­plying the fifth trumpet vision to Mahometanism was correct, then this doubtless refers to the Turkish power. A comparison of the vision with facts of history will make this apparent.

Four “ angels” here are called four “ winds” in 7: 1. See Hebrews 1:7.

Since the power referred to was to operate on earth, it is most natural to understand “ Euphrates” as applied literally and meaning the well-known river of the name east of Palestine. We have already learned that words may be used literally in pas­sages of general symbolic character; an example already noted is Psalms 80:8, “ Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt.” Vine is figurative; Egypt is literal. Gibbon says that one of the greatest Turkish princes reigned in the eastern provinces of Persia one thousand years after the birth of Christ. For about a half century these people operated east of the Euphrates, accepting the Mahometan religion, and were finally authorized by the Caliph to cross the river to wage a war in defense of that religion. This explains “ bound” and “ loosed” in verses 14 and 15.

Commentators have had much difficulty in explaining who and what the “ four angels” signify. The language implies that all four were turned loose at the same time. This does not harmonize with the view of some that the four divisions of the Turkish Empire were meant, for the reason that this divi­sion did not occur till A.D. 1092, which was some thirty years after the Turks had crossed the Euphrates on the mission des­ignated. Probably the simplest solution is this: As the four quarters of the earth mean the whole, completeness or fullness, so the four angels would indicate the full power, which God would allow to be turned loose against the Eastern Roman Em­pire. This at least is in harmony with historical facts, which is much in its favor.

Revelation 9:15 —And the four angels were loosed, that had been pre­pared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men.—The time of restraint be­fore crossing the river was the time of preparation for the work. This preparation was complete when the Mahometan Caliph invested the Turkish leader as “ temporal lieutenant of the vicar of the prophet.’ ’ (Decline and Fall, Vol. V, pp. 510-512.) This occurred in A.D. 1055. Again expositors are hopelessly at variance on the meaning of the time expressed. The popular view is the day-year theory, by which the sum total of all the times* mentioned is supposed to be the exact time from the crossing of the river to the fall of Constantinople in A.D. 1453. But the methods of calculation differ, though any of them may be made to give practically the time needed for the theory.

Some use a thirty-day month and a 360-day year; others a solar year of 365% days. Some begin with the time the Turkish leader was invested with authority at Bag­dad ; others when he crossed the Euphrates. Doubtless such hairsplitting calculations are unnecessary. If the true expla­nation is that the sum total of all the times stated is the pe­riod meant, it is sufficient to know that with either of the calculations the result is substantially the time till the taking of Constantinople.

But another and perhaps simpler view is this: The destruc­tive power which was to be permitted to overthrow the Eastern Empire of Rome was ready to begin at the exact time— hour, day, month, and year— that God’ s providence had determined. This view requires no exact time limit, and obviates the neces­sity of all calculations. And it does not interfere in any measure with the time factor as presented in the historical facts. The command to kill indicates that the vision represents a peculiarly destructive war. The “ third part of men” here refers to the Eastern Empire and only one-third of that part of the Roman Empire. Not exactly one-third, but a large element. The one- third indicates that the destructive work was limited— could not kill all.

Revelation 9:16 —And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them.—Literally two myriads of myriads, or 200 millions. Such an immense number— definite for indefinite— was doubtless intend­ed to indicate an enormous army. Gibbon speaks of the “ myr­iads of Turkish horse” and the blood of 130,000 Christians as “ a grateful sacrifice to the Arabian prophet.” (Vol. V, p. 512.) This shows that the Turkish army had a countless number of horsemen, and accords with the view taken of this vision. If this number indicates the result of one cam­paign, the total results over the period must have been ap­palling.

Revelation 9:17 —And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone:—This is a description of how the horses and soldiers on them appeared to John as he beheld the vision. The breastplates appeared as if they were of fire, hyacinth, and brim­stone; that is, red, blue, and yellow.

Revelation 9:17 —and the heads of the horses are as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone.—The horses with heads that looked like lions’ heads, doubt­less, was meant to indicate the fierceness and suddenness with which the Turkish army would strike its blows. Probably the roaring of the lion would also represent the loud noise as the firearms were discharged in their battles. The firing of guns from horseback would appear to those at a distance as coming from the horses’ mouths. Here several expositors think we have a most remarkable proof that this vision refers to the Turkish power, though others think that the purpose was only to indicate that the wars in view were to be sur­passingly fiendish. The latter is possible, but the facts are so significant that the former seems more probable. It is supposed that the invention or discovery of gunpowder was in the first half of the fourteenth century.

That the Turks used artillery in their siege and capture of Constantinople, A.D. 1453, is the plain statement of Gibbon. He mentions three large cannons and says that “ fourteen batteries thun­dered at once on the most accessible places,” and that one of them possibly “ discharged one hundred and thirty bul­lets.” (Vol. VI, pp. 388, 389.) Again the same author says: “ From the galleys, and the bridge, the Ottoman artillery thundered on all sides; and the camp and city, the Greeks and the Turks, were involved in a cloud of smoke which could only be dispelled by the final deliverance or destruction of the Roman Empire.” \

Revelation 9:1

Revelation 9:1. It is fair to my readers to state that a number of commentators connect this chapter with Mohammed. In reasoning upon the subject some of them will mention certain things that could not have been true of any persons but the soldiers of Mohammed. But in their reasoning I note that the chief basis of their argumant is the idea that the literal characteristics of locusts and horses and soldiers. etc.. will not agree with any interpretation except to apply the predictions to Mohammed. But we are in a book of symbols where it does not count for a conclusion to rely on the literal nature of things. On the principle of “giving others the benefit of the doubt,” I am sure there were many facts and truths about Mohammedanism that correspond with the language of the several verses.

Yet that could truly be said of some other noted impostors who have come into the world to poison the minds of men. The scope of history is so wide that one might find incidents to correspond with various characters he would select for the comparison. Against all of the above considerations I am keeping in mind that the Lord was concerned principally with the experiences of His people in connection with the Roman Empire, and the great apostasy that was formed by the corruption of His system with its union of church and state. In view of the aforesaid remarks I shall devote my comments to the items that were and are being fulfilled by the doings of the institution of Rome. Star fall from heaven is rendered “out of heaven fallen” by The Englishman’s Greek New Testament. It denotes that John saw a star (symbol for a leader among men) that was in fallen condition, not that he saw it fall.

