What do the tails symbolize? (Revelation 9:10)
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And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
Revelation 9:10 - King James |
⚪ Followers - class-leaders
⚫ The prophecy
⚫ God's Word, "the sword of spirit,"
⚫ Message contained in the publications
⚪ Followers - class-leaders
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Rev. 9 [...]
9:10. And they had tails. — Followers—class-leaders Like unto scorpions. — The old-time class-leader was an invaluable adjunct of the Methodist Church. Upon him devolved the duty of requiring each probationer to attend the class-meeting and report his spiritual progress weekly, whether he had made any or not After each report It was the class-leader's duty to squirt in a little more of the poisonous doctrines from the two orifices referred to In comments on Rev. 9:3. From the "heaven" orifice came the doctrine "If you are good you will go to Heaven when you die"—and from the "hell" orifice came the message "If you are bad you will go to hell when you die." It was all very simple. Everybody was simple In those days. And [there were] stings. — Revivals in which the attendants were stung, doctrinally and financially. Source : 🇺🇸 1917 - Studies in the Scriptures, Vol 7, The finished mystery, page 159 + Cover |
⚫ The prophecy
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Rev. 9 [...]
He says: "The prophet ... he is the tail." (Isa. 9:15) If the prophet teaches lies, then he is a lying prophet; and if he teaches the truth he is a true prophet. God's people under Christ Jesus are teachers and leaders. (Isa, 55:4) The prophecy or message which they deliver is from the Lord. This exposes Satan and his organization and his agents who teach lies; therefore the message which the locusts leave behind stings, and has power to hurt. It is the message of God's vengeance. It is the prophecy, "the tail," that does the hurting. Source : 🇺🇸 1930 - Light, Vol 1, page 149 + Cover |
⚫ God's Word, "the sword of spirit,"
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For the brief time interval till Armageddon breaks out, "five months," as it were, the symbolic locusts must use their scorpion-like tails, God's Word, "the sword of spirit," and must strike men against whom God's judgment is directed. It is not God's time to spare feelings. His enemies have to be exposed and notified of coming judgment. - Eph. 6:17.
Source : 🇺🇸 December 1, 1961, page 719 + Cover |
⚫ Message contained in the publications
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The fifth blast is related to the releaseof God's people from "the abyss" of inactivity in 1919 and to their relentless witnessing work, which became like a tormenting plague on Christendom. (Rev. 9:1) The sixth is about the greatest cavalry charge in history and the worldwide preaching campaign that began in 1922. The final blast has to do with the birth of the Messianic Kingdom.
Lessons for Us: 9:10, 19. The authoritative Bible-based statements in the publications of "the faithful and discreet slave" contain a stinging message. (Matt. 24:45) This message corresponds to the locusts' tails that have "stings like scorpions" and the horses of a cavalry, whose "tails are like serpent." Why? Because these publications warn of the "day of [Jehovah] vengeance." (Isa. 61:2) Let us be courageous and zealous in distributing them. Source : 🇺🇸 The Watchtower, 01 15 2009, page 32 + Cover |