Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church
Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church
Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church
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Chapter 9<br />
THE REVELATION TO JOHN<br />
67. This conclusion is correct, and is confirmed by the way in which the translators of the<br />
LXX used this family of words to translate certain Hebrew terms such as “@ v , K , -<br />
kesheph/witchcraft”; this family of words is translated by the English witchcraft,<br />
sorcerer, or spell. Exo.7:11; Nah.3:4; Jer.34:9<br />
68. Therefore, the main sense of this family of words focuses on the mysterious words,<br />
charms, herbs and actions that are presumed to involve evil spiritual forces that are<br />
usually practiced to harm, kill, or to cause curses to come on others.<br />
69. Without studying the etymology of this word and how it is used, some interpreters<br />
have jumped to the unwarranted conclusion that John is here condemning the use of<br />
drugs that they acknowledge is rampant in the modern world.<br />
70. The fact is that there are no distinct prohibitions against drug use in the <strong>Bible</strong> and<br />
their use must be considered in light of more general passages that denigrate the<br />
pursuit of pleasure (2Tim.3:4), altering your conscious state (Eph.5:18) and being<br />
obedient to the laws of the land (Rom. 13:1-2).<br />
71. For the positive, intellectually honest person there is sufficient biblical justification to<br />
condemn the use of illicit drugs.<br />
72. However, it is a vast overstatement to suggest that taking drugs is always sinful and<br />
always associated with the occult as some overzealous fundamentalist groups do.<br />
73. Some suggest that taking drugs is equivalent to the practice of witchcraft, and should<br />
be punished by death.<br />
74. It is of interest here that John did not use the term “f a r m a k e i , a – pharmakei” that is the<br />
more general term for sorcery or magic. Gal.5:20; Rev.18:23<br />
75. Instead, he chose the term that was used to describe the potions used in the practice of<br />
magic rites, indicating that he did not want to only condemn the general practice of<br />
magic but literally everything involved with it.<br />
76. It is the manufacturing of the drug concoctions that serves to emulate the efforts of –<br />
V in their attempt to create a relationship with the spiritual world through a religious<br />
work.<br />
77. We are not talking drugs for medicinal or even recreational uses, but the works of<br />
hands intent to explore and expand into the spiritually unknown as a substitute to<br />
God and BD.<br />
78. Given the vast amount of death and destruction that surrounds these people, they<br />
persist in their pursuit of occult spells, sorceries, and pagan practices instead of<br />
turning to God.<br />
79. The third area of unrighteousness “immorality/p o r n e i , a – porneia”, is a general term<br />
that deals with unlawful or unnatural sexual intercourse, fornication, prostitution,<br />
homosexuality, bestiality, pornography, and basic immorality.<br />
80. However, as noted in our parsing, this term used in <strong>Revelation</strong> in all other<br />
occurrences always has a spiritual connotation attached to it.<br />
81. Here, the emphasis ties directly into their religious idolatry indicating the unholy<br />
union man engages in religiosity by operating under –V and the STA.<br />
82. The physical vice is clearly a part of pagan religious temple worship in John’s day<br />
and its practice would be recognized in that vein. Cp.Rev.2:20-22<br />
83. It is the only term in this list that is singular indicating the singular union of all –V<br />
with their human viewpoint STA driven worship of demons and idols.<br />
<strong>Lake</strong> <strong>Erie</strong> <strong>Bible</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
P-T Ken Reed<br />
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