That would be true of the head of Rome; he had fallen from the spiritual purity that exists in heavenly things. Bottomless pit is from ABUS-SOS, which is explained at Luke 8:31 in the first volume of New Testament Commentary. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 1.The smoke of the pit–(the fifth trumpet)–Revelation 9:1-12.1. A fallen star: I saw a star fall from heaven"–Revelation 9:1.The star, as in previous instances where the symbol is used, denoted a ruler; and heaven in this connection, as also previously shown, denoted the dominion of these powers. When Jesus said in Luke 10:18, “I beheld Satan fall as lightning from heaven,” he meant the complete defeat of all the personified agents of Satan. By his fall from heaven, Jesus meant that Satan would be dethroned from his exalted dominion; and his downfall would come swiftly as lightning in the shaping conflict. When the prophet said of a Babylonian ruler, in Isaiah 14:12 –“How art thou fallen from heaven, 0 Lucifer (brilliant star), son of the morning; how art thou cut down to the ground which didst weaken the nations”–it referred to the downfall of the ruler, personified as Lucifer. The name Lucifer in the Septuagint, is translated “Star,” which was represented as falling from heaven–the wicked king’s exalted place of dominion. The figure is no different in this Revelation vision. The star is personified in the persecuting ruler. He was designated “a star fallen from heaven” for the wicked character that he exemplified in the descension from his exalted place of rulership to the satanic plane of a perfidious leader of impious forces. The star falling “from heaven unto the earth” merely denoted the descent of the ruler from an exalted dominion to a degenerate place of activity among the powers of men. 2. The key to the bottomless pit: “And to him was given the key to the bottomless pit”–Revelation 9:1.The “bottomless” pit is the abyss, the infernal region, the diabolical domain of the devil. This fallen star being an agent of Satan personified, he was given the “key” to the abyss of Satan, that he might unloose the woes announced by the flying angel of chapter 8:13.

Revelation 9:2

Revelation 9:2. We have learned that the bottomless pit is the abode of demons (usually translated “devils” in the King James Version). These demons were suffered to come into the world at one time and afflict mankind. After that period was gone it was easy to refer to such a performance as a symbol of other activities in the politico-religious world, namely, the institution in which the church and state were united. Since this great apostate organization served the interests of Satan so much, it was appropriate to represent the Roman bishop as having a joint interest with him in opposing the true servants of God. Paul verifies this conclusion in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 where he says: “Even him, whose corning is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Literally we would think of smoke coining out of a place where there is a flame of fire (Luke 1 G:24), but it is used symbolically which will be developed as the chapter proceeds.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 2. The smoke of the pit: “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 were darkened - -Revelation 9:2.The pit is the infernal underworld, the dark abode of demons (Luke 8:31). Here the angel has the “key” to open it–unloose it–hence, an evil angel, in contrast with the angel with the “chain” in chapter 20, to bind. The smoke of the pit “as a furnace,” similar to destruction that came upon Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:28), the smoke of a pit sending forth effects of pollution and contamination. Darkening the sun and the air: This was not the eclipse of the sun as in previous symbols, but the veiling of the sun “by reason of the smoke of the pit.” Here also instead of the sun and the moon being darkened, as before, it is the sun and the air.As noted under the classification of symbols in the preview, the air is the symbol denoting the sphere of life and influence. As the blackout of the sun symbolized the dark distress that hovered over the land, the blackened air, “by reason of the smoke of the pit,” signifies with the same vividity the corruption of the whole sphere of life by this figure of the complete pollution of the air by the smoke of the infernal pit.

Revelation 9:3

Revelation 9:3. We still have symbols but they are more definite. The smoke proves to have been a “smoke screen” that enclosed a swarm of locusts. That explained why the sun was darkened by the “smoke” in the preceding verse. It has been known many times that this insect comes in such great numbers as to have the effect of a cloud that obscures the sun. In selecting a symbol the Lord would call attention to some literal fact that would truly represent some other fact or truth that is not literal.

This swarm of locusts was the clergy of Rome acting on behalf of the apostate church, otherwise called Babylon the Great. As the swarm of locusts obscured the sun so the clergy of Rome would prevent the people from having the full benefit of the “Sun of Righteousness” (Malachi 4:2). Scorpions is described by Thayer as follows: “The name of a little animal, somewhat resembling a lobster, which in warm regions [such as Hades, E.M.Z.] lurks especially in stone walls; it has a poisonous sting in its tail.” Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 3.Locusts upon the earth: “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”–Revelation 9:3.In Bible times the word locust was applied as widely and as loosely, it seems, as the word worm in our various uses. But in scripture apocalypses, both Old and New, the reference is to a large and vile insect of such multiplicity and voracity as to be a dreaded source of scourge. These insects borne by the wind in swift swarms hundreds of miles were known to the people of Palestine as “burners of the land,” a phrase derived from the literal meaning of “locust.” It was their nature to be together, flying in vast numbers, spoiling the grain, infecting the part they did not eat, and poisoning the very air through which they swarmed. A scourge of locusts ended with the decomposition of several millions of the vile things, and resulted in pestilence that afflicted the land, with heavy death toll. (Joe 2:20) One historical example is on record as occurring 125 B.C., when the swarms were driven by strong winds into the sea, and washed back by the tide in such vast numbers as to cause a stench and a plague from which several thousand people died in the countries of Libya, Cyrene and Egypt. From the time of Moses they were the instruments of divine judgment as in Exodus 10:4-15; Deuteronomy 28:38-42; 1 Kings 8:37. The prophet Joel makes this locust the figurative instrument of fearful visitation in his vivid description of the devastating march of the Assyrian armies through the land. (Joe 2:9-11.) It is this symbolic locust, swarming from the smoke of the abyss as a scourge “upon the earth,” that is employed in the vision here, to signify the woe being pronounced by the angel of the fifth trumpet upon Jerusalem and the land of the Jews. By the same symbol Joel described the invading armies of Israel"s Old Testament history (Joe 1:4-6)–a striking parallel. Unto them was given power as the scorpions of earth: The scorpion is described as a small venomous reptile (Deuteronomy 8:15) having a bladder full of poison. Its anatomical description gives it two eyes in its mid-head, and another two eyes toward its extremity; with two arms like claws, eight legs with six talons each; a long tail like a string of beads, with two stingers full of poison, which it squirts into the object of its sting. This creature is used in the scripture figuratively to denote the wicked who torment the good. (Ezekiel 2:6) Jesus used it as a figure in promising his disciples power over every evil thing or agent that Satan could employ to their hurt (Luke 10:19). In the present vision of chapter 9 the locusts from the abyss were “given” the power of the scorpions of the earth–signifying the affiliation of all the evil forces of the infernal underworld to be personified in the characters of wicked rulers.

Revelation 9:4

Revelation 9:4. Here we have another instance where the Lord uses a literal object to symbolize a fact that is not literal, except that He uses the symbol contrary to its usual behavior. This is not the only instance where a performance in nature is used “contrary” to its usual manner. (See Romans 11:24.) The natural thing is for the locusts to eat the very things this verse says they did not hurt. They were to hurt men only and not all of them even. Their destructive work was to be against the men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. Such men were true servants of God and no kind of oppression could actually hurt them.

