REVELATION LESSON 21

    We will begin this lesson in Revelation 9:1 "And the fifth angel
sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him
was given the key of the bottomless pit."

    We know that Jesus Christ holds the key to the bottomless pit.  He
took the key away from Satan when He (Jesus) went there, preached, and
brought captivity captive out with Him, Ephesians 4:8, I Peter 3:14.

    We mentioned before that stars can be people who have won worldly
acclaim. A star can even symbolize Jesus. "...There shall come a Star
out of Jacob...", Numbers 24:17. We read earlier where the leaders of
the seven churches were called stars. It is not unusual for people to
be called stars. Many believe that this star which falls from heaven
is an apostate preacher.  Personally, I believe in this particular
instance, this is Satan himself. One thing that people overlook is
that Satan, the same as everyone else and everything else, is under
orders from God. God gives Satan orders. Satan is subject to God.

    Revelation 9:2 "And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose
a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun
and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit."

    Here again we see great volcanoes erupting. Many natural
disasters. From the spiritual standpoint, this could be a time when
men's minds are darkened with false doctrines and evil thoughts. God
commanded Satan to carry out the punishment here. This covers the
spiritual and the physical.  Jesus gave Satan the keys so that he
could be released to carry out this punishment.  Just as Satan had to
have permission of God to afflict Job, Satan brings all of these
terrible things on the earth and his people by permission of God.

    The physical smoke that comes up surely will obscure the sun and
diminish the light. In the spiritual, it will diminish the Light, as
well.

    The abyss is the home of Satan and the demons. When Satan opens
the abyss, here come the demons in force to deceive and destroy. If
any religious activity is still going on at this time, there will be a
flood of false doctrine and defaming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It
would be a kind of religion of the flesh, (anything goes religion).
It sounds very much like what is going on today in most churches.

    Revelation 9:3 "And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the
earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth
have power."

    From the physical standpoint, Locusts can come into a farm area,
destroy crops, and cause all sorts of pain. The spiritual meaning of
locusts is probably demons. Notice, they had no power in and of
themselves. It was given unto them.

    Revelation 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."

    This is an attack on the person, which makes us take another look
at it spiritually.  They have orders not to hurt the vegetation or the
144,000 who have been sealed in their foreheads. Real locusts would
eat every green thing that they could find, and they do.  Looking at
this from the spiritual standpoint, these locusts are demon spirits
turned loose upon this earth.  The devil, or his demons, cannot really
hurt anyone covered in the blood of Jesus.

    Looking at V-4 from the physical standpoint, there is a weapon
that the large powers of the world have now, that can destroy just the
people and not property.  Chemical warfare has this effect, as well,
but this is a new type of bomb which acts about the same as chemicals.

    Whether this is spiritual or physical, these same results could
come about. As I said before, I believe these that are sealed in their
forehead are the physical Israelites.

    Revelation 9:5 "And to them it was given that they should not kill
them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment
[was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man."

    Here again, whether this is physical pain and torment from fallout
causing sores and torture, or whether this is spiritual and terrible
suffering, it is brought on by constant attack from the devil for five
months. It is terrible. As at Hiroshimo, those who survived the bomb,
wished they were dead. Great sores, deformitites and torment beyond
our comprehension took place.  In many cases it took five months to
die. A terrible burn would have the pain of a scorpion's sting.

    Revelation 9:6 "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall
not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."

    Death would be a welcome relief to all this suffering. These
forces of evil turned loose (unrestrained) upon the earth, whether
physical or spiritual, will be so terrible that men will beg to die.

    Revelation 9:7 "And the shapes of the locusts [were] like unto
horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were
crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men."
    Revelation 9:8 "And they had hair as the hair of women, and their
teeth were as [the teeth] of lions."

    All of this, to me, is describing a most terrible war.  These
figures with "...faces of men..." probably are men who are taken over
by these evil spirits and are bringing war. I believe that if anyone,
even now , would see their error and repent God would save them.  This
war is of such terrible nature that it is beyond anything we might
comprehend.  Probably, as bad as the chemical warfare that we have
seen going on between Iraq and Iran.

