S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The name Abaddon or Apollyon appears in Revelation 9:11: "They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon." In Hebrew, the name "Abaddon" ...

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July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Candice Crayne Supporter Homemaker

This name Apollyon is the another name for the prince of darkness, Satan. This is in the book of revelations chapter 9 verse 11.

April 16 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

According to the Brown–Driver–Briggs lexicon (my favorite lexicon), the Hebrew אבדון ’ăḇadōn is an intensive form of the Semitic root and verb stem אָבַד ’ăḇāḏ "perish", transitive "destroy", which occurs 184 times in the Hebrew Bible. That is the etymology.

As Michael said, "Apollyon" is the Greek translation of the Hebrew Abaddon, meaning "destruction"; in the New Testament this name is given to the angel who rules over the abyss (Rev 9:11)

"Abaddon" may refer to one of 2 personages. Because the word itself means "Destroyer", 

(1) it may be that destruction is being personified. 

(2) if this "angel of the Abyss" (Revelation 9:11) is the same as the "star" (Revelation 9:1), "Abaddon" might be talking about the devil.

January 05 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Who or what is Abaddon/Apollyon?

(A·badʹdon) [from Heb., meaning “Destruction”].

At Revelation 9:11 this Hebrew word is transliterated into the English text. There we read concerning the symbolic plague of locusts that they have “a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew his name is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.”

In Hebrew the word ʼavad·dohnʹ means “destruction” and may also refer to “the place of destruction.” It appears in the original Hebrew text a total of five times, and in four of the occurrences it is used to parallel “the burial place,” “Sheol,” and “death.” (Ps 88:11; Job 26:6; 28:22; Pr 15:11) The word ʼavad·dohnʹ in these texts evidently refers to the destructive processes that ensue with human death, and these scriptures indicate that decay or destruction takes place in Sheol, the common grave of mankind. At Job 31:12 ʼavad·dohnʹ designates the damaging effect of an adulterous course. Job declared: “That [adulterous course] is a fire that would eat clear to destruction [ʽadh-ʼavad·dohnʹ], and among all my produce it would take root.”​—Compare Pr 6:26-28, 32; 7:26, 27.

Abaddon, the angel of the abyss​—who is he?

At Revelation 9:11, however, the word “Abaddon” is used as the name of “the angel of the abyss.” The corresponding Greek name Apollyon means “Destroyer.” 

Interestingly, in the 19th century, there were efforts made to show that this text prophetically applied to individuals such as Emperor Vespasian, Muhammad, and even Napoleon, and the angel was generally regarded as “satanic.” 

It should be noted, however, that at Revelation 20:1-3, the angel having “the key of the abyss” is shown to be God's representative from heaven, and rather than being "satanic,” he binds and hurls Satan into the abyss. 

Commenting on Revelation 9:11, The Interpreter's Bible says: “Abaddon, however, is an angel not of Satan but of God, performing his work of destruction at God's bidding."

In the Hebrew scriptures just considered, it is evident that ʼavad·dohnʹ is paralleled with Sheol and death. At Revelation 1:18, we find Christ Jesus stating: “I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.” His power over the abyss is shown in Luke 8:31. That he has destroying power, including the power of destruction over Satan, is evident from Hebrews 2:14, which says that Jesus partook of blood and flesh so that “through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil.” 

In Revelation 19:11-16, he is clearly represented as God's appointed Destroyer or Executioner.​

Conclusion:

Abaddon/Apollyon is a figure from biblical prophecy, primarily appearing in the book of Revelation. The Hebrew name Abaddon means "destruction," while its Greek equivalent Apollyon translates to "Destroyer". In Revelation, the figure is an angel of the abyss and the king of a horde of demonic locusts, associated with torment and destruction during the end times. 

1: Hebrew Bible (Old Testament): The Hebrew term Abaddon (אֲבַדּוֹן, meaning "destruction" or "doom") appears six times, primarily in wisdom literature like Job and Proverbs. In these contexts, Abaddon generally refers to a place, often paralleled with Sheol (the realm of the dead or the grave), signifying the depths of the underworld or a place of ruin and desolation.

2: New Testament (Book of Revelation): In the Book of Revelation (9:11), Abaddon is personified as an individual entity: the angel who is the king of the bottomless pit (the Abyss). This angel leads a plague of locust-like creatures that torment humanity during the end times. His name is given in Hebrew as Abaddon and translated into Greek as Apollyon (Ἀπολλύων), which means "the Destroyer".

4 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report