But on the principle that. “evil sometimes works its own rebuke,” the Lord suffers the workers of iniquity to be scourged by their own leaders. It is a historical fact that the dupes of Rome often suffer many hardships at the hands of the clergy. The writer of this paragraph knew a family in which a small son was compelled to earn money, half of which was taken from him by the clergy though his widowed mother was much in need of it.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 4.Hurt not grass, green thing, tree: “And it commanded them not to hurt the grass, or the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads”–Revelation 9:4.In Revelation 8:7 the signal of the first trumpet was in the judgment against the land, symbolized by that which was in nature of it. But this first woe of chapter 9 does not have the destruction of the physical powers as its object, but the spiritual. But only those who have not the seal: The “sealed of God” were the true disciples whom the scorpion power was commanded not to hurt; and it corresponds with Luke 21:25-28, “Look up, lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh.” Matthew describes in Matthew 24:15-30, the escape of the disciples; and so does Luke in Luke 21:18.

Revelation 9:5

Revelation 9:5. Not kill them. The clergy needed to retain their dupes that they might further exploit them for their own selfish interests. Five months is a definite period of time if taken literally, but in actual history we do not find such processes as have been described being so exact in their beginning and ending. The figure refers to some particular period in the history of the apostate church when the oppression by the clergy was active to an extraordinary degree. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 5.Should not kill: “And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a Prayer of Manasseh–Revelation 9:5.The victims were not put to death–the descriptions of the siege of Jerusalem. But tormented five months: This referred to the literal period of time for the season of locusts, from spring to autumn (May to September), but here it figuratively denoted the full time, the whole period for the effects described, designating figuratively the period of the siege. Torment as of a scorpion when he strikes man: The baneful effects of the siege on its victims had figuratively all of the sting of the scorpion’s tail-sorrow, suffering, famine, pestilence, carnage, stench and putrefaction, indescribable. Vivid description of these deadly carriers of the scourge of pestilence and putrefaction are narrated in dictionaries of antiquities and historical works, such as Josephus and Pliny

Revelation 9:6

Revelation 9:6. Seek death and shall not find it. There are some things worse than death (Jeremiah 8:3). I once heard a lecture by a woman who had escaped from the clutches of Rome. In that lecture the speaker related the experiences of a woman who was being tortured as a result of self-inflicted wounds induced by the heresies of Rome. This victim moaned and sighed as if death at once would have been a relief.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 6.Seeking death–“In those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it”–Revelation 9:6.For comparison read Luke 21:26, Matthew 24:22, and Mark 13:12; Mark 13:20 -the Lord’s own predictions concerning these events. There could be no fitter application of these symbols than the tragic conditions attending the siege of Jerusalem, as described in the graphic language of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Revelation 9:7

Revelation 9:7. It was fitting that these locusts were in the form resembling war horses, for the apostate institution has not hesitated at using carnal warfare for its defense whenever it was thought necessary. Crown of gold indicates both authority and wealth, and the clergy of Rome have ever been equipped with both, in order to carry out the schemes of the headquarters of the corrupt organization. Faces of men is an important identification also, because while the use of war horses is necessary in the program of Rome, it also requires the scheming trickery of human intelligence. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 7.The horse-like locusts. “And the shapes of the locusts were like the shapes of horses prepared for battle”–Revelation 9:7.Shapes like horses: The composite appearance of the locusts-shape of horses for battle, heads as gold crowns, faces of men–shows this symbolism to be that of the rulers with their armies of destruction. The locusts were seen as horses “prepared for battle,” as the horses in cavalry battalions. Heads as crowns: The heads of the locusts were seen as “crowns like gold” signifying that they were the armies of the Roman generals Vespasian and Titus, both of whom were given imperial crowns, in connection with their invasions of Judea and the siege of Jerusalem. Faces as faces of men: The faces of the locusts, as men, identifies the symbolism with the imperial armies invading “the holy land” as swarms of locusts. It is not a new form of apocalypse at all. The prophetic vision in Joe 1:1-6; Joe 2:1-4 was the description of the invasion of the land of Judea by the armies of the north (1:6; 2:20), as a baneful swarm of locusts, having both animal-like and humanlike forms-“The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen so shall they run.” These visions of Joel, and of other pre-exile prophets, foretold the fall of Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar, having besieged the city, shut its inhabitants within the walls, inflicting upon them all the horrors of famine, pestilence and war, eventually burning the temple and its buildings, razing the walls, and reducing the city to rubbish and ruin–all the dreadful horrors of which were depicted by both Jeremiah and Joel. As the prophet Joel’s apocalypse of the invasion of locusts concerned the Jerusalem of about B. C. 600, this vision of John’s apocalypse concerned the Jerusalem of A. D. 70, when Vespasian and Titus executed the imperial orders of Nero to besiege and destroy the city, the miseries of which exceeded all of its calamitous history before and after. “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that desolation is near . . . for these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” Luke 21:20; Luke 21:22. “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:22. “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation, which God created unto this time, neither shall be.” Mark 13:19. The cumulative evidence is preponderant that John’s visions encompass the invasion of Judea and the fall of Jerusalem described by Jesus in the records of Matthew, Mark and Luke.

Revelation 9:8

Revelation 9:8. Hair of women . . . teeth of lions; this is a very interesting combination. In 1 Corinthians 11:15 it is shown that women are expected to have long hair (that being the only distinction between the hair of women and that of men as far as the appearance is concerned.) Women are supposed to be milder and less harmful in their natural disposition. Hence when these creatures first appear they are regarded as women and thus would not be suspected as being such as needed to be avoided. But they had teeth like those of lions which indicates that they were in reality a dangerous group of creatures. That is a true picture of the clergy of Rome, including all from the pope down to the humblest priest. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 8.The locust features: “And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth as the teeth of lions”–Revelation 9:8.The hair of women: The kind of insect forming this vision was that of the hairy species referred to in Jeremiah 51:27 as “rough caterpillars,” or the “cankerworm” of the Revised Version, but is admittedly the variety of the devouring locust with a sort of bristling long hair. The comparison with the hair of women is because of the feature that draws attention, as the waving hair, the abundance of which is the woman’s natural glory– John 11:2; John 12:3; 1 Corinthians 11:14-15. It is used as a figure to impress the personality of the locust creatures of this vision. The teeth of lions: The same figure is used in Joel’s vision of the army of locusts, which signified that “a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.” (Joe 1:6) It is a symbol of strength, as the frequent expression to put teeth in legislation, and is designed to personify the locusts of this vision.

