What is the bottomless pit, and more importantly, what are the locusts?
Revelation 9:1-11 "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star
fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the
bottomless (G12)
pit (G5421). And he opened the
bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a
great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke
of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto
them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was
commanded them that 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. And the shapes of the locusts were like unto
horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like
gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the
hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had
breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings
was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had
tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their
power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is
the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon,
but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon."
G12
= depthless,
that is, (specifically), (infernal) "abyss": - deep, (bottomless) pit.
G5421
= Of uncertain derivation; a hole in the ground
(dug for obtaining or holding water or other purposes), that is, a cistern or
well; figuratively an abyss (as a prison): - well, pit.
Lets start with the bottomless pit,
2 Peter 2:4 "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but
cast them down to hell (G5020), and
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; "
Jude 1:6 "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but
left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under (G5259)
darkness (G2217) unto the judgment of
the great day."
G5020
= (the
deepest abyss of Hades); to incarcerate in eternal torment: - cast down to hell.
G5259
=
A primary preposition; under, that is, (with the genitive)
of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the
accusative) of place (whither [underneath] or where [below]) or time (when
[at]): - among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In compounds it retains the same
genitive applications, especially of inferior position or condition, and
specifically covertly or moderately.
G2217
= Akin to
the base of G3509; gloom (as shrouding like a cloud): - blackness, darkness,
mist.
in 2 Peter 2:4 we find that the sinful angels, or sons of God, were punished
by imprisonment in chains and darkness, until the time of "judgment".
It would appear that the bottomless pit or Abyss is a place that fallen angels
are imprisoned.
Knowing that the pit is where fallen angels are held, it would make sense
that these locusts are fallen angels!
The term "locusts" appears to be both symbolic, and relates to
appearance. For they have human faces and hair, as do some angels which look
like men.
If the key to this prison were to be given to a fallen angel, and the pit
were to be opened, it would make sense that it would be angels coming out,
having been imprisoned in the pit since the time of the Flood.
"And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto
them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was
commanded them that 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."
Could it be that a great many of these fallen angels repented at Jesus
preaching, 1 Peter 3:18-20?
" And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the
bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek
tongue hath his name Apollyon."
Abaddon or Apollyon, which means the Destroyer, has assumed the role of
leader [King] over those that have not repented. This king is also
described as a beast.
The two witness have been on the scene giving their testimony, but the beast
that came up out of the pit will declare war against them and kill them.
Revelation 11:1-7 "And there was given me a reed like unto a
rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and
the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the
temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and
the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will
give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive
trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if
any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth
their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be
killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of
their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to
smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. And when they shall
have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the
bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and
kill them."
The locusts were told not to hurt the grass or plants or trees but to attack
all the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads, Rev 9. If
these fallen angels are locusts, why are they attacking the people who have
taken the Mark of the Beast, and who are worshipping the dragon, and the Beast.
It very well may be that during their imprisonment, after being preached to by
Jesus, that they have repented, and upon their release, they go about working
for God. Could they have been pardoned?
It appears there are two camps of locusts that exit the pit, those that
follow their so called king and kill the two witness, and those that work for
God punishing the godless.
