Revelation 9:11

• The king of the locusts is identified in three ways:

  1. as the angel from the bottomless pit, likely different from the fallen star in Revelation 9:1, who unlocked the abyss instead of coming from it;

  2. as Abaddon (meaning "destruction"), often associated with death (see Job 28:22; Psalm 88:11); and

  3. as Apollyon, the Destroyer (see 1 Corinthians 10:10).

• Although John does not directly link the devil with this king of the locusts, the prince of demons is associated with Satan in the Gospels (Mark 3:22–26; see Matthew 12:24–27; Luke 11:15–18). The New Testament also identifies the devil as the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) and the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), suggesting he likely represents Satan. There is also a link to the Roman emperor Domitian, whose patron god Apollo was symbolized by the locust.

The fifth trumpet is the first of the three terrors (Revelation 8:13). It brings a judgment of locusts from the bottomless pit, a place of horror. Ancient cultures thought the ocean depths, or the Abyss, was a home for demonic forces (see study note on Genesis 1:2).

The fifth and sixth trumpets show how God's judgment affects people worldwide and highlight how worthless it is to resist God. These judgments should lead to repentance, but they do not. Sin controls people so much that they choose to worship the evil forces that harm them instead of repenting and turning to God.

• The second series of judgments involves seven trumpets. Like the first series (Revelation 6:1–8:1), it includes a pause (10:1–11:14; compare 7:1–17) and concludes with a view of God's eternal kingdom (11:15–19; see 7:9–8:1).

• The trumpet judgments are similar to the ten plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7:14–11:10). They aim to show that earthly gods (or evil powers) are powerless and to clearly demonstrate God's power and control.