Talmidim Shoftim
Talmidim Shoftim
Revelation chapters 8 & 9
If you recall, in chapter 6 the first series of judgements were opened, these being released as each of six seals on the scroll of judgment was opened by the Lamb. The first seal revealed the False Messiah, the second his main military opponent who engaged him in conventional warfare (and was apparently defeated by him). What followed were various natural disasters, plagues, economic collapse, and finally at the sixth seal what appears to be a limited nuclear exchange took place. This is widely presumed to follow the fateful events of Passover week at the midpoint of the Tribulation, when the Beast reveals himself for what he is to the world. In chapter 7, a short silence follows the limited nuclear exchange while the angels will “seal” the 144,000 Israelite youths into Elohim’s service ( and we jump ahead to see the results of their mission at the end of the Tribulation: millions of people learned Torah and faith in Yeshua from them as they traveled around teaching and preaching – most of those millions then were martyred by the False Messiah’s government).
Now, at the beginning of chapter eight, we jump back to what is widely presumed to be immediately after the abomination of desolation at the midpoint of the Tribulation, the limited nuclear exchange between the False Messiah and those whose fear led them to use nuclear weapons after his fake “resurrection” on the Feast of Firstfruits, the Sunday following Passover. We can’t be sure exactly how long after the events of Passover that those who oppose the False Prophet will act, but it will probably not be very long, a month or two perhaps.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
Rev 8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before Elohim, and seven trumpets were given to them.
Rev 8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the holy ones on the golden altar which was before the throne.
Rev 8:4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the holy ones, went up before Elohim out of the angel’s hand.
Rev 8:5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.
The prayers are most likely from those who were duped by the False Messiah during the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation. Remember, according to Daniel he will be a very smoothe-talking charmer who will be the darling of the press and be lauded by nearly everyone for his role in bringing “peace” to the middle east. Those who then witness the awful events at the Abomination of Desolation, his assassination, and his fake resurrection (he is actually indwelt by hasatan, not really resurrected, as we will see later. Hasatan has no power to actually resurrect anyone) – those who see this will know they have been severly duped and pray to Elohim for forgiveness and protection from the persecutions and executions he has announced against obedient believers. The earthquake is a sign for believers that their prayer is being returned to earth with efficacy.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
Rev 8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
This is how we know the nuclear exchange was “limited” and not “all out” (that will come later). Only 1/3 of the earth is affected. “All green grass” would include all cereal grains – all wheat, barley, corn, etc. provoking a great food shortage, in addition to the famines already taking place due to climate change and warfare.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,
Rev 8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
We can’t be certain if this is referring to 1/3 of one particular “sea” or 1/3 of sealife in general. Either way, it will be a large “dead zone” in the water that will no longer sustain life. The rotting bodies of the dead sea creatures will turn this area into a stinking toxic waste that is too contaminated to recover naturally. While most consider the “burning mountain” to be a large missile of some sort, it is also possible that a meteor is in view here. Remember, John was attempting to describe 21st century events with his 1st century vocabulary.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters.
Rev 8:11 The name of the star is called “Wormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
This would appear to be radiation, or possibly some sort of chemical or biological warfare aimed at fresh water supplies. The attack is effective, and 1/3 of the fresh water becomes toxic.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:12 The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.
This is likely the result of extensive debris in the atmosphere from the fires caused by the limited nuclear exchange and other warfare.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 8:13 I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”
Rev 9:1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
Rev 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 “star” here probably refers to some sort of missile or weapon that delves deep into the crust of the earth – possibly reaching near to the earth’s magma layer. Or it could possibly hit a place where magma is already near the earth’s surface, such as a caldera or active volcano. Alternately, as we read the following verses it seems that perhaps the target may have been some sort of underground military facility.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 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.
Rev 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 Elohim’s seal on their foreheads.
Now, to this point the only people we know for certain that have Elohim’s seal are the 144,000 youths of chapter 7. However, we can infer that those who become obedient believers during the Tribulation will also receive a visible seal. Unlike the “Left Behind” series of books, however, the seal is likely to be visible to everyone – leading most recipients to martyrdom.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 9:5 They [the “locusts”] 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.
Rev 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.
Rev 9:7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.
Rev 9:8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.
Rev 9:9 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.
Rev 9:10 They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.
Rev 9:11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Avaddon,” but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon.”
Rev 9:12 The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.
