How to Glean from the Old Testament like Jesus

The recent sermon series (Inspired) challenged me to reevaluate a number of my long held beliefs regarding scripture. Do I treat the Bible like it is Jesus Himself? Do I make it so central to everything I do above and beyond any other sources of inspiration? Do I submit to its authority, especially when it comes to applying the words literally to my life? And finally, do I overly emphasize its inerrancy, i.e. the scripture in its original manuscript contains no error?

Since my early days after becoming a Christian (as a 25 year old adult), I had been taught to believe in the Bible - its truths and its power to transform life (mine and others). The scripture is my primary source to learn about who Jesus was and what He did while He was on earth. The rest of the Bible was put together by godly men and women early on in church history (referred to the Biblical Canon). I believe (I still do) that God is the same in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Although I was from time to time intrigued how differently God dealt with man in the Old Testament days. Jesus brought a new understanding to scripture (which was primarily the Old Testament in His days). For example, in the famous Sermon on the Mount Jesus said repeatedly (there were six of these): "You have heard that it was said... but I tell you..." (Matthew 5:21-48). "What Jesus is doing in this portion of the sermon is unpacking the true and full meaning of the law as it was originally intended—especially in contrast to the limited, narrow, and woodenly literal approach of the Pharisees. Their hermeneutic (the method by which they interpreted Scripture) was laden with sophistry. They could expound for hours on the law’s invisible fine points while inventing technical twists and turns to make exceptions to some of the law’s most important moral precepts." (from John Macarthur).

This is helpful. Whenever I read scripture (especially in the Old Testament) I would try to understand the meaning and the principles behind it with "what would Jesus say" as a reference. There will be times when the scripture stories just don't make any sense at all. In these situations I will use these 5 simple pointers (SPECK - think Matthew 7:3-5) to uncover what God is trying to teach me:

• Sin I need to avoid or repent of?
• Promises I can be encouraged by?
• Examples to follow, or avoid?
• Commands I need to obey?
• Knowledge of God, the world, or myself?

So in today's scripture reading (Exodus 21–22; Matthew 19) I learn:

• Treatment of Servants (more like slaves in those days, Exodus 21:2-11) - the Bible seems to be saying... but Jesus tells me that I must treat those under my authority with respect as they are made in God's image. God loves them and wants them to have a relationship with Him. God wants me to be generous with them. If they owe me their service I should always consider generosity a better way. Women deserved equity and protection, especially when equity does not exist.
• Justice on Personal Injuries (Exodus 21:12-36) - the Bible seems to be saying "an eye for an eye" (vv. 23-25)... but Jesus tells me to love even my enemies and to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-42). God has provided us with a trustworthy judiciary system but He Himself is the final judge. I should look to God, the righteous judge, to provide divine justice rather than retribution and proportional punishment. I should treat those who injured me with grace as I myself have received grace.
• Protection of Property (Exodus 22:1-15) - the Bible seems to say what is mine is mine (v. 9)... but Jesus tells me that God provides richly all my needs. It is better to give than to receive.
• Social Responsibility (Exodus 22:16-31) - the Bible seems to be saying that I will gain God's favor by following strictly to a list of rules but Jesus tells me that these rules are but a shadow of what is to come (Hebrews 10). They are impossible to be followed strictly, I will fail at least one of the them at some point. But Jesus has done what it takes for me to enter into a right relationship with God already. Perfection will come as I learn from Jesus until I see Him face to face.

Interestingly, the New Testament passage also contains a teaching on Divorce (Matthew 19:1-12). The religious people (the Pharisees) tested Jesus by quoting a law from the Old Testament: "Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”" and Jesus answered them: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”. Jesus tells me that from the beginning when God created Adam and Eve, He knew that we all need relationship (procreation was only secondary). God's intention is that the married couple is a special relationship. But many will choose to remain single and focus their relationship with other people in a non-sexual way. Jesus teaches me that I can learn from the perfect relationship which is found in the one Jesus had with the Church:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Ephesians 5:25-33)

What is That in Your Hand?

