The fifth angel is given a key and opened the bottomless pit. They hid in a pit that they made, a pit is man-made, where they hide their traps. They dig traps for our souls in the hope we will fall in the pit. The whore and strange woman are pictures of man-made religion, a pit where they lay their traps. The ones who lay their traps in man-made religion will be trapped in their own pit. Those that look for God’s truth in the pit will not find it.
He brings us out of that horrible pit and sets our feet on Jesus, our Rock. Jesus said the Pharisees were blind and He calls the Jew’s religion a pit.
The seven heads of the beast represent the seven kingdoms that have ruled over God’s people; Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medes and Persians, Greece. Pagan Rome, and Papal Rome. The bottomless pit here just means that they all have their man-made religions. They’re bottomless because they have no foundation.
The angel laid hold of all four aspects of evil and bound it into man-made religions wrapped in chains of darkness or their systematized deceptions. They are bound here in ignorance and deception during the thousand year millennial kingdom until it is time for judgement.
Rev 9:1-2 KJV 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. (2) 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.
The fifth angel is given a key and opened the bottomless pit.
Psa 9:14-16 RV That I may shew forth all thy praise: in the gates of the daughter of Zion, I will rejoice in thy salvation. (15) The nations are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. (16) The LORD hath made himself known, he hath executed judgment: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah
They hid in a pit that they made, a pit is man-made, where they hide their traps.
Psa 35:4-9 RV Let them be ashamed and brought to dishonour that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and confounded that devise my hurt. (5) Let them be as chaff before the wind, and the angel of the LORD driving them on. (6) Let their way be dark and slippery, and the angel of the LORD pursuing them. (7) For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, without cause have they digged a pit for my soul. (8) Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: with destruction let him fall therein. (9) And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
They dig traps for our souls in the hope we will fall in the pit.
Pro 22:14 RV The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Pro 23:27-28 RV For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. (28) Yea, she lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
The whore and strange woman are pictures of man-made religion, a pit where they lay their traps.
Pro 28:9-10 RV He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (10) Whoso causeth the upright to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the perfect shall inherit good.
The ones who lay their traps in man-made religion will be trapped in their own pit.
Ecc 10:8 RV He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
Isa 38:18-19 RV For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. (19) The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.
Those that look for God’s truth in the pit will not find it.
Psa 40:1-3 RV I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. (2) He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay; and he set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (3) And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
He brings us out of that horrible pit and sets our feet on Jesus, our Rock.
Mat 15:12-14 RV Then came the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, when they heard this saying? (13) But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. (14) Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.
Jesus said the Pharisees were blind and He calls the Jew’s religion a pit.
Rev 17:7-8 KJV And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. (8) The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Rev 20:1-3 KJV And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (2) And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, (3) And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
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