Daily Devotional, Year 2 – AUGUST 25 (Revelation 9, Part 2: Scorpions!)

By admin On February 2nd, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – AUGUST 25

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Revelation 9,

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Part 2:

Scorpions!

To read Part 1, click here… October 6th (Revelation 9: Locusts)

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^{3 “}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.

^{4 “}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 have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

^{5 “}And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

⁶And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

Revelation 9:1-6

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What most Christians are not aware of, is that the Book of Revelation is all about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why it is titled, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”. Revelation 1:1

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And why is there so much confusion about Revelation?

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The problem is, like so much of the Bible, Revelation is written in types and symbols. And the greater portion of the Church has been locked out of most all the Book of Revelation!

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John on Patmos – Wikigallery – US Public Domain

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NOT SEARCHING THE BIBLE

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For instance, if the average evangelical church-goer wishes to discover what locusts represent in Chapter 9, they cannot simply do a word-search about locusts. If they did, they would soon discover that locusts represent God’s judgment on worldly-minded Christians as their earthly as well as spiritual riches get “eaten up” in various ways.

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But because they are locked out, they vainly search newspapers, trying to interpret Scripture by the daily news! And so, they may decide that those prophetic locusts will actually be something like black helicopters.

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black helicopters – Wikimedia – US Army – Public Domain

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THE GOSPEL IN TYPES & SYMBOLS

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And so, because of this devilish hermeneutic which prevents them from spiritualizing away all the types and symbols found in Revelation, the vast majority of church-goers cannot discover that Revelation is merely the Gospel of Jesus Christ, howbeit veiled in Old Testament types and symbols.

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Whore – Babylon – Burgkmair – 1523 AD – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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Now let’s examine another component of this composite beast in Revelation 9: scorpions…

Magnifying Glass – Wikimedia – Share-alike License

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“TAILS LIKE UNTO SCORPIONS”

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Listen… “And they (the composites beasts) had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.” Revelation 9:10

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This above verse is part of the description of the composite beast in Revelation 9.

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So just what do scorpions represent in Scripture?

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Black scorpion – Wikimedia – GNU Free Documentation

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CHASTISED WITH SCORPIONS

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Listen… “And (Rehoboam) spake to them (Israel)…saying, ‘My father (King Solomon) made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.'” 1st Kings 2:14

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Okay, so Rehoboam, the King of Judah made this threat against the Northern Tribes of Israel that he was going to lay upon them a much heavier yoke than His father, Solomon did! And as if Solomon’s yoke wasn’t heavy enough, Rehoboam’s yoke would be even heavier, chastising them with “scorpions”!

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Hans Holbein d. J. – The Arrogance of Rehoboam – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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DWELLING AMONG SCORPIONS

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Now let’s dig a little deeper and find out if there is any further information about scorpions… “And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them (the children of Israel), neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.” Ezekiel 2:6

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Okay, so here we see just what these scorpions represent: God’s rebellious house!

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And so here is another piece of the puzzle in understanding the Gospel found in Revelation’s types and symbols.

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Ezekiel, the Prophet – G. Dore – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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APOSTATE CHURCHES ARE A CHASTISEMENT

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And our association with the apostate portion of the Church will be a chastisement with scorpions, as we suffer the slander and gossip and judging and world-loving ways of the apostates which have ruled over the Church throughout the New Testament history.

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Yes, even back in the Dark Ages, God’s faithful remnant were scourged by the apostate churches which ruled over Europe in those days!

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God’s people were banished, tortured, imprisoned, burned, beheaded and deprived of the Bible and lived under her (the Mystery Harlot’s) false doctrines for many centuries!

(And of course, our true enemy is Satan, as he works through unsaved humans to persecute God’s people. See Ephesians 6:10-17).

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Burned at the stake – Wikimedia – US Public Domain

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CHASTISEMENT NECESSARY FOR SALVATION

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And so these scorpions and locusts begin to give us a picture of the nature of this composite beast of Revelation 9: it represents the chastisements and tribulations which God brings upon His people, the Commonwealth of Israel, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles.

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Listen…“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:9

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Yes, God must send His people through the fiery trials and tribulation required to burn away our earthly dross, so that we eventually come forth as pure gold, just as Job proclaimed… “when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold!”

