Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church

Chapter 9
THE REVELATION TO JOHN
54. One commentary refers to these verbs as a divine passive, recognizing that God both
gives/permits them their power and authority, while placing whatever limitations on
it He desires.
55. The limitation of not damaging the environment is now coupled with a limitation on
their ability to harm mankind.
56. Although they were forbidden from administering physical death to mankind, they
were told that they had the freedom to administer torture for a period of five months.
57. As we noted above, the average life expectancy of a locust is a period of about five
months, so this bit of isagogics fits quite well with what we have here.
58. It is obvious that this is a literal five months and this brief period of time now reveals
the remaining time left between seal 6 and the Day of the Lord proper.
59. It places the chronology of seal 6 with this trumpet judgment as occurring sometime
within the 1 st month (with trumpet 5 at the very latter) of the 3 rd year of Daniel’s 70 th
week as shown in our revised chronology.
60. While interpreters may gloss over this specific reference of time, it is another definite
clue within the parameters of the grouping patterns of these judgments to orient the
reader chronologically.
61. That references to time are only found in the 3 woe judgments sets them apart as
critical to understanding the timing of these judgments.
62. The term “torment/b a s a n i s m o , j – torment” is derived from a verb that meant to put to
the test, to investigate, to examine and was used of questioning one that was
interrogated on the torture rack.
63. This is a very fitting word, since this demonic torment will clearly demonstrate the
negative volition of the masses of humanity that will not turn to God to escape this
torment.
64. The fact that the torment is physical is corroborated by the final portion of vs.5b,
“and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man”.
65. While one scorpion sting would be painful enough, it is hard to calculate the impact
of being stung repeatedly over a period of several months.
66. The brown scorpion common in the mid-west is said to have a sting likened to a
hornet or yellow-jacket wasp, but with a fiery pain exceeding those insects.
67. Again, we are not specifically told whether men can see these demons any more than
we can see these spiritual creatures at this time.
68. On the other hand, their fearsome appearance described by John in the verses that
follow certainly suggests that he could see them.
69. Further, these angels are the ones that were involved in the Gen.6 episode that would
have mandated that they were visible to the women they took in marriage. Gen.6:1-2
70. It’s not hard to imagine being struck with some excruciating burning pain at any time
of the day or night never knowing when it will come and on top of it all not able to do
anything about it.
71. This will undoubtedly bring negative mankind to the very edge of insanity, since it is
a well-known fact that pain over an extended period of time will eventually affect the
mind.
72. The physical aspects of the pain will be bad enough; however, the psychological
aspects of pain include a loss of energy, a sense of loss of control, destruction of the
quality of life with all resulting in depression and fatigue.
Lake Erie Bible Church
P-T Ken Reed
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