1-2 The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth. The key for the shaft to the abyss was given to him. He opened the shaft to the abyss, and smoke came up out of the shaft like smoke from a great furnace so that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft. 3-5 Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth, and power was given to them like the power that scorpions have on the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only those people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads. They were not permitted to kill them but were to torment them for five months; their torment is like the torment caused by a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 In those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.

7-8 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. Something like golden crowns was on their heads; their faces were like human faces; 8 they had hair like women’s hair; their teeth were like lions’ teeth; 9-10 they had chests like iron breastplates; the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots with horses rushing into battle; and they had tails with stingers like scorpions, so that with their tails they had the power to harm people for five months. 11 They had as their king the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 The first woe has passed. There are still two more woes to come after this. Revelation 9:1-12 Christian Standard Bible

We come to the fifth of the seven trumpets which were to be sounded, and John sees fierce locust like creatures unleashed to bring anguish to people who were not sealed with God's ownership. A popular book in the 60's suggested that he saw the Attack Helicopters which we are familiar with today, but could only describe them in language the people of those days would understand. Many other Christians, however, believe that this was rather a picture of the terrible activity of demonic forces. What word comes to your mind when you think of locusts?

Many would say 'destruction'. A huge swarm of locusts can devastate the crops of a country and bring great hardship. But these locusts were not attacking crops, they were attacking people who had no time for God. (vs 3-5). They brought torment to those who were enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. But notice that it was for only a short period - so this was not yet the final judgement of God on the wicked.

Christians differ as to when all this will happen. The mention of 'five months' makes many believe it is a fearful event just before Christ returns. Demonic forces will be released from the spiritual prison they have been kept in so as to afflict the ungodly. Other Christians see it as dark powers that were at work in the world before and after Jerusalem was destroyed. But perhaps the most important thing is to note who the king and leader of these dark forces is. (vs 11)

Both 'Abaddon' (in Hebrew) and Apollyon (in Greek) mean “the Destroyer”! That would certainly be an appropriate title for Satan. What does it tell us about his character and his ambitions in the world?

It's interesting to compare these verses to Revelation 20:1-3 where we read: “I saw an angel coming down from heaven holding the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the abyss, closed it, and put a seal on it so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were completed. After that, he must be released for a short time.” So it could be that John was describing a time of increased demonic activity as Satan was allowed to do his worst just before Christ returns.

But the lesson surely is – notice who Satan hurts the most. It is not Christians – it is those who hate God! What a contrast to the ministry of Jesus who came to “proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set free the oppressed.” (Luke 4:18) Who is your King today?