Here it is again wise to remember that John is trying to describe 21st century technology with 1st century words. Many military persons reading this have remarked how certain military helicopters resemble locusts and could fit this prophecy perfectly. The “faces” he saw with “golden crowns” could simply be the helmets and faces of the pilots showing through the front glass. The “women’s hair” would be the delicate look of the rotary blades in flight, their “teeth” some sort of projectile weapon on the front of the helicopters. Of course, being metal, John would think of iron when he saw them, and they are very noisy. The “tails” would be the tail rotors, which could also have weaponry deployed there to spray some sort of chemical or biological warfare, which would sting and burn people when it fell on them.
In Proverbs chapter 30 many different types of wildlife are described, and we learn that:
Pro 30:27 The locusts have no king, yet they advance in ranks.
So we can infer that the locusts and their “king” are symbolic of 21st century military equipment and personnel. The Hebrew name given to the leader has these meanings:
G3 Ἀβαδδών Abaddōn ab-ad-dohn’
Of Hebrew origin [H11]; a destroying angel: – Abaddon.
H11 אבדּון ‘ăbaddôn ab-ad-done’
Intensively from H6; abstractly a perishing; concretely Hades: – destruction.
H6 אבד ‘âbad aw-bad’
A primitive root; properly to wander away, that is lose oneself; by implication to perish (causatively, destroy): – break, destroy (-uction), + not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, X and surely, take, be undone, X utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.
In Greek, his name has these interpretations:
G623 Ἀπολλύων Apolluōn ap-ol-loo’-ohn
Active participle of G622; a destroyer (that is, Satan): – Apollyon.
G622 ἀπόλλυμι apollumi ap-ol’-loo-mee
From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: – destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.
G575 ἀπό apo apo’
A primary particle; “off”, that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively): – (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
G3639 ὄλεθρος olethros ol’-eth-ros
From ὄλλυμι ollumi a primary word (to destroy; a prolonged form); ruin, that is, death, punishment: – destruction.
We can’t be sure how this would translate into Modern English, but no doubt this “king” is a general or other highly ranked and well-known military leader. The fact that he is named means his name will be known to the public at the time of his campaign.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 9:13 The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before Elohim,
Rev 9:14 saying to the sixth angel who had one shofar, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Perat!”
G2166 Εὐφράτης Euphratēs yoo-frat’-ace
Of foreign origin (compare [H6578]); Euphrates, a river of Asia: – Euphrates.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 9:15 The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.
Rev 9:16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them.
This refers to the armies of the “kings of the East,” most likely China, which is the only country that can field an army of that size at this present time, and due to their “one child” policy has such a number of expendable military age men who have no real prospects of marriage and family to domesticate them. China will become involved after the False Messiah reveals his true nature at the Abomination of Desolation, though they may not be the country that initiates the limited nuclear exchange. Rather, their motive is the oil fields of the middle east. As long as the False Messiah shows them his reasonable, soothing persona, they will feel like they can deal with him to settle their need for oil importation. But once he is shown to be a religious nut who thinks he’s a deity, China will decide not to leave the oil reserves of the middle east in the hands of a madman, and march against him.
Rev 9:17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.
Rev 9:18 By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.
Rev 9:19 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.
Again, John is trying to describe what he sees and doesn’t understand 21st century technology. Recall during the “four horsemen” judgements that ¼, or about 1.5 billion people were killed. We don’t learn specifically how many were killed in the limited nuclear exchange, but 1/3 of the earth was affected and probably half the people in that area died. So just for round number’s sake, let’s say the present earth population is about 6 billion, then 1.5 (one quarter) died leaving 4.5 billion, and then the limited nuclear exchange killed about half the people in an area resprenting 1/3 of the earth, so that means we lost another 682 million. So, now we lose another 1/3 of the remaining people meaning about 1.3 billion more people die. That means that at this point of the Tribulation, on 3.2 billion people remain alive – about half of the world’s population has died at this point.
Revelation, continued:
Rev 9:20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk.
Rev 9:21 They didn’t repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.
Notice it doesn’t say that they are dazed and confused and have no idea why this is happening. It says they refuse to repent. The 144,000 witnesses are still out there, teaching and preaching, as are the uncountable millions who become obedient believers due to their teachings, and the righteous gentiles who help hide them from the Beast’s government agents. The others also know now that the world is experiencing Elohim’s wrath – but they don’t repent. They refuse to believe and refuse to obey – the follow the False Messiah (either enthusiastically or out of fear of the consequences to standing up to him).
Next: Epistle Shoftim
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