Revelation 9 · Grade 4
The First Woe
Read and Think
The fifth trumpet is the first of three woes. A star fallen from the sky is given the key to the pit of the abyss. Smoke pours out and darkens the sun. Out of the smoke come creatures like locusts. Yet they are limited. They may not harm the grass or trees, and they cannot harm those who have the seal of God on their foreheads. Their power lasts only five months.
The creatures have a king, the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon, which both mean Destroyer. John says, The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.
The sixth trumpet releases four angels bound at the river Euphrates. A huge army of horsemen rides out, and a third of mankind dies. Even after this, the rest do not repent of their idols or of their murders, sorceries, sexual immorality, and thefts. The chapter shows how hard human hearts can be.
Show What You Know
What is the fifth trumpet the first of?
Who cannot be harmed by the creatures?
What do Abaddon and Apollyon mean?
What does the chapter show about human hearts?
Think About It
Why do you think God put limits on the harm the creatures could do?
Why might people refuse to turn to God even when warned?
Memory Verse
“The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.”
Revelation 9:12 (WEB)
Copy It
Prayer
Dear God, thank You for today's Bible story. Help me to . Amen.
Take It Home
For families: talk about these together.
- What is a woe?
- How is evil’s power smaller than God’s power?
Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.