Monday, May 16, 2016

ABADDON (Hebrew – “Destruction”) & APOLLYON (Greek – “Destroyer”)

Today’s Reading: Revelation 9 

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

You can see the remains of the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, Greece. This temple and the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood, which were in it, represents the efforts of man to replace Almighty God with likenesses of fallen angels and demons who desired to be worshipped as if they were “The Great Creator,” the One and only true God who is over and above His creation, yet is present everywhere, and who cannot possibly be represented by the works of man’s hands. At the writing of the “Revelation,” priests and people were in this building with the worship of (as Revelation 9:20-21 says), “demons and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: Revelation 9:20a

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands…

 

Jim and Kathy Cantelon write today’s 100 Words segment (originally published in Crossroads’ Day Unto Day devotional series)…

By now you’ve seen how difficult it is to try to analyze and systematize the content of apocalyptic writing. John is describing a vision, and in doing so is attempting to describe the indescribable. Scores of well-meaning attempts have been made over the years to tell us what John “really meant,” but all such efforts should be taken with a grain of salt. Especially if the would-be interpreter is dogmatic about his interpretation!

This is why it’s refreshing from time to time in Revelation to come across material that hints at the purpose of the vision. Look at verses 20 and 21. These two sentences follow a description of two of the three remaining trumpet-disasters. The fifth trumpet precedes a fallen star unlocking “the shaft of the Abyss,” out of which a dense cloud of smoke produces a plague of tormenting locusts (verses 1-11). The sixth trumpet releases a supernatural army of 200 million who destroy a third of mankind. What’s the point of these cataclysmic horrors?

Apparently repentance is the point. Verses 20 and 21 tell us that the “work of [mankind’s] hands” is sufficient to bring heaven’s wrath upon the earth. That “work” is idolatry, murder, occultism, and sexual immorality. The scope of the disasters shows how enraged God is at sin. Were it not for the gracious work of Christ, mankind would have been destroyed long ago. That’s why we should repent of all sin now – while there is yet time.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Almighty God, I pray for continuous grace so that I may live in a repentant state, deliberately turning away from sin and moving always toward You! Lord Jesus, may I take my stand beside You at the entrance to the bottomless pit, Hell, and by every means at my disposal, seek to rescue the perishing multitudes. In Your Name, Jesus, I volunteer! Amen!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As a Pastor for many years, I would take the opportunity at least once a month to speak at a gathering of our young people. On one occasion I passed around papers and pencils, asking that they would describe modern warfare…tanks, fighter aircraft, flame throwers, etc., but they were not allowed to use any language which was developed in the past 100 years. One by one, I saw the lights going on in their faces as they understood what their Pastor was getting at. They faced the same challenge as did John in Revelation, trying to describe a battle scene which was 2,000 years into the future (Revelation 9:7-10). John uses the word “like” four times here. This means it’s symbolic, not literal.

It’s confession time for me. The reason I chose to use Jim and Kathy’s commentary on Revelation, besides my high respect for them, is that I can sometimes be a chicken (the opposite of a lion) when it comes to this book. Surprised? As I shared in a recent blog, I think it has something to do with my Doctor of Theology Dad telling me when I was just a boy that he had visited a library in London, England, which had over 1,000 commentary books on Revelation and, according to the librarian, not one of them, as far as he knew, agreed 100% in their interpretations. Sometimes, we just have to wait and see.  I remember coming home from grade 7 at Hopewell Public School, starting to cry when I saw my Dad, and telling him that my science teacher had made fun of me in front of the class because I had raised my hand and said that God created all things. My father put his hand on my shoulder and gently said, “Just wait David, God will prove Himself to you over the years.” I waited, and God has surely proven Himself to me over and over!

Yours for the blessing John promised we would receive from reading and hearing this book, even if we don’t understand everything at the present time,

David

11 thoughts on “Monday, May 16, 2016

  1. there indeed are many interpretations regarding the book of Revelation! I attended one Bible Study of this Book, it was interesting!
    Congratulations to Beth Morrison on the birth of a great grand child! Beth had requested prayer for a safe birth of this precious child! THANK GOD FOR ALL HIS MERCIES AND GRACE!

    • Amen Sah.
      Thank you Lord for a safe delivery of Beth’s great Grandchild.
      Pastor David, I admire you for your honestly, I don’t blame ypu for using Kathy and Jim’s explanation (with their permission of course)). They keep it simple and as your father said. just wait and see what God will do, His Word is true and we must trust Him, even when we don’t understand everything.
      Have a Blessed day everyone. Eleanor M.

  2. Amen! Yes, this book is complicated and maybe why the Lord promised us a blessing for reading and hearing it. Wrote a reply yesterday to your comment Beverlee and congratulations Beth on the birth of your new grandbaby. We are having a big snowstorm here in NW NB bigger than the last one we had in May. Is anyone else getting snow today?

  3. Yes, David, God has proven himself to you, again and again, and surely abounded in Grace over you and your family. All your family is sharing such grace to the whole world. Thanks very much to God and to you. Obedience to God, not always easy, has been your strong guideline and inviting us to do the same.

    Glory to the Great Father in the name of his ever obedient Son, Jesus Christ and equally God.

    Thankyou for all well documented messages, as well for many references to hymns of worship, always applicable. And other documentaries.

    Regarding this morning’s confession, I had already noticed that like many local pastors that I have heard teaching Revelation, the ” last bit ” has been given to ‘another ‘ person. Why not ? I conclude.
    Thanks to Jim and Cathy and all teachers for ‘job’ well done.

  4. David, you have been blessed with a great inheritance. Thank you for sharing it with us!

    The Book of Revelation is one that keeps us on our toes just attempting to know and understand its contents. Thank you Jim and Kathy for the simplistic way you are exposing it to us.

    Thank you Reynold for the sculptural photo!

  5. When studying the books of the bible- Revelation included,go with a literal sense of scripture. When the literal sense makes good sense, seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense. The Holy Spirit has only one interpretation of the Bible; ask HIM and you’ll have no need (ever) to interpret someone elses interpretation of the bible.
    Rev. Terrence (Terry) Felvus Grassie.

  6. prayers needed! Lord God please help me find some curtains for my windows! I saw the ones that would work but they do not have them in stock, the store is getting different stock, I never dreamt this would be so complicated PRAYERS PLEASE, I AM SO FRUSTRATED, I CANNOT SEEM TO FIND THE RIGHT CURTAINS! HELP ME LORD, PLEASE. THANK YOU

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