Apocalipse 9
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Apocalipse 9:1-6
9:1 "and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth" There have been several theories as to the identity of this personified star who is called an angel. because the VERB is PERFECT TENSE, it could refer to Satan having fallen in the past and continues to be fallen from heaven (cf. Isa. 14:12; Ezek. 28:16; Luke 10:18; Rev. 12:9) because of the context it could be just another servant angel involved in God's judgment (cf. Rev. 20:1) Angels as falling stars are often found in the intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic literature. ▣ "the key of the bottomless pit was given to him" A "key" is mentioned in Rev. 1:18 and 20:1. It symbolizes authority. God exercises authority over the demonic hordes of judgment. The abyss is a Greek term that meant "depth" negated by an ALPHA PRIVATIVE. It is used in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) in Gen. 1:2; 7:11; Ps. 42:7; 107:26 for the depths of the waters of creation. In Ps. 71:20 it refers to the holding place of the dead. This is also true of I Enoch 18:12-16; 21:7-10; 108:3-6, where it is both a temporary and final prison of fallen angels. It seems to be synonymous with the term "tartarus" (cf. 2 Pet. 2:4 and I Enoch 21:7), a place where evil angels are held in prison (cf. Luke 8:31; Jude 6; Rev. 11:7; 17:8; 20:1-3; and I Enoch 10:4; 86:1; 88:1; Jubilees 5:6-11). Paul used this term (abyss) in Rom. 10:7 for the place of the dead (cf. Isa. 24:21-22). Later the rabbis said it was the name of the unrighteous part of Sheol/Hades Special Topic: Where Are the Dead? ▣ "was given" There is a series of PASSIVE VERBS in both chapters 8 and 9, which emphasizes God's control of both history and the demonic (cf. Rev. 8:3,7,8,11,12; 9:1,3,4,5). Often Jewish writers used PASSIVE VOICE as a CIRCUMLOCUTION for Deity's actions. 9:2 "smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace" This terminology is used in several senses in the OT: it accompanied the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Gen. 19:28) it accompanied the judgment of God on the nations (cf. Isa. 34:10) it accompanied the presence of God on Mt. Sinai (cf. Exod. 19:18) 9:3 "locusts" These are often used as symbols of God's wrath (cf. Exod. 10:12-15; Joel 1:4; 2:1ff) because they symbolized an invading army (cf. Rev. 9:7; Joel. 2:4-5, 7-9). 9:4 "They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree" These demonic forces are limited in their punishment. They must not destroy any plant life and they can only torment, but not kill, the unbelievers (cf. Rev. 9:5; 7:4); the believers are protected by God (as they were in the Egyptian plagues). ▣ "the seal of God on their foreheads" See full note at Rev. 7:2. It is an allusion from Ezek. 9:4. 9:5 "five months" Some interpret this time span as the life expectancy of a locust. However, it is possibly one-half the number ten, which would be another metaphor for a limited judgment (cf. Rev. 6:6,8; 8:7-12). ▣ "the torment of a scorpion" The sting of a scorpion is another OT metaphor (cf. 2 Chr. 10:11,14). 9:6 This is a direct parallel to 6:15-16, which may be additional evidence for the recapitulation theory among the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. This may be an allusion to the judgment of the faithless idolatrous Jews of Jerusalem in Jer. 8:2-3.
Apocalipse 9:7-11
9:7-9 "the appearance of the locusts" The physical description of these locusts is very similar to Joel 2:4-9 and also to a famous Arabian proverb that says, "locusts have a head like a horse, a breast like a lion, feet like a camel, a body like a serpent, and antennae like the hair of a maiden." This is obviously an allusion to the book of Joel in its description of: the lion's teeth (cf. Rev. 9:8; Joel 1:6) the vast number of chariots and horses rushing to battle (cf. Rev. 9:9 and Joel 2:5) 9:8 Some see this as a reference to the Parthian hordes, cavalry with long hair. These were known for their skill as mounted archers. The Romans feared these barbaric invaders. 9:11 "They have as king over them" Proverbs 30:27 says that locusts do not have a king, but this is an allusion to a demonic swarm, not physical locusts. ▣ "the angel of the abyss" The term "abyss" refers to the realm of the dead (cf. Rev. 9:1,2,11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1,3; and Rom. 10:7). See full note at Rev. 9:1. ▣ "his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon" The Hebrew (Aramaic) term meant "destruction" and the Greek term meant "destroyer." The Hebrew term was identified with Sheol, the realm of the dead (cf. Job 26:6; 29:22; 31:12; Ps. 88:11 Pro. 15:11; 27:20). Robert B. Girdlestone has an interesting comment on this term in his book Synonyms of the Old Testament: "This word is rendered "perish" in about a hundred passages. When used of persons it generally signifies death, when used of lands it implies desolation" (p. 273). In Job 28:22 it is personified along with Death. This personification is also characteristic of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic literature. This is somewhat unusual because the angel of death in the OT is a servant of YHWH (cf. Exod. 12:23; Job 15:21) or even a personification of YHWH (cf. Exod. 12:13,29). But here the angel seems to be the ruler of an imprisoned, demonic horde. This may be another way to show God's control of all things. Some have even asserted that as the emperors Nero and Domitian claimed to be the incarnation of Apollo, that this Greek name is a corrupted form and an allusion to Apollyon. There are two pieces of evidences to support this locusts were a symbol of Apollo the term Apollo and Apollyon both come from the same Greek root
Apocalipse 9:12
9:12 This verse links up with Rev. 11:14 and 12:2.
