Author of Torment - Rumor notes 48

 

Trumpet 5 (Revelation 9:1-12)

9:3 Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 9:4 They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. 9:5 They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. 9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power

Review...

You, son of man, don't be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 2:6)

Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. (Luke 10:19)

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Continue...

torment them for five months

I really want to flush more out about this word torment. What is the nature of this torment? Is it physical, or emotional or spiritual? What is the nature of this war? That will inform us as to the direction to take in looking for answers that fit into the larger picture presented by these symbols.

Again, let us compare all the passages containing this word from throughout Scripture to discover what the real meaning of this might be for this context.

But the hand of Yahweh was heavy on them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and struck them with tumors, even Ashdod and the borders of it. (1 Samuel 5:6)

Other translations render this as ravaged, terrified, devastated, wasted, desolate. Clearly it goes far beyond the simplistic idea of simply annihilating as we often think of the word destroy.

Here are a couple other interesting translations of this verse.

And the hand of the Lord was heavy upon Azotus, and he brought evil upon them, and it burst out upon them into the ships, and mice sprang up in the midst of their country, and there was a great and indiscriminate mortality in the city. (1 Samuel 5:6 Brenton)

The LORD made life hard for the people of Ashdod and their neighbors. He gave them many troubles and caused them to get tumors. He also sent mice to them. The mice ran all over their ships and then onto their land. The people in the city were very afraid. (1 Samuel 5:6 ERV)

Here is another verse from the OT that also contributes to our understanding of this word. These are the only two verses I find in the OT that use this word in the Greek.

Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins. (Micah 6:13)

So also I will make you sick, striking you down, Desolating you.... (NAS95)

Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you.... (NIV)

And I tormented you for extinction on account of your sins. (ABP+)

Therefore I have also made weak in smiting thee, in making desolate because of thy sins. (JB2000)

When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him, and saying, "Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented." (Matthew 8:5-6)

fearfully tormented. (NAS95)

in terrible distress. (NRSV)

dreadfully tormented. (NKJV)

in terrible suffering. (NIV)

When he came to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, two people possessed by demons met him there, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that nobody could pass that way. Behold, they cried out, saying, "What do we have to do with you, Jesus, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:28-29)

Compare this with another account of the same event to see an important corollary.

Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion," for many demons had entered into him. They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss. (Luke 8:30-31)

The next verse also hints at demonic involvement through reference to the wind bringing distress and torment.

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. (Matthew 14:24)

but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. (NRSV)

And the boat was already in the midst of the sea, being tormented by the waves; for the wind was adverse. (ABP+)

His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. (Matthew 18:34)

Is this not exactly what is being described here in the 5^th trumpet? It specifically spells out that these locust entities are given power/authority to torment. What can we learn from comparing these two passages about what may be going on under this trumpet? I believe this story of the debtor may have a major role in unlocking our understanding of the real meaning of what is going on and the nature of the torment described as going on for 5 months.

The last verse containing this specific word outside the book of Revelation is this one.

and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds): (2 Peter 2:7-8)

I want to include a few other passages that may well add to our perspective of this idea.

I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plumb line. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place. Your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol shall not stand. When the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it. As often as it passes through, it will seize you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be nothing but terror to understand the message." For the bed is too short to stretch out on, and the blanket is too narrow to wrap oneself in. (Isaiah 28:17-20)

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me," says the Lord, "I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)

For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm, the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them, for they could not stand that which was commanded, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned;" and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling." (Hebrews 12:18-21)

For thus says Yahweh: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see whether a man does travail with child: why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:5-7)

This last verse for me seems to fit this description found in this trumpet and correlates to many of the other clues we have been checking out. If it is the people of God being tormented here, the torment could be simultaneously internal as well as coming from other people externally.

Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person

A scorpion striking a person causes excruciating pain that could be representing panic attacks caused through opening up the heart and mind to demonic access. Scorpions represent demons who specialize in fear, terror and torment. This extreme pain can involve torture of conscience, unrelenting terror, condemnation, unresolvable guilt and/or shame. Those who once knew intimacy with God but who have spurned it by returning to fear, are now only left with a keen awareness of their now hopelessly lost condition with no way of receiving rest or peace. This is the tormenting experience of living in perpetual hopeless despair.

torment them for five months

What is this five months about? The only other references I find in Scripture to this length of time relates to the flood and a story involving Zacharia's wife Elizabeth, which may find relevance here.

Five months = 5x30 or 150 days. Interestingly a plague of locusts typically lasted 5 months.

Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship. The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred fifty days. (Genesis 7:23-24)

After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men." Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. (Luke 1:24-27)

Let's compare the context of these two stories to inform us about the possible meaning of this 5 months. At first they may seem totally unrelated, but as we look more closely it is surprising how much they dovetail to reveal key elements that we may find highly useful in unpacking the hidden meaning of what is going on here in the 5^th trumpet.

Was there a similarity of conditions that existed in the beginning of these two stories?

Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)

The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. God saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (Genesis 6:11-13)

Before Christ's first advent, the sin of refusing to conform to God's law had become widespread. Apparently Satan's power was growing; his warfare against heaven was becoming more and more determined. A crisis had been reached. With an intense interest God's movements were watched by the heavenly angels. Would He come forth from His place to punish the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity? Would He send fire or flood to destroy them? All heaven waited the bidding of their Commander to pour out the vials of wrath upon a rebellious world. One word from Him, one sign, and the world would have been destroyed. The worlds unfallen would have said, "Amen. Thou art righteous, O God, because Thou hast exterminated rebellion." {RC 58}

How did God relate to these conditions in each story?

Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great

Yahweh was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart. (Genesis 6:5-6)

But "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God might have sent His Son to condemn, but He sent Him to save. Christ came as a Redeemer. No words can describe the effect of this movement on the heavenly angels. With wonder and admiration they could only exclaim, "Herein is love!" {RC 58}

How were the people used by God viewed by Him?

But Noah found favor in Yahweh's eyes. This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:8-9)

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. (Luke 1:5-6)

What was God intent on establishing in each situation?

I, even I, do bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die. But I will establish my covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. (Genesis 6:17-18)

Yahweh said to Noah, "Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation. (Genesis 7:1)

Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. (Daniel 9:24)

He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke 1:16-17)

How were the chosen participants to act upon hearing what God was thinking?

Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, because of the waters of the flood. (Genesis 7:7)

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth." (Luke 1:13-14)

How did people respond to God's desire?

Thus Noah did. According to all that God commanded him, so he did. (Genesis 6:22)

Noah did everything that Yahweh commanded him. (Genesis 7:5)

Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time. (Luke 1:20)

How might these two depictions find a parallel?

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky's windows were opened. The rain was on the earth forty days and forty nights. (Genesis 7:11-12)

After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months...

(Luke 1:24)

Notice that in both cases the five months began with something very powerful resulting in changing the course of history of this world. In the flood story Noah and his family ensconced themselves into the womb of the ark while the rain and water intensified all around them, wiping out everything living on the surface of the earth.

In the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, they they participated by joining their bodies together in an act of love that resulted in the conception of a child who lived inside her womb filled with water, while she herself hid inside to shield herself from wondering eyes and prying questions by those who had been the cause of reproach for much of her life.

During the flood, everything on the surface of the ground experienced destruction, leaving the world a wasteland, empty and not unlike what the world looked like before the process of reformatting it in the creation story.

Similarly, John the Baptist grew up in the wilderness living sparsely and isolated as his heart was prepared for the mighty work of introducing the most important person in the history of the universe to become involved in human history and alter the course of events forever.

The waters prevailed on the earth for five months while Noah and his family hid inside the ark.

Elizabeth hid from reproach while pregnant for 5 months.

Both Noah and Elizabeth had long suffered reproach from the people surrounding them.

Both stories involve the Lord looking down on the situation on earth, as well as doing things.

Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and Yahweh shut him in. (Genesis 7:16)

God spoke to Noah, saying, "Go out of the ship, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you. (Genesis 8:15-16)

We are informed that a mighty angel shut the massive door of the ark and no human could remove that door until God was ready to let them out. Then that same angel removed the door at the end of the flood inviting Noah and his family to exit.

In the story of Elizabeth, after her 5 months of hiding was finished, Gabriel is seen going into action getting involved in the story directly to order to make arrangements for the Messiah to be born who would both become the door and provide the way for the salvation of all mankind.

I would like to explore a bit more the description of what was going on with the waters in the flood story. Take a look at how many ways this activity of the waters is described.

The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the earth. The waters prevailed, and increased greatly on the earth; and the ship floated on the surface of the waters. The waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth. All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds, livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that was on the dry land, died. Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ship. The waters prevailed on the earth one hundred fifty days. (Genesis 7:17-24)

Here is Strong's definition of the word 'prevailed'

gabar - to be strong; by implication, to prevail, act insolently: exceed, confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more (strength), strengthen, be stronger, be valiant

Now compare this with verses that follow immediately after.

God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. [spirits are angels likened to winds of fire Hebrews 1:7,14) The waters subsided. The deep's fountains and the sky's windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained. The waters receded from the earth continually. After the end of one hundred fifty days the waters decreased. The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat's mountains. The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen. (Genesis 8:1-5)

Now the question is raised, How does all this inform us for interpreting what we find in the 5^th trumpet?

They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. (Revelation 9:10)

This five months is like bookends enclosing detailed descriptions of what these locust beings are and what they do. Significantly, this last mention refers to their tails as being the source or location of their power to harm. What is key for understanding this reference to tails? And how might this correlate to the other two stories involving 5 months? Maybe if we compare them we will find key details that may bring more light to what we are looking at here. Here are all the other references to tails in Revelation along with what I believe to be a key that best unlocks the meaning of this symbol.

For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm. (Revelation 9:19)

His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. (Revelation 12:4)

The elder and the honorable man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail. For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:15-16)

In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it.

They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel send a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. (1 Kings 19:1-4)

Why is light given to him who is in misery, life to the bitter in soul, Who long for death, but it doesn't come; and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged in? For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings are poured out like water. For the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me. I am not at ease, neither am I quiet, neither have I rest; but trouble comes. (Job 3:20-26)

Oh that I might have my request, that God would grant the thing that I long for, even that it would please God to crush me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off! (Job 6:8-9)

When I say, 'My bed shall comfort me. My couch shall ease my complaint;' then you scare me with dreams, and terrify me through visions: so that my soul chooses strangling, death rather than my bones. I loathe my life. I don't want to live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath. What is man, that you should magnify him, that you should set your mind on him, that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle? If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, so that I am a burden to myself? Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be. (Job 7:13-21)

"'Why, then, have you brought me forth out of the womb? I wish I had given up the spirit, and no eye had seen me. I should have been as though I had not been. I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. Aren't my days few? Cease then. Leave me alone, that I may find a little comfort, before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death; the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.'" (Job 10:18-22)

Talk about tormentors, Job had three of them reinforcing the lies of the enemy incessantly, bantering him with supposedly helpful advice while in fact it only made him even more miserable than he already was. Here is a sample from the mouth of Zophar, one of Job's presumed friends.

"If you set your heart aright, stretch out your hands toward him. If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away. Don't let unrighteousness dwell in your tents. Surely then shall you lift up your face without spot; Yes, you shall be steadfast, and shall not fear: for you shall forget your misery. You shall remember it as waters that are passed away. Life shall be clearer than the noonday. Though there is darkness, it shall be as the morning. You shall be secure, because there is hope. Yes, you shall search, and shall take your rest in safety. Also you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. Yes, many shall court your favor. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail. They shall have no way to flee. Their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit." (Job 11:13-20)

If what we are beginning to see in this trumpet is an intense campaign of harassment of the true followers of God by demonic tormentors, then these insights from Job's experience might find great relevance in unpacking the kind of experience being described here and just who it is that is on the receiving end of all the torment. This torment will be designed to lead the followers of the Lamb into imagining that they are the ones who are deceived and who need to repent from their crazy notions that God is not like the beast power as everyone else insists He must be.

