11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Revelation 9:11, KJV
Part 1, 2, & 3:
Introduction
For those who did watch the 2024 Paris Olympic Closing Ceremonies the following images were revealed:
A “Golden Voyager”, in a sparkling gold bug suit that looked like a bedazzled Marvel Antman, with spikes as sunlight, descended to pay homage to the unknown horseman and a headless “Winged Victory”, Nike, “goddess of victory”.
The “Golden Voyager” with the bug-like face, contorted, danced, and fluttered like a locust, joined by masked gray “monkeys” that crawled out of the abyss between continents of the abstract earth.
The monkeys then swarmed, grasped, and lifted a ring that looked like a Stargate portal which they raised to join the other Olympic rings.
Then “Golden Voyager” was hoisted up by the monkeys. “Voyager” raises its sparkling right hand in a victory salute.
The Olympic organizers described the symbolism as an inspiration from the NASA Voyager satellite sent into space with a golden record.
British News reports,
…despite the explanation, many felt the symbolism of using a headless angel-winged figure alongside an unidentifiable protagonist and hoards of unidentifiable followers came across as "demonic" - with some even branding it "satanic garbage".1
One posted on social media,
At the Olympic closing ceremony, the organizers showed Lucifer, moments after being cast from heaven and landing on earth, as a being of golden light. 😳😳😳 (This is described in Luke 10:18) Who do the organizers idolize ???2
A fact-checker then criticizes the Christian interpretation and summarizes the controversies of the games which started with the blasphemous “Last Supper” scene that drove sponsors to withdraw billions from the Olympics.
Was the closing ceremony a demonic ritual?
This warranted further research:
Who is the angel of the abyss (Revelation 9:11)?
Who is Apollyon (Revelation 9)?
Who is the Golden Voyager?
They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon [destruction], and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon [destroyer].
Revelation 9:11, NASB1995
What type of angel would be in the abyss? What type of angel would be named Abaddon or Apollyon? Are these demonic entities?
Apollo “god of light and plague”
The timing of the previous research seemed to be perfectly aligned. Is it possible that Apollyon, the “angel of the abyss” was Apollo?
During the time of Apostle John, he was surrounded by temples, games, and sacrifices to the Greek gods, especially Apollo, the son of Zeus.
Apollo who
was also a god of light, known as “Phoebus” (radiant or beaming, and he was sometimes identified with Helios the sun god).
He was also the god of plague.3
Apollo also holds a bow, “god of archery”, and a crown, “god of the Python Games”. The two objects coincidentally parallel the First White Horseman of Revelation 6.
The names of Apollyon and Apollo also seem very similar.
Apollyon
Daniel Dutra Morais posts with the highest peer rating on Biblical Hermeneutics in response to the question: Who is Apollyon in Greek Culture?
There is with little doubt a link between Apollyon and Apollo.
Let me elaborate:
The name Apollyon is a Greek play on words for "Apollo" (Apollon in Greek) and "Destroyer."
Note in Greek: Apollyon and Apollon are only different by one letter “y”.
Why does John call the angel of the Abyss the name for “destruction” or “the place of destruction” in Hebrew but then use the Greek word “Apollyon” meaning “destroyer” which is not an exact Greek translation of the Hebrew Abaddon?
John appears to call the angel of the Abyss “Apollyon” rather than using more exact Greek translations of Abaddon like “apoleia,” Hades, “bussos” or “abussos” because of the similarity between the words “destroyer” (Apollyon) and Apollo (Apollon) in Greek. In other words, this word selection appears to be a word play for “Apollo” (Apollon) and “Destroyer” (Apollyon).
The fact that Apollyon is used to intentionally call to mind the god Apollo is hinted at throughout Revelation 9. 4
The Anchor Bible Dictionary says the following concerning the link between Apollyon and Apollo:
In one manuscript, instead of Apollyon the text reads "Apollo," the Greek god of death and pestilence [or plague like the plague of locusts mentioned in Revelation 9] . . . . Apollyon is no doubt the correct reading. But the name Apollo (Greek Apollon) was often linked in ancient Greek writings with the verb apollymi or apollyo, "destroy." From this time of Grotius, "Apollyon" has often been taken here to be a play on the name Apollo. The LOCUST was an emblem of this god[.]” [Emphasis mine.]
