THE ABYSS
W
hen the fifth angel sounds his trumpet in Revelation 9, we are confronted with a frightening picture. A “star” is given the key to the Abyss. A star is another name for an angel of God. This entity is the jailer of the Abyss. Out of the Abyss comes smoke and out of the smoke come locusts which have the power to torture but not to kill.
And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of the scorpion when it strikes a man.
During those days men will seek death, but they will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.
Revelation 9:5, 6
The king of the “locusts” who emerges from the Abyss is named
Apollyon.
We have already spoken of him at some length earlier in this book. Later, we shall return to add some further information regarding his activities during the Apocalypse.
I believe that the descriptions given in this section regarding these “locusts” serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they are telling of the spirit forces at work behind the scenes and, secondly, they are describing the physical realities of actual warfare as we shall experience it in the Earth.
But these evil spirits who will come out of the Abyss are real, actual demons. And when they are released during the Great Tribulation they will wreak havoc on the unbelieving people of the world. We are told in chapter 9 of Revelation of a huge army from the East numbering 200 million. This army will slaughter one-third of the world's population as it cuts its way westward towards the Middle East. John was shown a vision almost 2,000 years ago and he had to describe what he saw in terms of his own experience. Could it be that what he was describing is in fact a 21st century high-tech war?
And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those that sat on them: the riders had breastplates the colour of fire and dark blue and yellow as sulphur. The heads of the horses are like the heads of lions and out of their mouths came smoke, fire and sulphur.
A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that came out of their mouths.
For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails: for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
Revelation 9:17-19
Is John describing real creatures or is he describing a nuclear war? It sounds like modern warfare when he speaks of smoke, fire and sulphur. Perhaps he is describing the firing of missiles, for such weapons could kill one-third of mankind in a very short space of time. He talks of horses and those riding upon them. He says that their power was in their heads and in their tails. This sounds like a description of missiles, for missiles explode when their “heads” strike their target. The tails, he says, were like snakes. This could be the trail a missile leaves behind as it snakes it way through the air
en route
to its target. This applies to the earlier description of the locusts from the Abyss.
The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.
Their hair was like a woman's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
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.
They had tails and stings like scorpions and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.
Revelation 9:7-10
When John talks of a head with a crown and a human face, could he be describing the headgear of a fighter pilot? When a helicopter rotates its blades, it resembles a woman's hair blowing in the wind. And the noise from attack helicopters would resemble many horses and chariots rushing into battle. The stings in their tails could be their guns and missiles and the sting they produce could be the effect of germ warfare. John said that these locusts had wings which sounded like the thundering of many horses. Well, locusts fly and swarm in great numbers. John has to be describing warplanes and bombers and helicopters. I believe that he called them locusts because he was seeing a vision of something in the future which was totally alien to him. Remember, John was in his nineties when he had this vision. So when he saw a “swarm” of aircraft in flight, he could only describe them in terms of his own experience. He said that they had teeth like lions' teeth. The missiles and rockets which fighter aircraft and helicopters carry could indeed be said to look like lions' teeth.
John had never experienced the roar from jet engines, so he says that they sounded like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. What he is trying to describe is a huge aerial assault using the latest high-tech weaponry.
Should we therefore be afraid? No.
Almost everybody realises that the world is on a slippery slope. They can all see the dangers ahead, but they do not have any answers. The people who should be afraid are those who stick their heads in the sand and say: “Everything is going to be all right.” We should try to encourage these people to take heed of the prophecies. Then perhaps they might have a chance of avoiding the chaos of the last days.
Two Witnesses
In chapter 11 of Revelation we are given an account of “Two Witnesses.” These two men will be raised up and empowered by Yaweh. Nobody knows who these men will be. Some believe one will be Elijah, who was taken up and Raptured in the Old Testament (
see II Kings 2
). In the days of Ahab, Elijah shut up heaven so that no rain fell for 3½ years (
I Kings 17:1).
This is what it says in Revelation regarding God's two witnesses:
If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.
These men have the power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying. And they have the power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the Earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
Revelation 11:5-6
The second witness, some believe, will be Moses, for only he had the power to turn water into blood and cause plagues to come on the land, as he did when in captivity in Egypt (
Exodus 7:19, 19:15
). Also, on the Mount of the Transfiguration, it was Moses and Elijah who appeared talking to Jesus
(Matthew 17:1-11).
