Apollyon appears in the New Testament (Book of Revelation 9:7 – 11) leading the locust-like swarm of demons that will be released in the End Times:
- 7. In appearance the locusts were like horses arrayed for battle; on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8. their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; 9. they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10. They have tails like scorpions, and stings, and their power of hurting men for five months lies in their tails. 11. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
The name, in Greek "Destroyer" (Απολλυων, from απολλυειν, to destroy) is cognate with the Hebrew Abaddon (lit. "place of destruction," but here personified) and the Greek god Apollo, also a "destroyer" in his aspect of controlling pestilence, though the composite monstrosity that is Apollyon is distinctly Babylonian and Persian, not Hellenic, in inspiration. Apollyon seems to be equated in Revelation with the Beast. The term "Apollyon" was often associated by early Christians with The Devil, and fancifully described, and is still used as an alternative name for him.
Apollyon is the "foul fiend" who assaulted Christian on his pilgrimage through the Valley of Humiliation in John Bunyan's great allegory The Pilgrim's Progress. The identification with the Asmodeus of Tobit iii. 8 is erroneous.
Some also believe this Angel to be Michael [citation needed] as he is described as "The Angel over the abyss" and holding the "key to the abyss". The abyss is the area where the demons are confined and the logical jailor would be the rider of the white horse with the sword protruding from his mouth. This would also follow as Michael is the destroyer of there demons in the final battle after the 1000 year reign of the devil and demons.
There is, however, an alternative Christian view which stands in contrast to the prevalent perception of Apollyon as a demonic figure. Rather than seeing the character of Apollyon as original to the book of Revelation, this view identifies Apollyon with the "destroyer" who carries out the tenth plague (the death of the firstborn) described in the Exodus account (Exodus 12:23). This view receives support from a subsequent reference to the "destroyer of the firstborn" by the anonymous author of the book of Hebrews, who in 11:28 describes the protection of Moses and Israel from God's destructive agent. In this instance the author makes reference to ο ολοθρευων (the destroyer), a participle form sharing a common root with Απολλυων. This alternate view would also explain why both Hebrew and Greek forms of the angelic name are supplied by the author of Revelation.
References
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public ___domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
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