seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 9:1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read. You really should go to the commentary and read the rest. I left a lot of stuff out. You might find it interesting.
Then the fifth angel sounded: This is the fifth angel that sounded a trumpet. There were seven seals, followed — thematically if not chronologically — by seven trumpets. In their arranged order, they are similar.
The first four seals and trumpets presented judgments directed against the earth. In the first four seals, these were the “four horsemen” bringing tyranny, war, famine, and death on the earth. In the first four trumpets, these were the ecological destruction of the vegetation, seas, fresh waters, and sky.
The last three seals focused upon heaven: the cry of the martyrs, cosmic disturbances, and the heavenly prelude to the seven trumpets. The last three trumpets will speak of hell, in terms of the demonic.
I saw a star fallen from heaven: The text clearly shows us that this star is a person (to him), not a literal star. The verb tense (fallen) indicates that he already had fallen.
To him was given the key to the bottomless pit: That this star is fallen makes us associate him with Satan, or another high-ranking evil angelic being. But the fact that he is given the key to the bottomless pit makes us not want to associate him with Satan. The idea that Satan is the master of hell is foreign to the rest of Scripture. He will be hell’s victim, not ruler.
At the same time, we notice that the key is given to this being, and that it is given at a specific time and for a specific purpose that furthers God’s plan. This angel — evil or good — serves God’s purpose, even if he does not intend to.
The bottomless pit: Some wonder where this is. The most straightforward answer is that it is in the center of the earth, because there, one might say that all is “top” and nothing is “bottom.” However, some think that the bottomless nature of the pit is symbolic.
Out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth: These are obviously not natural locusts. They avoid plants and attack men like scorpions attack. They are “A visual representation of the hordes of demons loosed upon the earth.” (Walvoord)
The idea is simply that as part of the judgment of the great tribulation, God will allow demonic hordes, previously imprisoned, to descend upon the earth like a swarm of destructive locusts. They are not, as some have suggested, heretics, Muslims, Turks, Saracens, Jesuits, monks, or Protestants!
The seal of God on their foreheads: Those who have the seal of God on their foreheads (the 144,000 and perhaps more) are protected, but none other are. This is an inescapable judgment of God.
They were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months: Their purpose and period is expressly governed by God, and the purpose of all this is to bring repentance (Revelation 9:20-21).
In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them: Death will offer no escape from this prolonged torture. Their power is described like the power of scorpions, and the bite of a scorpion, though extremely painful, is rarely fatal.
The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle: Many attempts have been made to show that this is an accurate (though poetic) description of natural locusts. This approach misses the obvious demonic connection.
Like horses… like gold… like the faces of men… like women’s hair… like lion’s teeth: The repetition of like indicates something other than a literal description is intended. The total impact of this picture is one of unnatural and awesome cruelty.
And they had as king over them: This is another indication that these creatures are not literal locusts. The Bible tells us that literal locusts have no king: The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks (Proverbs 30:27). Yet these particular locusts do have a king.
Whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon: Their king is given a name. Abaddon and Apollyon both have the same thought of destruction or torment (perdition).
The angel of the bottomless pit: Since this is the king of these locusts, and since he has the name Abaddon or Apollyon, this is obviously Satan himself or another high-ranking leader of demons.
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Hubby was mowing the grass one day, many years ago, and he ran over one of those bee hives that's in the ground. Bees swarmed up out of that hole so angry, so fast, and so thick one could only think "This must be like Apollyon's pit"! [Yes, he got stung a couple times]
I've heard these verses dissected. I've even tried to dissect these verses based on what I have heard. Today, none of the stuff I heard makes any sense. It's really useless to speculate. One day, whether from under the altar in Heaven or from here on earth, we will see it for ourselves.
I think God would use nature to make this happen. Locusts look like horses ready for battle because they have a hard shell. Have you ever really looked at the face of a grasshopper? Yep... It looks like they have a face! This species, the one John saw in his Vision, had teeth sufficient enough to attack humans. Most locusts feed strictly on plants, these are hungry and they are flesh eaters.
The earth is in violent, physical turmoil in John's Vison. There have been earthquakes and volcanic action that is shapeshifting the planet. Toxic fumes hover everywhere. Humans will be having a hard time breathing. This, I think, is like Sodom on steroids.
Something natural must occur for the earth to open up and produce such a "hangry" swarm. It says a star is falling. If a meteorite hits the ground at the right spot, the locusts will defend. Like the bees, hubby ran over with his John Deere, they are going to bite.
Have you ever had a sore that just would not heal? Not just a mosquito bite that lasted too long.... something painful... like cancer. The bite of these locusts, according to John's description, will hurt [ache burn itch ooze hurt] for five months.
Are there critters that secrete carcinogens?
Is this "five months" human time or "five month's" God's time? For humanity's sake I hope it's human time.
Apollyon's pit will add a lot more darkness to earth. Swarms of "hangry" bugs swirling will add to the danger humans will face.
Yep, I can see wanting to die when the swarming begins. I really hope I'm not here for that.
Quite frankly, this is the stuff nightmares are made of.
Nightmare Alert: Swarms of "hangry" bugs are coming!
