Revelation 9:1

Revelation 9:1

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.

1. “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth…”

a. star [792 * aster][Strong: a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively:--star.][Thayer: a star.]

b. fall [4098 * pipto][Thayer: to descend from a higher place to a lower, to fall (either from or upon), to be thrust down, metaph. to fall under judgment, came under condemnation, to descend from an erect to a prostrate position, to fall down, to be prostrated, fall prostrate, of those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief or under the attack of an evil spirit or of falling dead suddenly, the dismemberment of a corpse by decay, to prostrate one's self, used of suppliants and persons rendering homage or worship to one, to fall out, fall from i.e. shall perish or be lost, to fall down, fall into ruin: of buildings, walls etc., to be cast down from a state of prosperity, to fall from a state of uprightness, to perish, i.e come to an end, disappear, cease, of virtues, to lose authority, no longer have force, of sayings, precepts, etc., to be, removed from power by death, to fail of participating in, miss a share in.]

c. The rest of the verse reveals this is an angel. Although the Greek word for “fall” is the same used in Luke 10:18 describing Satan falling from heaven, this is not an evil angel, for we see him again later in Revelation binding up Satan and throwing him into this same pit.

1).  Revelation 20:1-3 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

2. “…and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.”

a. bottomless [12 * abussos; a-an intensive; buthos-deep][Strong: a-as a negative particle; buthos-depthless, i.e. (specially) (infernal) "abyss":--deep, (bottomless) pit.][Thayer: bottomless, unbounded, the abyss, the pit, the immeasurable depth, of Orcus, a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth used as the common receptacle of the dead and especially as the abode of demons.

b. pit [5421 * phrear][Strong: of uncertain derivation; a hole in the ground (dug for obtaining or holding water or other purposes), i.e. a cistern or well; figuratively, an abyss (as a prison):--well, pit.][Thayer: a well, the pit of the abyss (because the nether world is thought to increase in size the further it extends from the surface of the earth and so resemble a cistern, the orifice of which is narrow)]

c. Dake believes this “bottomless pit” is different than “sheol” (hell) tartarus or gehenna or the lake of fire.

d. I believe it is basically the same place with different levels and compartments. Some examples are listed here. This pit is in the center of the earth.

1). Numbers 16:31-33 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

2). Ezekiel 32:21-24 The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:

Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.

There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.

3). Isaiah 14:9-15 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.