Revelation 9:9

Revelation 9:9. A breastplate is a piece for the protection of the vital parts of the body. The apostate church stood behind its clergy and gave them all the protection necessary. Sound of their wings. The locusts have wings literally and since the symbolism is still drawn from those insects it is appropriate to mention that part of their anatomy. Yet we know it is not to be taken literally, for the rest of the verse represents them sounding like war chariots drawn by horses going into battle.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 9.The locusts of war: “And they had breast plates as it were of iron”–Revelation 9:9.Breastplates of iron: The breastplate is the armor of war. Its figurative use here is sufficiently obvious, showing the symbolic locusts to be men of war, and the whole scene descriptive of the Vespasian march on Jerusalem. The locusts were seen as haberdashed with breastplates of iron, as if shielded by the Roman soldier’s impenetrable coat of mail, encompassing the vital portions of the body. The figure of “iron” connected with breastplate denotes the irresistible force of the armies of invasion. Sound of wings as chariots: The whirling of myriad wings of the locusts were in sound as the wheels of bustling chariots and hustling horses racing to battle. Here again John joins Joel in the imagery of war in their respective visions of the locusts. Describing the Chaldean armies as swarms of locusts in their march on Jerusalem B.C. 584, Joel said: “The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run. Like the noise of chariots on the tops of the mountains shall they leap . . . as a strong people set in battle array.” The locust visions of Joel and John are parallel–the former describing the Old Testament war of Nebuchadnezzar on the Jews, the latter the Neroan war of A. D. 70 on Judea and Jerusalem. Joel referred to the locusts as “people set in battle array,” or battle formation. John referred to the locusts as “chariots running to battle.” The parallels and the applications are unmistakable.

Revelation 9:10

Revelation 9:10. This is the same as verses 3 and 4.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 10.The Power to hurt: “And they had tails like scorpions, and their power was to hurt men five months.” - -Revelation 9:10.Tails like scorpions: This is a reemphasis of verse 5 with extended detail. These were unusual locusts, showing that they were figurative, not literal. The locusts had tails like scorpions–unlike the serpent that coils and strikes with the head, the scorpion strikes with its tail. The usual length of the scorpion was about two inches, but large scorpions of the deadly species exceeded six inches. Its sting produced violent convulsions, excruciating pain and death. In this vision it symbolizes the deadly striking power of the invading army. Power to hurt five months: In verse 5 the expression is “tormented five months”; here it is “power to hurt men five months.” The season of the locust was from late spring to early fall of the year, May to September in our calendar. The expression five months, being the whole season of the locust, figuratively denotes the activity of the persecuting powers through the period of tribulation without surcease.

Revelation 9:11

Revelation 9:11. See the remarks at verse 1 for the meaning of bottomless pit. The angel of this place would mean some outstanding character who was in partnership with the influences of that domain. The capitalized words of this verse are used by John as proper nouns, but in Bible times most names of persons had special meaning. That of the ones in this verse means “destroyer,” and it is certainly an appropriate name in view of the destructive work and tendencies of the leaders of Rome. This king or angel would be either the pope or some special member of the clergy who had unusual success in controlling the others. It is noteworthy that John connects this evil arrangement with the bottomless pit which is the abode of fallen angels called demons. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 11.The king of the pit: “They had a king over them which is the angel of the bottomless pit”–Revelation 9:11.A king, angel of bottomless pit: The king “over them” –over this ferocious locust army, was the angel-king of the abyss; he was Satan personified in the persecutor. As in later chapters (Revelation 12:9-12 Revelation 20:2) the dragon-beast, the old serpent, “was called the Devil, and Satan which deceiveth the whole world,” the king of this army of the abyss was Satan himself, represented in the persecuting power. Undoubtedly, Paul has reference to the persecutor when in Romans 16:20 he said, “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.“In early chapters reference was made to the “synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9); “Satan’s seat” (Revelation 2:13); and the “depths of Satan” (Revelation 2:24). The epithet itself means adversary, enemy, accuser. It comports fully with the symbolism of these visions that Satan, angel-king of the abyss, should be personified by the persecutors in this vision. Abaddon, Apollyon: The Hebrew word Abaddon means “destroyer.” The Greek word Apollyon means the same. The word Satan means “adversary,” but in this vision the adversary was given power to destroy. Verse 9 above says the power was “given.” Jesus said to Pilate: “Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above.” (John 20:11) By reason of this power of destruction personified, the angel-king Destroyer (Abaddon-Apollyon) was so designated. It was most apropos to so entitle the impious leader of such a monstrous army of horrid creatures of the abyss, to thus liken the literal emperor of the Roman world to the figurative king of the underworld. The depths of Satan is the boldest delineation, the personification of whom code language alone could allow, as in a later chapter it was again done in the name and number of the beast. And to so label this monarch of oppression a despot; the destroyer in both of the two spoken languages– Abaddon and Apollyon, the Hebrew and Greek–was a challenge to boldness which must have excited courage and inspired fortitude in all the suffering saints.

Revelation 9:12

Revelation 9:12. Two woes more is a reference to the statement of the angel in chapter 8:13, who announced that three woes more were to be pronounced against the inhabitants of the earth. One of them has been announced and two more are waiting to be sounded. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 12.The woes: “One woe is past, behold there come two woes more hereafter”–Revelation 9:12.In Revelation 8:13 the flying angel announced three woes to enhance solemnity. Now, it was John speaking, not the angel, not the eagle, not one of the elders, nor one of the creatures, but John. As if to mark by count the three woes announced by the angel in Revelation 8:13, in recording tones John said: “One woe is past: and, behold there come two woes more hereafter.“A retrospective comment is in order here on the meaning of the expression “third part” in the beginning of the fifth trumpet–Revelation 9:7-8 Revelation 9:10 Revelation 9:12 –finds explanation in the three woes, each announcement of the angel representing a third part of the whole realm of the woes.

Revelation 9:13-14

Revelation 9:13. The golden altar was in the first room of the tabernacle and placed by the vail that separated the second room. Just through the vail was the ark where God met with the high priest to speak to him. Hence the voice John heard was coming from the presence of God.

Revelation 9:14. The voice was giving instructions to the sixth angel. The river Euphrates is a significant subject in connection with God’s people. The ancient city of Babylon was situated on its banks, which was the capital of the first of the four world empires. The word “babylon” came to mean confusion and was finally applied to the great institution of the apostate church, concerning which we are now reading in our studies. It was fitting, therefore, that these four angels should be represented being located in this river.