The powers to be assumed by these two men are those which were previously exercised by Moses and Elijah in Old Testament times. These two witnesses will prophesy for 3½ years against those who rule the world. The Antichrist and his minions will hate them exceedingly, but will be powerless to kill them until the 3½ years has elapsed. Then the “beast from the abyss” will attack them and kill them. Their two slain bodies will be left on the street for 3½ days. We are told that the people of the Earth will gaze on their corpses and rejoice at their deaths because these two prophets had “tormented” them for so long. Then something amazing occurs:
But after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them.
And they went up to Heaven in a cloud while their enemies looked on.
Revelation 11:11,12
The only way the people of the nations could view this scene in the present is on global television, for we are told that everybody in the world will see their dead bodies on the street. Of course, this does not sound surprising until you realise that the prophecy was written almost 2,000 years ago. The unbelievers will be celebrating the deaths of these two “fundamentalists” when suddenly they come back to life and stand before them. As the people who watch are seized by fear, the two prophets will be taken up to Heaven in a cloud, just as the Messiah was in
Acts 1:10,11
. Of course, many believe these predictions to be mere flights of fancy, that no such thing will ever happen. Let me tell you, the Bible is full of miracles and almost unbelievable feats. From the dividing of the Red Sea to the Messiah feeding 5,000 with a few loaves and fishes. From Yaweh creating the universe to the Messiah raising Lazarus from the dead. Revelation, likewise, is a book of signs, miracles and wonders.
The
Book of Revelation
is itself a phenomenal miracle. For right now you are reading history before it happens. And you can be assured that all these things will happen. Some day soon the people of the world will see these two prophets bearing witness for Yaweh. And that day may be closer than we think.
Cosmic Battle
Chapter 12 of
Revelation
describes a battle in heaven between Satan and his evil angels on the one hand and Michael and his angels on the other. Apparently Satan still has access to the heavenly realm, for we are told in
Job 1:6-12
that Satan entered the presence of God. And in this chapter of Revelation it says the same:
For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our
God, day and night, has been hurled down.
Revelation 12:10
However, a battle ensues, and Satan is defeated and cast down to Earth, and his angels with him.
And there was war in Heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in Heaven.
The great dragon was hurled down, that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.
He was hurled to the Earth and his angels with him.
Revelation 12:7-9
When the devil is cast out of Heaven, he is filled with wrath, for he knows that his time is short. So he goes after what is called “the woman,” to kill her. This is a figure of speech referring to Israel. The devil now tries to kill all the remaining Jews. But Yaweh helps them to flee into the desert, where they are protected for 3½ years. The devil then goes after those Christians who obey Yaweh's word.
It is during the second half of the seven years of Great Tribulation that all hell, literally, is going to break out. For the devil, having been expelled from Heaven, knows that he has but a short time left. It is interesting that in the above verse he is referred to as “he who leads the whole world astray.” (Although Satan was expelled from Heaven long ago, apparently he still has some limited access to the heavenly realm. For we are told that he daily accuses the brethren there before God.
Revelation 12:10.)
We are left in no doubt as to who this entity is, for he is given five titles here: the
dragon
, the
ancient serpent
, the
devil
or
Satan,
the
accuser
. The Messiah referred to this future expulsion when he made a prophetic statement recorded in the
Gospel of Luke 10:18.
“I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven.”
It is after Satan is driven out of Heaven and down to Earth that he completely takes control of his chosen one, the Antichrist, and his man literally becomes the devil incarnate. He will now break the peace treaty he made with the Jews and will seek to destroy them. He will also at this time try to exterminate all who have turned to the Messiah by refusing to accept the mark of the Beast. Many Christians will be martyred for their faith during this harsh time.
Brand of Hell
Two beasts are featured in chapter 13 of Revelation. The first beast is the Antichrist, who we know will be a political leader. He will appear on the world stage after the Rapture. We are told in this chapter that the first beast, the Antichrist, appears to receive a head wound which is fatal. But, miraculously, he is healed from this fatal wound and lives again. We can only surmise as to the details of this miracle. Perhaps this political leader is assassinated. Everybody knows that he is dead, but then he is raised from the dead by the power of the dragon (Satan) and, as a result, the whole world worships him and worships the dragon who gave the Antichrist his authority.
As we said before, the word “anti” does not mean “against” but “instead of.” He will be instead of “Christ,” and the world will embrace him, just as it rejected the true Messiah. This Antichrist will be raised from the dead just as Jesus was. When the unbelieving hoards witness this resurrection, they will pledge their allegiance to this son of Satan.
The whole world was astonished and followed the Beast (Antichrist).
Men worshipped the dragon (Satan) because he had given authority to the Beast, and they also worshipped the Beast.
