Revelation 9:1-12 – The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
“The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.” Who, or what was the “star” that fell from the sky to the earth. John does not here give us the answer. Previously, in Revelation 8:10 it also states that a “star” fell from the sky (It damaged fresh waters on the earth). That star is in all appearances, not a person or a being. However, this star is different. This star is given a key. That would lead us to believe this star is a person or a being. But who, or what?
It is believed that this is either Satan, or one of his subordinates. Isaiah 14:12-15 may give a clue that it is Satan that is seen here. In Luke 10:18 Jesus tells “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Some use these verses to say it is Satan Himself who is referenced here. Though these verses may seem convincing, we must remember that John does not identify that it is Satan. That John does not attribute this star to be Satan seems to be, in and of itself, a kind of proof that it is not. John is not shy about identifying Satan as he does seven times in this book (Revelation 2:9, 2:13, 2:24, 3:9, 12:9, 20:2 and 20:7).
The star may be actual angel. Notice that the star itself is not bringing the judgement, but is merely doing the will of the Lord and releasing the demons from the Abyss. This could be the identity of the “star.” But, if so, why would the star’s descent to earth be referred to as “fallen?” Fallen brings with it not something like a controlled descent, but a forced descent that comes from loss of position. Therefore, it would seem to not be an angel.
The fallen star would seem to be a subordinate demon, though like anything in the Bible that is not clearly stated, dogma should not be applied.
“The star was given.” It is an important point that John repeatedly points out. That the perpetrators bringing the judgement may only do so as they are “given” the right to do so. God is in control. Always He is in control. This is evident as these judgements often have limits on them. God is in control. He always has been, always will be and always shall be. In that we have comfort. Praise the Lord!
“…given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.” The “key to the shaft” is not an actual key, but represents authority. He is given the authority to release the demons that are imprisoned in the Abyss. The Apostle Paul used the same word “abyssos” (transliteration) in Romans 10:7. He used it to refer as an abode of the dead.
In Luke 8:26-31 Jesus cast demons from a man they had possessed. There were so many demons in this man that they were called “Legion.” A legion, depending on the time period and who was included in the count, ranged anywhere from about one thousand to over five thousand. This possessed man was terrifying. They kept him chained hand and foot, but he would break his chains. The demons in this man, when seeing Jesus, ran to him, fell at His feet and begged for Jesus not to “torture” them or to order them in the “Abyss,” or the deep. Thus the Abyss was also a place where demons were often kept imprisoned. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia says this word designates “the farthest possible position downward” or “the remote opposite of heaven.” Heaven is where the God resides. These demons (the worst of the worst?” are imprisoned in the Abyss. These demons who are evil are imprisoned as far away from God who is good as possible. In fact, in a real sense, they are so far away as to seem infinitely so. The difference between these demons and their lord Satan (who also will later spend time in the Abyss) from the Lord God is infinite. Meanings of the original word include bottomless, unbounded and immeasurable, and so is the distance between God and evil. So will be the final distance between those who reject God and God. There is no hope of salvation for those who have rejected Jesus as Savior and Lord and died in their sins. There is no way back. Such is the abyss. Also such is the Lake of Fire that was prepared for the devil and his demons (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10), and will unfortunately will be the final abode for all who reject Jesus (Revelation 20:15).
For those who love the Lord, who have given their lives to Him, they shall forever live with God (1 Thessalonians 4:17), in His peace and His love. Family that is our fate! Praise God! What we see that will happen as related in Revelation is a constant reminded that Jesus said there are only two options for the final disposition for the soul of man. They are one is either with Jesus, or against Him (Matthew 12:30, Luke 11:23). Jesus says that there are no other options. Praise God that we belong to Jesus. Let us pray for each other and let us also remember to pray for those who do not.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.