Daily Reading: Revelation 8-9
They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. (Revelation 9.11)
Devotional Thought: John saw "a star fallen from heaven to earth" (v. 1). Notice the past perfect tense in that verse: a star had fallen. Before the vision given him in chapter 9, the star had already fallen. This refers to Satan’s having been ejected from heaven. Jesus refers to this event directly in Luke 10.18. The Old Testament Isaiah metaphorically refers to it in Isaiah 14.12. This star that has fallen from heaven is also the “angel of the bottomless pit” (v. 11). He is Satan.
Satan’s name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek it is Apollyon. These names mean Destroyer. Satan is a destroyer. It is his goal to destroy the work and people of God. He sets about to do so by unleashing locusts (signifying famine and death) from the abyss. God created a plentiful and abundant world. Satan is trying to destroy that abundance. He does that through sin, death, confusion, hatred, anger, prejudice, selfishness and fear. He convinces people to behave in self-centered ways. As a result, some people starve while others feast. Some die while others have health care. Some remain in bondage while others live in freedom.
Yes, Satan is the Destroyer, but you will notice in chapter 9 that his jurisdiction only goes so far. He is limited by the power of God. Right now, Satan has no authority over us as the children of God. But, he can affect us indirectly through the attitudes, the cultures and the systems of this world. There is coming a day – Hallelujah! – when he will no longer have any power to work his destruction. He will be completely crushed under the foot of Jesus! Amen and Hallelujah!
Prayer: Jesus, I look forward with eager expectation to that day when you will destroy the destroyer. Sin and death have been defeated at the cross and empty tomb. Then in the judgment they will be destroyed completely! Amen!
Psalm of the Day: Psalm 104:16-23
16 The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.
17 There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the junipers.
18 The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the hyrax.
19 He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.
20 You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.
21 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.
22 The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.
23 Then people go out to their work, to their labor until evening.
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