Revelation 9:7-12 meaning

The appearance and power of these beings who are tormenting humanity are explained in Revelation 9:7-12. The great star that has been cast out of heaven is a demonic being that could be Satan or one of his fallen angels. The star has been given the key to the bottomless pit, out of which have come locusts that have power to torment, much like the power of earthly scorpions (Revelation 9:1-6):

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. They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. 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. (vs. 7-9).

These demonic locusts bring great pain without death, similar to a scorpion’s sting. They might be called locusts because of their vast, swarming number that will fill the earth. We now get a description of their appearance, which is otherworldly and demonic.

War imagery is used to describe them, with their breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle (v. 9). This seems to imply that the locusts are going to war against humanity. That they have breastplates shows that they are armed for battle. They are highly mobile, having wings. This would indicate that they can cover the entire earth.

The demonic locusts also have crowns like gold on their heads, an image of authority. Perhaps at one point these were demons with authority that then overstepped their bounds and were thrown into the abyss as punishment (Luke 8:31, Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4). The demonic locusts also have faces that are like the faces of men. It seems these demonic beings have at least in part taken on the form of humanity. They have long hair, like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. These sound like our modern notion of orcs—vicious man-like creatures with animal-like features like teeth of lions that make them look cruel and intimidating.

Their wings make a sound like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. This sound is added to the word picture of the swarm of locusts. The point seems to be that this is a real demonic army being deployed to rapidly infest the entire world. Inferred is that their vast number and mobility allow them to torment everyone on earth.

Earlier in Chapter 9, it was stated that “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” (Revelation 9:5). So we know that the term of their torment would last five months, but now we know that the pain of their sting will last for five months:

They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months (v. 10).

The sting of a scorpion is painful, but it only lasts for a little while. Yet there will be no respite from the torment of the locusts, who have power to hurt men that comes from their tails. Verse 6 told us that not even death will be an option as an escape from the hurt of the sting of the locusts.

That these locusts are demonic is further supported by the next verse, which indicates that the teeming horde is led by an angel, the angel of the abyss.

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 (v. 11).

These locusts have come out of the abyss, or the bottomless pit. And there is an angel who is the king over those in the abyss who rules them. This would seem to further validate the notion that these locusts are demonic beings who were incarcerated in the abyss for overstepping bounds set for them by God. They apparently learned the lesson that God is in control, and the locusts follow God’s rules and do not harm those who are sealed (Revelation 9:4).

Abaddon means “destruction,” and Apollyon means “destroyer.” So, the locusts are ruled by destruction and the destroyer as they torment men with the pain of their sting.

At the end of Chapter 8, three woes were proclaimed: “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” (Revelation 8:13). The word woe is repeated three times, once for each of the remaining three trumpet judgments. Now, we are told that the first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things (v. 12).

The first woe is the fifth trumpet that brought five months of painful torment upon the earth. It is now past. Now we will see the last two woes, which are the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments. All these judgements are likely taking place in the last three-and-a-half-year period of the seventieth week of Daniel, which is called by Jesus “the great tribulation” (Matthew 24:15, 21). This first woe lasts for five months, which is one sixth of three-and-one-half years.