It is becoming more clear to me in my own experience that the war is over what we believe about our identity, and that what we choose to cling to relating to who defines us and what that looks like will be the point of contention most fiercely fought over in the mind and heart of every human soul daring to defy the kingdom of darkness and its deeply entrenched patterns of thinking that has manipulated and conditioned us our entire lives. Job went through the purifying experience and came out in the end as a champion for truth receiving God's affirmation. But the intensity of assaults on his reputation and integrity was excruciatingly painful for a long time due to the religious wisdom of the world used to compel him to abandon his crazy notions about a God different from what the mainstream believed.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. He prayed to Yahweh, and said, "Please, Yahweh, wasn't this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm. Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live." (Jonah 4:1-3)

It happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah's head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is better for me to die than to live." (Jonah 4:8)

Key to interpreting this is determining who is on the receiving end of this torment. If it involves torment on the part of the followers of the Lamb, then this torment involves a massive assault by the powers of darkness to convince them that they are the ones who need to repent and return to a proper fear-based view of God just as Job experienced. This will be intense and prolonged but will actually result in purify them of all lingering notions that religion and tradition has infected them with since birth. This torment by demonic spirits of fear will be unrelenting but must be resisted with the word of God and total reliance on Him alone for the truth about our identity.

On the other hand, if this torment is happening to false-hearted Christians who have imagined they were doing the right things and hoping to be saved, then the desire to die without the ability to actually enter into it could equally involve other passages such as the following. Since this book is in written in symbols, this 'death' can be symbolic. If this torment is in those professing to be God-followers but who have failed to put to death the fleshly desires, then too late people will attempt to die to self, to repent, to encounter the Spirit of God and to recapture the lost joy, but will find it impossible because they have refused to move deeper into the reality of God's love while they had capacity and time to respond. Instead they have fallen away back into old familiar patterns of fear-based thinking. Now, desperate to be saved but still motivated by fear and selfishness, they find themselves unable to receive or give love which results in prolonged and interminable torment.

Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isaiah 2:19)

Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them, says Yahweh of Armies. (Jeremiah 8:3)

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? (Matthew 16:25-26)

For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. (Romans 6:5-6)

Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God. (Romans 7:4)

For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13)

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. (Galatians 5:24)

Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things' sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. You also once walked in those, when you lived in them; but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth. (Colossians 3:5-8)

For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears. (Hebrews 12:17)

Locusts from Smoke - Rumor notes 47

 

Trumpet 5 (Revelation 9:1-12)

9:3 Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 9:4 They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. 9:5 They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. 9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power

Characteristics of these locusts:

They consume living vegetation Rev 9:4; 7:3; 8:7; Ex 10:5,12,15.

They come from the east Ex 10:13.

They impose themselves on people Ex 10:6,15.

These locusts are also associated with darkness (Rev 9:2) along with torment/harm to people not having the seal of God (Rev 9:4-5,10), those who reject the version of God as revealed by the Lamb. They have exchanged the truth of God for the lie (Romans 1:23).

power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power

This word for power is the same that is often translated as authority. It is not the word for merely force but is about delegated power, not so much physical power. This is why it is noted as being given to them, for in reality authority is given to someone by those who chose to live under their authority. This is important to appreciate when seeking to understand the meaning behind these symbols.

The way creation design reality operates is not the way the counterfeit kingdom of the dragon functions relying on hierarchy, top-down control. That false kind of authority may be what we are used to living under, but in reality each person chooses who will have authority over their lives.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (Romans 6:15-19 NAS95)

I believe what we are reading about here in this fifth trumpet is wholesale giving over of authority by the masses to the assertions of lying spirits who are then empowered or authorized to be loosed from the restrictions placed on them previously. Thus the key to the bottomless pit, the abyss in which even demon spirits are terrified to be locked into, may involve the authority of our will.