I happened to be reading Exodus 4–6; Matthew 14:22-36 for my daily scripture reading today. I am following the reading assignment to read through the entire Bible in a year. I have been doing this for many years. I find it helpful to survey the entire Bible regularly. And God has blessed me through this discipline by blessing me with new insight often, especially on the day when I write this blog. You can follow the reading schedule either through Our Daily Bread (the Bible in a Year link is right beneath the daily photo). Alternatively you can subscribe to the BibleGateway's Reading Plan.

The first lesson I was reminded of today was from Exodus 4:2 "Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”". Moses answer was of course an ordinary staff, or a walking stick. Moses was a shepherd by trade. He would use the staff to shepherd his flock. I would imagine the staff would come in handy if he had to fight off a wolf or a snake. God would demonstrate to Moses that He can use an ordinary staff to perform mighty acts (see Wikipedia for a nice summary of miracles using the Staff of Moses). The lesson for me is "What's that in my hand?". God can use the most ordinary to do the extraordinary things. My pastor gave a sermon based on the same verse recently. It's worth listening to.

The next lesson is related and it concerns my hand as well. It is from Matthew 14:31: "Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”". This is the story of Jesus Walking on Water. What is less talked about in this story is that the Apostle Peter also walked on water! This happened shortly before dawn when the apostles were rowing their boat fighting wind and waves and were quite a bit off shore. Jesus was delayed to join them having to send away the 5000+ men and women and children following the miracle of feeding them with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. Jesus then caught up with them by walking on the lake. After reassuring them that He was not a ghost as they had thought, Peter demanded a proof that it was indeed Jesus: " “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”" (Matthew 14:28). And Jesus did! I don't know what Peter was thinking. It's one thing to have doubt during times of difficulties not being able to tell Jesus from the devil, but it's another to challenge Jesus to give him an impossible job! I would much rather ask Jesus to calm the storm instead (which happened in the story as soon as Jesus climbed into the boat). So an already scared and shaken Peter stepped out of the boat and starting walking on water towards Jesus. But he doubted. What was a great triumph in faith turned into a disaster. Jesus' hand had to reach out to his hand to keep him from sinking.

I think Peter's story happens a lot more than I like in my life. Facing with a difficult decision, I panic. I had asked God to give me a job more than I had really wanted to do at this stage of my life. If it goes through I would step into the unknown. And if I doubt, which I surely will at some point, may I not lose sight of Jesus. Help me to reach out my hand to catch His. He will keep me from sinking.

Thank you Lord for the Word You spoke today. I don't feel I have much to offer at this stage of my life and yet I trust that you would turn the little I have in my hand to do great miracles. But hold on to me. I am prone to doubt and fear. Take me safely to the boat where you will immediately calm the storm and I will find rest in You!

“Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:33)

The kingdom of heaven has come near

Today's scripture reading includes Matthew 10. This is a fresh look at a familiar passage. Firstly, I learned that chapter 10 of Matthews comes right after the familiar instruction by Jesus to his disciples, and therefore to us today:
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

As Jesus' disciple, I must learn to see as Jesus sees. He sees needy people everywhere. He also sees that many of them desire to enter into a relationship with Him. But how will they know the way to Jesus if nobody tells them?
But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it? That’s why Scripture exclaims, A sight to take your breath away! Grand processions of people telling all the good things of God! But not everybody is ready for this, ready to see and hear and act. Isaiah asked what we all ask at one time or another: “Does anyone care, God? Is anyone listening and believing a word of it?” The point is: Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ’s Word is preached, there’s nothing to listen to. (Romans 10:14 MSG translation)

So I am to regularly (in obedience) ask the Lord of the harvest to send someone out to this harvest field. Guess who this someone is? Me! It is a great reminder that the purpose of prayer is to cause a change in my heart and not to change God. Chapter 10 of Matthew might as well be the "Great Commission" (the term is often referred to Matthew 28:16-20) because it contains much more details not only the What, but also the How of Jesus' commission.

Secondly, I must remember that Jesus gave me His authority to go. "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness." (Matthew 10:1) Jesus has all the authority I need. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matthew 28:18) This is not authority to lord over people but authority to do the service (of healing - physically and spiritually) for people in order to earn their trust to listen to this message: "The kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matthew 10:7) Jesus will be explaining what this kingdom is using many parables (Matthew 13) but there are plenty of glimpses into this kingdom throughout this chapter already.