The particular events which they were to announce are not named, but the train of happenings is not interrupted. It means that the disciplinary treatment which the dupes of Rome were suffered to have come upon them was continuing. It will be well now to read the comments at 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12. There it will be seen that God sent certain judgments upon the citizens of the apostate institution, using their own people and practices as the instrument by which judgments were to be sent. That is what is going on in our chapter, and the four angels are merely some of the specific agencies within the corrupt institution for this epoch in the punishments. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 13-14.The loosing of four angels–(sixth trumpet)– Revelation 9:13-21.The symbolism of the sixth trumpet like that of the fifth, is a parallelism of imagery with Joel’s vision of horsemen and chariots surging in battle. The symbolism is the same because the events envisioned are of the same character, the one pertaining to the war of the Chaldeans against the Jerusalem of Joel’s era, the other to the war of the Romans against the Jerusalem of John’s era. The visions carry the same import, and hence present the close similarity in the figures of horses, heads, tails, and of armor and chariots and embattled armies. The four angels: “A voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God . . . saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, saying, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates”–Revelation 9:13-14.A voice from four horns: The voice here is that same voice of authority “in the midst” of the throne of Rev 6:6. Not the voice of any one of the angels, creatures or beings of the scene, but the voice from within, “in the midst” of them all. It emphasizes the source of all divine revelation, from within the throne itself. Here, in the sixth trumpet vision, the voice came from the four horns of the altar-four horns, but one voice proceeding from them. There were four angels, in Revelation 7:1, “holding the four winds of the earth.” The same four angels were in this scene of chapter 9, and there were four horns on the altar –a horn to convey a divine message, an order, to each of the four angels; but the one voice from the four horns signified one message–the same for all. The horns were of the altar “which was before God,” so the voice from the horns was the voice of direct authority from God. The voice was not personified, as of an angel, or any representative, but was simply designated a voice of direct command from the altar “before God” to the angel of the sixth trumpet. Loose the four angels: As the voice from the altar of this scene is the same voice from within “the midst” in chapter 6, so the four angels here are the same four angels “holding the four winds of the earth” in chapter 7. The four angels there, as explained, were the imperial angels or agents holding the winds that they should not blow: that is, hindering the messengers of the gospel, preventing the spread of Christianity. A heavenly angel, referred to as another angel, countermanded the orders of the imperial angels, restraining them from the performance of their mission “to hurt the earth” by holding back the four winds –the messengers of Christ–and the four imperial angels were commanded by this angel to “hurt not the earth.” Now, the voice from the altar “before God” commanded the angel of the sixth trumpet to “loose the four angels.” The suspension period designated as time to “seal” or to preserve “the holy seed,” the true Israel, the symbolic number of one hundred forty-four thousand, had been accomplished, and it was time for the four angels to proceed. Again, the scene was comparable to the promise to the faithful disciples of time to escape the siege of Jerusalem, and the flight from the city was described in all three records of Matthew, Mark and Luke. Josephus records that after the siege had begun for some unknown reason Vespasian withdrew his armies to such distance and for such time for the flight of the disciples from the city to the mountains to be accomplished. It is a remarkable parallel to this scene of Rev 7:1-17, where the angels of destruction were ordered to wait “till we have sealed the servants of our God,” and a suspension was signified in this vision as that recorded in the accounts of Mat 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:1-38, the fulfillment of which according to Josephus is historical. The command to “loose” these angels of destruction was in contrast with the command of Rev 7:2 which restrained, or bound them. That these four angels were bound is further evidence that they were evil angels, the angels or agents of destruction “standing on the four corners of the earth,” poised to blast Jerusalem with destructive horror, and in consequence blight the earth by “holding the four winds,” preventing the promulgation of the gospel to its four corners. Bound in the great river Euphrates: The Euphrates river is named in Genesis 2:13-14 as a fork of the river of Eden. Moses called it “the great river” in Genesis 15:18 and Deuteronomy 1:7. It was designated by the Lord to Moses as the eastern boundary of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 11:24, and restated as a part of the promise to Joshua after the death of Moses (Joshua 1:4). It was the border by which David established his dominion (1 Chronicles 18:3), when he went in conquest to recover that part of Canaan lost to the savage neighbors of enemy nations. (2 Samuel 8:3) In Psalms 137:1-3 the Psalmist said that by the river Euphrates the Israelites in captivity wept. In no less than two dozen scripture passages it is called “the river,” indicating geographical, historical, and biblical importance. From the regions of this river the Assyrian and Chaldean armies had in the past swept over the land of Israel like an overwhelming flood. (Isaiah 7:20; Isaiah 8:7-8; Jeremiah 46:10; Habakkuk 1:6-11) The symbolical allusion to “the great river” in this sixth trumpet scene has a two-fold significance. First, the four angels were said by the voice to be bound in, or at, the river Euphrates. To be bound means to be held at the border of the land. The Euphrates being the border, the four angels of destruction had been countermanded for the time; hence, bound “in the great river Euphrates” at the port of entry to the land doomed to their destruction. Second, the ruler of the Euphrates region was symbolically called the “rod” of wrath and anger, and the “staff” of indignation sent against “an hypocritical nation.” (Isaiah 10:5-6) The sixth angel was therefore commanded to “loose the four angels which were bound at the great river Euphrates,” as the symbolic allusion to the indignation and destruction poised at the borders to sweep the land and overwhelm its inhabitants. To literalize it serves only to destroy the imagery, and in so doing the apocalypse itself, as is so usually done when literal constructions are placed on symbolical things.

Revelation 9:15-16

Revelation 9:15. The hour, day, month and year are exact periods of time when literally considered, but they are to be understood in the same light as “five months” in verse 5 which the reader should see. Likewise he should see the comments at chapter 8:9 for the meaning of third part.

Revelation 9:16. The number of the army-is another exact figure if taken literally, but the meaning is that a great army was serving the interests of the evil institution. And I heard the number of them. The conjunction and is not in all copies and it is unnecessary, for the sentence means that John was not sizing up the army personally but the number was announced to him. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 15-16.The cavalry legion: “The four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, a day, a month, a year, to slay third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them”–Revelation 9:15-16.The four angels loosed: The voice in verse 14 commanded the angel of the sixth trumpet to loose the four angels. In verse 15 the sixth angel obeyed the voice, “and the four angels were loosed” to go unrestrained to execute the mission suspended in Revelation 7:3. Prepared, hour, day, month, year: It is noted that “an” hour is the article “the”–it is the hour, used with hour only, not with day, month and year. Hence, “the hour and day and month and year” denoted the suspension time, the period of intervention, during which these four agents of evil were “prepared”–their armies massed for attack, waiting for the time of Rev 7:3 to be over, and for the directive, in military parlance, to unleash the armies, the dogs of war. To slay the third part of men: The sounding of the trumpets was accompanied by the announcement of three woes. With the fifth trumpet, John interposed that “one woe is past, and behold there come two woes hereafter.” (Verse 12) In Revelation 11:14, John interrupts the vision again to say “the second woe is past, and behold the third woe cometh quickly.“In chapter 9 the apocalypse envisioned the armies of the Euphrates under the imagery of swarms of locusts numbering twice ten thousand times ten thousand. It was a figure of overwhelming military might that descended on Judea and Palestine. The apocalypse presented a two-fold catastrophe: 1. the tormenting locusts which brought the demonic plagues; 2. the armies of the Euphrates which brought the demonic wars. The swarms of locusts were said to hurt men; while the armies of the Euphrates were said to kill men. The two-fold vision of destruction symbolized famine and sword.

