The kingdom of the beast receives the fifth plague; “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds” (Rev. 16:10,11).

The kingdom of the beast has snatched people’s prayers, which are depicted as odours or smoke. Rev. 5:8 “…and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints”. Rev. 8:3,4 “…having golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand”.


Thus the martyrs of the fifth seal cry out, “How long, O Lord, …dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them” (Rev. 6:10). Many of them came out from the reformation era of the fifth church. And there are more to come out from their kingdom (Rev. 18:4).


The fallen star of the fifth trumpet, which is Satan, was granted to have the key of the bottomless pit. Then he gave power to his associate, the beast, who operated to cause smoke to come out of the pit to darkened the sun and the air. Rev. 9:2 “…the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit”. Another words, the reason of the darkness was of the smoke, which depicts prayers. The prayers of people should only ascend to the throne of God but the kingdom of the beast made their religious system to prevent this. No wonder that their kingdom must receive the fifth plague that is full of darkness.

Jesus said, I “have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:18). He will cast the hell and death into the lake of fire –“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” (Rev. 20:14).

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10).
Matt. 25:41 “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:”

Nevertheless, power is granted to the fallen angel until the words of God is fulfilled. And he has the key of the bottomless pit, which depict earth.
The fifth seal said, “…they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (Rev. 6:11)

In the fifth trumpet, the fallen angel has the key of the bottomless pit and desperately wants to destroy people through his associate that is the beast of the Antichrist. That is why his name is called Abaddon, or Apollyon, which means destroyer and an angel of the king over the Antichrist kingdom.
Nonetheless, “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’” (Rev. 9:4). In the Scripture, the trees and green grass depict mankind. This spiritual being is able to distinguish who has the seal of God and who has not because it was commanded them that they should not hurt men with the seal of God even in their desperation to torment.

In the fifth church of the Sardis, there were “a few…have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy” (Rev. 3:4). These saints could not be touched by the demonic activities. Jesus has promised that their names will be in the book of life (Rev. 3:5).

God has pronounced in the fifth trumpet that the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of darkness, which is poured out as the wrath of God for they deserve the punishment. The smoke came out from the bottomless pit and caused the sun and the air to be darkened. They tried to prevent men not to receive the seal of God and enforced the mark of the beast.

The fifth trumpet is announcement to “the inhabiters of the earth” (Rev. 8:13) that “the seat of the beast and his kingdom was (are) full of darkness”(Rev. 16:10) and they caused “the sun and the air darkened”(Rev. 9:2). This certain sound of the fifth trumpet exposes the devil's act that gave his power, seat and authority to the beast of his alliance (Rev. 13:2).

The fifth Plague => the seat of the beast and his kingdom darkened
The fifth Trumpet => the fallen star from heaven (Satan) received the key of the bottomless pit (control of the earth) and he gave the power, the seat and the authority to the beast that instigated the darkness.
The fifth Church => Reformers came out from the beast kingdom like Martin Luther.
The fifth Seal => there were martyrs that came out.

Rev. 18:4 “…Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues”

As we look closer to the above golden thread, we may perceive that the time of the end many martyrs would be coming out from the kingdom of the beast.

Rev. 16:11 “And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds”.

Why did the soreness arise when the fifth plague poured upon the seat of the beast?

There was “grievous soreness” upon the men who received the mark of the beast in the first plague.

Rev. 16:2 “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image”

Is there a golden thread that we need to understand between the first and the fifth plagues?

Good observations Sister Karen. The first plague is poured out on the earth, the fifth is poured out on the seat of the Beast. Each plague is poured out on a specific object. But like you say, there is parallel between the first and fifth plagues in terms of results - sores and pain. And then comparing that with the fifth seal and trumpet there are also some parallels there. The fifth trumpet depicts five months of agony from "stings" of these unnatural "locuts". The resulting pain is so intense men will long to die. All three calamities - the first and fifth plague and the fifth trumpet - remind me of radiation burns and radiation sickness. Gruesome thought. I hope I'm wrong.

I thought you also made a good observation on the darkness connection between the fifth plague and trumpet. Thanks for sharing!

Rev. 8:7 “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees and was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up”

Notice, the first trumpet that is fortelling about the “third part of trees and …all green grass.. burnt up”.

Rev. 9:4 “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.”

