Bible Discussion Thread

Im confused, is Abaddon, Gods angel or demonic? Why would Jesus give up his keys to hell to a demon? If he is the destroying angel used by God to cause harm to evil people, doesnt that make him good?

Sheila, the passage about the Seventh Seal ( Rev 8:1) involves the Seven Angels with the Seven Trumpets sounding. As you know, all this is a description of the time when God's Wrath (the Great Tribulation) is to come upon the unbelieving world. In Rev 9:1, it's the turn of the Fifth Angel of the Seven, to sound his trumpet & a part of this outpouring of God's Anger, unbelievers are to physically suffer a most horrible agony as when a scorpion strikes a man (v5).

So to have all this happen, the key to the bottomless pit is used to release these demons that are directed to give extreme pain & suffering to those who are not sealed by God. I don't believe that a demon is given the key to open the pit & release the demons, but an angel from God. And Abaddon/Apollyon is the 'king' angel from the Pit (i.e. a satanic angel) who may be instrumental in leading out the legions of demons to accomplish their devastating task on the Earth. So he & they are evil, but God can & does use evil spirits, people, & kingdoms to accomplish His Purposes.

Yet, it's noteworthy that those with the 'seal of God on their foreheads' are to be spared (v4). Christians are not here at this time, as they have been removed to Heaven long before; and Christians are sealed, not on their foreheads, but in their spirits by the Holy Spirit: "ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." So who are these left on the Earth that have God's Seal on their foreheads? They could be the Elect from Israel who never turned to Christ for their salvation but yet are to be saved through recognizing their Saviour when He returns again & figure in the Millennium reign of Christ on the Earth.