This thread seeks to locate the abyss named in the book of Revelation. Before showing what I think the Abyss is, I will outline the many references
we have to this dimensional abode of the deep.
From the OT, we have the word tehom, which means deep.
Examples fo all uses...
We first find the Deep mentioned as the Ruach Elohim (Spirit) hovers over the face / surface of the deep. Considering that time/space are one thing,
it might be possible to tag time to eternity as the high state of order with low entropy of the early universe. Connected to this, water and hydrogen
go hand in hand.
We next find this word in Genesis 7 as the great deep burst open, noting that the waters of the deep burst forth. As 1 Peter 3 states, a parallel to
baptism can be seen in the flood of waters. By this simple connection, we can easily establish that the involution of life / spirit into the waters
of the deep occurred when the foundations of the deep were opened. Water carries a greater significance than the simple allegory used to outline Noah
and the Ark. The Bible speaks of a greater mystery through the simplicity of the story of beasts in the water. By this flood / baptism of water, we
are saved. The waters themselves do not save us. The cleansing of the waters comprising the image of Heaven distills impurity.
Proverbs 3
19 By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the watery depths were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
If you read all the uses of the word Tehom, you will find several allusions to this same idea of Dew coming from the depths of the ocean and sea. Dew
is always associated with the involution of life. Dew hits the ground, which is an allusion to a person's life (baptism into the water). From this,
the sun then rises and distills the dew as it evaporates. Here is a simple key verse from Isaiah showing this metaphor as it extends to the waters
from the depths.
Isaiah 26
19 But your dead will live, Lord;
their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust
wake up and shout for joy—
your dew is like the dew of the morning;
the earth will give birth to her dead.
Proverbs 8 (Speaking of Wisdom)
“The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
Of course, this verse set from Proverbs 8 speaks of wisdom coming forth before the depths were established. The Gnostics would consider this the
feminine Sophia.
Isaiah 51:10
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea,
the waters of the great deep,
who made a road in the depths of the sea
so that the redeemed might cross over?
I have learned that Biblical symbolism is most often mirroring the physics of creation within the stories that we know. Here, the writer is comparing
the gateway leading life across the void to that of the story of the exodus from Egypt. Drying up the sea is moving the nation across the wilderness.
As water is symbolism for life in the sea (nations), a dried up sea represents the exodus across the void. Between the image of creation here and
the true reality, we exit one for the promise of the next.
Amos 7
4 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. 5
Then I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”
In each example we've looked at, water is the key to the depths.
Jonah 2
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
Again, we have the dual reference to the deep water and the pit.
Habakkuk 3
8 Were you angry with the rivers, Lord?
Was your wrath against the streams?
Did you rage against the sea
when you rode your horses
and your chariots to victory?
9 You uncovered your bow,
you called for many arrows.
You split the earth with rivers;
10 the mountains saw you and writhed.
Torrents of water swept by;
the deep roared
and lifted its waves on high.
Again, water is the reference here in the very last book to carry the word Tehom. From here, we move to the New Testament.
The New Testament word for Abyss is Abussos. In relation to the water mentioned so often in the Old Testament, will we find water again referenced in
connection with the NT word for Abyss?
Luke 8
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When
the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
Here, a demon named Legion is sent to the waters and drowned. The fear was being sent to the abyss. Is the water here the abyss? This is left
unsaid, but from the other references in the OT, we see a similar pattern.
Romans 10
5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”[a] 6 But the righteousness
that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend
into the deep?’”[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
Here, water is again referenced indirectly. [c] above is a reference to Deuteronomy 30:13 - Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who
will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so
you may obey it.
Crossing the sea is crossing through a nation as a person, or involution of the water (like Dew). Descending to the depths of the Abyss is descending
to the lower realm of water. As the picture begins to emerge in this, a very easy answer shines for us to see.
Revelation 9
9 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the
Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the
Abyss.
In this reference, we have the foundation laid for the locust emerging on the scene to torture humanity.
Continuing with Revelation 9
11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
Here, the ruler of the abyss is Abaddon, or Father of Adon. Apollyon is his name in Greek, or the destroying Angel.
Revelation 11
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them.
Continued in next post.
edit on 20-12-2014 by AlephBet because: (no reason given)