There is a command in the fifth trumpet, “not (to) hurt the grass …any green thing…any tree”.

The Scripture depicts tree and green grass as mankind. The first trumpet indicates that the mankind would be hurt except those have the seal of God in their foreheads as denoted by the fifth trumpet.

I find very interesting points here. Comparing between the plagues of the first and the fifth to the trumpets of the first and the fifth tells us glaring transparency.

Anyone receives the mark of the beast he/she would be hurt but people receives the seal of God they would be protected.

What has denoted the smoke that arose from the bottomless pit in the Chap.9 of Revelation?

The smoke rose up when the fallen angel has opened the bottomless pit with the key that was given to him.

Luke 10:18 “…I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven”, Jesus said.

God has given Satan a time to do what he wishes to do upon the earth. Notice, “and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit (Rev. 9:1)”. Thus he has employed an agent to instigate a smoke out of the pit.

“Sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit (Rev. 9:2)”.

The darkness caused by the smoke of the pit! What means “by the reason of the smoke of the pit”?

Consider the reason of the Babylon’s fall. Rev. 18:2 “…Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen,…” Rev. 18:19 “…Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!...”

The “reason of her costliness” was their scheme, which caused their own destruction.

Apostle John used the same expression in John 6:18, “And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew”.

Accordingly, “by the reason of the smoke of the pit” means that the smoke was the cause of the darkness in the fifth trumpet that is a warning to the coming plague.

Take a look at the fifth plague, which the seat of the beast and his kingdom was “full of darkness”.

Conclusively, the kingdom of the beast caused darkness with the smoke that signifies the prayers of the saints. Rev. 5:8 “…and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.” The prayers must ascend to the throne of God. Rev. 8:4 “and the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God…”

The kingdom of the beast forbid the saints’ prayers to ascend to God thus the seat of the beast must receive the wrath of God, which is of the fifth plague. They stole the hearts of men like Absalom did from the king David.

Hello Karen,

I suggest that "the smoke of the pit" represents the false TEACHINGS of Mohammed. This "smoke" had the effect of darkening the "sun" and the "air"


and "there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth..." (Rev 9:2-3).

As a result of those teachings the armies of Arabia came out unified, fearless, and full of zeal. As "locusts" they overwhelmed a huge territory.

Dear StewartC,

False teachings arise where truth present. Can there be a prophetic significance anyway if you were to suggest the smoke as false teachings?

We must follow the principle of “precept upon precept; line upon line…here a little, and there a little;” (Isa. 28:10).

Are there any verses in the Book of Revelation that support to interpret the smoke as ‘teachings of Mohammed’?

Literally speaking, any smoke can darkened the sun and the air. Thus the smoke in Rev. Chap. 9 is obviously symbolic in its meaning.

Many warnings of false teachings already identified in the seven churches. Let us look at a few;

Rev. 2:2 “…thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:”
Rev. 2:6 “…thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
Rev. 2:9 “…I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”
Rev. 2:13 “I know…even where Satan’s seat is… where Satan dwelleth”.
Rev. 2:14,15 “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

And the so on…

Why would God indicate that the “smoke” is the false teachings of Mohammed here? The evidence is already given to interpret the smoke as the prayer of the saints in the Book of Revelation.

Rev. 5:8 “…and the golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.”
Rev. 8:4 “and the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.”

Prayers of the saints have gone up to the throne of God and the golden vials are filled with the prayers at last when the wrath of God is ready to pour out.
Rev. 15:7 “And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, …”

When the temple is filled with the smoke of the prayers of the saints, then it is the time to pour out the wrath of God.
Rev. 15:8 “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”

In the Book of Revelation, the smoke depicted as the prayers of the saints. The beast received the power, seat, and authority from the dragon(Rev.13:2), which is the fallen star of Rev. Chap. 9, to blaspheme “against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven (Rev.13:6)”. The identity of the beast is clearly exposed that they would snatch prayers of saints (smoke) to darkened the sun and the air. The beast were allowed to hurt the mankind but commanded not to hurt the men with the seals of God. This is another evidence that the beast is doing the operation of the torments of Rev. Chap. 9 to cause all men to receive the mark of the beast instead of the seal of God.

Rev. 13:16, 17 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

No wonder, why the fifth vials of the plagues poured upon the seat of the beast which has the fullness of the darkness because they snatched prayers from the mankind!