Thirdly, I am to begin where I am. As the apostles in Matthew 10 were sent only to the Jews living around the towns of Galilee (Matthew 10:5-6), I am to begin my service to those people immediately around me, my family, my neighborhood, and my work place. This idea is reinforced in Acts 1:8 and Roman 1:16. But God's kingdom will include anyone who trusts Jesus everywhere in the world.

Fourthly, "Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8) What a reminder! In God's kingdom we have received freely all the privileges and love as His citizens. My acts of service is but handing out what we have been freely given. Likewise receiving support from others in His kingdom  is to be expected and welcomed. So I must not think that I need to be self-sufficient to do God's work. How else can I learn to trust and depend on God?

Fifthly, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." (Matthews 10:16) Don't forget the kingdom of darkness is still at work. "Both the snake-intelligence and the dove-innocence are both designed to keep the sheep out of trouble. Jesus does not mean for us to get ourselves into as much difficulty as possible. He means: Risk your lives as vulnerable, non-combative, sheep-like, courageous witnesses, but try to find ways to give your witness in a way that does not bring down unnecessary persecution." (John Piper) And "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28) I am well protected in God's kingdom. After all, He is in control!

Lastly, "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." (Matthew 10:42) In God's kingdom, little acts of kindness to the least deserving still counts.

Now Lord, here am I, send me (Isaiah 6:8). If only those around me even get a glimpse of your beautiful light, they will come running towards you. Can I be the little light that points them to you?

Seek first his Kingdom and his Righteousness

I went for a job interview yesterday. After working in the same place for almost 20 years I thought it would be good to finish my career with more focus (on improving palliative care services). So I applied for the job. I had my wife and a church elder praying for me. I asked my elder brother to pray that I will be like Jesus - who is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). I think the prayer was answered. There was a peace in my heart that "surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7) and I was able to present my vision for the job with passion and sincerity. Now the outcome is in God's hand. I'll know in a week or so.

I had to do some heart searching as well - I have a comfortable job now so why risk it? I want to work less as part of my retirement plan (this position is only for two days a week) but do I need a well paying job to pad the transition? Has not God provided all that I have needed so far? Or is it because of pride? Anyways, confusing thought. If this job is God's will for me I am sure the devil will be hard at work to dissuade me (for he is a liar and an accuser - John 8:44 and Revelation 12:10).

The scripture reading this morning was very reassuring. First, I read in the Old Testament the account of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-18). At the last minute, he was provided a ram in place of his son. It says in verse 14: So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”. The Hebrew word for "The Lord Will Provide" is Jehovah-jireh - it is in God's nature that He will provide all our needs. The mountain where God provided Abraham the ram is in the land of Moriah. As I was waiting for my interview on the 16th floor of Cancer Care Ontario, I looked out the window and this Psalm came to mind: I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121)

The New Testament reading was equally reassuring. In Matthews 6:19-34 I was reminded of two important life lessons:

1. Go for treasures in heaven - Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (verses 19-21)
2. Do not worry -  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (verses 31-34)

This is liberating! Getting old, thinking about retirement, figuring out what else to do to bring meaning to life, will I need health insurance after I quit the university, on and on and on. Today I am at peace (despite not being able to sleep well last night). I am in God's loving hand. Just thinking about this brings tears to my eyes.

End of year reflection: "How have you loved us?"

It's December 31, 2015. I am reading from the Book of Malachi and the people of God asked this question:
“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ (Malachi 1:2)

I remember asking this question many times through the year. Maybe I didn't ask the question directly but I had chosen to let circumstances snuffed out God's reassuring words:
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn you with unfailing kindness."
(Jeremiah 31:3)

The Lord further says in Malachi 1:2-3
“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

It shows that God is sovereign in His choice to who He loves. It's hard to swallow for the free-will thinkers. But I find this very reassuring.

Given this covenantal love, how then should I live, especially facing the new year 2016?

