91 Then the fifth angel sounded , and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth ; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 He opened the bottomless pit , and smoke went up out of the pit , like the smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit . 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth , and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power . 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth , nor any green thing , nor any tree , but only e the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads . 5 And they were not permitted to kill anyone , but to torment for five months ; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man . 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die , and death flees from them. 7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle ; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold , and their faces were like the faces of men . 8 They had hair like the hair of women , and their teeth were like the teeth of lions . 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron ; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots , of many horses rushing to battle . 10 They have tails like scorpions , and stings ; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months . 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss ; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon , and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon . 12 The first woe is past ; behold , two woes are still coming after these things .
13 Then the sixth angel sounded , and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God , 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet , "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates ." 15 And the four angels , who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year , were released , so that they would kill a third of mankind . 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two e hundred e million e ; I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone ; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions ; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 9:1-17
Commentary on Revelation 9:1-12
(Read Revelation 9:1-12)
Upon sounding the fifth trumpet, a star fell from heaven to the earth. Having ceased to be a minister of Christ, he who is represented by this star becomes the minister of the devil; and lets loose the powers of hell against the churches of Christ. On the opening of the bottomless pit, there arose a great smoke. The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by putting out light and knowledge, and promoting ignorance and error. Out of this smoke there came a swarm of locusts, emblems of the devil's agents, who promote superstition, idolatry, error, and cruelty. The trees and the grass, the true believers, whether young or more advanced, should be untouched. But a secret poison and infection in the soul, should rob many others of purity, and afterwards of peace. The locusts had no power to hurt those who had the seal of God. God's all-powerful, distinguishing grace will keep his people from total and final apostacy. The power is limited to a short season; but it would be very sharp. In such events the faithful share the common calamity, but from the pestilence of error they might and would be safe. We collect from Scripture, that such errors were to try and prove the Christians, 1 Corinthians 11:19. And early writers plainly refer this to the first great host of corrupters who overspread the Christian church.
Commentary on Revelation 9:13-21
(Read Revelation 9:13-21)
The sixth angel sounded, and here the power of the Turks seems the subject. Their time is limited. They not only slew in war, but brought a poisonous and ruinous religion. The antichristian generation repented not under these dreadful judgments. From this sixth trumpet learn that God can make one enemy of the church a scourge and a plague to another. The idolatry in the remains of the eastern church and elsewhere, and the sins of professed Christians, render this prophecy and its fulfilment more wonderful. And the attentive reader of Scripture and history, may find his faith and hope strengthened by events, which in other respects fill his heart with anguish and his eyes with tears, while he sees that men who escape these plagues, repent not of their evil works, but go on with idolatries, wickedness, and cruelty, till wrath comes upon them to the utmost.