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| This is the New King James text of the passages. |
Revelation 9-12 Listen 
Let's get our Revelation bearings
That fifth trumpet judgment comes with critters! (Revelation 9:1-12)
1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7 ¶ The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
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 sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
12 ¶ One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
Revelation 8:13 (see notes) had mentioned three "woes" that were to come. These "woes," as it turns out, are the fifth, sixth and seventh trumpet judgments. The "woe" terminology seems to indicate the traumatic impact of these three judgments. Notice from verse 9:12 that the first woe is equivalent to the fifth trumpet judgment.
This fifth angel introduces a "star" who opens up a hole in the earth and these wicked-looking little creatures (generally described as "locusts" aka "grasshoppers") ascend out of it. That "star" is personified in verse 2. Notice what Jesus said about Satan in Luke 10:18 (see notes), "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." It seems relatively safe to conclude that Satan is the "star" and holds the key to the bottomless pit. So...what is this "bottomless pit?" Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 12:40 (see notes), "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Study the notes on Matthew 12:40, and I think you will conclude with me that this "bottomless pit" is a reference to "hades." The demons of Luke 8:31 (see notes) made a request of Jesus, "And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss."
Apparently there is a corridor leading to “hades” that reaches the surface of the earth...somewhere. Up to this point, that corridor has been sealed. Jesus, himself, holds the key to this bottomless pit according to Revelation 1:18 (see notes), "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death." So, it appears that Jesus gives the "key of the bottomless pit" to the "star" for the purpose of releasing these creatures. That's the fifth trumpet judgment.
These loosed creatures only sting the bad people ("those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads") on earth; they don't bother the saved people. They are intelligent little beings with organized leadership ("Abaddon" aka "Apollyon," who is described as "the angel of the bottomless pit"). Actually, "Abaddon" is used in the Old Testament a half dozen times in conjunction with "sheol" and is translated "destruction." Moreover, the sting of these critters is so painful, those who are stung will want to die, but the sting is not fatal. Suicide attempts will be futile. You will also notice that they do not harm the vegetation on the land. This misery upon the wicked lasts for five months.
That sixth trumpet judgment comes with a huge army of...something! (Revelation 9:13-21)
13 ¶ Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is 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 and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 ¶ But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
Are these things that are loosed by the angel of the sixth trumpet human or supernatural? You must admit, they're waaaaay scary looking - supernatural I think - all 200,000,000 of them. It doesn't seem to be the description of an army of humans, as some teach. However, even some of the leading scholars in the area of Bible prophecy, such as John F. Walvoord ("Every Prophecy of The Bible"), are open to the possibility that this represents an incredibly large East Asian army of humans, despite their supernatural-sounding description. Whichever, they kill one third of the wicked people on earth. But do the remaining people on earth repent because of this supernatural judgment of God? NO! This is that second woe, but it is not stated as such until 11:14 (see below).
Note that these angels were loosed at a specific time. Their purpose was to slay 1/3 of the remaining inhabitants of the earth. With 1/4 having been slain as a result of the fourth seal of Revelation 6:8 (see notes), this additional 1/3 leaves about half the original population.
With this assault on the ungodly, why won't they choose to turn to God? Salvation is not about a grasp of the facts; salvation is about "faith." Psalm 10:4 says, "The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts." Romans 10:17 (see notes) says, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
A little intermission (Revelation 10)
1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
5 ¶ The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven
6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,
7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
8 ¶ Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 ¶ So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” ¶ And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 ¶ Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
At this point John has an episode with an angel presenting a scroll, and he hears seven thunders. John hears audible words from the seven thunders of the angel's voice. Apparently there are judgments associated with these thunders much like the seal, trumpet and vial/bowl judgments. However, John is told not to write about the seven thunders. He didn't, so we don't know anything about their prophetic content. Likewise, the scroll was obviously more bad tribulation news. The fact that it was sweet to the mouth and bitter to the stomach (indigestion) perhaps is an indicator that sometimes good-sounding news turns out not to be so.