• In all that I do I must give God the honor and respect: “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 1:6)
• If I offer any sacrifices (in my work, my leisure, my relationships) I must do so with integrity without showing contempt to God's kingdom and His rule: When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 1:8)
• Because if I show contempt to the Lord's love, He will shut the door on me and open it up to deserving people everywhere (this is where God's sovereignty and men's free-will meet - both can be seen in God's Word!): I will accept no offering from your hands. My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 1:10b-11)
• I must remember to always offer God the best. There will be curses rather than blessings when I "cheat" Him: “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations. (Malachi 1:14)
• No matter how bad I have fallen God's sovereign offer remains true: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalm 103:8) and “I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed... Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty... Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house... and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,...Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:6-12)
• There will be a day when His purpose will be accomplished - He had indeed accomplished it (partially) by sending His One and Only Son Jesus to this world (fulfilled as Elijah in this verse) and final judgement is yet to come in the future: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” (Malachi 4:5-6)

The promise of the Day coming is repeated in the final book of the Bible:
Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.(Revelation 22:12-15,21)

I am excited about the new year. I live with anticipation to see what God will do in my life and the lives of the people I meet. I longed to see His love manifested in my life that others will be blessed through me. This is an exciting year as I look forward to retirement - not to stop working altogether, but to spend more time to do the things that I like, things that God has uniquely blessed me to do. Hallelujah!!!

The Righteous will Live by Faith - O Come, O Come Emmanuel

I am writing my blog a day early because tomorrow is Christmas Day and in my home we have a custom of reading the scripture, singing a Christmas carol or two, then opening up our presents. With all my children and their partners home and a big turkey dinner to prepare, I figure I won't find the time or the solitude to write my blog. So here it is.

My scripture reading this morning was from the Book of Habakkuk (all 3 chapters). Here is the passage that spoke to me:

"I heard and my heart pounded,
    my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones,
    and my legs trembled.
Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
    to come on the nation invading us.

Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.
 
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights." (Habakkuk 3:16-19)

This is a brief overview that provides some context to the Book of Habakkuk:
The book of Habakkuk was written around 612-589 B.C. just before the fall of Judah in the Southern Kingdom. Like other prophets at that time Habakkuk was identifying the wickedness and sin of Judah and declared that they would be judged. In chapter one, Habakkuk asked God why evil was prevailing. God claimed that He would do amazing things that, “you would not believe if you were told” (verse 1:5). All of the surrounding neighbors who were super powers at that time would fall in ruin, as no one expected. Babylon was a growing empire that would rule over everything, for a time. In chapter two, God answered Habakkuk's question. He urged everyone to be patient and ultimately trust in Him. ''Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith” (verse 2:4, quoted by the apostle Paul and tied it to the Gospel in Romans 1:17). In chapter three, Habakkuk gave God the glory and praise for faithfully responding to his questions, “LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy” (verse 3:2).

So on Christmas Eve, the day before the birth of Jesus Christ, I am thinking - the world can be a pretty hostile place for many. Good people suffer and nasty and greedy people succeed. Like Habakkuk, I do question God from time to time and wonder if He is really all that loving. But I am reminded of this great gospel truth: "The Word Became Flesh" (John 1:14). I learned last Sunday from Bruxy Cavey's sermon that the word "Flesh" comes from the Greek word "sarx" which means: our fallen, weakened, bent away from God nature. Because the Word became flesh, we have a high priest who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15). So I live by faith, and echo Habakkuk's words - "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails... yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
"The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
    he enables me to tread on the heights."

O Come, O Come Emmanuel!

What to do with difficult passages in scripture (Edom and Satan)

This morning my scripture reading was from the Book of Obadiah in the Old Testament and Revelation chapter 9 in the New Testament. This is how "Bible in a Year" organizes the daily reading - a book or a few chapters in the OT and a chapter or a portion of a chapter in the NT. Interestingly, it happens not infrequently (or should I say God is really smart to organize it this way) that the OT and the NT readings often come together with enough of a devotional message to feed me spiritually for the day. Today is no different, except both the OT and NT passages are totally obscure to my understanding! Obadiah talked about the doom of Edom and Esau and the protection of Judah and Jacob. Revelation 9 talked about the first two of the three woes to mankind at the end of time. I am not sure if there is any one theme that unites the two passages. Well, one thing I learned over the years of reading God's Word - the Holy Spirit can help me work through this. So I began with praying to the Holy Spirit to open my heart for what God has prepared me to learn this day. Then I focused on the overall theme of the Bible - from beginning to end - which is God's salvation to mankind. Warning of punishment and trusting God's eternal promises are recurrent messages to draw me closer to God. So this is what I do with difficult passages in scripture. I believe that the harder it is to understand, the more treasure I will find.

