Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church

Chapter 9
THE REVELATION TO JOHN
67. This conclusion is correct, and is confirmed by the way in which the translators of the
LXX used this family of words to translate certain Hebrew terms such as “@ v , K , -
kesheph/witchcraft”; this family of words is translated by the English witchcraft,
sorcerer, or spell. Exo.7:11; Nah.3:4; Jer.34:9
68. Therefore, the main sense of this family of words focuses on the mysterious words,
charms, herbs and actions that are presumed to involve evil spiritual forces that are
usually practiced to harm, kill, or to cause curses to come on others.
69. Without studying the etymology of this word and how it is used, some interpreters
have jumped to the unwarranted conclusion that John is here condemning the use of
drugs that they acknowledge is rampant in the modern world.
70. The fact is that there are no distinct prohibitions against drug use in the Bible and
their use must be considered in light of more general passages that denigrate the
pursuit of pleasure (2Tim.3:4), altering your conscious state (Eph.5:18) and being
obedient to the laws of the land (Rom. 13:1-2).
71. For the positive, intellectually honest person there is sufficient biblical justification to
condemn the use of illicit drugs.
72. However, it is a vast overstatement to suggest that taking drugs is always sinful and
always associated with the occult as some overzealous fundamentalist groups do.
73. Some suggest that taking drugs is equivalent to the practice of witchcraft, and should
be punished by death.
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
more general term for sorcery or magic. Gal.5:20; Rev.18:23
75. Instead, he chose the term that was used to describe the potions used in the practice of
magic rites, indicating that he did not want to only condemn the general practice of
magic but literally everything involved with it.
76. It is the manufacturing of the drug concoctions that serves to emulate the efforts of –
V in their attempt to create a relationship with the spiritual world through a religious
work.
77. We are not talking drugs for medicinal or even recreational uses, but the works of
hands intent to explore and expand into the spiritually unknown as a substitute to
God and BD.
78. Given the vast amount of death and destruction that surrounds these people, they
persist in their pursuit of occult spells, sorceries, and pagan practices instead of
turning to God.
79. The third area of unrighteousness “immorality/p o r n e i , a – porneia”, is a general term
that deals with unlawful or unnatural sexual intercourse, fornication, prostitution,
homosexuality, bestiality, pornography, and basic immorality.
80. However, as noted in our parsing, this term used in Revelation in all other
occurrences always has a spiritual connotation attached to it.
81. Here, the emphasis ties directly into their religious idolatry indicating the unholy
union man engages in religiosity by operating under –V and the STA.
82. The physical vice is clearly a part of pagan religious temple worship in John’s day
and its practice would be recognized in that vein. Cp.Rev.2:20-22
83. It is the only term in this list that is singular indicating the singular union of all –V
with their human viewpoint STA driven worship of demons and idols.
Lake Erie Bible Church
P-T Ken Reed
46