Trumpet Warnings Series #14 - Part 124 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

When we were last together I asked, "Who is the king of the locust army?  Revelation 9:11 declares...they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.  He is more widely known as Satan.

When Satan released the locust out of the bottomless pit onto the earth, the locusts were commanded...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...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...and in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them...Rev. 9:4-6.

The trumpet warnings of the 5th angel are rife with esoteric imagery. Once defined they will reveal the message, so we can understand and be prepared.  What does grass symbolize?  Grass symbolizes fertility or prosperity; frailty of the flesh.  The symbolism...any green thing...within the trumpet warnings describes prosperity or progress of mankind on the earth:  advancement of intellectual knowledge, growth of finances, material possessions or properties, or medical breakthroughs, etc., all of which are of the flesh - not spiritual prosperity.

What does tree symbolize?  Often in scripture, especially prophecy, trees symbolize men, especially leadership.

The word hurt - should not hurt - in the original Greek language is adieko meaning:  to be unjust.  This particular designation in this text seems to zero in on countries where the locust army is not ruling.  Why do I draw this conclusion?

I make this assessment because the locust army cannot "be unjust" to the prosperity of people with the seal of God on their foreheads. Yet, we all know they have nearly wiped out the ancient Christian communities in the territories of the Euphrates River, where they rule. So what is the message of this symbolism - what does it reveal to us?

We can surmise from this prophecy that in countries where Christianity is dominant, where it influences the secular governments, the locust army is prevented from establishing their superiority.  In Christian or Jewish dominant countries across the planet, the locust army is not allowed to hurt - be unjust - to anyone with the seal of God on their foreheads - because this symbolizes their allegiance to God (Jesus Christ).

While the locust army wants to destroy the Christians and the Jews wherever they find them, they must do so secretly in these countries - by clandestine infiltration of their poisonous false religious doctrine into governments and schools - sting of the scorpion.  Apparently people, especially world leaders and their prosperity, without the seal of God, will fall victim to the deceptive lies and injustice of the locust army.  These leaders will promote the advancement of this false religious empire into Christian and Jewish countries, seeking the demise of these free nations.

What does the seal of God on their foreheads symbolize?

The seal of God on their foreheads symbolizes allegiance to Jesus Christ (God) - those with the mark of God. These true-hearts will never surrender their allegiance to this false religious empire, even if they suffer in the flesh, no matter what devastation befalls them.  This text is reminiscent of the devastating experiences of Job.  God told Satan regarding Job...all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person...Job 1:12. Person describes the real life of Job - his spirit. Satan is  not granted power over his spirit.

This text also states...they should be tormented five months...verse 5.  #5 in prophecy symbolizes incomplete.  The locust army arrived about 612 A.D.  When it first appeared in its most violent form it did not complete its mission. But over the centuries it gradually wiped out other religions, taking over those countries, attempting to finish their goal.

Once their vicious torments, death and destruction ramps up to a frenzied peak, many who served the locust army will seek to die, but death shall flee from them...verse 6.  They, especially women, will continually be forced to obediently serve this repressive and oppressive religious empire - and the godless men who rule over them.

The first woe is past! When does the next woe begin?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Trumpet Warnings Series #13 - Part 123 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

Then the fifth angel sounded...the shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle...on their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men...Rev. 9:7.  In the last blog we defined all of this symbolism except their faces were like the faces of men. Who does this esoteric imagery describe?

The locust army are zealous religious warriors who have faces like men symbolizing that they are a sovereign people, who rules over a kingdom or empire. Chapter 9:8 further describes the locust warriors...they had hair like a women's hair, and their teeth were like lions teeth.  What could this esoteric imagery mean?  It could be mystifying if we didn't have historical documentation to help us understand its meaning.

In uncivilized cultures of past centuries, brutal and barbaric warrior men proudly wore long hair, like women, as a mark of their fierce savagery, who allowed no hindrance to fulfilling their natural human appetites - unchecked lustful passions.  Many warriors even wore skirts or tunics.  No one dared to challenge their authority, but rather cringed in fear in deference to their power.  These ruthless warriors - with hair like women's - subdue and rule over the masses, by fear of the onerous consequences.

