Bible Verses [1] And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.	V.1 The fifth angel (the first woe of the three woes mentioned at the end of the last chapter) is the Angel of the Buddhist religion. The Angel of this religion is the Compassionate Buddha, the Great Teacher of love and tolerance. There are two interpretations for the archetype star used here. Here, in the first instance it is used as to how in many Buddhist countries this religion fell, as did other religions of the world. Particularly in China, where the state philosophy became that of atheistic communism. Buddhist countries such as Burma and Tibet saw great military conflicts. The Japanese, in particular, became noted for their war making inclinations. Hence, it is clear and manifest that by the words "...the stars shall fall from heaven" is intended the waywardness of the divines, and the annulment of laws firmly established by divine Revelation, all of which, in symbolic language, have been foreshadowed by the Manifestation of God. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 41) This verse has particular significance in that it is the beginning verse for the thread of the bottomless pit as being an archetype for nuclear weapons - and indeed it was a Buddhist Country (Japan) upon which the first atomic bomb was used - the key that opened the door to the bottomless pit for humanity. In this instance there is also something of a parallel to the archetype star in the previous chapter Rev 8:10 where another star falls from heaven in regards to the Third Angel, the Hindu Faith. This latter is in regards to what is still a future event, but the archetype star mentioned in this verse can be seen as a graphic visualization of the bomb that fell on Hiroshima.
[2] And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.	V.2 The spiritual meaning of this verse is of great significance to mankind. From the pit came smoke, which are the dense clouds of the mind, which kept people from following the true teachings of the Buddha. The sun and air were darkened, which means the spirituality of the religion was gone The symbolic term "smoke" denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition of recognized standards, and the utter destruction of their narrow-minded exponents. What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath now enshrouded all the peoples of the world, which hath become a torment unto them, and from which they hopelessly fail to deliver themselves, however much they strive? So fierce is this fire of self burning within them, that at every moment they seem to be afflicted with fresh torments. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 76) Japan became the focus of the great technological force that was to forever change the destiny of mankind. The following amazing prophecy about the Atomic Bomb was given by 'Abdu'l-Baha in 1912, to the Japanese Ambassador Viscount Arakawa, upon whose country the first atomic bomb would be dropped. "Scientific discoveries have increased material civilization. There is in existence a stupendous force, as yet, happily undiscovered by man. Let us supplicate God, the Beloved, that this force be not discovered by science until spiritual civilization shall dominate the human mind. In the hands of men of lower nature, this power would be able to destroy the whole earth." ('Abdu'l-Baha, Japan Will Turn Ablaze, p. 51) Split the atom's heart, and lo! Within it thou wilt find a sun. (Baha'u'llah, The Seven Valleys, p. 12) The smoke coming out of the bottomless pit in the form of a mushroom cloud is the very image of the nuclear age.
[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.	V.3 From the smoke which blinded the minds of the people, came leaders which are described as scorpions. Their power over the people was to deprive them of the freedoms of life. Punishment was very harsh, often resulting in death. The smoke of corruption hath enveloped the whole world in such wise that naught can be seen in any direction save regiments of soldiers and nothing is heard from any land but the clashing of swords. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 39) As an archetype, we also see the smoke from the bottomless pit as being the nuclear mushroom cloud, and so of course in this case the locusts would represent the radioactive fallout. Strange and astonishing things exist in the earth but they are hidden from the minds and the understanding of men. These things are capable of changing the whole atmosphere of the earth and their contamination would prove lethal. (Bah�'u'll�h, Tablets of Bah�'u'll�h, p. 69)
[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.	V.4 The matter of having the seal of God in one's forehead is a spiritual matter and indicates that those who are responsive to and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit will be protected from the spiritual diseases of the age, and these receptive individuals are symbolized by the green living life forms of the earth. "These! The people of Baha. Through them have been shed the splendors of the light of guidance." Thus hath it been ordained, at Thy behest and by Thy will, in the Tablet of Thine irrevocable decree. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 83) As a side point of curiosity, the radiation mentioned in the previous verse does not affect the grass, trees or any vegetation.
[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.	V.5 There can be various applications of this verse. It may have to do with an intermediate period of the effect of nuclear radiation or it may be interpreted symbolically in that five months equals five times thirty days or 150 days or 150 Biblical prophetic years, which brings us into the present time frame based upon the dates of the Most Clear Proof.
