As I write this, the wife and I have an entire extra family living with us, another family coming in from out of state, and just this morning had another who is having relationship issues, call to say she needs to stay here for a couple of days. Why do I tell you this? Because, as Jesus informed us, “all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” ( Matthew 24:8 NASB)
You need to understand that Jesus' return for His church is imminent. Because of that, the enemy is pouring it on and turning up the heat; and though many will tell you that Satan is aiming at the Christian, I will tell you something, all of us were made in God's image. Unfortunately, because of Adam's treasonous actions, we are all broken. The best way to think of this is to picture yourself as genetically damaged, and that this damage drives your lust. Lust is the strong desire to do what you please, ignoring God's voice. Jesus put Himself on that cross, much as Isaac did when his father, Abraham, pushed to make a sacrifice to God. That action by Jesus brought about redemption and salvation for everyone's sin, past, present, and future. This redemption belongs to anyone who accepts this action by Jesus as being for them. When you do this you have applied faith and all that God asks is that we believe.
Everything we are studying in the Revelation, at this point, is God's wrath upon Israel and the nations, for their unbelief, and the horrors they have performed upon the world. Since the body of Christ is comprised of believers, they are excluded from the punishment that is coming. That information should be good news to most.
With that, we begin.
Revelation 8:12 NASB The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck.
From the Word Study Dictionary: Struck can be plḗssō, or plḗttō; future. plḗxō. To strike. In the NT, equivalent to plague, to smite, or to afflict with disease, calamity, evil.
The word third is exactly what they say, a third. But what is being struck?
The Sun
The Moon
The Stars
I went to Google and asked, what would happen if the sunlight was reduced by a third? I got an obvious answer from the National Geographic, and it goes like this:
“The sun has extremely important influences on our planet: It drives weather, ocean currents, seasons, and climate, and makes plant life possible through photosynthesis. Without the sun’s heat and light, life on Earth would not exist.”
I really don't think I need to pursue this any further, but I will point out that our skies, here in Southern California, have been grayed out by chemtrails. Add to this how Bill Gates emphasized that we need to have the earth cooled and how he intends to do that by spraying stuff in the sky to obscure the Sun heat. If you obscure the sky with nanoparticles of aluminum chaff, wouldn't that same chaff block out the moon and stars?
End of page one.
It would, so perhaps the answer to this question lies in the proliferation of chemtrails. Without the "twisted wisdom" of Bill Gates, I would have a hard time trying to figure out how God will go about making this happen. The method God chooses is not my concern as I am a part of the bride of Christ - the church, and will not be here when it happens.
I think it is important to point out that we haven't even hit the halfway point in the seven years of God's wrath. Some might say, in rebuttal, we haven't seen the antichrist in scripture as yet; ah, but we have, and we witnessed his entrance in Revelation 6:2 under the first, seal.
Revelation 6:2 NASB I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
So the antichrist was represented as the rider on the white horse, carrying a bow, conquering, and to conquer. Daniel's prophecies help to explain this even further, however, here in Daniel 8 he is called the insolent king.
Daniel 8:23-24 NASB "In the latter period of their rule, When the transgressors have run their course, A king will arise, Insolent and skilled in intrigue. (24) "His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.
The word intrigue is the Hebrew word chı̂ydâh. It means riddle, difficult question, parable, enigmatic saying or question, perplexing sayings or questions.
Enigmatic means relating to or containing a riddle; obscure; darkly expressed; ambiguous. Obscurely conceived or apprehended.
Considering these definitions, one should be wondering how this person could possibly rise to power.
Moving on.
Revelation 8:13 NASB Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"
You would not know an eagle was flying in the sky unless you looked up or heard it screech. This eagle, however, speaks with a loud voice and says,
“Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Anytime words are repeated, it is to: get your attention and to sound an alarm. It is evident that this eagle is warning us of the remaining blasts from the shofar, a sound, by the way, that will be heard around the globe.
At this point, there have been seven seals broken, and now four blasts from the shofar; and, aside from the arrival of the antichrist in Revelation six, we have nothing that prescribes exactly when these events will happen.
The fifth trumpet and an aspect of the horror the eagle spoke of.
Revelation 9:1 NASB Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.
End of page two
Consider what we have already seen, as they relate to “celestial” bodies.
Revelation 8:8-9 told us that at the blast of the second shofar,
“what looked like an enormous blazing mountain was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.”
This could very well be a massive asteroid, but I wouldn't want to exclude things like the Fukushima power plant explosions after the tsunami, and the eventual dumping of radioactive wastewater into the ocean.
Revelation 8:10-11 CJB The third angel sounded his shofar;
“and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky onto a third of the rivers and onto the springs of water. (11) The name of the star was "Bitterness," and a third of the water became bitter, and many people died from the water that had been turned bitter.”
