Posted by Elana Janson on December 01, 2004 at 14:16:48:
Locusts
This post shows once again how the signs of the end bring the various symbols of Revelation together to verify and give a full perspective of the meaning of Revelation. We are in the time of the “outer court”, the time in which the time measures of the Gentiles come to an end. These ‘times’ according to Rev 11:2 must not be measured; therefore we look to the signs.
Particular notice should be taken of the development of the desert locust plague that has manifest itself in the north western and northern regions of Africa in 2003 and 2004. On 26 May 2004, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that in Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia, a total area of 2.1 million hectares had been treated with insecticides since October 2003. Despite intensive control operations on the ground and by air, it was very difficult to find and treat all the locust infestations in the vast and often remote desert areas. In May 2004 it was said that locusts were breeding in thousands of spots over large areas south of the Atlas Mountains stretching from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia to western Libya. After June 2004 a very large locust infestation destroyed crops throughout West Africa. Locusts are present every year in Africa, but this year’s swarms were especially large because of prolonged periods of heavy rainfall. On 17 November 2004, in an echo of the biblical plagues, millions of locusts swarmed into northern Egypt, for the first time in 50 years. Locusts have also appeared in Cyprus, Spain and the Canary Islands.
With regard to Revelation the appearance and duration of this locust plague (from October 2003 to November 2004) is significant for the plague has become apparent at the same time as the signs that have been discussed in previous posts on this website in this year. These posts were “The Sixth Seal” (the opening of the sixth seal measures time back from December 2003), “Bird Flu in the East” (the destruction of the fowls in the East in January 2004) and “Four Winds” (the time of the four hurricanes in the Caribbean and the Americas [August –September 2004] and the time of the record number of typhoons that have formed in the Asian Pacific in the 2004 typhoon season).
The sounding of the fifth trumpet
The word “locusts” appears twice in Revelation, namely in Rev 9:3 and Rev 9:7. The symbol of the “locusts” is used in Revelation 9:3-11 to reveal what is understood by the sounding of the fifth trumpet. As mentioned in a previous post the sounding of the seven trumpets in Revelation deals with seven periods of time, during which the seven angels “prepared” to sound. This meaning is revealed in Rev 8:6 “And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.” The actual point of the sounding of the trumpet is a point in the end time. From the symbols used in the opening of the sounding of the fifth trumpet the time of the sounding of the trumpet is revealed to be in the time 2001 to 2004.
Rev 9:1-3 “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth; and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”
Star
The word “star” appears in Rev 9:1, but also twice in Rev 8:10-11, that deals with the preparation of the sounding of the third trumpet. The repetition of words in Revelation enhances meaning and relates to the same time or period of time. Rev 8:10-11 “And the third angel sounded and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.”
Those who have studied my books and this website will know that the time that was linked to the sounding of the third trumpet: was the time approximately, the turn of the twentieth century. That is the time1900. At that time, (it was reported much later in the twentieth century, by a member of the Hopi tribe of Arizona), a large star appeared in the heavens of Central America. It was reported that it shone in the heavens for a considerable time and then ‘exploded’. Of significance was the fact that the star had a spiritual meaning (“burning as it were a lamp”). The tribe believed it to be a sign of the coming of the end of the world. In the total time construction of Revelation that measures time to 2004, the time 1900 was significant for it indicated the time of 104 years measured back from the time 2004. (The time measure of 100 years was part of the time measure of “one hundred and forty and four” that appears in Revelation. In the total time construction of Revelation, the time measure of one hundred and forty-four years is measured back from 2004 to 1860.)
“And the name of the star is called Wormwood”
In the preparation of the sounding of the third trumpet (Rev 8:10-11) Revelation reveals the entire earth: from the Far West (the star seen in Arizona) to the Far East (Wormwood). Revelation reveals the ends of the earth, the far reaches of the earth to which the gospel would spread. In the time of the twentieth century (1900 to 2004) the ‘waters’ were “made bitter”. In Numbers 5:18 “bitter water” relates to the judgement of the sin of adultery. The words “waters, because they were made bitter” are used to indicate the time of the twentieth century, for they connect to the symbol of the “great whore” in Rev 17:1 “the judgement of the great whore that sits upon many waters” that also relates to the time of the twentieth century, and the final judgement of the “great whore” in 2004 and beyond.
