.Mark Tabata’s Weekday Devotionals
Tuesday, October 20 2026
More Bible Studies Available @ http://www.marktabata.com. To Receive Free Bible Studies and updates via email, contact Mark Tabata @ 606-216-1757 (SMS Only) or mailto:markatabata@gmail.com (Email). Follow me on Substack: http://substack.com/@marktabata. Also, please visit my author page: http://amazon.com/author/marktabata
Revelation 9:1-12-Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
The Book of Revelation contains a series of visions, each beginning with Jesus’ First Coming, progressing through the Christian Age, and ending with the Second Coming. In each of these visions, several themes are repeated from different vantage points. The initial defeat of Satan at the First Coming, the gradual increase in power of Satan and his forces during the Christian Dispensation, the suffering of God’s people on Earth, the security and safety of Gods people in Paradise, and the final defeat of Satan and victory of the church at the Second Coming, are just some of those prominent themes.
In Revelation 9, John describes the continuing saga of the suffering of God’s faithful people on Earth during the Christian Age.
Let’s notice several lessons from this passage.
First, John tells us about a time between the First Coming and Second Coming when Hades itself is opened and the souls of the dammed are released into the world of humanity. The word “Hades” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Sheol.” These refer to the “realm of the dead,” which in God’s Word is associated with “the bottomless pit.”
For example, notice what Paul tells us.
Romans 10:7-or, ” ‘WHO WILL DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
In this text, the “Abyss” is literally “the bottomless pit,” and this is here joined with the realm of “the dead” (i.e, Sheol/Hades).
We learn from Revelation 9 that during the Christian Dispensation, Satan’s power will increase on Earth and that the multiplying powers of Hades itself are unleashed upon humanity. As such, Scripture is clear that during the Christian Age, Satan will replenish much of his power before the Second Advent of the Son of God. This is one powerful argument the claim that all demonic activity in the world ceased on the Day that Jesus died, and that Satan is presently locked away in Hell.
Second, the imagery of the locusts and scorpions is very interesting. In Jewish legend, these are often associated with the demonic powers of darkness. As an example, consider the book known as the Testament Of Solomon (alluded to by both Jesus and Paul). King Solomon captures several demons, and look at what the seventh tells him.
“41. Likewise also the seventh said: “I am the worst, and I make you worse off than you were; because I will impose the bonds of Artemis. But the locust will set me free, for by means of it, it is fated that you will achieve my desire. For if one were wise, he would not turn his steps toward me.”” (Translated by F. C. Conybeare -Revised English and partial translation by Jeremy Kapp, The Testament Of Solomon, 142 (Kindle Edition): Publisher Unknown)
Observe the parallel thought between the demon that has been captured, and his belief that the “locust” will set him free. It is also fascinating that the “locust” seems to be connected in some way with the goddess, Artemis. Scripture is clear that the gods and goddesses of the pagans are often fallen angels and demons (Deuteronomy 32:16-17; 1 Corinthians 10:19-30; Psalm 82; 96:5). The link between the “locust” and “demons” is evident from this account.
We see the same in regard to the relationship between scorpions and evil spirits in Jewish extra-biblical texts.
Hell has seven divisions, one beneath the other. They are called Sheol, Abaddon, Beer Shahat, Tit ha-Yawen, Sha’are Mawet, Sha’are Zalmawet: and Gehenna. It requires three hundred years to traverse the height, or the width, or the depth of each division, and it would take six thousand three hundred years to go over a tract of land equal in extent to the seven divisions. Each of the seven divisions in turn has seven subdivisions, and in each compartment there are seven rivers of fire and seven of hail. The width of each is one thousand ells, its depth one thousand, and its length three hundred, and they flow one from the other, and are supervised by ninety thousand Angels of Destruction. There are, besides, in every compartment seven thousand caves, in every cave there are seven thousand crevices, and in every crevice seven thousand scorpions. Every scorpion has three hundred rings, and in every ring seven thousand pouches of venom, from which flow seven rivers of deadly poison. If a man handles it, he immediately bursts, every limb is torn from his body, his bowels are cleft asunder, and he falls upon his face. (Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, 242-250 (Kindle Edition): Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society Of America)
It isn’t that the Jews believed that locusts and scorpions were literal demons. Instead, they saw characteristics between certain animals and demonic spirits.
Third, the Bible and Jewish legend help us to better understand what the primary “sting” of the scorpions and locusts is.
It is false teaching!
