3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts to the earth, and there was given to them authority, as scorpions of the earth have authority, 4 and it was said to them that they may not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but—the men only who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads, 5 and it was given to them that they may not kill them, but that they may be tormented five months, and their torment 'is' as the torment of a scorpion, when it may strike a man; 6 and in those days shall men seek the death, and they shall not find it, and they shall desire to die, and the death shall flee from them. 7 And the likenesses of the locusts 'are' like to horses made ready to battle, and upon their heads as crowns like gold, and their faces as faces of men, 8 and they had hair as hair of women, and their teeth were as 'those' of lions, 9 and they had breastplates as breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings 'is' as the noise of chariots of many horses running to battle; 10 and they have tails like to scorpions, and stings were in their tails; and their authority 'is' to injure men five months; 11 and they have over them a king—the messenger of the abyss—a name 'is' to him in Hebrew, Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath a name, Apollyon.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Revelation 9:3-11
Commentary on Revelation 9:1-12
(Read Revelation 9:1-12)
Upon sounding the fifth trumpet, a star fell from heaven to the earth. Having ceased to be a minister of Christ, he who is represented by this star becomes the minister of the devil; and lets loose the powers of hell against the churches of Christ. On the opening of the bottomless pit, there arose a great smoke. The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by putting out light and knowledge, and promoting ignorance and error. Out of this smoke there came a swarm of locusts, emblems of the devil's agents, who promote superstition, idolatry, error, and cruelty. The trees and the grass, the true believers, whether young or more advanced, should be untouched. But a secret poison and infection in the soul, should rob many others of purity, and afterwards of peace. The locusts had no power to hurt those who had the seal of God. God's all-powerful, distinguishing grace will keep his people from total and final apostacy. The power is limited to a short season; but it would be very sharp. In such events the faithful share the common calamity, but from the pestilence of error they might and would be safe. We collect from Scripture, that such errors were to try and prove the Christians, 1 Corinthians 11:19. And early writers plainly refer this to the first great host of corrupters who overspread the Christian church.