But the unclean spirit, when he is gone out of the man, passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and doesn't find it. Then he says, 'I will return into my house from which I came out,' and when he has come back, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes, and takes with himself seven other spirits more evil than he is, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man becomes worse than the first. Even so will it be also to this evil generation. (Matthew 12:43-45)

Notice this phrase waterless places. Remember what we found in our study of the word for the abyss? It was a hole in the ground used for getting water, either a well or a cistern. But it was also used as a prison when it was not full of water, and the demons begged Jesus not to send them there.

What does water represent in this venue? This same passage as recorded by Luke is prefaced by these words:

He that is not with me is against me. He who doesn't gather with me scatters. (Luke 11:23)

Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water." (John 7:37-38)

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)

So according to Jesus, evil demons who find resting places in people but get displaced during a cleansing encounter with the Lord of truth, can return to their old hangout if they discover that the person's heart and life are not preoccupied by forces of light that protect it from invasion. When this is the case, these demons resort to soliciting other demons who are more evil than the original ones. But my question is, where do these more evil demons come from? Why are they not already living in humans somewhere? Is the spirit world far more complex than we may have imagined? Does Satan imprison his own demons for non-compliance and treat them harshly and without mercy like his system operates among humans?

And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; (Jude 1:6 NKJV)

For if God didn't spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment... (2 Peter 2:4)

These words pits and chains come from the same word. Thus we see described here the pit of the abyss that is used as a prison for spirits, but who can evidently find release to participate in reoccupation of a person's life who has neglected to install sufficient security after being remodeled by heaven. This is a very sobering revelation indeed.

The important question then arises, what is involved in installing an effective security system that can prevent this tragedy from happening to me? Evidently, it is not enough simply to believe the truth and rejoice in the truth for a season, for according to the parable of the seed sower, a person can rejoice for a time after receiving the seed of truth but can miss out on the harvest because of shallow roots or by allowing distractions to take over our priority. Clearly what I am seeing here is a warning to me and to all of us to take more seriously the advancing light that is being brought to us and not to imagine that because we may understand more than others that we are safe. We may in fact find ourselves the target of old familiar spirits who have been previously ejected from our lives seeking reentrance, and if our security system is not operational and connected to heaven's forces properly, we may become not only reinfected with old habit patterns but might be overwhelmed in ways we never imagined possible.

For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries. A man who disregards Moses' law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me," says the Lord, "I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people." It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:26-31)

These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever. (2 Peter 2:17)

When the far more evil spirits join the more benign dark spirits that have been allowed to reinfect a person through their neglect to get totally serious about surrender to God, these spirits that come from the abyss, the waterless cistern that imprisoned them for so long, find place in a human heart to wreak havoc as they suck out any remaining moisture from their soul. This is the work of evil spirits, for they have cut themselves off from God the source of living water and are now parasites living off the remnants of moisture they can leach from human victims who allow them access to their lives.

as the scorpions of the earth have power

This is a description to unpack the nature or method of receiving power relating to the symbolic locusts. It might be easy to begin to imagine that suddenly there are also scorpions involved, and this symbol certainly is quite relevant. But what appears to be the main point here is relating to power, not whether or not scorpions are now introduced. Having said that, let's look at some verses relating to scorpion power to see what we might learn.

They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. (Revelation 9:5)

They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. (Revelation 9:10)

then your heart be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint; (Deuteronomy 8:14-15)

Now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. (1 Kings 12:11)

You, son of man, don't be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions: don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 2:6)

Behold, I give you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will in any way hurt you. (Luke 10:19)

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world's rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

In Scripture scorpions are often associated with serpents and very likely represent demonic spirits allied with Satan the ancient serpent. If these demonic spirits are here being released by the one wielding the key to the abyss, is it possible that what this might be describing is a counterfeit related to descriptions about the Second Coming of Jesus with all His holy angel spirits?