The first part of the vision to hurt men was accomplished in the ravages of pestilence by famine; the second part of the vision to kill men was executed in the devastations of war by the sword. The terrible atrocities of the armies of Titus, Cestius Gallus and Vespasian, were recorded in the historical annals of eye-witnesses, who saw the armies overrun Judea and who witnessed the fall of Jerusalem, such as Josephus and Pliny; and in the works of the near-contemporary historians, Tacitus and others. Since the judgments contained in the trumpets are divided into three woes, each directive is accordingly applied to “a third part” of the mission, which expression is repeated with each extension of the sixth scene. In Revelation 6:8, where the judgments were symbolized in the opening of the seals, the division was called “the fourth part of the earth” in contrast with “the third part of men,” in Revelation 9:15. The division of the parts is made proportionate with the pronouncements of judgments or woes. The scene consisted of a series of four judgements in chapter 6 and of three woes in chapter 9; hence, “the fourth part of the earth” and “the third part of men” proportionately. Two hundred thousand thousand: At this point the vision transforms “the four angels standing on the four corners of the earth . . . to whom it was given to hurt the earth” into the immense army of two hundred thousand thousand, or twice ten thousand times ten thousand, which counted literally would compute the figure of two hundred million. This was not a numerical count of the conscripts composing this army, but the symbolic description of immensity so overwhelming as to make human resistance impossible. And I heard the number of them: The number of this mighty army was proclaimed to John, not in visionary form, but as being audible–“I heard the number.” It was another interposed statement, as of verse 12, containing the overtones of an overpowering onslaught.

Revelation 9:17

Revelation 9:17. Some commentators see an invasion of heathen armies into the domain of the Roman Empire. No doubt things of that nature took place at certain times through the centuries. However, the fundamental background of the vision being shown to John has not been changed, hence I believe all these descriptive phrases are symbolical of the fierceness of the judgments which the dupes of Rome brought upon themselves. For that reason I shall not attempt any further comments on the descriptions. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 17.The apocalyptic horses: “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, having breastplates of fire, jacinth, brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.”–Revelation 9:17.Thus I saw . . . in the vision: In the manner of the narrative John “thus” saw these things–that is, not in physical life, not actual or real, but “in the vision”–therefore, it was not a description of fleshly animals, material armor or human riders, but symbolic of the woes to befall the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of the Jews. Breastplates of fire, jacinth, brimstone: In verse 9 the army of locusts had breastplates of iron, to signify an impervious shield. Here “them that sat” on the horses, the horsemen, and “breastplates of fire, jacinth and brimstone” denoted the glittering colors of the bedecked armor. Jacinth, known also as hyacinth, resembling amethyst (Exodus 28:19; Exodus 39:12), was an opaque stone consisting of crystallized quartz, a gem of dark blue-violet or purple-like color; the oriental amethyst belonging to a variety of sapphire mentioned frequently in the Old Testament; an ancient gem of brilliance and beauty, next to the diamond in lustre and hardness. Brimstone was a sulphuric mineral substance of inflammable potency and yellowish hue, the fumes of which were odious and suffocating. It is figuratively employed in Job 18:15; Isaiah 36:9; and in Revelation to symbolize the terrible condition of suffering and punishment, temporally or spiritually, pertaining to both the present and the future state. Fire, aside from its natural uses, was variously used in both Old and New Testaments as a metaphor of divine presence, as a purifier of intense emotion either of love, anger or hate, of the execution of penal judgment on men and nations and of the future eternal punishment of the wicked, all of which uses are figurative and carry the full intensity of the word in all of its connotations and applications. The “fire, jacinth and brimstone,” of verse 17, were used to figuratively describe the irredescent glitter of the horsemen’s armor, in the glowing red of fire, the blue-purple hue of the hyacinth, and the smokish yellow of brimstone. The blending colors signified also the mingled sufferings to be inflicted with the awful intensity of fire and brimstone, as indicated by the corresponding expression in the same verse, that “fire, smoke and brimstone” proceeded from the mouths of the horses. The vision of two hundred million horsemen bedecked in armor of fire, jacinth and brimstone, riding horses with heads “as the heads of lions,” with mouths issuing “fire and smoke and brimstone,” presents a monstrous picture of the approaching speedy execution of judgment on Jerusalem. The figurative use of these terms as metaphors of misery and woe is unquestionable when compared with the context of the several other passages in which the phrase “fire and brimstone,” and similar expressions occur. In an imprecatory psalm against his enemies David said, “upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone . . . this shall be the portion of their cup.” (Psalms 11:6) Prophesying God’s judgments upon Gog, Ezekiel said: “I will rain upon him . . . and upon the many people that are with him . . . an overflowing rain . . . hailstones, fire and brimstone.” (Ezekiel 38:22) Describing similar judgments on wicked nations and their rulers, Isaiah said: “The Lord will come with fire . . . to render his anger with fury and his rebukes with flames of fire . . . for their worm dieth not, neither shall their fire be quenched.” (Isaiah 66:24) The allusion here is to that accumulation of filth and putrefaction in the valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, always alive with worms, and its everburning fires day and night, to consume these sources of pestilence. From “Hinnom” was compounded the word Gehenna, which the Lord used to denote the word “hell.” In the application of the figure to the torments of hell Jesus said: “Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched”– Mark 9:44; Mark 9:46; Mark 9:48. The use Jesus made of these words cannot be applied literally to the torments of souls in hell any more than the language of David, Ezekiel and Isaiah could be applied literally to the rulers of the nations against whom they were inveighing. As a metaphor of eternal banishment from the presence of God, Jesus used the expression “outer darkness,” like “outer space,” a darkness beyond the physical darkness of this world. In reference to the misery of such banishment he used the phrase, “weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” An amateur in exegesis should recognize the figurative character of these expressions. So it is in the use of the word “fire” to indicate the intensity of suffering beyond degree: “Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched”–remorse is the worm and anguish is the fire–where remorse of conscience will never end and anguish of soul will never cease. In an almost identical association of metaphorical phrases employed in the Psalms of David, in the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel and in the discourses of Jesus on Jerusalem, the visions of John employ the expressions “fire and smoke and brimstone” to describe the plagues of the four angels turned loose; and the atrocities which attended the invasions of their monstrous army were as smoke ascending from the fire of hell.

Revelation 9:18-19

Revelation 9:18. See the comments at chapter 8:9 for the significance of third part.