This angel swears by God (verse 5-6). The Greek phrase there literally reads in verse 6 "that time no longer shall be." That does not speak of the suspension of time. It literally means the tribulation is drawing to a close. This "seventh angel" referenced here in verse 7 actually sounds in Revelation 11:15-19 (see below). He introduces the seven "vial/bowl" (Greek: phiale i.e. bowl) judgments. The intensity of these vial/bowl judgments would dictate that they occur in the last few days of the tribulation period. At that point, the "mystery of God should be finished." Daniel wrote in Daniel 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy." Daniel's prophecy is fulfilled at the end of the tribulation when the "vision" will have been "sealed up."
This passage sets us up for the tough times of the tribulation in successive chapters.
While John does say in 10:1, "I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven," this is not the seventh angel with the seventh trumpet judgment. That seventh angel is clearly first introduced in 11:15. This angel is NOT Jesus Christ. The word “another” is from Greek: "allos" which means another that is similar. Whatever his mission, it is worldwide in scope.
It is worth noting that Ezekiel received his prophecy to the exiled Jews in Ezekiel 3:1 (see notes) through a scroll he was directed to eat. Ezekiel's scroll was sweet to the taste, but did not give him indigestion as seen here in verse 10. He was told to take the words and go prophesy to the exiles. His prophecy to them involved exposing their wickedness with an appeal to repent.
The two witnesses (Revelation 11:1-14)
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.
2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 ¶ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
7 ¶ When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three–and–a–half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 ¶ Now after the three–and–a–half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 ¶ The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Let's outline a brief time table for the tribulation.
The first portion of chapter 11 doesn't flow with the chronology of the trumpet judgments; we're still in that intermission that began at the beginning of chapter 10 (see above); the chronology resumes in 11:15 (see below). In verses 1-14 of this chapter we have two witnesses that prophesy for 1,260 days or 3 1/2 years. So, is that the first half of the tribulation or the last half of the tribulation? Or...perhaps it overlaps the two - difficult to nail down. However, I've concluded that this period probably coincides with the last half of the tribulation. The Bible doesn't say for certain. Identifying the witnesses is a little easier - Elijah and Moses. The acts done by these two witnesses are those previously performed by those two prophets. Also, at the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 (see notes), it was Elijah and Moses who appeared with Jesus. Now, there are those that insist that Enoch, not Moses, must be the other witness. They believe so based upon the fact that both Elijah and Enoch were caught up without dying. However, keep in mind, with the rapture having taken place prior to the tribulation, there will be a host of people in Heaven who will have not died. Therefore, I'm sticking with the the Mount of Transfiguration crew, Moses and Elijah.
These two witnesses have powers. They issue a deadly fire toward their enemies, and they have power over the weather, the water supply and can "strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire." Oh...one more thing: Elijah is prophesied in Malachi 4:5-6 (see notes) to precede the coming of the Messiah. This is obviously it.
Jerusalem "the holy city" is still the domain of Gentiles today...including the temple area. The antichrist kills them and leaves them in the streets. There's a celebration involving the giving of gifts at their deaths. After 3 days they are resurrected and taken up right in view of their enemies followed by an earthquake which kills seven thousand people. The saved in the tribulation ("remnant") rejoice at the sight of their resurrection. If their prophesying is to take place within the second half of the tribulation, they will need to get a start in their prophetic ministry prior to the abomination of desolation to allow the days necessary for their deaths and resurrection prior to the Battle of Armageddon in Revelation 19:11-21 (see notes). It could be that the mention of 1,260 causes us to feel that we must force their ministry exactly into one half or the other, when it really probably starts just prior to the abomination of desolation (see notes on Daniel 9:24-27, II Thessalonians 2 and Matthew 24:15 ). As a matter of fact, the introduction of the seventh trumpet judgment in 11:15-19 (see below) has an earthquake associated with it in verse 19. Due to the severity of the judgments associated with the seventh trumpet (it includes the seven vial/bowl judgments), it seems logical to assume that these seven vial/bowl judgments are closing in on the end of the tribulation period. The best fit seems to be to place the death and resurrection of these two witnesses here, perhaps a few days before the end of the tribulation itself. If that's the case, their prophetic ministry will begin a few days before the mid point of the tribulation and end a little while before the Battle of Armageddon.
