ROBERT@kontu.utu.fi (Robert W. Johnson) (12/04/90)
Revelation Chapter 9 1 And the fifth angel trumpeted, and I saw a (1a)star out of heaven, (b)fallen to the earth, and to him was given the (c)key of the shaft of the (2d)abyss. (1) The "star" here refers to Satan, who will be cast down from heaven to earth. The angels are likened to stars (Job 38:7; Rev. 12:4). Satan, as the archangel was the daystar (Isa. 14:12, Heb.) In Luke 19:18 was the judgment upon him. Here, and in 12:9-10, is the execution of the judgment. (2) "Abyss" is the dwelling place of the demons (Luke 8:31, translated deep in KJV). (a) Isa. 14:12; cf Rev. 12:4; Job 38:7 (b) Luke 10:18; Rev. 12:9-10 (c) Rev. 20:1; cf. Rev. 1:18 (d) Rev. 9:2, 11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1, 3; Luke 8:31; Rom 10:7. 2 And the shaft of the abyss, and (a)smoke went up out of the shaft as the smoke of a great furnace; and the (b)sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the shaft. (a) Joel 2:30; cf. Rev. 18:8-9, 18; 19:3; Gen 19:28; Deut. 29:23; (b) Rev. 8:12 3 And out of the smoke came forth (1a)locusts to the earth, and authority was given to them as the (b)scorpions of the earth have authority. (1) The "locusts" here are not like the locusts in Exodus 10:12-15, because they have tails like scorpions and stings and injure men (v. 10). They must be demon-possessed ones, becasue they come out of the smoke which issues from the dwelling place of the demons (v. 2). (a) Rev. 9:7; cf. Exo. 10:12-15; Joel 2:25, 2-11; (b) Rev. 9:5, 10; cf. 2 Chron. 10:11, 14; Luke 10:19 4 And it was said to them that they should not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, except (1)men who do not have the (a)seal of God on their foreheads. (1) Gk. the humans. The plagues of the first four trumpets are not directly upon man, whereas the woes of the last three trumpets are. Those who will not be injured by the demon-possessed locusts are the Isrealites who have the seal of God in their foreheads (7:3-8). (a) Rev. 7:3 The preceeding is from the Living Stream Recovery Version of the Bible. ----- Robert W. Johnson Computer center, The University of Turku, Turku Finland robert@kontu.utu.fi (InterNet) robert@firien.bitnet (BITNET) The preceeding is my opinion and may not express the opinion of my employer and furthermore has nothing to do with my employment.