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Gold smelting – Public Domain – wn.com

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“And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them”

Revelation 9:6

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This above verse reveals an important concept which is reiterated in Job…“Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?…For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest…” Job 3:11, 13

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Yes, Job desired physical death because of his intense sufferings. But even though God’s people may likewise desire (during times of suffering), to literally go to sleep in Jesus, a much grander and more glorious fulfillment is being presented here!

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You see, Job’s sufferings are a fantastic portrayal of what God’s beloved people have endured through the ages, as a result of the fiery trials which God uses as a means of purifying them…“But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold!” Job 23:10

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Yes, Job’s fiery trials are a portrait of why God allows His people to suffer…“when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold!”

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And so, those saints who are seeking death, are actually hoping to die-to-self, so that Christ can fully live in them and through them! This is what is meant by “when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” But though we would like to have a quick and immediate victory, nevertheless, death shall not come so quickly.

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Listen to Peter…“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” 1st Peter 5:10

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And so, this coming tribulation will be painful, and yet will ultimately purify us, even as gold! And though we would like it to end quickly, nevertheless, God’s purifying process takes some time.

Munch – Det Syke Barn – 1896 – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

Goldkey (logo removed) – cropped photo – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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YOU MAY WISH TO CONTINUE WITH PART 3…

AUGUST 30 (Revelation 9, Part 3: The Three Woes!)

Revelation – www.pri.org/stories/2011-08-10/revelations-book-revelation – courtesy www.pre.org

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

***“Dear Lord,* *Give me a repentant heart that seeks Thy grace. Help me to see the spiritual message of the Bible…***

Woman Praying – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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THE HOLY GHOST RIDER CONSTELLATION

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This newest Signs Of Heaven Constellation (Fall, 2013) is by far the faintest of constellations, but is a very incredible and awesome one in a number of ways (which this article will explain).

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It is primarily comprised of the Camelopardalis Constellation (head and upper back), plus about 5 stars from the Cassiopeia Constellation (his leg), plus some random stars. It appears as an outline of a rider. Only the back of his head is detailed. And his back and the back of his legs are also detailed. Both sides of his arm are visible, and his hand is gripping the horses mane, and that is detailed by three stars (which are also part of the horse’s mane). The rider is in a position vaguely similar to a race-horse jockey. The two brightest stars in this constellation, are from the Cassiopeia Constellation, and are part of his leg. All the rest of the stars are very faint, and must be viewed on a very starry night.

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Since this constellation has just been revealed, there may be more to this constellation in the coming months. But if you can locate the Goodly Horse in Battle Constellation, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating this Rider Constellation, provided you have excellent star-watching conditions.

BIBLE VERSES PICTURED IN THE HEAVENS

“With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground.” Ezekiel 26:12

THIS STAR-CHART: This is a Wikipedia star-chart, in which this site’s editor has sketched in these three constellation (without the Holy-Ghost-Rider Constellation). Notice how the right front hoof is trampling on the tail of the Dragon. Also notice his eye is a star. It’s best seen when in the western half of the sky. It is found in mid-sky traveling from east to west. In January, it is in the west after midnight. As winter progresses, it can be seen earlier and earlier in the evening. a dark sky with good star-visibility is best, but not absolutely necessary to see this constellation. It is found on the opposite side of the Dragon Constellation from Orion. And as already stated, this Goodly Horse Constellation can be seen best in mid-winter when it is in the western side of the sky, and you are looking at it while you are facing west. The nose and head of this horse is partly made from the Perseus Constellation. The tail and rear end is partly of the Cassiopeia Constellation. The hind-leg is made partly of stars from the Andromeda Constellation.

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TOMORROW:

AUGUST 26 (Am I A Deist? Part 2: Why Paul Didn’t Visit Doctor Luke!)

Paul the Apostle – cropped & brightened photo – Artist – Valentin de Boulogne or Nicolas Tournier – circa 1500s – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY

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ALL ‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS IS STUDY #602 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING…

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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on provided link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo. Most tall, narrow photos have been cropped or reduced by this website to make them a better fit on phone screens.

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