(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. (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. (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. (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. (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. (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. (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, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. (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. (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. (12) One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
The first thing to be noted in this account, by way of ascertaining the sense and meaning of it, is what is said, that to this star was given the of the bottomless pit, which clearly defines a person. For a star, literally considered, could not receive a key. So that here we gain one point towards our discovery. The next light thrown upon the passage is, that he is said to fall from heaven unto, the earth, that is, from the Church, frequently called Heaven, Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 21:2. Hence, the person alluded to must have been, by profession at least, of the Church, (that is, one who in words acknowledged Christ), before his fall from it. No w, there is no character in all the history of mankind, to whom it can be applied with such propriety as Mahomet, the false prophet. This impostor, as appears by his history, for a time professed Christianity. And what he hath said of Christ in his Alcoran, though most sadly perverted, shows what information he had acquired in head knowledge, concerning the Lord Jesus. Some, however, have thought, that the Pope of Rome is here meant. And some have thought, that both Mahomet and the Pope are alike intended. Certain it is, that both arose much about the same time, at the opening of the seventh century, about the year of our Lord God 600. But I think, that Mahomet is principally, if not altogether intended; because the transactions under the fifth and sixth trumpets, are chiefly, if not altogether, concerning the East; whereas the Pope's heresy is in the West. I confess, indeed, that the power here said to be exercised by him over the bottomless pit, best corresponds with the Pope, since by his, claims respecting purgatory, it should seem to be the most suited to him. But as the imposture of the false prophet, as well as the Pope both sprung from hell, it suits either, or both of them.
There is somewhat very striking in the account here given of opening the bottomless pit, and a smoke arising like the smoke of a furnace, to darken the sun and air. Whether Mahomet, or the Pope, their counsel is from hell. And the temptations of Satan, do not un-frequently darken the bright rays of Christ, the sun of righteousness, to his people's view. Not that Christ is himself obscured, for He shines forever the same. But his people, by reason of the clouds, do not always alike see him; just as the clouds in nature, which make sometimes a dark day. Angels above the clouds, in the clear atmosphere of the heavens, look down upon them, and they are not dark. It is only to us, who inhabit the regions below, which live under their influence, that are sensible of their quality.
I beg the Reader to make the same observation respecting these locusts as was before made of the key of the bottomless pit, that they, mean the persons of men: called locusts because of their number, and swarming as do those pernicious insects of the earth, and because of their deadly quality in poisoning. But that men are meant by then is evident, inasmuch as they were prohibited from hurting the grass, or herbage, or trees. It is men they were to hurt, and them only that were unsealed. There is somewhat very blessed in this information, for several reasons, and I pray the Reader not to overlook either.
First. It forms one of the sweetest thoughts, that the Lord had many then, and hath many now, of his hidden ones, in this Eastern part of the world, where the Impostor set up his standard, to oppose Christ; for otherwise, this precept, amounting to a prohibition, that they should only hurt those men which had not the seal of God in their foreheads, would have been unnecessary. I beg the Reader not to lose sight of this.
And, secondly. Let him take another precious thought from this passage, and observe, that God had sealed his people, though he permitted them, for wise purposes we cannot explain, to live under such governments.
And thirdly. Let him consider, that though now at this time, the awful delusion of this imposture hath continued for more than twelve hundred years, and is as great in its horrible tyranny over the consciences and bodies of men as ever; yet they of the Lord's people who are there still, are known to Christ, and known by Christ; and from time to time, are gathered out, and gathered home to Christ, to whom the gathering of his people must be, Genesis 49:10
Some have thought, and I see no reason to reject the observation, that by the grass which these locusts were prohibited from hurting, is meant, the humble followers of the Lord, who are low in the earth. And by the trees are meant the higher of the Lord's people, who are like the cedars of Lebanon. It may be so. But the most blessed thought is, that both, and every other, their safety is in being sealed, secured, and everlastingly blessed, in Christ. Come not near any on whom is the mark! Ezekiel 9:6
I do not mean to speak decidedly, when I say, I humbly presume, of what is said, that it was given to those locusts not to kill them, (that is, the Lord's people), but that they should be tormented five months, is meant, not in relation to their bodies; for, certain it is, the false prophet slaughtered many who refused to abjure Christ; neither to their souls, for their power reached not to this spiritual part; but to the electing grace of God in Christ, on which account they were sealed. And this view of the subject, if I am right, becomes a sweet and precious subject indeed! Was it not this (I ask the question), wherein Satan was prohibited, in the instance of Job? Behold! said God to the enemy, he is in thine hand, but save his life; that is, his person, according to the margin in Isaiah. Election is personal. Compare Job 2:6 with Isaiah 43:4
What is said of the figure of the locusts, their shape, and head, and crowns, together with their having a king over them, becomes only a confirmation that men are all along intended, and not reptiles. And here again, this authority is so much in resemblance both to Mahomet and the Pope, that it may be truly said, it is impossible to ascertain which it suits most. They are both properly called Abaddon, or Apollyon, which signifies a destroyer. Which hath destroyed most, is beyond all human knowledge to say; the Impostor of the East, or the son of perdition, as the Pope is elsewhere called, of the West, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. But both, we are told, shall be finally cast alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimstone, Revelation 19:20
Reader let us pause for a moment, over the solemn subject! What awful events did the fifth trumpet dispensation bring, in the permission of two such dreadful heresies to arise, one in the East, and the other in the West. Who would have thought, when the empire became Christian, though only in the name, and profession of it; that such events would follow? And what a mystery it is, even now, that those antichristian powers should remain down to the present era, through a period of more than twelve hundred years!
One word more, while we are in a world of mysteries. What a time Satan hath had, from Adam's Call, to the present hour, over the whole earth, yea, God's children also, while uncalled by grace; and what ten thousand sighs, and groans, hath he called forth by his cruelty, from every heart of our nature, from the first of creation, to the end of the time-state, for to that time his empire is to extend?
And doth the Reader ponder thee things with amazement, and do they appear to him perfectly unfathomable? Let him then turn his thoughts within, and for a moment study that world of iniquity; I mean his own heart. And, if so be that the Lord hath called my Reader, by his regenerating grace, to a new, and spiritual life in Christ Jesus; he will learn more at home, by way of explaining things abroad, than all the books upon earth (excepting the Book of God) can teach him on the subject, to all eternity.
In false prophets, and lying deceivers, we behold the word of God fulfilled. They were of old ordained to this condemnation: Jude 1:4. In Satan and his devices, we discover the cause of his malice; the devil is come down upon the earth having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time, Revelation 12:12. In all these, we discover from God's word, both cause and effect. But, when God chooseth the heart of a sinner for his temple, and He who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, prefers to abide there, which before was occupied by unclean devils; and instead of taking delight in making the heaven for his throne, and the earth for his footstool, sets up his throne in the broken and contrite heart, saying, here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein? here is a subject, enough to set all the world a wondering, and can only be explained by the words of God himself: my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord! Isaiah 55:8.