Let us take a closer look at the 5th trumpet (Revelation 9:1-11). These verses are organized in a ring structure. The core of this passage is verse 6. Surrounding it, we find verses 3-5 and 7-10 in two rings. The outer ring consists of verses 1-2 and 11. The verses forming this outer ring address what lies behind the great evil described in the 5th trumpet. First of all, that is God. It is comforting to know that God is present in the evil we see in this world, which will only increase. We read in verse 1: “And I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth.” and then “and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.” Someone, for it is a person, is cast out of heaven and given power. God is above all. Let us always keep that clear in our minds. If He is our Father in Christ, who can harm us? What a call to go to Christ! It is not for nothing that we first encountered Him in Revelation 1. Let us be assured of a heavenly Father who is above all the rage and evil around us.
But “the star that falls from heaven” is the one who unleashes and directs evil. In verse 11, he is called “the angel of the bottomless pit.” In that same verse, he is called “king” of the hellish powers in the bottomless pit. His names are “Abaddon” and “Apollyon.” “The angel who is cast out of heaven” is Satan, who is cast out of heaven when Christ ascended to the throne. The 1000-year kingdom of peace has then arrived. We read about this in Luke 10:18, Isaiah 14:12, and Revelation 12:7-9. His Hebrew name is “Abaddon,” meaning Destroyer. His Greek name is “Apollyon,” which also means Destroyer or Devastator. That is Satan, God's great adversary. He is the Destroyer, as seen in the horror of the 5th trumpet. Satan is King over “the bottomless pit,” as described in verse 2. When Satan is cast out of heaven because Christ has completed His work of reconciliation, he opens the prison on earth where the evil powers are kept. The powers of darkness drive out the light on earth, and the smoke rising from the pit darkens the sun. The smoke penetrates everywhere, even into the hearts of unbelievers.
Although this picture is frightening, let us not lose hope. It is God who remains in control. We read in Revelation 12, Satan is cast out of heaven after Christ’s ascension. Satan has much power, but Christ has all power. When Christ, by grace alone, through repentance and faith, becomes our all in all, there is no reason to fear. Christ reigns. What a comfort!