There's another reference to 3 1/2 years in this passage in verse 2 regarding the temple that will exist during the tribulation. Again, does this 3 1/2 years coincide exactly with the last half of the tribulation? Perhaps not, but the linkage to verse 3 would suggest that this period does coincide with that of the two witnesses prophesying. This temple is definitely not the millennial temple described in Ezekiel 40-41 (see notes). Ezekiel's temple won't fit on the existing real estate. Click here to read about Ezekiel's temple. That being the case, this temple has to go before the millennial temple of Ezekiel is to be built! Perhaps the earthquake of 11:19 (see below) takes it out as well.
In verse 14 the chronology resumes (though for a short time), and we are told that the second woe is completed, awaiting the third and last woe. Therefore, that second woe was obviously the judgment of the sixth trumpet angel in Revelation 9:13-21 (see notes).
The seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15-19)
15 ¶ Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 ¶ Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
Verse 15 introduces the seventh "trumpet" angel who declares that the end of the tribulation is now in sight and that the Kingdom of God/Heaven is nearing being established on the earth. This will be the culmination of all the Old Testament prophecy concerning the Messianic Kingdom - the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant (see notes). We saw these twenty-four elders first in Revelation 4-5 (see notes).
The seventh trumpet judgment is shown here, but without cataclysmic consequences on earth. It seems likely that this seventh trumpet must be the introduction of the seven vial (bowl) judgments that follow, just as the seventh seal judgment appears to introduce all of the trumpet judgments. We get a summary of the last few days before the end of the tribulation in these verses. Also, we get a glimpse of the real temple in Heaven in this passage, the presence of which is confirmed by Paul in Hebrews 9:11-28 (see notes). I'm convinced that this event marks the last few days before the end of the tribulation. You'll see that the vial/bowl judgments are so severe (all described in Revelation 16, see notes), the earth will be reeling from their effects. We're getting ready to see the final battle at the end of the tribulation (but we'll have to wait until Revelation 19:11-21, see notes).
A history of the conflict (Revelation 12)
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 ¶ And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
6 Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
7 ¶ And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 ¶ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
13 ¶ Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.
14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.
16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Here's another chapter that does not fit into the chronology. We call it a parenthetical chapter. These first six verses summarize the conflict between Israel and Satan. The woman is obviously Israel. Recall the dream Joseph had back in Genesis 37:9 (see notes), "Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me." Yup...the woman is Israel here.
The baby here is Jesus who was born out of Israel. The dragon is Satan along with a description of Satan incarnate (the one found in Daniel 7:7-8, see notes and Revelation 13, see notes), the beast (aka antichrist). The stars of Heaven are fallen angels along with the description of their fall which is expanded in verses 7-9; that part is historical. Verse 4 is an obvious reference to Herod's attempt to destroy the Messiah by having the babies slain (Matthew 2, see notes). Yet future Messiah references are found in verses 5-6 which happen to coincide with Old Testament prophecy. One such prophecy is found in Isaiah 9:6-7, "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." There's your ruling in Revelation 12:5. The ascension of Jesus in Acts 1:9-11 (see notes) is referenced also here in verse 5 where the Acts account reads, "Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.'"
The fact that the woman flees into the wilderness characterizes the last half of the tribulation ("a time, and times, and half a time" rendered as "time"-1 year, "times"-2 years, "half a time"-6 months, totaling 3 1/2 years) as describes by Jesus himself in Matthew 24:15-51 (see notes) when he was describing the last half of the tribulation. Chapter 12 fits cleanly into the prophecy by Jesus described in Matthew 24:15-51.
Incidentally, many prophecy teachers feel strongly that the exact place to which the remnant of Israel will flee is east on the other side of the Dead Sea into the mountainous region of Bozrah ( in current-day Jordan). This position is based upon Micah 2:12 (see notes). That scenario seems likely.
Michael is referenced in verse 7, just as he is in Daniel 12:1 (see notes), "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book."
We see in this passage Israel surviving the tribulation even though being heavily pursued by the Satan himself, having assumed the human form of the Beast (aka antichrist) of Revelation 13 (see notes). God will miraculously deliver Israel out of the tribulation. So chapter 12 begins in Heaven before the garden of Eden and explains Satan's malicious tirade through the centuries all the way to the end of the tribulation. This sets up the Battle of Armageddon.