The metaphorical language - their teeth were like lions teeth - personifies the ferocity of the locust army - ripping apart their victims with sharp piercing weapons, symbolized by devouring teeth.  As a lion - king of the jungle - is to its prey, the locust army are relentless until all people, everywhere, submit to the King of the Religious Jungle - or are beheaded.

And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron...Rev. 9:9.  Describing the locust army wearing iron breastplates, symbolizes presumed invincibility - readiness for battle - revealing their arrogance in purpose.  What is their purpose?  

And the sound of their wings like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle...Rev. 9:9.  This metaphorical language symbolizes their unshakable proclamation that they are far above - wings - all other religions on the earth.  Their purpose is to rule and reign over every nation - all people - on the planet.  Their intensity to win the war against the people of the planet is symbolized by the sound of chariots with many horses into battle.  By shear numbers the locust army will overwhelm and subdue all people into submission.  Even the name of their religion means:  submission!

If what we have just read is not enough detailed description of the locusts who are released out of the bottomless pit, there is more. Do you think our Lord desired for us to clearly understand who is this wicked enemy? They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails...their power was to hurt men five months...Rev. 9:10.

We already know that the sting of a scorpion symbolizes poison - a wicked false religious doctrine that will infiltrate the minds and hearts of government leaders, as well as religious leaders.  These doctrines of demons will pierce the very soul of their victims, making them captive to a harsh god - taskmaster.  Let's look at the Old Testament for a bit more clarity on...they had tails like scorpions.

The ancient and the honorable, he is the head; and the prophet that lies, he is the tail...Isaiah 9:15.  In this text, the prophet explains that a prophet of honor is the head - but - a prophet who lies is the tail.  The leader of the locust army is called a false prophet...Rev. 16:12-14.  We know that the locust army symbolizes a nefarious and wicked false religious empire - empowered by Satan - the father of lies.  The leader of the locust army is not honorable - he is the prophet of lies - the tail of the scorpion, spewing his poison in every territory he overtakes by force.

Their power was to hurt men five months.  What does this symbolize?  The use of numbers in prophecy usually are symbolic, rather than defining a specific period of time. The number five symbolizes incomplete. So what is incomplete? 

Revelation chapter 9 introduces the presence of the locust army upon the earth for the first time.  Their sinister wicked plans are not realized at this time - their work is incomplete. But from the outset the locust army - false religious empire - maimed, killed and destroyed everyone and everything that did not submit to their wicked doctrine of demons. Centuries later their purpose will be fully realized when they become rulers over many nations - but - not all.  This is clearly delineated in Revelation chapter 16 - Bowl Judgments. 

Who is the king of the locust army?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Trumpet Warnings Series #12 - Part 122 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth...and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power...Rev. 9:3.  When the 5th angel sounded we were left with a lot of esoteric imagery to define in order to find the message conveyed through the symbolism.  In the last blog I asked who do the locust symbolize?  Maybe if we define the literal locust - the insect - we might obtain insight as to whom they symbolize in this prophecy.

 

The locust - literal insect - is known to congregate in hordes, too many to count.  They are migratory and travel in larges swarms, subduing vegetation with a vengeance. Since they leave a trail of death and devastation when they swarm a targeted area, little vegetation survives - if any at all.

 

With this description of the literal insect. I think we can see that the metaphorical locust in our text symbolizes a specific migratory group of people, who travel in mobs, subduing their prey, much like a warring army would do, leaving a trail of devastation and death.  To them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.  The poison in the sting of a scorpion to bring death to the flesh of mankind, has been given to this locust army to poison the hearts and minds of mankind, as well as the flesh.

 

This locust army resembles the locust insect in the following manner...