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25:31-32)

For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. (Revelation 14:9-11)

They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. (Revelation 9:5-6)

Notice the striking similarity between these last two passages. This provides a most compelling argument on the part of the great impersonator that he is the actual Lamb and the reason that resistors to him are being tormented by his spirit assistants is because they are resisting his authority. Thus he can claim that the polarization taking place relates to his claim to be the promised messiah for our planet. Consequently, all who resist his authority must be worshiping a false messiah and thus are those who have the mark of the beast. Furthermore the torment they experience so long as they resist his government is simply deserved punishment and there will be no release from their torment while they refuse to give up heretical views and their misplaced trust in a wimpy Lamb concept who has no real power to establish peace on earth through law and order.

Throughout this fifth trumpet there is an unusual repetition of a few words that have similar meaning that may be worth noting here. Following is a list these words just in this one trumpet message.

hos – as it were, even as like, like as

smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace

power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power

Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person

on their heads appeared to be crowns

on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold

their faces were like people's faces

They had hair like women's hair

their teeth were like those of lions

They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron

The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war

homoios – similar (in appearance or character): – like

The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war

on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold

They have tails like those of scorpions

homoioma – a form; abstractly, resemblance: made like to, likeness, shape, similitude

The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle

These 'like' words show up so often it would seem to indicate that while there are important similarities, we should not confuse them as being the same as what they resemble. Rather we are to discern how the secondary symbol informs us of some characteristic to be seen in the initial symbol.

They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads

First of all, who are we going to assume is in charge in this situation? If this is a counterfeit operation doing everything possible to emulate what people are expecting to happen at the Second Coming of Christ, who would be giving out instructions at this point? Would it not be Satan himself masquerading as an angel of light, as Christ himself?

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles. And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light. It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

(2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire."

Aren't they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1:7, 14)

Who we assume to be giving these instructions will make all the difference in how we interpret the meaning of the symbols in this passage. If heaven is giving these orders as restrictions on what these locusts are allowed to do, then we go down a path of interpretation in one direction. But if in fact, this describes a preparation for Satan to masquerade as the long-expected messiah of the world arriving to rescue our planet from imminent destruction and to restore peace on earth by reestablishing law and order, then these instructions will necessarily take on entirely different meaning, and these symbols might need to be interpreted entirely differently, from the perspective of spin by deceivers.

Consider the following possibilities and their implications:

What if this grass of the earth is the world's definition of grass rather than heaven's?

What if any green thing is based on the enemy's definition of green rather than God's?

The same applies to what a tree represents, and the world's definition of a righteous person?

And most unexpected, what if the mark of the beast and the seal of God are reversed?

This last point is extremely significant. Notice what is missing here from its description in chapter 7.

I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, (Revelation 7:2)

those people who don't have God's seal on their foreheads

At first this might seem innocuous, but with all the other clues piling up I suspect foul play here when a key word is missing in this mention of the seal of God. The difference is that if this is indeed a counterfeit operation going on here, the counterfeit god of this world is not an equivalent with the living God of heaven. But it would be very much like him to masquerade his mark as the legitimate seal, for a counterfeit always emulates the original in order to derive its credibility and power from its similarity to what is genuine.

 

Might we discern extreme subtlety and cunning behind Satan's plan to preempt the true coming of the Lamb of God through exploiting the world's expectations of a powerful messiah arriving to restore order and peace through firm law enforcement, while defaming and discrediting everything we are learning about the true nature of the Lamb of God? Our assumptions as to who is behind these instructions will make all the difference in how we come to interpret the symbols involved.

I am not insisting we must interpret this trumpet this way. There are likely multiple interpretations of these prophecies, yet not necessarily compatible with each other. However, I find this way of viewing it more consistent with the tenor of everything we have been discovering about the Lamb so far and the nature of extreme subtlety used by the enemy to deceive if possible the very elect among God's people.

They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months

Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person.

In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it.

They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

Notice how this factor of 'given' permeates this prophecy. There must be a reason why it is repeated.