Revelation 9:19. These creatures were invested with powers at the two extremities of their bodies, which indicates how complete was the agency that God suffered to come upon the citizens of the corrupt organization.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 18-19.The deadly plagues: “By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails”–Revelation 9:18-19.By these three: The three symbols of three atrocious plagues, fire, smoke and brimstone were a three-fold description of catastrophe and destruction in the terrors of the four angels loosed to hurt the land–“by these three was the third part of men killed.” Power in mouth and tails: A symbol of spreading destruction before them, “issued out of their mouths,” leaving only devastation behind them, “for their tails were like serpents,” and as the horses had heads like the heads of lions, their tails were not only like serpents, but their tails had heads like serpent heads. “And with them they do hurt”–that is, using their tails to do harm, with devastation from the rear as well as destruction that issued from their mouths. It is the description of the deadly scourge in the path of the invasion before this army and in its wake behind, sweeping everything before, leaving nothing behind ; as a scorched earth and burnt land. It is an extension of the appalling picture of the complete desolation mentioned by Jesus, in Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20, which followed the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. The same description is given by Joel of the invasion of Judea by the Chaldeans in the sixth century B.C. “A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as the garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness.” (Joe 2:2) Of this same invasion of Old Testament history, Jeremiah said: “And I will send . . . the king of Babylon . . . and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants . . . and will utterly destroy them . . . and make them an hissing and perpetual desolations . . . and this whole land shall be a desolation; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:9-11) Numerous other examples could be cited but these are sufficient to show that when comparison is made between these historical visions concerning Jerusalem of the era of six hundred B.C. with the visions of John concerning the Jerusalem of A.D. 70, their application is not only obvious but unavoidable.

Revelation 9:20-21

Revelation 9:20. The worship of devils and other “forms of idolatry that are mentioned refers to the worship of dead “saints” that was practiced by the members of the apostate church. They also introduced images into their churches and they would fall down before them (even as they do in our day) which constituted the idol worship condemned here. Repented not. Notwithstanding all the hardships that had been brought upon the leaders and many of their followers by their corrupt practices, the others (rest of the men) did not “learn their lesson” so as to be induced to repent.

Revelation 9:21. These are literal crimes which doubtless many of them comwitted, for it is well established that the apostate church deals in all of such means to further the interests of the corrupt institution.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 20-21.The demon worshiper: “The rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands–neither repented they of their murders, fornication, sorceries, nor their thefts”–Revelation 9:20-21.The rest of the men: This referred to the residual number specified to be survivors of this second woe, pronounced on “the third part of men.” They are described as being guilty of the “worship of devils,” which covered all the idolatrous objects immediately mentioned–“which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk,” classified as “idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood”–all of which declared to be “the works of their hands.” To include all these categories of idolatry under the blanket indictment of “the worship of devils” was in keeping with the law of the Jews, which proscribed all idol worship as homage “unto devils,” and was branded as religious whoredom in the Mosaic law. “They shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute forever unto them throughout their generations.” (Leviticus 17:7) Again, in the song of Moses it is said: “They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared (worshiped) not.” (Deuteronomy 32:17) The apostle Paul upholds the Mosaic statute on that point, having himself lived under it as a Jew: “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God, and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” (1 Corinthians 10:20) Those survivors here designated as “the rest of the men” were evidently that residue of Jewish people who were classed as adherents of Jezebel, and as holding the doctrine of Balaam in the letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2:14 Revelation 2:20)–the apostate Israelites “of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie.” (Revelation 3:9) Reference to the comments on these verses in chapters two and three will spare further discussion of the symbolic names of Jezebel and Balaam here. Because of her determination to exterminate the prophets of Israel and to sabotage the nation of Israel by idolatrous worship, her name stood for infamy among the people of Israel, and was used in the apocalypse of Revelation to symbolize the Judaizers in the churches. The name Balaam carried a similar symbolic connotation, because of that mongrel prophet’s seductive schemes to destroy the people of Israel by means of heathen practices. Thus the figurative phrases “the doctrine of Balaam” and “that woman Jezebel” originated, as representative of that element in the churches “which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie.“In the present context the phrase “the rest of the men” apparently referred to that residue classed as adherents of Jezebel, and further identified with “the doctrine of Balaam”–chapter 2:14–“who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication.” The language of this vision describing those Jew–Israelites as practicers of these prohibited things was largely an adaptation of the language of Isaiah in forecasting an extolling allegiance to the Holy One of Israel amid the idolatries of the nations: “At that day shall a man look to his maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. And he shall not look to the altars, the works of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves or the images. In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation.” (Isaiah 17:7-10)These “men” who avoided the plagues of the second woe were those Jews who were affiliated with those things defined in verse 20, and the parallel passages cited, and “repented not” of these “works of their hands”; but their escape from the tribulations of the woe did not secure immunity from the condemnation of disloyalty to the God who recompensed to all men their evil. Neither repented . . . murders, sorceries, fornication, thefts: The category of evil things were the flagrant crimes of Jezebel, recorded in 1 Kings 21:14-15 and 2 Kings 9:22, and again connects “the rest of the men” of these verses with the Jezebel apostates. While the idolatries of verse 20 and the crimes of verse 21 were all in violation of both tables of the decalogue, they were not to be applied literally in this vision-their idolatries, murders, sorceries and thefts belonged to the spiritual category for which those sensual things stood. Abandoning Christianity for the praise of princes was as idolatry; deserting Christ to escape malediction was murder of his Cause; turning from the principles of the faith to the arts of magic was a broad definition of sorcery (Acts 13:6; Acts 19:13), of which there seemed to be a rather numerous party. (Colossians 2:18-23) And theft does not consist only in the violation of the eighth commandment–seducing men was spiritual theft. (John 10:8-10; Matthew 15:9; Jeremiah 23:30; 1 Timothy 1:10) That fornication has a figurative as well as physical meaning goes without saying. (Revelation 2:21; Revelation 19:2; 2 Chronicles 21:11; Revelation 17:5) Apostasy is spiritual fornication. Thus “the rest of the men” is a phrase designating apostate Israelites, guilty of the entire category of spiritual crimes, of which they “repented not”–verse 20; “neither repented” –verse 21. This dual emphasis on the impenitence of these apostates was for the four things representative of apostasy both under the decalogue of Moses and the gospel of Christ. First, murder: This crime exists in fact in the malicious act of taking human life (2 Samuel 13:28; 1 Kings 21:19; Mark 15:7; Exodus 22:2-3; Deuteronomy 18:9; Numbers 35:27-31) It exists in principle in seeds of wrath, hate, retaliation, oppression, and all of its evil consequences. (James 4:2; James 5:6; Romans 1:29; 1 John 3:15) It exists in effect in vicarious sufferings, reproaches, and afflictions. (Psalms 44:22; Romans 8:36; 1 Corinthians 15:30-32; 2 Corinthians 6:9; John 8:44; Job 5:2; Job 24:14) It was a flagrant, odious and abominable crime. For intentional murder there was no legal pardon, nor ceremonial remission. (Deuteronomy 19:13; Deuteronomy 21:9; Exodus 21:14; Exodus 21:28-29; Numbers 35:30-34) Figuratively, it represented a spiritual degeneracy of the emotions of love and loyalty which leads to betrayal and destruction of righteous causes and men. It is a fitting characterization here. Second, sorceries or magic: This was a professional part of divination, described in Exodus 7:11; Deuteronomy 18:10; Acts 8:9; and Acts 13:6. It was a system of pseudo-divinity belonging to the dark demon world, as mentioned in Acts 16:16-18. It was an essential element in false religions and was held in opposition to the true religion of the Jews, as in Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Jeremiah 14:14. It was prevalent among Jews, many of whom believed in it and resorted to it, as stated in Samuel 28:3-20. In whatever form it was regarded or practiced it was reproachful to the Mosaic religion and to Christianity, and was reprobated in both the law and the gospel. The writings of the prophets are full of invectives against Israelites who consulted diviners and of the false prophets seducing the people by means of it, examples of which are Jeremiah 14:14, and Ezekiel 13:6-7. Again, here was a fitting characterization of the Jewish apostasies. Third, fornication: This is a term of frequent occurrence in all the sacred writings to denote acts of lewdness and of incontinency. It is used for the sin of impurity in 1 Corinthians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 7:2 and Jude 1:7. It is used for the sin of adultery in Matthew 5:28-32 and 1 Thessalonians 4:3. It is used for the sin of incest in 1 Corinthians 5:1. It is used for spiritual and religious infidelity, apostasy from truth and right in 2 Chronicles 21:11 and Revelation 19:2. In the spiritual sense it denotes the unfaithfulness of the Israelites because the union between God and Israel was set forth as marriage. (Jeremiah 3:9; Ezekiel 23:37; Isaiah 23:17) Jesus upbraided a faithless God-denying and Christ-rejecting age as “an adulterous generation” in Matthew 12:39.