        1.  too numerous to count - migratory

        2.  attack with ferocity, overwhelm and subdue victim with a vengeance

        3.  maim or murder victim

        4.  not much, if any, left to live

 

The locust army must play a dominate role in this prophecy because we have been provided a very detailed description of them in Rev. 9:7-10.  There is a lot of symbolism to define in these verses, so let's begin with the esoteric imagery in verse 7. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle...on their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

 

These metaphorical locusts are described as shaped like horses prepared for battle.  In ancient times, a battle horse had to be ferocious, swift, fast and determined - always ready to fight and make war. Battle warriors ride battle horses.

 

Crowns in scripture symbolize royalty - kings and priests - those who rule over kingdoms or empires. A king rules a nation, kingdom or empire, while a priest rules over the religious needs of the empire. On the heads of the locusts are crowns, indicating they are a nation, kingdom or empire. But, there is a qualification to the crown that these locust - kings - wear while they rule, which gives us a hint to their identity.  How does their crown identify the locusts?

 

The color of the crowns on the heads of the locust army is described as...something like gold.  Isn't this an intriguing description, as well as a bit perplexing?  But it is a very significant detail.  Describing their crowns as something like gold symbolizes that their kingdom or empire is an imitation of a legitimate kingdom or empire.  What does this mean?

 

The kingdom of the locusts army is a counterfeit - an imitation of royalty.  Their kingdom is false - not genuine - deliberately deceptive.  How do I know this?

 

The locusts were birthed from the smoke - doctrines of demons - that was released from the bottomless pit (Hell), so they are possessed and empowered by Satan and his demons - serpents/scorpions.  The locusts army is a religious empire empowered by Satan himself and set up on the earth to poison - scorpion sting - human beings with wicked religious doctrines.

 

Their faces were like the faces of men. What does this symbolize?  Stay tuned...

 

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~

 



Trumpet Warnings Series #11 - Part 121 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

When we were last together we were defining the esoteric imagery described in Rev. 9:1-2...Then the fifth angel sounded:  and I saw a star fallen from Heaven to the earth...to him was given the key to the bottomless pit...and he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace...so the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

So far in this series we have defined the esoteric imagery of the:  star, pit, key, smoke and sun.  What does air symbolize, especially darkened air?  We already know that the smoke symbolizes lies, heresies, evil inclinations, doctrines of demons, and every dark superstitious machinations of Satan. The sun symbolizes powerful government leaders.  Air symbolizes powerful religious leaders, representatives of the spiritual component of mankind.

When the scripture says the air was darkened by the smoke that arose from the pit - Satan's home - we understand that these world religious leaders - in charge of the spiritual development of men - will have their minds and hearts infiltrated by the machinations of Satan and his demon doctrines.  His lies, heresies, and dark superstitions will influence these leaders to set up great organizations in order to guide their followers into his hellish trap of spiritual deception, viciously subduing and enslaving gullible people.

Who are these leaders (authorities) and how, and by what means, will they force their most nefarious and sinister spiritual wickedness upon the inhabitants of the earth - reserved in the bottomless pit for so long?  Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth...and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power...Rev. 9:3.  Why is the power of the locusts equated to the power of a scorpion?

The term scorpion in prophecy is usually metaphorical symbolism - esoteric imagery. Let's take a look at how Jesus used this metaphor.   Then the seventy returned with joy saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name"...and He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven...behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, over all the power of the enemy...and nothing shall by any means hurt you"... Luke 10:17-19.

Jesus defines "trample on serpents and scorpions"  as "authority...over all the power of the enemy."  Who is the enemy of mankind?  Satan! Even though Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven" He was informing His apostles not to worry, He has given them authority over all the power of the enemy. How did Jesus give them authority?  He arose from the dead conquering all the authority Satan has on the earth - imparting His authority to mankind through the Holy Spirit.

The sting of a scorpion or the bite of a snake poisons the flesh of men causing a painful death.  This is why this symbolism graphically describes how doctrines of demons, lies, heresies and superstitions poison the spiritual component of  human beings, separating them from their creator - a painful death in Hell. 

Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth...and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power...Now we understand why the scripture metaphorically describes our enemy as serpents and scorpions, but why are the locusts,  that came out of the smoke upon the earth, given the same power and authority as the scorpions of the earth?

 Once we define the esoteric imagery and metaphorical language of the prophecy, the message hidden within it will be unwrapped for us to understand.

It is obvious that the term locust is esoteric imagery - metaphorical language. Since they came out of Hell onto the earth we understand they must be demonic hordes that infiltrate the minds and hearts of men on the earth with the spiritual poison of Satan.  So who do the locusts symbolize?  Maybe if we define the literal locust - the insect - we might obtain insight as to whom they symbolize in prophecy.

We know that a locust, the literal insect, is known to congregate in hordes, too many to count.  What other description of this insect will help us to understand the identity of the esoteric imagery of the locusts in our prophecy?  Stay tuned...

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~



Trumpet Warnings Series #10 - Part 120 of Riddles, Enigmas & Esoteric Imagery of Revelation

 

 

I am sorry for the three-month hiatus in the middle of this series, but this blog is up and running again. Thank you faithful followers for your patience.

 

We have been studying the metaphors, enigmas and symbolism of Revelation 8 & 9.  When we were last together we were about to examine Rev. 8:13.  And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of Heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound."

 

The exclamation of grief from the angel in this text is of a desperate nature, since it is expressed loudly three times, so we must pay close attention to the next trumpet warnings,  These three woes that are coming will adversely affect everything on the planet - man, animals and vegetation - all life forms. What are the ominous warnings - woes - of the 5th & 6th angels?

 

Within the sound of the 5th & 6th trumpet warnings, there is a sure and menacing darkness about to cover the whole world, bringing a frightful doom and gloom to all the inhabitants of the earth.  This ominous warning begins to manifest at the outset of the Dark Ages.  It is during this time in history that nefarious and vile false religious doctrines appeared - abominable and wicked - twisting and perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Then the fifth angel sounded:  and I saw a star fallen from Heaven to the earth.  To him was given the key to the bottomless pit...and he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit...Rev.9:1-2.

 

This angel's warning is an imminent and portentous pronouncement.  Who does the star symbolize in this verse?  In #7 of this series we defined the star symbolism as Wormwood...see Rev. 8:10-11.  The full meaning of wormwood:  to curse, poison, make bitter - tyranny. Wormwood symbolizes Satan. It is this star that Jesus was referring to when He said...I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven...Luke 10:18.  What does this fallen star do against the people of the earth?

 

Satan is a title, describing an advanced manifestation of the vile character of Lucifer, who is described as the morning star.  By defining the symbolism and using confirming scripture, we can easily see that the fallen star is Satan - ruler of the bottomless pit - Hell. But Satan has never needed a key to his home, so the key must have symbolic meaning.  What does the key symbolize?  

 

Since the key opens the bottomless pit to let out smoke from the great furnace, we know that the key symbolizes a specific evil that has been waiting to be released upon the earth...at God's appointed time...Rev. 9:15.  God gave the fallen star the key, symbolizing that he is permitted to release the most repugnant and revolting wickedness upon the earth, with a specific designation and a specific time period.

 

What ominous and malevolent spirits have been reserved in the bottomless pit that will now be allowed to be released upon planet earth, according to the trumpet blast of the 5th angel?

 

When Satan opened the door of this chamber in the bottomless pit, a hot suffocating smoke burst out, quickly permeating the atmosphere.  What does smoke symbolize when it is released from the fiery furnace of Hell?  In this reference, smoke symbolizes lies, heresies, evil inclinations, doctrines of demons, and every dark superstitious machinations of Satan himself - intrusive and pervasive - insidiously infiltrating and influencing powerful government leaders - symbolized by darkened sun.

 

The scripture also says that the Air was darkened. What does this symbolize?  Stay tuned...

 

God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~