[6] And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.	V.6 If these verses are seen as a description of events still to come at the time that this book is being written, then this could be also interpreted as a literal description of the horrors that modern warfare can impose and what may occur in a nuclear catastrophe so terrible that it has been speculated that the living will envy the dead. Where canst thou find refuge now? Who shall protect thee from the dreadful scourge of thy Lord, the All-Compelling? There is no haven for thee in this Day, O ungodly doubter!" Whereupon the agony of death seized him and he saw no more. Thus did We lay hold on him in Our wrathful anger, and severe is thy Lord in His punishment. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 178, Lawh-i-Fu'ad:11) My only joy in this swiftly-passing world was to tread the stony path of God and to endure hard tests and all material griefs. For otherwise, this earthly life would prove barren and vain, and better would be death. ('Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p. 226)
[7] And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.	V.7 There are many who make literal interpretations of these verses and they parallel other Biblical Scriptures such as Ezekiel Chapter One, but for the moment we will put the emphasis on spiritual interpretations of the archetype, thus, the leaders prepared for battle, their attitude being that of power, however their crowns were 'like' gold but not gold showing that their strength was not from God. Say: None shall be secure this Day from the decree of God. This indeed is a grievous Day. We point out to them those that led them astray. They see them, and yet recognize them not. Their eyes are drunken; they are indeed a blind people. Their proofs are the calumnies they uttered; condemned are their calumnies by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The Evil One hath stirred up mischief in their hearts, and they are afflicted with a torment that none can avert. They hasten to the wicked, bearing the register of the workers of iniquity. Such are their doings. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 41)
[8] And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.	V.8 From a spiritual point of view that they had hair like women, would mean that they appeared placid in their deception, while 'teeth of lions' denotes strength of their intent.
[9] And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.	V.9 While these verses permit very graphic literal interpretations, and parallel descriptions in Ezekiel Chapter One, (see the Afterword to Chapter Seven) they are also equally adaptable to spiritual meanings which are even deeper. The breastplates of iron here represent strength and the overwhelming sound of wings that of intense energy and activity. All of which can be seen in the action of societies which exert political power over the people without the essence of spiritual justice.
[10] And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.	V.10 Once again, as in verse five above, we have the five month figure and while, as explained in the commentary on verse five, it may be seen as some effect which lasts five months, it is also (either alternatively or simultaneously) possibly code for activity that covers a 150 year period, the conclusion of which we have not yet seen.
[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.	V.11 The king of the bottomless pit is called Abaddon in Hebrew, and Apollyon in Greek: Both mean 'Destruction' and there is no doubt but that these verses forebode a period of destruction both physically and spiritually. Indeed, the last century has seen both physical destruction, such as has not occurred in all the previous centuries combined, and spiritual destruction with the rise of godlessness (repudiation of belief in God) and extremes of immorality and spiritual uncleanliness that the world has no record of having occurred since the time of Sodom and Gomorrah. Behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen calamities. Though the world is encompassed with misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that may be. Whenever the True Counsellor uttered a word in admonishment, lo, they all denounced Him as a mover of mischief and rejected His claim. How bewildering, how confusing is such behavior! No two men can be found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences of discord and malice are apparent everywhere, though all were made for harmony and union. The Great Being saith: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. We cherish the hope that the light of justice may shine upon the world and sanctify it from tyranny. (Baha'u'llah, CXII.Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 218) The greatest force of destruction that humanity has ever known is of course nuclear weapons, which are associated with the archetype "the bottomless pit" and which are the "Abomination of Desolation".
[12] One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.	V.12 It may be seen, in one literal interpretation, that the woe that befell the Buddhist religion and culture in the Far East is to be followed by woes that will befall the sixth and seventh religions - therefore the Christian and Islamic countries, respectively. The Three Woes are discussed at length in the AFTERWORD of Chapter Eight. The Second Woe (of the three woes introduced in Rev. 8:13) isn't concluded until Rev. 11:14.
[13] And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,	V.13 We come now to the Sixth Angel, the Angel of the Christian Religion. The voice that came from the four horns (the four corners of the earth, the four directions, the four races of man in the Sabean/Native view) before the golden altar, the Altar of God, which directed the four angels in Rev 7:1-3 to hold back (bind) the four winds of destruction, which are bound, as this verse says, in the area of the great river Euphrates. As pointed out in Rev 7:1-3 these Four Angels/Religions are the religions of Judaism, Zoroastrian-Shiite (Iranian) Islam, Christianity, and Sunni (Arabic) Islam ( the prominent Branch of Islam of which 80% of Muslims are a member), and in they are released in the next verse. The four horns of the Golden Alter are described in other Apocalyptic Scripture such as Ezekiel 43:15,20 and Zechariah 1:18-21. The modern reader will see increasing significance in all this as events swirl around the Euphrates and the voices of all the peoples of the earth come to a climax from the four horns/corners of the earth.
[14] Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.	V.14 The Angel of the Christian Religion (culture) who had the trumpet prepared to sound; is to loose the Four angels (religions/cultures) that are holding back the destruction in the area of the great river Euphrates (Rev.7:1), that is to say in the Middle East. Today, we do see battle lines drawn in that area by the descendants of those religions. The Jews in Israel, the Shiite Persian Muslims in Iran (the descendants of Zoroaster), and Sunni Arab Muslims, and it does seem to be the Western Christian culture that is stirring it all up.
