Revelation 9
Verse 1-3 describes the first two woes. The trumpets 5 and 6.
The fifth trumpet brings a 5-month period of torment on the unbelievers of the earth. The ‘stat’ is either a angel of God (compare to verses 1:20 and 20:1) or Satan, the one who has authority over the pit.
The bottomless pit is the Abyss – the abode of evil spirits (demons).
The key represents authority. The smoke from the pit indicates fires below.
The locusts like creatures come out of the smoke. They are not literal locusts is indicated. In The Old Testament locusts are symbolic of destruction.
Considering the identity of their king and the Abyss from which they came.
These locusts probably represent demons. They are like scorpions- they can hurt people.
In the first 13 verses, John employs the image of a pit seven times to describe hell. Each pit being associated with demons, it is also associated with the unsaved. (Romans 10:7).
This image of hell may imply to darkness and imprisonment since pits were often used as prison in ancient times. Obviously the pit appears to be a place of torment and suffering.
Many have trouble believing God could ever make a hell, remember it was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Those who go to hell, are in essence choosing to spend eternity with Satan rather than with Christ.
In Revelation 9:1 and the 5th angel sounded, and John saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit
Revelation is hard to understand because John described things from the time he was alive. Not the way we see and know things.
We know that Jesus holds the key to the bottomless pit (hell) He took the key away from Satan when He was there, and went and preached.
Bottomless put literally means pit of the abyss. Mentioned seven times in Revelation.
It always refers to the prison where some of the demonic hordes are incarcerated, the place of severe torment and isolation.
Many people believe that satan reigns in some kind of kingdom in hell.
In Revelation 9:2 it says that he opened the bottomless pit and that smoke that arose from it was as a great furnace and the sun and air were darkened by this smoke. Some say it the great volcanoes erupting. And many natural disasters. From a spiritual standpoint this could be a time when people’s minds are darkened with false doctrines and evil thoughts.
God commanded Satan to carry out the punishment here. This covers the spiritual and the physical. God gave Satan back the keys so that he could continue to carry out this punishment.
Satan had the permission of God to afflict Job. The Bible says that Satan only comes to steal kill and destroy. (John 10:10, Luke 22:31,1 Peter 5:8).
The Abyss is the home of Satan and the demons. When Satan opens the Abyss, here come the demons in force to deceive and destroy. They had such a vicious nature that God had to bind them to keep the human race from being annihilated before the appointed time, but now the restraints are off.
And out of the smoke came forth locusts (demons). Upon the earth, and power was given to them. They were to,d not to hurt and grass of the earth or any green thing, or any tree. But only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
The demons have a king over them. (A angel of the bottomless pit -Satan). Whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek Apollyon- both names mean destruction or destroyer.
This is the one who seems to send the plagues that God sends to the followers of the Antichrist to hinder them from proselytizing among the uncommitted of the world.
It gives the tribulation saints some time to prepare themselves for the horrors of the soon to come Great Tribulation.
There will be a flood of false doctrine and defaming of the Lord. It will be a kind of religion of the flesh which is going on today.
After the true believers of God are raptured. There will be no light on earth. Satan will have control over the earth and what ever or who ever is left behind.
This part of the tribulation whether physical pain or torment from fall out causing sores and torture there is terrible suffering that is brought on by constant attacks from Satan for 5 months.
It is thought to be as Hiroshima, those who survived the bomb, wished they were dead. Great sores and deformities and torment beyond our comprehension took place. In many cases, it took 5 months to die. A terrible burn would have the pain of a scorpion’s sting.
Revelation 9:6 says, “And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Their torment will find no relief. Even their unimaginable attempts to end their misery in suicide will be unsuccessful.
This is just the first of the three woes
From Pity to Praise 