One of the most fascinating and intriguing chapters of the Book of Revelation is chapter nine. We shall discuss the symbolic meaning of the things described in the first 12 verses. Rather than quoting these verses, take a minute to read them for yourself.
To summarize, we begin with the sounding of the Fifth Trumpet. A star falls from heaven to the earth. This star or fallen angel has the key to the “bottomless pit.” To have the key to something means that you have possession of it. If I hand you my car keys, it’s the same as giving you possession of my car. The bottomless pit or abyss is opened. What happens next?
A great cloud of smoke arises from the pit from which locusts appear. These aren’t any normal locusts. They have golden crowns and faces of men and women. They are flying craft of some sort with wings and a tail protected by metal armor. John could only describe these images of the future in terms that he could relate to for his day. We would recognize them as military helicopters as we see today manned by male and female pilots and crew. The “crowns” are probably their flight helmets. Rather than attacking with rockets and explosives, something is transmitted or released from their tails which disable the populace but does not cause death. This would allow for the conquest and control of an enemy without destroying vital facilities needed for economic and military gain.
Let’s decipher what God is trying to show us about a future event. We have smoke and locusts. Smoke is the result of something being burned or consumed. Locusts are well known for consuming all vegetation in their path. So, we have something that comes from a bottomless pit or abyss that is burned or consumed. You may think that this bottomless pit is only a symbolic fabrication to illustrate a prophetic point. But what if it is a literal physical location on the earth?
As you know, oil wells can run very deep into the crust of the earth and may seem bottomless. And the oil from them is vital to the economic productivity of our modern world. Not only is oil vital for energy to run vehicles and equipment and for heating homes, but also provides much of the fertilizer for crop production.
Despite all the current propaganda about cutting fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions to save the planet, this political agenda by the globalists will fail and oil will experience a strong comeback. It will be in even greater demand which will make it a precious commodity desired by all nations. And oil will be at the heart of the struggle for the control of Jerusalem.
Why do I say oil will be a major factor for the struggle to control Jerusalem? Will a major oil discovery take place in Israel close to Jerusalem? There are those who are drilling for oil in Israel hoping to find a large reserve for commercial production. There is one company presently looking in the Jezreel Valley area where they believe the Bible says there is oil. However, I believe their interpretation of those scriptures is misplaced. The Bible does reveal where there is a vast reserve of oil in Israel but not where they think. See Zion Oil: www.zionoil.com.
If this hidden oil field near Jerusalem is as large as I believe it is, then it may rival the oil fields of Saudi Arabia. Imagine the impact this would have for Israel and the Jewish people. Some have told me that I’m crazy for even suggesting such a thing. For those who aren’t as short-sighted, keep reading.
Revelation nine appears to be depicting an invasion of Israel and the Middle East to gain control of the oil fields which are vital to the economic prosperity of the entire globe. Where else do we find an invasion of the Holy Land?
Recall the prophecy in Daniel 11 regarding the kings of the north and south. In verse 40, a final battle occurs at the end-time. We are drawing closer to that time. The King of the North will invade the Holy Land and surrounding countries including Egypt in order to gain economic control as a result of his own vaunted grandiose beliefs inspired by Satan that he is the foretold messiah. The King of the North mentioned in Daniel is likely the Little Horn and also ties into the Beast mentioned in Revelation 13.
And when will this invasion occur? At the sounding of the Fifth Trumpet. If you are not already aware of the Timeline of Revelation that I have explained elsewhere, then let me review for you. The seven trumpets described in the Book of Revelation will begin to sound on a future Feast of Trumpets. First Trumpet sounds on Trumpets. Second Trumpet on Atonement. Third Trumpet on First Day of Tabernacles. Fourth Trumpet on the Last Great Day.
Thus, the Fifth Trumpet will sound on the first day of unleavened bread about five months or so after the autumn holy days. Stop and think. What happens on the first day of unleavened bread? “On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses” (Exodus 12:15). Anything that is leavened or puffed up is to be cast out of our homes. Does God follow His own instructions? Notice:
“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels and prevailed not; neither was their place found anymore in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:7-9).
This ties perfectly with the Fifth Trumpet when a star falls from heaven. This will also be Passover night. What happened on that night? A destroyer was sent forth.
See Exodus 12:23. Likewise, in Revelation nine, the angel of the bottomless pit is called “Apollyon” in the Greek which means “Destroyer.” As we can see, history does repeat itself because the same spirit being following his old tricks is still at play on the world scene.
After Satan is cast out of heaven as pictured in Revelation 12, he pursues the “woman” again after the end of the 1,260 days which is also the time period when the Two Witnesses will prophesy.
Some believe that this woman is the church of God but that is inconsistent with the story-flow of the chapter. The woman must be a prominent city of the Jewish people, most likely the city of Jerusalem. The church did not exist prior to Christ’s birth depicted in verse five. The church is not identified until the very end of the chapter in verse 17.
This woman flees again into the wilderness for “a time, times, and half a time.” Everyone thinks that this is another three and a half years. Not so! Read Galatians 4:10, “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.” This shows that “times” and years are not the same. This is the same Greek word as found in Revelation 12:14. It is referring to a holy day or season.
When all factors are considered, it appears to mean the time between Passover and Pentecost. The locusts which arise from the bottomless pit are only allowed to torment men for five months. This will take us close to the Feast of Trumpets when Christ will return from heaven with His resurrected saints to make war against the armies of the Beast.
The Resurrection will occur on that previous Pentecost which is when the saints receive the seal in their foreheads as depicted by Revelation seven. This is why the locusts can no longer harm them.
One last tidbit to tantalize those who want to think outside the box. There is a famous incident in Genesis that may reveal where God planted a huge oil reserve yet to be uncovered which will rock the world upon its discovery. It will not easily yield its secret. It must be searched out as with any hidden treasure. The right contacts must be made in Israel. It is not time yet to look but we must make ready for when God opens the door.
“Thus saith the Eternal to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have strengthened to subdue nations before him; and with secret wisdom by which he shall outwit resistance and open the double doors so that the gates shall not be shut. The eastern mountain shall be leveled and made smooth. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that the world may know that the Eternal is the God of Israel” (Isaiah 45:1-3 inspired). |