[15] And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.	V.15 The time given in this verse is an hour, a day, a month and a year. This may be a specific time which at present no one knows, because the Book of Revelation is not meant as prophecy for us to understand future events (except in general) but rather as prophecy for us to understand them in retrospect so that we can have confidence in its Message. Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. The world conflict (Armageddon) has been ongoing, since July 28th, 1914 and none of us know when The Great Final Battle may occur except that there may be a prophecy that it will be sometime in the range of a hundred years after its beginning, but as just stated, none can know until afterwards.
[16] And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.	V.16 There have been massive armies and massive wars during this period. The numbers being gathered, trained and armed for the Great Final Battle are huge. A number is given as 200 thousand, thousand - a great multitude when one considers that the U.S. only fielded 200 thousand at the beginning of Gulf War 2. This number is a thousand times more, or two hundred million. Certainly a world war. This truly is a great woe for Christianity, the Christian culture around which centers the Imperial World Power of this time, and so a world woe if you will.
[17] And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.	V.17 The vision of John showed the leaders preparing for war. The breastplates being used are different, the strength of iron has been changed to strength of fire. The horses (leaders/weapons) also were different, they are fierce like lions with threats of deadly weapons of fire, smoke and brimstone. The pageantry, uniforms and symbols of the combatants are brilliant and varied, and elsewhere we find similar descriptions of the effects of their weaponry. It is particularly curious to note the mention of Jacinth jewel here which has the color that we associate with the ruby red laser so popular in modern warfare. Look thou with seeing eyes at the world about thee, and at the inhabitants thereof. ...Armed troops and artillery are to be found in every part of the field. The flash of the swords of enmity blind the eyes from even the most remote distance, the lightning effect of breastplate and lance and the sparkle of the bucklers of hatred light up the night and bewilder the sight. In short: strife, battle, slaughter and war are prepared in organized perfection. ('Abdu'l-Baha, Baha'i Scriptures, p. 344)
[18] By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.	V.18 We are simultaneously dealing here with two interpretations of "these Three Woes". In a literal sense, there is represented the overall view of the great destruction of Three World Wars (Armageddon) and the specifics of what happened/will happen to the Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim religions/cultures. We literally also see the fire, smoke and brimstone that issues out of the mouths of the world's leaders, towards one another, as we approach the Great Final Battle. In future chapters we shall return to specifics leading up to the Great Final Battle of Armageddon, and graphic descriptions of that battle. HOWEVER, the next immediate chapters, turn to the more important spiritual interpretation of "The Three Woes", and how they apply to the Return of Christ, which is the real central Message of the Book of Revelation.
[19] For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.	V.19 While great numbers of people were killed in the battles and destruction of the Century of Armageddon (beginning in 1914) the real significance, something not understood by the masses of humanity, was not what was happening to the world physically, but what was happening to it culturally, morally, and spiritually. The leaders are described as serpents, with power of persuasion from their mouth and weapons of war in their tails. Serpents are associated in the Bible with evil (from the Book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden forward.) The reference, in a spiritual sense, is to the effect on the masses of being spiritually deprived in our societies as well. The meaning of the serpent is attachment to the human world. This attachment of the spirit to the human world led the soul and spirit of Adam from the world of freedom to the world of bondage and caused Him to turn from the Kingdom of Unity to the human world. When the soul and spirit of Adam entered the human world, He came out from the paradise of freedom and fell into the world of bondage. From the height of purity and absolute goodness, He entered into the world of good and evil. ('Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 123)
[20] And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:	V.20 Although mankind watched multitudes perish because of the spiritual depravity of the world and the injustices that it permitted they still did not repent. The leaders still didn't go back to their spiritual teachings, nor did they give up their love for wealth, which they worshiped. Say: O concourse of divines! Hear ye not the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen? See ye not this Sun that shineth in refulgent splendour above the All-Glorious Horizon? For how long will ye worship the idols of your evil passions? Forsake your vain imaginings, and turn yourselves unto God, your Everlasting Lord. (Baha'u'llah, Kitab-i-Aqdas: Verse 41) Alas! It is misguided ones like these who are the cause of division and hatred upon earth. Today there are millions of people who still worship idols, and the great religions of the world are at war among themselves. For 1,300 years, Christians and Mussulmans (Muslims) have been quarrelling, when with very little effort their differences and disputes could be overcome and peace and harmony could exist between them and the world could be at rest! ('Abdu'l-Baha, Paris Talks, p. 46)
[21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.	V.21 We entreat God -- exalted and glorified be He -- to aid all men to be just and fair-minded, and to graciously assist them to repent and return unto Him. He, verily, heareth, and is ready to answer. (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 35)

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