Verse 10
The darkening of the (first) beast’s throne appears to be literal; light will diminish (cf. Exodus 10:21-23; Isaiah 60:2; Joel 2:1-2; Joel 2:31; Mark 13:24). Another possibility is that this may be a figurative darkening in which God somehow complicates the rule of the beast. [Note: Kiddle, pp. 321-22; Hughes, p. 175; Caird, p. 204.] Beale wrote the following.
"It is metaphorical for all ordained events designed to remind the ungodly that their persecution and idolatry are vein, and it indicates their separation from God." [Note: Beale, p. 824.]
Johnson also took this judgment metaphorically.
". . . in terms reminiscent of the ancient battles of Israel, John describes the eschatological defeat of the forces of evil, the kings from the East." [Note: Johnson, p. 550.]
The weakness of the figurative interpretations is that the fifth trumpet judgment apparently involved literal darkness (Revelation 9:2), as did the ninth Egyptian plague (Exodus 10:21-22). God also darkened Jerusalem when Jesus Christ died on the cross (Matthew 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44). Since the beast’s kingdom is worldwide, this darkening apparently amounts to a global judgment. Perhaps the faithful remnant will remain unaffected by this judgment, as it did earlier in Egypt (cf. Exodus 10:23).
This judgment of worldwide darkness inflicts excruciating pain on the beast-worshippers also. Just how darkness will cause so much pain is hard to understand, but the chaos that darkness caused in Egypt may suggest some ways.
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