Apollyon
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- For other uses, see Apollyon (disambiguation).
Apollyon appears in the New Testament (Book of Revelation 9:7 – 11) leading the locust-like swarm of demons that will be released in the End Times:
- 7. In appearance the locusts were like horses arrayed for battle; on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8. their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; 9. they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10. They have tails like scorpions, and stings, and their power of hurting men for five months lies in their tails. 11. 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.
The name, in Greek "Destroyer" (Απολλυων, from απολλυειν, to destroy) is cognate with the Hebrew Abaddon (lit. "place of destruction," but here personified) and the Greek god Apollo, also a "destroyer" in his aspect of controlling pestilence, though the composite monstrosity that is Apollyon is distinctly Babylonian and Persian, not Hellenic, in inspiration. Apollyon seems to be equated in Revelation with the Beast. The term "Apollyon" was often associated by early Christians with The Devil, and fancifully described, and is still used as an alternative name for him.
Apollyon is the "foul fiend" who assaulted Christian on his pilgrimage through the Valley of Humiliation in John Bunyan's great allegory The Pilgrim's Progress. The identification with the Asmodeus of Tobit iii. 8 is erroneous.
Some christian groups/sects (notably the Jehovah's Witnesses) also believe this Angel to be Michael - the post-resurrection, ascended (angelic) Jesus. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (JW's) publication 'Watchtower' is the principle establishment of this belief (for them) in the 12/1/1961 issue, pages 717-720 and is featured prominantly & taught to this day in their publication: 'Revalation - It's Grand Climax At Hand'. This belief is based on logical deduction from where Revelations describes Apollyon/Abaddon as "The Angel over the abyss" (i.e. having authority over the abyss and thus incompatible with the idea of him being a demon) and holding the "key to the abyss". The abyss is the area where satan and the demons are imprisoned and so following this thinking, Apollyon/Abaddon would not be in league with his captives if he is 'over' them and holds the key to their jail. The logical jailor would be the rider of the white horse with the sword protruding from his mouth (Michael). Further (slightly tenuous) reasoning suggests that as Michael is the destroyer of the demons in the final battle after the 1000 year reign of the devil, he could rightly carry the sub-title 'Destroyer'. The following paragraph also tends towards this latter belief.
A further alternative Christian view which stands in contrast to the prevalent perception of Apollyon as a demonic figure. Rather than seeing the character of Apollyon as original to the book of Revelation, this view identifies Apollyon with the "destroyer" who carries out the tenth plague (the death of the firstborn) described in the Exodus account (Exodus 12:23). This view receives support from a subsequent reference to the "destroyer of the firstborn" by the anonymous author of the book of Hebrews, who in 11:28 describes the protection of Moses and Israel from God's destructive agent. In this instance the author makes reference to ο ολοθρευων (the destroyer), a participle form sharing a common root with Απολλυων. This alternate view would also explain why both Hebrew and Greek forms of the angelic name are supplied by the author of Revelation.
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- WTBS Watchtower 12/1/1961
- WTBS Revalation - It's Grand Climax At Hand