Revelation 9:1 tells us that, once again, a star falls from heaven. What is the defining aspect of this verse? The fact that this “star” has already fallen to the earth, and he has the key to the bottomless pit.
I feel the need to define Bitterness once again. The Greek word is apsinthos and also means calamity or bitter poison.
The wording of Revelation 9:1 has a familiar ring to it.
Isaiah also described Lucifer, the day-star, why he lost his position, and why he will be thrust down to Sheol.
Isaiah 14:12-15 NASB "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! (13) "But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. (14) 'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' (15) "Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, To the recesses of the pit.
Is there any doubt as to who it is that has fallen to the earth? If so, consider the words of Jesus.
Luke 10:18 NET. So he (Jesus) said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.”
So, if this is Satan, what is he doing with the keys?
End of page three.
This is a long story; the short version is that Adam relinquished ALL rights to the earth when he bit into that fruit. If you don't believe that consider the conversation between Satan and Jesus when Satan tempted Jesus. Please pay attention to the wording in Luke's gospel and then compare it to Matthew's account, found in chapter four. Matthew tells us it was a high mountain but left off the details about the fact that the kingdoms were Satan's to give.
Luke 4:5-8 NASB And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) "Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." (8) Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"
In either case, there were no wasted words nor heated arguments over who had control over the earth, for Jesus knew very well what Adam had done and the extent of the damage. I already used Luke 10:18 to point out that Jesus was there watching when Satan was cast to earth.
At some point, you have to get real and believe. The Apostle John finally got it and told us in the opening lines of his account of Jesus' life with the disciples.
John 1:1-4 NASB In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
We are still looking at Revelation 9:1.
“Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.” NASB
Moses knew of this pit.
Numbers 16:28-31 NASB Moses said, "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds; for this is not my doing. (29) "If these men die the death of all men or if they suffer the fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. (30) "But if the LORD brings about an entirely new thing and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up
with all that is theirs, and they descend alive into Sheol, then you will understand that these men have spurned the LORD." (31) As he finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open;
King David also spoke of the pit.
Psalms 71:20 NASB You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
The Prophet Isaiah detailed how Sheol will swallow Jerusalem's splendor.
Isaiah 5:12-14 NASB Their banquets are accompanied by lyre and harp, by tambourine and flute, and by wine; But they do not pay attention to the deeds of the LORD, Nor do they consider the work of His hands. (13) Therefore My people go into exile for their lack of knowledge; And their honorable men are famished, And their multitude is parched with thirst.
Therefore Sheol has enlarged its throat and opened its mouth without measure; And Jerusalem's splendor, her multitude, her din of revelry and the jubilant within her, descend into it.
I would not want to leave you without hope, for scripture tells me that Jesus stripped Satan of power and took the keys to Sheol away from him.
Jesus, in His opening statements to John, reveals that He has those keys.
Revelation 1:17-18 NASB (17) When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, (18) and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
How then, did Jesus get those keys?
He had to go there, to Sheol. Having listened to Hank Hannegraf on the radio, I heard that it was impossible for the Son of God to touch such corruption. The Psalmist says otherwise.
“Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His deeds. For He who requires blood remembers them; He does not forget the cry of the afflicted. Be gracious to me, O LORD; See my affliction from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death,” (Psalms 9:11-13 NASB)
The Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury tell us that the keys symbolized authority to control whatever they opened,
In the Old Testament (Psalm 9:13; Psalm 107:18) and Jewish literature, “the gates of Hades” referred to the realm of the dead and thus to the power of death; one who held the keys to these realms thus ruled over them. (Whoever held the keys in a royal house held a position of great authority in that house, as in Isaiah 22:21-22;
Keys symbolized authority to control whatever they opened, and Jewish texts spoke of God dispensing keys to rain, etc.)
Jewish literature said that God had authority over death and the gates of Hades (Wisdom of Solomon 16:13).
And, Christ’s power over death, as the one who had risen, would encourage his followers now facing possible death.
I have been asked, over the years, and, I have asked the question myself, if Satan fell like lightning, then why do we see him in the garden with Eve; see him with the sons of God in the heavenlies, and perpetually accusing the saints before God on His throne?
Once again, here is a portion of Revelation 9:1, which says, “a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.” Just because he was thrown out of heaven obviously does not exclude him from God, nor does it put him in Sheol. Now a day is coming when he will go into Sheol for a thousand years, and then again permanently; but that time has not come yet. As we just read, the keys symbolize authority to control, and since Sheol or hades are associated with fear, then Satan controlled the realm of fear.
Because of Jesus Sheol has been conquered, the keys have been returned to their rightful owner and the fear associated with death should never play a role in our lives again because we are in Him.
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