I created this to discuss the topic of who and what Apollyon is (along with his locust army), and what role he will play during the Tribulation.
***Note:Just so we're clear, this is a subject in which I somewhat disagree with RBT's interpretation. I'm still listening to his Revelation series and have not reached Rev 9 yet, so I have not heard him out completely, but comparing Revelation with OT prophecies paints a slightly different picture of the Tribulation for me. As always, I try to remain open to correction by scripture.***
Quote:
2 Pet 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into Tartarus and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
Jude 1:6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
ταρταρώσας (Tartarus)- This is where the fallen angels who took antediluvian wives are kept.
κρίσιν (judgement)- Those fallen angels are kept in Tararus until judgement.
Quote:
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
ἐκρίθησαν (judged)- The occupants of Death and Hades will be judged at the Great White Throne.
Tartarus may be within the Abyss, but the angels in Tartarus are locked up until Judgement Day.
So, who/what is Apollyon?
He is called the Angel of the Abyss, and he does rise from the Abyss with his locust army (Rev 9:11), but they obviously weren't locked in Tartarus for Judgement Day.
Let's start with how Revelation identifies him.
Quote:
Rev 17:8"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.
Apollyon appears to be, "the king that was, is not, and will come." He rises from the Abyss (ἀβύσσου).
To re-enforce what I just said. See Rev 11.
Quote:
Rev 11:7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
Remember that it is Apollyon who kills the Two Witnesses, yet Apollyon is also identified with the 7-headed dragon. It looks to me that
Apollyon is the Anti-christ.