Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting.
Revelation 9:3-5 (NLT)
As chapter nine opens up we start seeing some major nasty stuff happening to all that remain on the earth. Up until now people have died in a grand scale as the earth and all of God’s creation has recoiled from the unleashing of God’s judgment. Earthquakes, hail, fire, falling stars and the darkening of the sun and the moon have all inflicted death and destruction upon the people of earth. But now the forces of evil are unleashed by God to torture those that have up until now rebelled against Him. He is giving them a taste of what eternity could mean for them if they continue to ignore His plea to believe and be saved.
It is important to note that even though Satan and his minions are being allowed to torture the people of earth, it is being done under God’s authority. In verses one and two we see an angel “fall from the sky” with the key to the “bottomless pit”. In chapter one we see that this key is normally held by Jesus Himself so there is some debate as to who this “star” is. But whether or not this is Jesus or another heavenly being it is critical to confirm that it is all being done under God’s authority. Satan is and always will be under God’s thumb.
So when the abyss is opened a massive plague of demonic beings that fly like locusts and sting like scorpions is unleashed upon all of those that do not bow down to God. These “locusts” are evil spirits ruled by Satan to tempt people to sin. They are the fallen angels that joined Satan in his rebellion against God. Again it is important to note that even though they are inflicting great pain among the inhabitants of the earth they are only doing so under God’s permission. Their usual purpose is to prevent, distort, and destroy people’s relationship with God and because of their corruptness and degenerative existence they are here represented as distorted and strange beings.
At this point I want to bring up two points that I think are important to note here; 1) it says that these demonic beings are to only harm those that DO NOT have the seal of God on their foreheads. In my mind this means that perhaps there are still people on earth that DO have the seal of God. Are these those that have been “left behind” and have since made a decision for Christ or will we all be going through this great tribulation?? Something to think about and discuss for sure. This fuels the debate of a pre-trib, mid trib, or post trib rapture of God’s people.
The second point I want to discuss here is in the form of a question I hear all the time. If God is holy and loving why is He allowing such torture and destruction to take place? It says in chapter nine that these people will beg for death and release from the pain of the stings inflicted upon them by the demons. It says that for five months these people will be tormented. What kind of God is He that allows such pain?
Remember that God wants ALL to be saved. He has given us free will and we are a stubborn race for sure. Sometime it takes great pain in order for us to change. My divorce certainly has changed me (for the better). Why didn’t I change before the divorce?? I didn’t see a need to. I plugged along in my rebellious ways not seeing a need to do certain things God’s way. Through the great pain and destruction of my family I now see the error of my ways and the perfection of God’s ways. Even after all the death and destruction of the first eight chapters of Revelation there will still be rebellious people on the earth and God is trying desperately to get through to them. He is showing them that this torment and pain without release from it will only be a fraction of what they will experience in eternal damnation and separation from Him.
Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit, his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek is Apollyon – the Destroyer. The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!
Revelation 9:11-12 (NLT)
Next week we will look at the sixth trumpet and the second terror that it brings. Until then have a great week and God bless you!!
No comments:
Post a Comment