The Hebrew word means destruction; it is used also in Job 26:6; 28:22; Prov. 15:11.

The Greek word means destroyer. As the destroyer, Antichrist will do much destroying (Dan. 8:23-25).

In the first woe, the woe of the fifth trumpet, Satan falls from heaven to earth and Antichrist comes up from the abyss, and the two work together to torment man. Since it is at the fifth trumpet that Satan falls from heaven to damage the earth and persecute the people of God for three and a half years (6, Rev. 12:10, 12-17); and since it is at the same time (the last three and a half years) that Antichrist comes up out of the abyss to collaborate with Satan to torment people, persecute the saints, and blaspheme God (Rev. 13:5-7; 11:7); and since it is in the same three and a half years that the holy city, Jerusalem, is given over to the Gentiles for destruction (Rev. 11:2), the woe of the fifth trumpet must be the beginning of the most severe woes of the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21 see note Rev. 11:2^4f). The second woe, the woe of the sixth trumpet, and the third woe, the woe of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 8:13; 9:12; 11:14), must also be two parts of the most severe woes of the great tribulation. These three woes, with the damage from the sixth seal and the first four trumpets, will be a trial upon all those who dwell on the earth (Rev. 3:10).

The two woes are the sixth trumpet itself and the woe of the seventh trumpet (vv. 13-21; 11:14-15), that is, the seven bowls (ch. 16).

The blood of propitiation was put on the four horns of the golden altar, the incense altar, for propitiation (Lev. 16:18), i.e., for redemption. The voice that comes out of the four horns of the golden altar indicates that God's judgment on man is based on the redemption of Christ; i.e., it comes because men do not believe in Christ's redemption.

The angel of the abyss is the beast, Antichrist, who will come out of the pit of the abyss (Rev. 11:7; 17:8).

Verses 7 and 9 are very similar to Joel 2:4-5, 25, and Joel 1:6, which are words spoken concerning Israel. This, along with the fact that the Israelites need to be sealed by God (Rev. 7:3-8) to escape the harm of the locusts, may indicate that the woe of the fifth trumpet will come especially upon the Israelites.

Lit., the likenesses of the locusts were like.

The plagues of the first four trumpets are not directly upon man, whereas the woes of the last three trumpets are. Only the Israelites who have the seal of God on their foreheads will not be harmed by the demon possessed locusts (Rev. 7:3-8).

Lit., authority. So in vv. 10, 19.

Lit., authority. So in vv. 10, 19.

The locusts here are not like the locusts in Exo. 10:12-15, in that these have tails like scorpions, and stings, and they harm men (v. 10). They must be demon possessed, because they come out of the smoke that issues from the pit of the abyss, the dwelling place of the demons (v. 2).

The abyss is the dwelling place of the demons (Luke 8:31).

The star here refers to Satan, who will be cast down from heaven to earth. The angels are likened to stars (Job 38:7; Rev. 12:4). Satan, as the archangel, was the daystar (Isa. 14:12, lit.). In Luke 10:18 the judgment upon him was mentioned. Here, and in Rev. 12:9-10, is the execution of that judgment.

For the hour and day and month and year indicates that the four angels had been prepared unto the hour, plus the day, plus the month, and plus the year — altogether thirteen months, one day, and one hour — for the killing of men. The killing will last first one hour, then one day, then one month, and finally one year.

The two hundred million horsemen from the rising of the sun will join the war at Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16; 19:17-21).

The horses' tails here, which are like serpents, are more poisonous than the locusts' tails, which are like scorpions (v. 10). The locusts only torment men for five months (vv. 5, 10), whereas the horses kill the third part of men (vv. 15, 18). This means that the woe of the sixth trumpet is more severe than that of the fifth.

The goal of God's judgment is that men would repent.

In contrast to Psa. 115:5; 135:16, this verse does not say that the idols cannot speak, because the image of Antichrist does speak (Rev. 13:15).