Revelation 9:1; What is the Fallen Star?

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.

Robert L. Thomas observed well, “The fifth trumpet sets the tone for the last three trumpets through its specificity and independence of the two to follow. This feature marks the last three seals too. The seventh trumpet also resembles the seventh seal in the way it solemnly concludes the whole and contains the next series within its scope. As the seals also, two episodes intervene between the sixth and seventh trumpet… The lengthy description of the fifth trumpet falls into two parts: the impact of the locusts (v1-6) and the characteristics of the locusts (v7-12).”

Lockyer further observed insightfully, “With the sounding of the last three trumpets we pass from the visible to the invisible. The previous trumpets dealt with material surroundings, things seen by the human eye; this fifth trumpet deals with the spiritual realm. A sad sight is presented under this judgment, but worse is yet to come. In the verses before us, we have one of the most fearsome descriptions of devastation ever penned, as the fifth angel goes forth to exercise a frightful mission.”

What is this star that will fall from heaven? Lenski reasoned, “This star is not Satan despite Luke 10:18; for Satan, indeed, fell like lightning but not “out of heaven to the earth,” and Satan, who himself fell into the abyss, has no key to open the abyss. When it is said that this star opened the shaft of the abyss, we have personification and plainly are not to think of a physical star. Thus “having fallen or dropped” simply places the star where it is able to use the key, the tense of the participle expressing perfected state.”

The “star” that John sees is an angel, as in Rev. 20:1, who is given the key (i.e., authority; cf. Rev. 3:7) to open the Abyss.

Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

The consequences are a plague unlike anything yet experienced on earth. The Abyss was believed to be the underworld prison of evil spirits. When the demons were cast out of the demoniac by Jesus, they pleaded with Him not to send them to the Abyss (Luke 8:30-31). The Abyss was also considered the realm of the dead. [Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, NewTestament – Hebrews to Revelation]

John MacArthur, however, suggested that the phrase “fall from heaven” is a reference to Satan – the leader of the fallen angels citing Isaiah 14:12-15 describing Satan’s fall and observed that the fall of Satan in v1 is not his orginal rebellion. Though he and the angels who fell with him (Rev. 12:4) were banished from heaven, Satan retains access to God’s presence, where he constantly accuses believers (Rev. 12:10; Job 1:6).

Isaiah 14:12-15 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. 

But during the Tribulation, he and his demon hosts will unsuccessfully battle Michael and the holy angels. As a result of their defeat, they will be permanently cast down to the earth. Revelation 2:7-9 describes this battle scene:

Revelation 12:7-9 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

Robert L. Thomas observed, “The edge of probability in deciding between an unfallen and Satan favours the unfallen angel as the star’s identification because to make the participle peptokota refers to Satan’s one time fall from heaven to attach too much theological signficance to a passing detail in the unfolding of one of the trumpet judgment (Morris) [this MacAurther agrees]. Besides this, “fallen” to describe a star rather than an angel divest the word of the notion of divine judgment (Charles). So the star must be an unfallen angel dispatched on a divine mission to advance the next stage of God’s punishment against the rebellious earth-dwellers.”

Amen.