…Apollo, one of whose symbols was the locust and to whom plagues and destruction were in some cases attributed (see Rosher, Lex. d. Griech. N. Rom. Mythol. s.v.)[.]…
The use of the name Apollyon is meant to call attention to this agent’s identification with the Greek God Apollo (hence the plague and locust imagery as well as implicit references to “destroy” in Revelation 9)…5
Abaddon
Britt Mooney from BibleStudyTools.com writes,
Abaddon appears a few times in the Old Testament as a place of destruction…
The common Jew or Gentile would have read the word Apollyon in the Septuagint (which explains why John gives both terms). However, it would have been odd for a reader of the Old Testament since Abaddon was normally a place, not a person. In Revelation, destruction is personified as an angelic being. A demon.6
Abaddon, Hebrew, is mentioned in Job 26:6 and Proverbs 15:11 referring to death, destruction, the underworld, or Sheol denoting hell. Abaddon is equated to Apollyon, the angel of the abyss, the king of demons, or the king of the locusts.
Locusts
7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
Revelation 9:7, NASB1995
Mr Mooney from BibleStudyTools writes,
The cult of Apollo used the symbol of the locust, which is mentioned in Revelation 9. Roman Emperors Nero, Caligula, and Domitian considered themselves gods in human form. Which god? Specifically, Apollo. John had just experienced the tyranny and exile from Emperor Domitian; perhaps he was expressing that hell and demons ruled the Roman Empire.7
Perhaps Apollo, the king of demons has possessed mortal rulers in the past, present, and future. Perhaps its goal is to conquer, to overcome, to gain victory over mankind so it can destroy God’s creation.
Nike, Goddess of Victory
The “Golden Voyager” pays homage,
I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow (Greek: toxon); and a crown (Greek: stephanos) was given to him, and he went out conquering (Greek: nikōn) and to conquer (Greek: nikēsē).
Revelation 6:2, NASB1995
The “Golden Voyager” curtseys to show obeisance to the horseman and the headless Nike rises from a pit. The horsemen are given authority to bring death by sword, famine, plague, and by the Beasts of the Sea and Earth to overcome mankind.
Nike’s cult followers worshiped her in anticipation of gaining victory whether in an Olympic game or a military conquest. Is the god of light, the king of the abyss, Apollyon/Apollo showing obeisance to the headless goddess? Out of all the statues of the Louvre in Paris, why did they need to showcase this headless statue of Nike at the closing ceremonies? Is it because Nike has been associated with victory in the Olympic games for over a millennium?
(source: The Winged Victory of Samothrace, or Nike, Musee du Louvre, CC0)
Bottomless Pit
In ancient days the stars were seen as angels, so some theologians interpret this as a fallen angel, a son of God that rebelled, which would be given a key to unlock the bottomless pit or abyss releasing a plague of unidentifiable masked performers.
Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. 2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
Revelation 9:1-3, NASB1995
The closing ceremony had a stage made of the continents of the earth and the masked performers crawled out of the abyss.
If Satan is Zeus and Zeus’ son is Apollo, then is Apollo/Apollyon the son of Satan, the king of the abyss? Would disembodied spirits worship and obey their leader Apollyon, Apollo, god of plagues, the sun, light, and locusts? Would entities from the abyss lift this god in a victory salute?
In Closing
Who is the angel of the abyss (Revelation 9:11)?
Abaddon in Hebrew
Apollyon in Greek
Apollo in Greek is Apollon which can be connected to Apollyon.
Who is Apollyon (Revelation 9)?
The destroyer
king of the locust demons
angel of the abyss
Who is the Golden Voyager?
Fact Checkers say the performer symbolizes the NASA Voyager ship and the golden record.
The Olympic Games for over 1000 years were held in honor of the gods, especially Apollo, the god of light, the sun, disease, and plague.
The cult of Apollo uses the locust as an emblem and the “Golden Voyager” resembles a locust.
Apollo is still worshiped as a god,
Per Paul’s teaching when worshipping gods and goddesses, one is worshiping demons or dark spiritual entities.
See the video “Olympic Flame lit in Olympia”, where
“The High Priestess asks Apollo, the god of the sun, for his assistance in lighting the torch.”
Do you see a foreshadowing of Revelation 9, the 5th Trumpet - The Bottomless Pit in the ceremony symbolism?
Process this: A “god of light and plagues”, Apollo, dressed as a golden locust, is lifted by a swarm of “masked monkeys” in a ritual ceremony, the very same week the WHO announces a Monkey Pox outbreak. Orchestrated?
Additional Research:
The Sixth Seal Signs and The Covenant Signs take the apologetics approach where science and probability reinforce God’s signs and Covenants. The Signs of Jonah is being written.
Be alert, stand firm, and pray.
https://www.gbnews.com/celebrity/paris-olympics-closing-ceremony-anti-christian-headless-angel
https://www.theephesus.com/apollo-of-ephesus/
https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/28647/who-is-apollyon-in-greek-culture/34400#34400
Ibid.
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-apollyon-mean.html
https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-apollyon-mean.html
The Enemy loves to announce what he's going to do