The combination of serpents (9: 19) and scorpions (vv 3, 5, 10) reflects a broader linkage in biblical and ancient thought, where the combination was metaphorical for judgment in general and deception or delusion in particular (e.g., Deut. 8: 15; Sir. 39: 30; CD 8.9-11; Luke 10: 19; m. Aboth 2.10; Midr. Rab. Num. 10.2). In Num. 21: 6 and Deut. 8: 15 the reference is to “fiery serpents,” which is similar to the threefold repetition of fire in connection with serpents in Rev. 9: 17-19. In Num. 21: 6 the serpents’ bite, as here, kills a significant portion of the people because of unbelief. Sir. 39: 27-31 provides a striking parallel with Rev. 9: 3-4, 15-19: “All these things are for good to the godly; so to the sinners they are turned into evil. There are spirits created for vengeance, which in their fury lay on sore strokes; in the time of destruction they pour out their force, and appease the wrath of him that made them. Fire and … death … all these were created for vengeance … scorpions [and] serpents … punishing the wicked to destruction … they will be prepared on earth, when need is; and when their time is come, they will not go beyond his word.” These afflictions occur generally throughout all ages. Likewise, John understood that the sufferings he was narrating were already occurring and were not to be limited to a period immediately preceding the parousia. This is also hinted at by another conspicuous parallel, Luke 10: 17-19, where “the demons” are called “serpents and scorpions and … the power of the enemy,” over which Christians presently have power, but which can still “harm” unbelievers. The harm associated with the two repellent creatures is sometimes metaphorically expressed as deception, which is undoubtedly implicit in the Lukan text. Ps. 57( 58): 4( 3)-7( 6) refers to the “lie” that sinners “speak” as “venom … like that of a serpent, as that of a deaf asp …”; these liars also have “the cheek teeth of the lions” (cf. Rev. 9: 8-10, 17; cf. also Sir. 21: 2). CD 8.9-13 compares the High Priest in Jerusalem and the Roman authorities with “the poison of serpents and the head of asps.” This metaphor explains the harm of false teaching and deception that the High Priest had caused (cf. also CD 1.14-15). Jesus calls the Pharisees “serpents, … brood of vipers” partly because they were “blind guides” to others (Matt. 23: 15-33). In CD 5.12-14 those participating in the same false teaching are compared to “kindlers of fire and lighters of brands” and to spiders and adders. Similarly, Targ. Pal. Deut. 32: 33 refers to the “evil counsels … [and] wicked thoughts” of idolatrous Israelites as being “as serpents’ heads”; likewise, Targ. Jer. Deut. 32: 33 speaks of “their malice like the head of asps.” Targ. Onk. Deut. 32: 32-33 affirms that the “plagues” on Israelite idolaters “will be evil as the heads of serpents, and the retribution of their works like their venom,” and then compares this punishment to that of Sodom and Gomorrah, as does Rev. 9: 18. Midr. Rab. Num. 10.2 says that God’s judgment of the idolatrous nations persecuting Israel will be like “the basilisk [who] severs man from life,” and God’s judgment on the wicked within Israel is compared to “a bee sting and a scorpion bite.” Those suffering the latter affliction will have “their minds … deranged, and their heart will utter confused things.” We see here that serpents and scorpions may have been used to signify doctrinal deception because their bite or sting can cause mental delusion leading to death. Prov. 23: 32-33 is adduced to supplement the imagery. In Proverbs the harm of too much wine is likened to “bites like a serpent and stings like a viper” resulting in the eyes seeing “strange things” and the “mind … uttering perverse things.” Consequently, again, in the Midrash and Proverbs the serpent-scorpion metaphor concerns a woe of delusion (cf. Prov. 23: 29; not coincidentally, the severity of the judgment in the Midrash is compared to that of Pharaoh in Exodus). In 1QH 3( 11). 16-18, 25-27; 5( 13). 27 the “pit” and “abyss” open and spit out billows, arrows, and “the spirits of the Asp” against hardened hypocrites, “leaving [them] no hope.” This affliction arising from the pit is interpreted as deceptive influences (especially false teaching) affecting the ungodly but not those truly loyal to God (2[ 10]. 12-34; 4[ 12]. 5-22). In b. Aboth 2.10 the words of the wise exponents of Torah do harm to those who do not obey them, and, in apparent contrast to the preceding imagery, describes this harm as “the sting of a scorpion … the hiss of a serpent … coals of fire.” Yet this is similar to Rev. 11: 5 and overlaps generally with some of the above imagery in its emphasis on judgment through the infliction of harm. Indeed, the reference associates closely the metaphors of scorpions and serpents with teaching, though in this case the focus is on the results that true teaching has for those responding wrongly to it. (G.K. Beale, The Book of Revelation (New International Greek Testament Commentary (NIGTC), 921-923 (Kindle Edition): Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company).
One of Satan’s greatest ploys is to work through deception and lead people away from the Word of God.
John 8:44-You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
Revelation 12:9-So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
How unsurprising, then, that during the Christian Age, the devil and his forces work so hard to try and lead people away from the truth and authority of Scripture. Many reject the authority of God’s Word in favor of modern day substitutions (popes, church councils, monarchal bishops, creeds, traditions, etc.), and this will lead to pain and heartbreak.
John 12:48-He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.
Lord, give us humility and wisdom to accept Your Word, even when obeying such can lead to difficult times and adversities in this world. Help us to be faithful pilgrims looking for the city with foundations, people that You will not be ashamed of. Amen.
Leave a Reply