Abaddon

 

(əbăd'ən) , Hebrew name of Apollyon. In ancient Jewish tradition it was used for part of Sheol (see hell).

Abaddon (Hebrew אבדון Avaddon, meaning "destruction"). In Biblical poetry (Job 26:6; Proverbs 15:11), it comes to mean "place of destruction", or the realm of the dead, and is associated with Sheol. Abaddon is also one of the compartments of Gehenna.^[1] By extension, it can mean an underworld abode of lost souls, or hell.

In Revelation 9:11, it is personified as Abaddon, "Angel of the Abyss",^[1] rendered in Greek as Apollyon; and he is described as king of the locusts which rose at the sounding of the fifth trumpet. In like manner, in Rev. vi. 8, Hades is personified following after death to conquer the fourth part of the earth.

Abaddon is one of the infernal names used in LaVeyan Satanism, and is first in the list—only as it comes first alphabetically—and means "the destroyer."

Identification of Abaddon

Many Biblical scholars believe Abaddon to be Satan or the antichrist^[2][3][4][5]Others have stated that he may be one of the lessor demons of hell, or even a dark angel.^[6]One source, The Greater Key of Solomon by Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, stated that Abaddon was powerful enough to be used by Moses as a way of invoking the terrible rains of the Plagues of Egypt.^[6].

Jehovah's Witnesses originally also considered Abaddon a demon, but now identify him with Jesus.^[7]

See also

• Abaddon (demon)
• Apollyon

External links

• Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Abaddon
• From Guildwars - http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Abaddon

Notes

In the MMORPG Guild Wars Nightfall, the exiled god and main villian of the game is called Abaddon.

In the MMORPG 2Moons, there is a server named Abaddon.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Metzger & Coogan (1993) Oxford Companion to the Bible, p3.
2. ^ Matthew Henry Commentary on Revelation 9, Accessed 4/15/2007
3. ^ Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary, Accessed 4/15/2007
4. ^ Halley (2000) Halley's Bible Handbook with the New International Version, p936.
5. ^ MacDonald (1995) Believer's Bible Commentary, p2366.
6. ^ ^{a b} Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z. New York:Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1996. ISBN 0-517-88537-9.
7. ^ The Watchtower, May 1, 1992 p. 11, “Keep Close in Mind the Day of Jehovah.”

• Metzeger, Bruce M. (ed); Michael D. Coogan (ed) (1993). The Oxford Companion to the Bible. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504645-5. 

• Halley, Henry H.; James E. Ruark (ed) (2000). Halley's Bible Handbook. Grand Rapids, MI: ZondervanPublishingHouse. ISBN 0-310-22479-9. 

• MacDonald, William; Art Farstad (ed) (1995). Believer's Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers. ISBN 0-8407-1972-8. 

• This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• This article incorporates text from the public-domain Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge 1907

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