The mingling of error and evil with that which was true and pure in teaching, worship and practice was spiritual adultery. It applied to participation in heathenism or affiliation with any false system or practice. (James 4:4) It was truly an apt use in this present scene. Fourth, theft: The term here referred to the deceptions of any form of stealing. It was applied physically to the unlawful taking of anything that belongs to another, as in Exodus 20:15; Job 30:5 and Luke 10:30. It was applied morally, or ethically, to fraudulence, as in Matthew 21:13. It was applied doctrinally and spiritually to seduction, to seducers of doctrine, as in Jeremiah 7:9; Jeremiah 23:30, Ezekiel 13:10; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:13 ; 1 John 2:26 and Mark 13:22. In this sixth trumpet scene these words are employed figuratively, not literally. It was spiritual murder, in the sense of traitors to the Jewish cause, and betrayers of their brethren. It was spiritual sorcery in the magical influence exercised over the Jewish population. It was spiritual fornication in adulterous affiliation with the false systems of deism, pantheism and paganism. It was spiritual theft in the stealing of the truth from men’s hearts and God’s way from their lives. The correctness of the characterization of the “rest of the men which were not killed by the plagues,” and who “repented not” of the category of figurative crimes, as the residual number of the Jewish people, is supported by the corresponding Jewish history of the same period. The sins listed in the category of verses 20 and 21 were typical of all Jewish apostasies from the law of Moses promulgated from Mount Sinai and which was preached in all the synagogues. “Thou camest down upon Mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments . . . by the hand of Moses thy servant.” (Nehemiah 9:13-14) “For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.” (Acts 15:21) But the residue of this nation were those to whom John said, “0 generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come,” (Matthew 3:7 f); and whom Jesus called an “offspring of vipers” (Matthew 23:28-33). These were condemnations of which hypocrisy and iniquity made them deserving. Among them arose a legion of false prophets and seducers to lead them astray, particularly true in the very period of the calamities portrayed in the vision of these trumpet visions and of corresponding description in the records of Matthew, Mark and Luke on the destruction of Jerusalem. “And there shall arise false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24) “And they shall show signs and wonders to seduce.” (Mark 13:22) “And ye shall be betrayed . . . and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.” (Luke 21:16) Later, before these things came to pass that were thus foretold to mark the latter part of that period ending with the fall of Jerusalem, inspired apostles were issuing warnings against all such seducers and their doctrines, with all the resulting wickedness. “Now the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (2 Timothy 4:1) “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.” (2 Timothy 3:1) These apostolic admonitions correspond with the warnings of the Lord in the discourse on Jerusalem, and are descriptive of the same Jewish apostasies of the residual number in the closing scene of the sixth trumpet vision. The drawing of these parallels was in full accord with the teaching of the passages cited in reference to the times, with the history of that period, and with the purpose of the apocalypse. The voice from the four horns of the altar commanded the angel of the sixth trumpet to “loose” the four agents which were “bound” in or at “the great river Euphrates” (verse 14) was the ominous announcement of encompassing desolation. It is a geographical fact that the Euphrates river formed the boundary of the Roman empire at the time of the Jewish-Roman war, and their army installations and concentrations were there where the legions of this vision were said to be “bound.” It was therefore in harmony with all the facts, scriptural and historical that the mighty cavalry of the Euphrates portrayed in this trumpet was the immense Roman army which marched against Jerusalem and initiated the terrible siege resulting in all the desolation foretold by Daniel and depicted by the Lord in pointing up the fulfillment. Matthew’s account reads: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand), then let them which be in Judea flee.”– Matthew 24:15-16. Luke’s record reads: “And when ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Jerusalem flee to the mountains.”– Luke 21:20-21. Here Daniel’s vision, in chapters 9 and 12 of his prophecy, were merged with the signs of the Lord’s Jerusalem discourse and with the like symbols of John’s apocalypse. To search the distant future for a fulfillment of these symbolic descriptions, not only reduces both the text and the context of Revelation to confusion, but renders meaningless all of the passages which apply with such clarity and so full of force to that period. The interpretations which remove these events of the symbolic history from the Neroan period of the apostolic century, and assign them to centuries later and yet to come are rank anachronisms. Any attempt to explain these visions by the rise and fall of the successive monarchies, through the centuries from them till now and on to the end of time, would necessarily continue the existence of the armies symbolized in this vision for periods ranging from five to twenty centuries, which not only destroys all practical applications of the symbolic descriptions to the people to whom they were addressed, rendering them impossible to understand, but it furthermore declares an open season for the maneuvering, manipulation and juggling of events of history to fit a manufactured theory. But viewed in the light of the application of the symbols of Revelation to the period of time in which the people lived to whom the visions were addressed, all such anachronisms disappear.