These verses stood out from Obadiah:
Vision of judgement on Edom
"The pride of your heart has deceived you" (verse 3)
Though you soar like the eagle
    and make your nest among the stars,
    from there I will bring you down,”
declares the Lord. (verse 4)
“In that day,” declares the Lord,
    “will I not destroy the wise men of Edom,
    those of understanding in the mountains of Esau? (verse 6)
Because of the violence against your brother Jacob,
    you will be covered with shame;
    you will be destroyed forever. (verse 10)
Vision of restoration and triumph of Jacob, God's people
But on Mount Zion will be deliverance;
    it will be holy,
    and Jacob will possess his inheritance. (verse 17)
Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion
    to govern the mountains of Esau.
    And the kingdom will be the Lord’s. (verse 21)

I then looked through commentaries to support/enhance my understanding. These are some interesting finds (from David Guzik):

• There are 13 "Obadiahs" in the Old Testament, and one of these may be the Obadiah who wrote this book.  
• The Edomites are the people descended from Esau, the son of Isaac and Rebekah and the brother of Jacob (Genesis 25:19-34). Esau was nicknamed "Edom" (which means, "red") probably because he had red hair.
• When Israel came out of Egypt and wanted to pass through the land of the Edomites to enter into the Promised Land, the Edomites wouldn't let them (Numbers 20:14-21) 
• In the days of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Edom joined with Moab and Ammon to attack Judah, but the Lord fought for Judah and defeated them (2 Chronicles 20:1-27, the famous battle that was led with praise) 
• The brief prophecy of Obadiah ends on this high note. The Edomites seemed to have their day against God's people but at the end of it all, the kingdom shall be the LORD's. He knows how to take care of God's people and to advance His kingdom in a glorious way.

The first two woes of Revelation chapter 9:
Woe #1
The fallen star and the opening of Abyss (verses 1-2)
Locusts that dressed up like an army
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads (unbelievers). They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. (verses 4-6)
They (the destroying locusts) had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). (verse 11)
Woe #2
“Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number. (verses 14b-16)
The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. (verse 20-21)

The message is clear - there will always be unrepentant men awaiting judgement but God's people will be protected.
David Guzik again:

• this (fallen) star is best seen as an angel; whether he is a good or bad angel depends on his relation to the angel of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:11. If the angel of Revelation 9:1 one is the same as the angel of Revelation 9:11, it is an evil angel - perhaps Satan himself. If it is a different angel, it may be a good angel sent by God to open up this bottomless pit for the purposes of judgment.
• the key (to open the abyss) is given to this being (star), and that it is given at a specific time and for a specific purpose that furthers God's plan. This angel - evil or good - serves God's purpose, even if he does not intend to.
• The abyssos is a prison for certain demons (Luke 8:31, 2 Peter 2:4, and Jude 6). This is probably the same place as this bottomless pit. More generally, this place is considered the realm of the dead, the same as Hades (Romans 10:7).
• these creatures are not literal locusts. The Bible tells us that literal locusts have no king, and these do (Proverbs 30:27). Their king is given a name. Abaddon and Apollyon both have the same thought of destruction or torment (perdition). The angel of the bottomless pit: Since this is the king of these locusts, and since he has the name Abaddon or Apollyon, this is obviously Satan himself or another high-ranking leader of demons.

So what do I get out of the reading this morning? There is a spiritual war going on. I maybe living a life of comfort; there are good days and bad days; but as long as I live in this physical body, it is waging war in the spiritual realm. "Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." (1 Peter 2:11) Peter is urging me to have this perspective: I am just a sojourner on this earth. I have a heavenly home. Entertaining sinful desires (selfish, short lived gratification for the body) means losing the war in my soul. "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" (Matthew 16:26) God's promise is that the enemies (spiritual enemies mainly) will be defeated and I am protected to the end. Praise God!