    The "...crowns like gold..." appear to be gold at a glance.  They
are, probably, some sort of helmet worn in battle. Some of these
descriptions in V-7&8 are probably describing war machines, and the
faces are a ctually men seen through windows in the machines, such as
in an  airplane or helicopter.  Whatever all of this is, we do not
want to be here when it happens.

    Revelation 9:9 "And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates
of iron; and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots
of many horses running to battle."

    This could be jet airplanes, or it could be tanks. Either way, we
know these are war machines.  I, personally, believe that this is
describing a literal war and not a spiritual. We are speaking of a
time of total terror and suffering, with nowhere to hide.

    John is trying to describe something he had never seen before,
something nearly 2,000 years into the future.

    Revelation 9:10 "And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there
were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five
months."

    Here again we see equipment which has killing weapons in the rear.
This could be flame throwers, planes with gun turrets in the rear,
etc. This war extends for five months. Even though these locusts are
evil in nature, remember Jesus is the one who loosed them. I believe
Jesus is allowing this terrible thing to happen (whether spiritual or
literal) to cause mankind to repent and turn to God.

    Revelation 9:11 "And they had a king over them, [which is] the
angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is]
Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon."

    You can call him any name you care to. This is Satan. Lucifer was
one of the angels close to God in heaven. He was a very beautiful
angel before his fall. All of the demons were angels in heaven until
1/3 of the angels followed Lucifer and became demons.

    Angels, as we have said before, are ministering spirits. These
fallen angels (demons) are ministering pain and suffering.  Their
mission is to destroy.Their leader, Lucifer, is the epitome of evil.
He has been their king since they were cast out of heaven by God.
Their abode, when they are not on a mission of destruction, is in the
abyss. This is where they were loosed from in V-2.  They are
continously causing war, both spiritual and literal. Their mission is
to destroy any way they can.

    This "...king..." in V-11 is the star we saw in V-1, which was
thrown out of heaven and has hell for an abode. Just as he lead these
angels out of heaven, he leads them in this mission of destruction.
Satan, even though fallen, must do every thing the Lord commands him.

    Remember all of this happens because God's wrath is kindled.  God
alone can stop Satan. This time God does not want to stop him. God
allows, and even orders, this to happen. Satan, Apollyon, Abaddon,
Lucifer, the devil, or whatever you care to call him, is still
obedient to God. He, as we, or any other being, or angel, are created
and subject to the desires of the Creator. God alone could stop this
destruction.  "Apollyon" and "Abaddon" mean destruction.

    Jesus had and has many names.  Satan is a counterfeiter, so he has
many names, as well. People throughout history have tried to put names
of modern conquerors to these, but I do not believe that is intended
here.

    Read Ezekiel chapters 33 and 34 and Jeremiah chapter 10.

    Memorize Revelation 9:1 and Psalms 23.







































                      REVELATION QUESTIONS 21


1.  When the fifth angel sounded, what did John see?
2.  What was given to him?
3.  Who holds the key?
4.  Is this a real star?
5.  Give two instances where stars meant people?
6.  Who does the author believe this star is?
7.  In V-2, what did he do?
8.  What came out of the pit?
9.  What two things could the darkness indicate?
10. Who does Satan have to have permission from before he can
    afflict?
11. Where is the home of Satan and his demons?
12. What in the spirit realm are locusts?
13. These locusts were not to harm vegetation, who could they hurt?
14. What protects believers from the devil and his demons?
15. How long shall they torment?
16. Describe the torment?
17. What shall men seek in those days?
18. Will they find it?
19. What were the shapes of these locusts like?
20. What was on their heads?
21. What did their faces resemble?
22. What two kinds of literal warfare could be mentioned?
23. The breastplates were as of iron and their wings were as the sound
    of what?
24. These tails as scorpions were probably what?
25. Give the two names their king was known by in different languages.
26. Who is he really?
27. What position did Lucifer have in heaven?
28. How many angels followed Lucifer when God threw him out of heaven?
29. What is their mission?
30. What one thing is really important to remember about this
    destruction?
31. Who is the only one who could stop all of this?
32. Write Revelation 9:1.
33. Write Psalms 23.
34. Why did the writer have you read chapter 34 of Ezekiel and
    memorize the 23rd Psalms in connection with that?