Verse 1: “And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star falling from the heavens to the earth and it was given to him a key to the bottomless pit/abyss.”

This star is not an inanimate object. It is another kind of angel.

Another transition occurs here. Up to this point, we have seen things coming from the heavens affecting the earth. Likewise, this star also comes from the heavens to affect the earth but, from here onwards, things come from within the earth itself to affect it. Hell, the abyss, comes to earth.

Verse 2: “And he opened up the abyss, and smoke arose from the abyss as the smoke from a great furnace. And the heavens and the sky turned dark from the smoke of the abyss.”

There is an emphasis on darkness. Darkness is coming upon this world. god’s purpose is to bring about redemption. (Exodus 12v29 – god began the work of redemption at night. In the midst of the night He struck down the firstborn of Egypt; at the darkest part of the night. Light shines the brightest in the midst of darkness) god will bring the effects of darkness, from the pit of hell, into this world, so that there is a stark contrast between the world of darkness and the god who is light. The light of the world – Messiah Yeshua.

Verse 3: “And from the smoke went forth locusts upon the earth, and it was given to them power – as the power of scorpions of the earth.”

This is a supernatural occurrence. god allows these things to happen so that people will have a chance to change their point of view. These locusts are very different from normal locusts. They are from hell and they love pain and destruction. god gives these people a taste of what darkness will be like – while they still have an opportunity to repent.

Scorpions have a sting that are extremely painful. god shows the people, who are still alive, the effects of sin. He reveals to them what the outcome of rejecting His truth will be, as well as what living in darkness feels like.

Verse 4: “And it was said unto them that they should not harm the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, or any tree, rather human beings; those who did not have the seal of god upon their foreheads.” (i.e. The 12 tribes of Israel)

A little bit of time has elapsed, since 8v7 where we saw that the grass/vegetation had all been burned up, and in this verse we see that the grass has grown again. These locusts are unique. They don’t do what normal locusts do – i.e. eat everything. They  don’t behave according to scientific explanation.

Harm…Human beings; those who did not have the seal of god upon their foreheads. – god, once again, affirms the uniqueness of, and makes a distinction between, the remnant of the people of Israel, and the nations who are not in covenantal relationship with god. (see also Exodus 8v22-23) Many people teach that, in the new covenant, there is no longer any significance about the land or people of Israel. This is an incorrect teaching. 

The gifts and call of god are irrevocable (Romans 11v29). god is not going to forsake His people indefinitely. In the 2nd half of Daniels 7 th week (Daniel 9v27) there is an emphasis on the Jewish lifestyle – sacrifice, offering, temple. Yeshua said that He is not coming back, to establish His Kingdom, until the Jewish people are ready to meet their Messiah and say: ‘Blessed is He who comes in

the name of the L-rd.’ (Matthew 23v37-39) god is calling His people to remember their covenant promises.

Verse 5: “It was not allowed for them to kill them, but to torture them for five months. And their pain was as the pain of a man struck by a scorpion.”

‘Our thoughts are not G-ds thoughts’… (Isaiah 55v8-9) Left to ourselves, we will always misunderstand god. Any ability to understand, or know, god is only through revelation, through the illumination of His Word.

The Holy and Loving god, who loves righteousness and truth and hates sin, is revealing Himself.

He wants people to understand the outcome of sin. It is a painful experience. This physical painthat they are going through is incomplete. It is not at full measure but is only a partial judgement. He wants to reveal to them that there is something worse than physical pain. Eternal death. (Matthew 10v28)

This is the extent that god will go to in order to bring people to repentance. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3v9).

Verse 6: “And in those days men will seek (with great intensity) death, but will not find it. And they will desire to die but death will flee from them.”

Verse 7: “And the appearance of the locusts shall be as horses arrayed for battle, and upon their heads were crowns as of gold. And their faces were like the faces of men.”

Verse 8: “Their hair was like the hair of women, and their teeth the teeth of a lion.”

Verse 9: “Their breastplates were as breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings were as the sound of chariots, with many horses, running to battle.”

The imagery here is very similar to the imagery used for warfare. These are ‘aliens’ from the pit of hell. This is a foreshadowing of what god’s judgement, or eternal damnation, of those who don’t repent is going to look like.

Verse 10: “Their tails were as the tails of scorpions and stings were in their tails. And they had power to torture men for five months.”

god gave these locusts’ power and authority. This is sharp punishment or discipline with the expectation or hope that some might be brought to repentance.

Verse 11: “And the angel of the abyss was king over them, and his name was Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek.”
Abaddon/Apollyon mean ‘destruction’; ‘that which brings about peril’.

Verse 12: “One woe has passed. And behold there comes two more after the first.”

The first woe was bad, but the 2 and one will be worse and the 3rd even worse. These people sought death; not a savior. They did not repent or call out to god to save them. Death is not an escape. It is a transition into either eternal life or eternal damnation. Yeshua went back to heaven to prepare a place for us, but He sent the Holy Spirit to counsel and lead us into all truth

(John 16v13). If people reject salvation they spend eternity in torment. They are foolish.
Foolishness, Biblically, is when you know something, but you will not respond to it or put it into
action.