The word “star” is once again mentioned in Rev 9:1 “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key to the bottomless pit.” In the bringing together of the meaning of Revelation in 2004, the word “star” relates to the star at the turn of the twentieth century, but also to a “star” in the end time. It was therefore from about the turn of the twentieth century that the fifth angel “prepared” (Rev 8:6) himself to sound his trumpet. Because the planet Mars appeared as the “morning star” in August 2003 and was part of a sequence of events that correlated with the opening of the sixth seal, the end of the time of the sounding of the fifth trumpet relates to the time 2003. The time 2003 and 2004 is also revealed through the locust plague during this time. The words that follow “fall from heaven unto the earth” have a figurative meaning. During the time of the twentieth century there was a “fall” of mankind that relates to “the beast out of the earth”, therefore the words, “unto the earth”. There is also a final ”fall”.
Key
From the knowledge of the meaning of “woe”, as set out in a previous post, the meaning of the word “key “ in “and to him was given the key to the bottomless pit” comes from Luke 11:52 “Woe unto you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered.” The “key” of knowledge that was taken away by law in the twentieth century when laws of the nations contradicted the truths of Scripture. The “key of knowledge” was replaced by the “key to the bottomless pit”. Such laws had an effect of “taking away the key of knowledge”. The ‘key of knowledge’ is the wisdom to understand the Christian faith and to have great enough faith to be compelled to pass it on to future generations. The laws harmed ‘the key of knowledge’ in others: “you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered”. As Revelation deals with nations and ultimately the entire earth, whole nations, and ultimately in the whole earth and future generations were robbed of the “key of knowledge”. This knowledge included the insight into striving for the greater purpose of everlasting life. “Key” also relates to the destruction of specifically the spread of Christian faith. This is revealed through the use of the word “key” in Rev 3:7 “he that has the key of David” (that is Jesus Christ) and Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David I will lay upon his shoulder” (a prophecy of the coming of the Christ from the line of David).
Bottomless pit
Rev 9:2 “And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace;” In Rev 20:3 we are told that that the devil was cast into the bottomless pit. In the end time the devil is released for a “little season”. When the “bottomless pit” is opened (Rev 9:1) the influence of the serpent rises as “smoke” from the pit. It was explained in a previous post that, the “little season” is also in the time beyond 2002. Therefore In Rev 9:1 Revelation is confirming that the time of the sounding of the fifth trumpet is also in the time of the “little season”.
Darkened
Rev 9:2 (cont) “and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.”
It was shown in “How near Armageddon” and “Ek is die Begin en die Einde” how in the time of the 144 years from 1860 to 2004, the earth figuratively darkened. This was in the explanation of the preparation of the sounding of the fourth trumpet (Rev 8:12) that the light of the sun, figuratively darkened over the earth. Rev 9:2 confirms that the by 2004 the fourth trumpet has sounded and the sun is darkened.
Particular notice should be taken in 2004 of the word “darkened” used in Exodus 10:14 -15 “And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt …And they (the locusts) covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened.” It seems from the use of the word “darkened” in this reference from Exodus that the time of the figurative darkening of the sun and the air by the smoke of the pit is in the time of a locust plague (Rev 9:3 “And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth”) in the end time.
The repetition of words in Revelation seems to confirm that the opening of the sixth seal and the sounding of the fifth trumpet relate to the same time measure in Revelation. The darkening of the sun is mentioned in both sections: Rev 6:12 “the sun became black” and Rev 9:2-3 “and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth”. Note also the reference to “black” in 1 Kings 18:45 “the heaven was black with cloud and wind”. Therefore “black” also relates to a time of “cloud and wind”.
Rider on the black horse
The year 1900 was also about the time of the opening of the third seal, that is 1896, the time of the rider on the black horse who had a pair of balances in his hand (Rev 6:5). The balances are symbolic of the ‘weight’ of the majority of the nations. You will recall that 1896 was the time that the western nations carried the rule of men to the ends of the earth. The rule of men would through the equalization of world faiths preserve Christian faith minorities in areas that would be dominated by other faiths and atheists in the nations at the ends of the earth. The rule of men would have advantages and disadvantages. Again Rev 17:17 comes to mind “For God has put it in their heart to fulfil his will, and to agree, and to give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled”. In the twentieth century the nations would fight to spread the ruling of the nations by the laws of men. This is revealed by the symbols “locusts” and “horses” in Rev 9:7 “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.”
Smoke
The use of the word “smoke” here is of significance for it seems that in the final bringing together of the words of Revelation it relates to both the time of the twentieth century (the time of the preparation of the sounding of the fifth trumpet) as well as the time 2003-2004.
The final darkening is brought about by the words “the smoke of the pit”. From the use of the word “smoke” in the sounding of the fifth trumpet as well as in chapter 18, that deals with the fall of the “great city”,” the fall of Babylon”, we must be entering the time of the final “fall”. See Rev 18:9 “when they shall see the smoke of her burning”; Rev 18:18 and 19:3 “And her smoke rose up for ever and ever”.
