Revelation 9
Lutheran reading notes
In Revelation chapter 9, the message of the gospel develops the theme of visions of Christ’s final victory and the new creation. Lutheran interpretation frequently emphasizes the proclamation of Christ, the distinction between law and gospel, and the promise of justification through faith.
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.
Revelation 9:1 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And he opened the bottomless pit; 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.
Revelation 9:2 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Revelation 9:3 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Revelation 9:4 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment {was} as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
Revelation 9:5 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Revelation 9:6 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Revelation 9:7 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as {the teeth} of lions.
Revelation 9:8 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Revelation 9:9 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power {was} to hurt men five months.
Revelation 9:10 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {Apollyon: that is to say, A destroyer}
Revelation 9:11 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
One woe is past; {and}, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13
And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Revelation 9:13 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
Revelation 9:14 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
And the four angels 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. {for an hour: or, at an hour}
Revelation 9:15 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And the number of the army of the horsemen {were} two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Revelation 9:16 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Revelation 9:17 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Revelation 9:18 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Revelation 9:19 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works 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:
Revelation 9:20 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Revelation 9:21 highlights final victory of christ and new creation with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.