The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him

power was given to them (the locusts)

They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them

We have already noted that it is not safe to simply assume that everything given throughout Revelation is given directly by God. In this case, if indeed this is a counterfeit preparation for Jesus coming, the source of this giving may well be the fallen star who was initially given the key by whomever had it previously, and in turn used the key to empower subordinate entities to carry out his will. And his will is to deceive the whole earth, especially concerning everything to do with how we view God.

If these locusts are only given power to torment but not to kill, what might be some possible reasons behind this? And is there anything in these other two stories that might help untangle this?

Given the deadly nature of the enemy of our souls who seeks to steal, kill and destroy, why would there suddenly be restraints on his demonic assistants whose nature is reflective of his own? There must be some compelling end goal to achieve to bring this kind of restraint into the activities of those who delight in killing, in torture, in defacing the image of God in mankind. And I believe we might see here just such a compelling reason to further the master scheme of Satan to entice as many as possible into synchronizing with the spirit of darkness.

Maybe they simply cannot kill people

Maybe they want to maintain the appearance of being merciful, only in a counterfeit way

Maybe they assert that torment is a merciful means of both salvaging and purifying those viewed as rebellious, and is thus intended for their overall good, using torment as punishment to provide sufficient incentive for their 'conversion'

If this be the case, belief in benefits of law enforcement could be reinforced as God's will for earth, while presided over by the originator of the counterfeit himself, the fallen star with assistance from his spirit agents. Clearly this approach has been relied on in the past, and is not this what most all the Christian world is increasingly promoting today, the assertion that Christ is going to return to set up His kingdom of righteousness here on earth for 1000 years when evil will be repressed and the righteous promoted into positions of strategic power?

For me, I see outlines in this trumpet of a counterfeit Jesus system being developed to align perfectly with popular expectations of religion, yet described in symbols intended to obfuscate the light of truth as most clearly witnessed to by the Lamb.

Smoke from the Abyss - Rumor notes 46

Trumpet 5 (Revelation 9:1-12)

9:2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.

The beast also comes up out of this pit, which fits well with the history of the beast who received a mortal wound that was healed. A mortal wound would represent defeat which could induce despair, but its healing revives hope in a new takeover of the world with help from the forces of darkness seen here in this trumpet.

Defeat and despair seem to summarize what I am finding as the best interpretation of this abyss symbol. The question then is this: what is God's solution for overcoming this plague of fear that plunges us into darkness and induces hopeless despair?

I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands. I spread forth my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah. Hurry to answer me, Yahweh. My spirit fails. Don't hide your face from me, so that I don't become like those who go down into the pit. Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. Deliver me, Yahweh, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. (Psalms 143:5-10)

He opened the pit of the abyss

This parallels other openings and unsealing going on in this first part of Revelation while closings and sealing increase. This opening is reversed later by this same pit being closed and sealed over Satan for 1,000 years.

smoke went up out of the pit

As we move further into this description, note the contrasts between this and a later similar reference.

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished. (Revelation 15:8)

like the smoke from a burning furnace

This is in sharp contrast to the kind of smoke that filled the temple. I think this is key to appreciating what is being emphasized here. Smoke from burning in a furnace resonates more with the fear-based view of God witnessed at Mt. Sinai where the display of power only elicited terror and promises to obey resulting in years of legalistic attempts to comply or repeated lapses into idolatry and rebellion. I wonder if what we are seeing here is the counterfeit version of God's glory, demanding obedience based on intimidation, deception and enticements of reward as the means of maintaining order.

The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Yahweh. He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. (Genesis 19:27-29)

Mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. (Exodus 19:18)

But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day. (Deuteronomy 4:20)

Then the herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, peoples, nations, and languages, that whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music, you fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up; and whoever doesn't fall down and worship shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:4-6)

Now if you are ready whenever you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe, and all kinds of music to fall down and worship the image which I have made, well: but if you don't worship, you shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:15-18)

All of these resonate strongly with the counterfeit kingdom symbolized by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, reward and punishment, intimidation, deception and selfishness. Yet for every counterfeit there is a true original that usually looks in at least some respects very similar, at least initially. What do we find regarding the original that this is mimicking?