Air
The word “air” also relates to the casting of the seventh and final “bowl of vial” that is cast “into the air” Rev 16:17-21. Through the use of the word “air” in Revelation, the time of the sounding of the fifth trumpet is also the time of the casting of the final bowl of vial (or bowl of wrath).
The sudden increase of the emissions of CO2 in 2003 and 2004, as mentioned in the previous post, may be the reason why the word ”air” is used here. We are also experiencing in 2003 and 2004 extended periods of high air pressure in certain regions causing drought. At this time systems of low air pressure cause sudden higher than average rainfall. More typhoons are forming in the Pacific Ocean in 2004. These sudden storms that take many regions by surprise and many have to run for safety sparsely clad. This time likely relates to the literal meaning of Rev 16:15 “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Since the last post more tropical systems have developed in the Asia Pacific region and have affected Japan, the Philippines and the coasts of the mainland of South East Asia.)
Locusts
The revelation of the harming of future generations as mentioned in the explanation of “key”, is augmented by the symbol of the locust. The meaning of the locusts in the sounding of the fifth trumpet (Rev 9:3-11) is found in Joel 1:3-4 “Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. That which the palmerworm has left, the locust has eaten, and that which the locust has left the cankerworm has eaten.” Revelation wishes to convey in the sounding of the fifth trumpet that the accumulative effect, over generations, of man’s deception by the beasts of Revelation would lead to a destruction of the conveying of the Christian faith to generations of the twentieth century. When the laws of the nations do not uphold the laws of God the following generations would lose the “key” of knowledge.
The grass of the earth
In the time of the symbolic ‘darkening’ of the earth and particularly from 1900 to 2004, the nations were with every generation selecting a leadership of the nations that would ultimately be a destroyer of the spread of the Christian faith. We know from Rev 9:4 that the force of evil would not hurt Christians who conveyed the gospel to their children and following generations. Through the twentieth century the true believers were protected and by the time the fifth trumpet is sounded, the seal would have been placed on the foreheads of those that shall overcome the deception of satan. “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which do not have the seal of God in their foreheads.”
The time measures of Revelation (the times of the Gentiles) must come to an end for the Trinity will not allow “the grass of the earth” to be completely destroyed. In these days if anyone discards the truths of Scripture and decides to believe only in that which men prescribe as the truth he is heading for the bottomless pit. Matt 24:22 “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” The word “days” refers to the last time measure of the Gentiles and Revelation, which is only known to God.
Five months.
With the knowledge that the opening of the six seal (Rev 6:12-14) relates to “five months” at the end of 2003, we now know that the word “month” in Rev 9:15 “And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men”, also relates to five months (the time of a month as we know it) in the year 2003. With this knowledge we can also now know that what is said in the sounding of the fifth trumpet, also relates to the ‘five months’ at the end of 2003.
Destroyer
In the closing verse of the sounding of the fifth trumpet it is said, Rev 9:11 “And they (the locusts) had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue, Apollyon. These words mean ”destroyer”. Revelation is confirming that in the time of the “short time” or “little season” the nations will be ruled (“king”) by an ideology that developed over almost the entire second millennium that ultimately in the twentieth century “darkened the sun and the air”. In the time of the “little season” when the serpent is loosed upon the earth we see the culmination of the affect of the “destroyer” and it is the time of the greatest destruction of the spread of the Christian faith to the younger generation and to the unconverted.
In Jeremiah 4:7 it is said, “The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way.” In this reference the word “destroyer” is linked to “Gentiles”. In the understanding of Revelation the time of the “destroyer” is the time that the times of the Gentiles are being fulfilled. We have a good idea of the “destroyer” from Scripture. The “destroyer” is put into action when God wishes nations and mankind to realise that there is a God in control. Read Exodus 12:23. “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians: and when he sees the blood upon the lintel and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.” It seems that in 2003 and 2004 the meaning of “destroyer” comes from Proverbs 28:24. “Who so robs his father and his mother, and says it is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.” The final generation will not follow God’s law (Ex 20:12 “honour your father and your mother”; Ex 20:15 “You shall not steal”) or the law of the land (theft is a crime). Job 15:21 “in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him.”
Thirds
Of significance is the way that Revelation divides aspects the planet into “thirds” in the preparation of the sounding of the first four trumpets (Rev 8:7-12). In 2004 the signs of the end appear in the three sections of the earth. Four hurricanes hit the Caribbean and the Americas (Far West); the plague of locusts is apparent in Africa (middle of the earth) and the typhoons are devastating lands in the Far East.