Folks, this "torment" period was only going to last for a literal FIVE MONTHS (Revelation 9:5).
Sorry God did NOT talk about a literal five months here. Nothing in the book of Revelation is just a
normal number or time without any symbolic, representational or spiritual meaning to it! Selah!
The entire book of Revelation is a collage of
cryptic numbers, figures, imagery, enigmatic representations, symbolism, analogies and metaphors. For me to agree with that would be like saying the one thousand year reign was just a normal one thousand years (
as some Theologians did before 1000 years had passed). Or that the 7 churches simply spoke concerning those literal seven churches somewhere in Turkey. I can't agree with that as the seven are a "representation" a symbol of some deeper spiritual truth. For example, seven (7) being the number of completeness or the totality. There's not a single number in the book of Revelation that doesn't carry some symbolic spiritual significance. These numbers, like the imagery of the pit, dragon, smoke, locusts, stings, etc., aren't literal/physical, and so how can we think that we can take the 5 months out of this "symbolic context" and make it literally 5 months like you are trying to do. Nope! No more than saying the 2 Witnesses are literally two witnesses. It's contrary to the whole of Scripture. Especially from a book where numbers are so obviously used
symbolically. For example the 42 months, the 144,000 sealed of Israel, the 24 elders before the throne, the 1000 year reign, the 10 horns of the Dragon, the 7 Spirits of God, the 2 witnesses, the 4 horsemen, the 12 stars in heaven, and so on and so on. The 5 months "represents" the
time period between when God gives authority to open the bottomless bit or abyss and loose the spirit of Antichrist against His rebellious house, and the time when the house is left in ruins or desolated. This is a judgment for their rebellion in serving lawless man rather than God. As in Revelation 20 where Satan and his minions come against
the camp of the saints, not against the world, which he already has enslaved. He gathers the nations against the camp of believers. He wants to extend his rule to the kingdom of God on earth. Revelation 9:1-2 correlates to Revelation chapter 20 when Satan is loosed from this same bottomless pit to assault the camp of the saints.
Revelation 9:1-2
- "And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
- And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit."
The messenger (star) that John saw had fallen was given the key to the bottomless pit by the Lord in order to render judgment upon his unrepenting church. This is just as God promised
the fallen star, the messenger of the church, what would happen if he didn't repent from his evil. God promised that his (the star's)
church would be removed out of its place. The same rule always applies, that
Scripture interprets Scripture, God's word explains God's word, not man. And God interprets both the star that had fallen and the result of it if he didn't repent.
Revelation 1:20
- "The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches."
The Lord Himself decyphers the mystery of the symbol of the star and the Candlestick (lampstand) in His word so that there can be no misunderstanding in this uncovering. The stars He reveals are actually the messengers of the churches, and the candlesticks He assures us are actually the churches. This has NOTHING to do with Roman and their soldiers at all, as you claimed. This is according to God's revelation of the mystery of this symbolism. Now we read further and discern the warning that God Himself specifically gives to
the star that had fallen.
Revelation 2:5
- "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."
So then we have God's interpretation of the heaven from which the star fell, exactly what the star that had fallen represented, and that God would indeed bring judgment upon that stars church by removing it out of its place
if the messenger didn't remember from where he had fallen and repent. Allowing the Revelator to reveal this truth we see that God illustrates that it is because of this fallen star that the church is judged, and God removes it out of its place.
Indeed, only Christ has the key to the bottomless pit and at the appointed time of judgment upon the fallen star will He loose the spirit of Satan from the pit that his church be removed out of its place. This removal of the candlestick (the church) is what darkens the world (Luke 8:16-17). For example, the light that was once there is put out or become dim when it is removed. These are spiritual truths concerning God's judgment upon lawless man, the fallen messenger that is ruling in His holy Temple
as if he were God. The
5 months of this anguish upon the church for the messengers rebellion is the
length of time of the great tribulation there. This great tribulation of the church is the same torment of those who are hurt by the
locust-like deceivers who devour the greenery and fruitful fields that are representative of God's house. In other words,
all those there within the congregation of God that are without the seal of God. Without the true security of the Spirit. It's the plague sent by God
likened unto locusts upon the grass, to devastation and ruin.
Sounds like God talking about Rome? Please! It is about God's judgment upon HIS OWN CONGREGATION. The locusts, frogs, horsemen, etc. in Revelation are symbolical of false prophets and Christs with the spirit of antichrist. Not some Roman soldiers wearing helmets with hair. Spiritual discernment.
This is ANCIENT HISTORY, folks.
No. This has nothing to do with Roman History, a preterism fables.