His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. (Revelation 1:15)

It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. (Genesis 15:17)

The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts. (Proverbs 17:3)

The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise. (Proverbs 27:21)

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.

(Isaiah 48:10)

Son of man, the house of Israel is become dross to me: all of them are brass and tin and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you are all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver and brass and iron and lead and tin into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire on it, to melt it; so will I gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you. Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst of it. As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall you be melted in the midst of it; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have poured out my wrath on you. (Ezekiel 22:18-22)

"For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up," says Yahweh of Armies, "that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." (Malachi 4:1)

Lastly, we can include another reference to smoke that may not be the same as this coming out of the pit but can be taken under advisement.

The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning. (Revelation 18:9)

The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit

A question that needs to be raised at this point is about the nature of the fire behind this smoke. The fire of God is His passion of love, and the result is always increased light, not obscuring the light. This smoke clearly is coming from a fire different than what comes from God, for here we see that it darkens the sun and pollutes the atmosphere around us, making it dark, foreboding and unhealthy. And this smoke is coming out of the pit. So it is connected to the definition we discussed previously about the meaning for the symbol of the abyss. That will inform us as to the nature of what is coming out of this pit that is bringing increased darkness instead of increased light.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)

Why was the surface at creation dark? Because the Spirit over it was blocking the light or some other reason? Remember that Satan was given the keys to the pit and is associated with chaos and darkness. What we need to see in the beginning is that God's Spirit is hovering no matter how dark it might be.

I saw the earth, and, behold, it was waste and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.

(Jeremiah 4:23)

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46)

I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. (Revelation 6:12)

All of these verses alert us to the reality that it is Satan who brings in darkness and is the cause of chaos, and it is God's Spirit that divides the light from the darkness and brings light that results in judgment, judgment meaning exposing and separating. From this perspective we could even say that the creation week was a powerful time of judgment, where the myriads of lies the enemy had spread about God's light of love had darkened the entire universe and through the Word of God, the same Word found in John 1, spoke in powerful ways to dispel darkness and bring beauty and order out of darkness and chaos.

This darkening smoke from the pit is a counterfeit of the smoke that fills the temple of God (Rev. 15:8) which is the hearts and minds of those following the Lamb. That smoke comes from embracing fresh revelations of truth about God's character of love, the passionate fire of His agape love producing in the heart sweetness and love even for enemies. In contrast, this darkening smoke results from the combination of base passion, desires for power, greed, and deceptions, coalescing to reinforce oppressive empires of tyranny, exploitation and coercion motivated by fear and selfishness.

The war we are all caught up in is a battle between light and darkness, truth and deception, creation design based on family and love under attack by a counterfeit kingdom based on force and fear.

What we are studying here involve events that are presently propelling us toward the grand culmination of this conflict when separation is once again needed to clarify the difference between what is true and what is false, between light and darkness, between the power of true love and selfish power seeking control and domination that hardens the heart against love. Revelation is designed to expose the difference between what is right and what leads to death, the difference between the truth about God's heart we are meant to reflect and participate in versus the slander and blasphemy that has darkened the atmosphere of this world filled with lying spirits of demons deceiving the whole earth.

Then those who feared Yahweh spoke one with another; and Yahweh listened, and heard, and a book of memory was written before him, for those who feared Yahweh, and who honored his name. They shall be mine," says Yahweh of Armies, "my own possession in the day that I make, and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him. Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn't serve him.

(Malachi 3:16-18)

This is not merely an interesting study of theology or prophecy but is rather an exposure to actual reality meant to alert us to the true issues of the war that we are experiencing presently. Will we open our minds and hearts to allow the impressions of the Spirit to transform and prepare our own hearts for the fierce conflict we are already entering right now? While we are not to dwell on fear which is what the world is forcing onto everyone right now, we do need reminders of dangers we must avoid and truths we must embrace if we are to navigate our way through the choices we are being forced to make during the closing events of this world's morbid history.