Apocalipse 9:13-19
9:13 "I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar" This is an allusion to the altar of incense in the Tabernacle (cf. Exod. 30:2,3,10). There are two altars mentioned in this section: the altar of sacrifice under which the souls of the martyrs were found (cf. Rev. 6:9-11), and the altar of incense upon which the prayers of God's people are placed (cf. Rev. 8:3-5). The horns were an OT symbol of power. Both the incense altar and altar of sacrifice had horns. See note at Rev. 8:3. Special Topic: Altar of Incense 9:14 "'Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates'" Those who are looking for historical first century allusions see this as the Parthian hordes just beyond the Euphrates River (see note at v. 8; i.e., the boundary of the Roman Empire, cf. I Enoch 56:5-8). Others, however, see this as an allusion to the OT where, as the four horses of the apocalypse are found in Zech. 1:8 and 6:1-8, these four angels seem to be another metaphor for God's appointed servants bringing judgment on a fallen, rebellious world (cf. Rev. 7:1). However, because these angels are bound, it may be a reference to evil angels (cf. Jude 1:6). These angels bring death to one-third of mankind (cf. Rev. 9:18). The northern part of the headwaters of the Euphrates River was the northeastern boundary of the Promised Land (cf. Gen. 15:18; Deut. 1:7; 11:24; Jos. 1:4). 9:15 "And the four angels, who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, were released" There is a DEFINITE ARTICLE with the term "hour," which implies the definiteness of this complete phrase. This is a reference to God's sovereignty and control of history (cf. I Enoch 92:2). This is a great help to those who are undergoing persecution. 9:16 "The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million" This is a symbolic number of the demonic hordes that engulf unredeemed mankind. This number is comparable to the myriads of angels who serve God (cf. Rev. 5:11; Deut. 33:2; Ps. 68:17; Dan. 7:10; Heb. 12:22; Jude 1:14). Again, to try to relate this to the modern nation of China is another example of forcing figurative literature into current history. The desire of Christians to figure out the future and impress each other with esoteric knowledge is a recurrent problem. 9:17-19 "the horses and those who sat on them" The description that follows sees the horses and riders as one unit. The real agents of death and torment are the horses themselves (cf. Rev. 9:19). The colors of the horses—red (fire), blue (hyacinth) and yellow (brimstone)—identify this particular demonic horde as related to the three plagues of fire, blue smoke, and sulphur mentioned in Rev. 9:18.
Apocalipse 9:20-21
9:20 "The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands" This is a clear, unambiguous statement of the redemptive purposes of these plagues (cf. Rev. 9:21; 14:6-7; 16:9,11; 21:7; 22:17). As God used the plagues on Egypt as a motivation for (1) Egyptians to believe and serve Him and (2) Israel to stay faithful and serve Him (cf. Deuteronomy 27-28), so these similar plagues were meant to turn unbelieving mankind back to their creator, but they refused. Their stubborn unbelief had become a settled state of rebellion (cf. Rom. 1:24,26). Special Topic: Repentance (NT) ▣ "the works of their hands" This an allusion to idolatry (i.e., the worship of demons, cf. Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37; 1 Cor. 10:20) mentioned so often in the OT (cf. Deut. 4:28; 28:36,64; 29:17; 32:17; Ps. 115:4-8; 135:15-18; Isa. 2:8; 37:19; 40:19-20; 44:17; Jer. 1:16; 10:3-5; Dan. 5:23; Mic. 5:13). Notice in the NT that idolatry is linked to the demonic (cf. Rev. 16:14; 1 Cor. 10:20; 1 Tim. 4:1). Special Topic: The Demonic (OT) 9:21 These four things (idolatry, murder, sorceries, immorality) are condemned in the OT (cf. Deut. 18:10-11,14,20; Exod. 22:18; Lev. 20:6) and they characterize the immoral lifestyle of the unbelievers (cf. Romans 1-2; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 18:23). This same inclusive group of unrepentant unbelievers is mentioned in Rev. 13:15-17; 14:9; 16:2,9,11. NASB, NKJV, NRSV, REB "sorceries" "magic" NJB, Peshitta "witchcraft" We get the English term "pharmacy" from this Greek word for sorceries (pharmakeia, cf. Gal. 5:20). This may have been a reference to magical potions or poisoning, like the wormwood mentioned earlier (cf. Rev. 8:11). In the ancient world drugs were often used to induce "religious" experience. Special Topic: Magic