Abaddon
From BibleWiki
Meaning: Destruction
In rabbinic and New Testament literature, the second department of Gehenna, the nether world; almost synonymous with Sheol (Midr. Konen; compare Joshua ben Levi in 'Er. 19a). In Rev 9:11 Abaddon is personified as the Angel of Hell: "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."
In the Old Testament, however, the word is peculiar to the "Wisdom" literature, being found in Job 28:22, Job 26:6, Job 31:12; Prov 15:11; Ps 8812, where it is translated "destruction". In Prov 27:20 the Hebrew text has Abaddoh, but the marginal reading has Abaddon. We may regard this word as a personification of the idea of destruction, or as sheol, the realm of the dead.
Jehovah's Witnesses believe Abaddon to be the Archangel Michael, whom they acquaint with the post-resurrection, ascended (angelic) Jesus. This belief is the result of the following deductive chain: Revelation describes of Apollyon/Abaddon as "The Angel over the abyss" (Rev 9:1, Rev 9:11). This, they suggest, means one having authority over the abyss, and is thus incompatible with the idea of his being a demon and holding the "key to the abyss". As the abyss is the area in which satan and the demons are imprisoned, Apollyon/Abaddon would not be in league with his captives if he were 'over' them, holding the key to their jail. They further suggest that the logical jailor would be the rider of the white horse with the sword protruding from his mouth Rev 1:16, Rev 19:21) (WTBS Watchtower 12/1/1961, WTBS Revalation - It's Grand Climax At Hand)
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