THE REVELATION
OF ST JOHN THE DIVINE
CHAPTER 9
John also sees the wars and plagues poured out during the seventh seal and before the Lord comes.
[Continuation of the theme from chapter 8. In D&C 77:13 we find that these events are to occur in the beginning of the seventh thousand years.
Q. When are the things to be accomplished, which are written in the 9th chapter of Revelation?
A. They are to be accomplished after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of Christ.]
1 AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. [ The wicked of the earth are lead by satan - he who was cast from the Fathers presence. If one holds the keys then he or she is given certain power - he satan gives the keys to this man - or he is bestowed with the powers of satan - to act in his stead. One of this powers is the power to make war see Rev 13:5-7; the other is the power to perform miracles see Rev 13:11-15. Presumably this event refers specifically to the second beast joining forces with the first beast, as detailed in 13:11-18. It cannot refer to the rise of the original beast, as the first beast and his followers are assailed with the preceding four soundings/plagues according to the ch. 16 account, cf. 16:2. ]
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; [ The lowest cavens of sin - where men are the basest, they operate for their own greed and power, to destroy everything and anything that is good. Often done thru acts of war were the rules of society and God do not apply. Verse 7-10 denote that this man will release the plague of war upon the world. ] and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts [ Joel compares the invading Assyrian armies as a plague of locusts, cf. Joel 1:4-6, Joel 2:25. The Assyrian hordes were so large they covered and consumed everything, they were unstoppable and insatiable.] upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. [Verses 3-10 use text simular to that of other OT prophets when they describe the invading Assyrian armies which sacked and scattered the northern Ten Tribes of Israel, cf. Joel 1:4-7, Amos 7:1, Nahum 3:15-17, Dan. 11. Here they are apparently used to describe the armies of the beast. ]
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, [ The fifth and sixth angels are assigned their ministry of cleansing the earth but they are not ‘to torment or destroy those who have the “seal of God in their foreheads.” The symbolic green plants represent the faithful, the "fruitful", people of the Lord, cp. 7:3, Ps. 1:3, ct. Joel 1:7. ] neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. [ Those not sealed or annointed as righteous in 7:3. as in Ex 8:1-4. "The seal of God in the forehead symbolizes a protection much like the lamb’s blood that ancient Israelites in Egypt placed on their door frames to protect them from the destroying angel (see Exodus 12:13). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the sealing of the faithful in their foreheads “signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and election sure” (in History of the Church, 5:530). For more information on God’s name written in the forehead of the righteous, see the commentary for Revelation 22:4." https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/new-testament-student-manual/revelation/chapter-54-revelation-4-11?lang=eng " ]
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: a [ Interesting that 5 months is the life of a scorpion, so is this literal or figurative? ] and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, [ This probably refers to those who are under the Lord’s covenant, or members of the church. However, all others will be tormented until they “seek death and shall not find it.” ] and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, [ Symbolism drawn from the Gentile barbarians that afflicted Israel early in her history, cf. Deut. 32:42. ] and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. [ Compare Joel 1:6. ]
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
[ “During this particular period of the war and desolation the evil forces will be directed against all men, save those sealed up unto eternal life, for those in Zion shall be preserved. The plagues and torments of this era shall so afflict men that they shall desire to die rather than to suffer more. “In prophetic imagery John here seeks to describe a war fought with weapons and under circumstances entirely foreign to any experience of his own or of the people of that day. Joel, subject to the same limitations of descriptive ability, attempted to portray the same scenes in these words: [Read Joel 2:1–11.]
“It is not improbable that these ancient prophets were seeing such things as men wearing or protected by strong armor; as troops of cavalry and companies of tanks and flame throwers; as airplanes and airborne missiles which explode, fire shells and drop bombs; and even other weapons yet to be devised in an age when warfare is the desire and love of wicked
men.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:502–3.)
"Many of those who take the visions factually see such depictions as these as descriptions of modern armies and weaponry. Though it is true that the last days will be filled with war, taking these images too literally causes us to miss the point." https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-14-no-1-2013/teaching-book-revelation-five-considerations#_edn39 ]
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.[ Both of these names (Abaddon & Apollyon) mean "destroyer" or "destruction". John tells us that this is the angel of the bottomless pit. He gives his name in Hebrew and Greek. Both the Hebrew and the Greek words come from the roots meaning “to destroy” or “destruction.” Thus the name signifies “the Destroyer,”. Remember that not all who destroy are evil for example the destroying angel in Egypt at the time of the passover. See Ex 12:22-23. What else do we know about this detroyer? That he is righteous, because we see what he does, he eventually is the one who locks up Satan for a 1,000 years during the millenium - so that leaves out satan here. See Rev 20:1-13. Joseph Smith provided this information about one of the facsimile's that make up the Book of Joseph which he was working on prior to his death. He said "The inner end of the same roll. (referring to Joseph's record) presents a representation of the judgement: At one view you behold the Savior seated upon his throne, crowned, and holding the sceptres of righteousness and power, before whom also, are assembled the twelve tribes of Israel, the nations, languages and tongues of the earth, the kingdoms of the world over which satan is represented as reigning. Michael the archangel, holding the key of the bottomless pit, and at the same time the devil is being chained and shut up in the bottomless pit. But upon this last scene, I am able only to give you a shadow to the real picture." Messenger and Advocate Volume 2 (Oct 1835-Sept 1836), Vol 2 Dec 1835 no.15 232-237. ]
12 One woe is past; [ This denotes the end of the woes from the fifth angel. ] and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. [ Which are the sixth found in verse 13 and the seventh found in Rev 11:15. ]
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. [ From the reference to the Euphrates it is safe to assume this army is being symbolically equated with ancient Babylon, through which the Euphrates runs. Ancient Babylon is the nation which conquered Judah and Jerusalem in Ezekiel's time. "in the great river Euphrates", the IV/JST emends this to "the bottomless pit", similar to v. 1-3. This emendation is curious because the army in v. 3-10 is rhetorically connected with the ancient Assyria. And v. 14-21 is describing another army, which would be connected with Babylon. The reference to the Euphrates in 16:12 is left unchanged. Apparently Joseph Smith's intent was to convey the idea that both armies were being driven by hell to destruction. Had it been to change the meaning away from the symbolic equation with Babylon he would have changed the 16:12 reference as well. ]
15 And the four angels [ Apparently the same four angels referenced in 7:1. D&C 77:8. ] were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. [ But in the end over a third of mankind will be destroyed. ]
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: [ During the raging wars over two hundred million men will be under arms. So no matter where you looked that was all that you could see. ] and I heard the number of them.
[ Obviously he could not count them so he was told. ]
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, 1)by the fire, and 2)by the smoke, and 3)by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. [ Here is an amazingly accurate description of the highly mechanized instruments of war that will be employed. ] .
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works [ The purpose why the Lord allows such destruction to occur - to cause men to repent. Lev. 26:40-45. When they fail to repent, the slaughter, misery, and destruction continues. Nevertheless, in spite of all this period of turmoil and bloodshed the people not only refuse to repent but become more depraved and debauched than ever. Joseph Smith was asked the specific time when the 144,000 would be foreordained and sealed he said: “In the sixth thousand years or the opening of the sixth seal.” D&C 77:10. but later Joseph Smith was asked, “When are the devastating things to be accomplished which are written in the 9th chapter,” he replied: “After the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of Christ.” 24 as we shall see later, the coming of the ten lost tribes and the ministry of the 144,000 to every nation just before the Second Coming, all occur after the opening of the seventh seal. D&C 77:13. ] of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: