Bible Commentaries
Revelation 9

Verses 1-21

THE UNSEALED ARE SPOILED

During those days people will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. Revelation 9:6

With the sounding of the fifth trumpet we are introduced to a chastisement exclusively designed to harm evil human beings. Apparently it is an angel who comes down from heaven, opens the Abyss, and releases a deadly plague upon the earth (9:1-3). This is described as a plague of locusts, but the text makes it clear that it is otherworldly in its source (cf. Exodus 10:1-20).

These demonic powers, or whoever they are, have their mission restricted. They are told to afflict only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads (9:4). For five months they continue their torture (cf. Joel 2:1-11). People will seek death in their agony, but death will elude them (9:6). So we see something here that is much worse than death.

When the sixth angel sounds, a horrible worldwide disaster is released from the area of the Euphrates River (perhaps ancient Babylon). Two hundred million mounted troops are set free to kill a third of humanity (9:15). At today's population figures this would amount to about two billion people killed. The author, Warren Wiersbe, in calculating the various judgments of Revelation states that " – half of the world's population will be dead by the time the sixth trumpet judgment is completed."^(F1)

Still, after all this, we are told that sinful people are not willing to repent of all their deeds (9:20-21). Included in the deeds are sorcery, idolatry, murder and sexual immorality. It is interesting that the word sorcery (Gk. pharmakeion) always has a close connection to hallucinogenic drug usage, which is becoming the rage today.

Because of the incredible size of this army, and because of its description, it is likely that we are dealing partly with demonic hordes rather than with actual soldiers.