Revelation 13:3,4
The Beast is none other than “
Apollyon
,” who has been released from the Abyss and who formerly roamed the Earth, causing destruction in the days of Noah. It is he who is now termed “Antichrist.”
So this man will become the most notorious dictator the world has ever seen. He will openly slander Yaweh and the Messiah and he will hunt down those people who turn to God and kill many of them because of their faith. He will be assisted in this by a second beast, who is the False Prophet. As the Antichrist is a political leader, so the False Prophet will be a religious leader. He will be empowered by Satan to perform many deceitful signs and wonders so that he may deceive the inhabitants of the Earth. He will have such “magic” power that he will perform a miracle which will truly dazzle and amaze the populace.
He ordered them to set up an image to the Beast (Antichrist), who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
He was given power to give breath to the image of the first Beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
Revelation 13:14,15
Is it any wonder that the unbelieving people of the world will give their allegiance to this man? For this Scripture tells us that the False Prophet will have the power to make images of the Antichrist come to life and speak. Such images could be statues or pictures of the Antichrist. When we ponder how some of the huge blocks were cut and set in place within the pyramids and other massive ancient buildings, we receive our answer here in this example of the awesome power available to Satan and his host. Many of those believers in God who are not deceived will be put to death for refusing to bow down to the image of the Beast. Furthermore, this False Prophet, who will be working in tandem with his master, the Antichrist, will put in place a system designed to ostracise all those who refuse to accept his sovereignty.
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free
and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his fore-
head, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark,
which is the name of the Beast or the number of his name.
This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate
the number of the Beast, for it is a man's number. His number
is 666.
Revelation 13:16-18
In other words, the Antichrist and his government are going to form a club. If you are not a member of this club, you will be boycotted. You will not be able to buy or sell or do business unless you join this club. In order to get into the club, you will have to display this mark of the Beast either on your right hand or on your forehead.
The above verse tells us that the system of accounting employed by the Antichrist will keep track of the buying and selling activities of everyone in the world. Is it not extraordinary that this was written almost 2,000 years ago, yet only in the last few years has the technology to do this become available? Surely it is a powerful sign that we are approaching the fulfilment of these very words when we see them become a reality before our eyes.
One possibility is that this brand or mark of the Beast will be a microchip inserted just beneath the skin. As I write, there are advertisements on TV encouraging people to use “laser” cards instead of cash. Financial gurus tell us that we are destined for a “cashless society.” Plastic is so much more sensible and does away with many cash transactions. But plastic cards can have disadvantages. You can lose them, you can break them, or they can be stolen. The thing which makes the card work is the tiny microchip within it. All the information is stored in this tiny chip: your date of birth, your credit rating. To overcome the problems associated with plastic cards, these chips could be inserted beneath the skin of the right hand. We cannot say for sure if this is how the “mark of the Beast” will be worn during the seven years of Great Tribulation. We are merely observing the way society is going and postulating that this may be the case. The people who will have to endure these times will know when they occur. But anybody who does accept this mark is inviting eternal damnation. For we are warned in no uncertain terms of the consequences of this choice:
If anyone worships the Beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he too will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full-strength into the cup of his wrath.
He will be tormented with burning sulphur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the Beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.
Revelation 14:9-11
It is going to be a tough choice, for if you do not accept this mark, you will be denied the right to purchase the things you need. People in this situation will have to forage for themselves. They will have to grow their own food and provide for their own wellbeing and that of their families. They will have to learn self-sufficiency and survival very fast in order to have a chance of making it through the seven years. On top of having to survive without being able to buy or sell or do business, such people will have to contend with the wrath of Satan, for it is prophesied that he will hunt down and kill many of these good souls. But there is hope, for Yaweh has promised to help those who endure to the end.
You can accept the mark of the Beast and enjoy the benefits for a short season, or refuse the mark and risk losing your life. But you will ultimately reap the rewards of everlasting glory if you stick it out to the end. So there is really only one choice to make. Let that choice be eternal life. Whoever accepts this mark is pledging allegiance to the Antichrist, and to Satan, who gives him his power. Once you make this decision, there will be no going back.
The majority of the world's population will accept this mark wholeheartedly. Not only will these people openly worship the Antichrist, they will give themselves totally over to Satan and openly worship him as well.
When many of those who have pledged their allegiance to God are being murdered because of their refusal to accept this mark, the rest of the world will endorse and support the killings. But there is an opportunity for all of us to be spared these terrible times before they occur. All we have to do is put our trust in Yaweh and in His son.