The Destroyer is a puzzling character.
He's mentioned literally one time, in the classic Exodus 12. There's no context and it's never explained or brought up again.
"[Yahweh] will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down."
-Exodus 12:23
Obviously, the typical interpretation is that this is just one of God's angels. Classical tradition calls him the 'Angel of Death.' But I think there's a much better explanation for this somewhat ominous blood-thirsty spirit, and I certainly do not believe he is a servant of God.
As we discussed in the posts below -
- Yahweh and Satan seem to have had an 'uneasy peace treaty,' in which Satan is allowed to appear in God's courts and make accusations, and has control over the nations of man. This seems strange to modern Christianity, but it's pretty much the main doctrine the Bible gives us about Satan (none of this 'fallen angel' nonsense).
Furthermore, God seems to use Satan's Underworld and vengeance to enact his own goals. I believe this is one of those times. Notice that God 'will not permit the Destroyer' to slaughter the Israelites, as though the Destroyer reeeaaaally wants to, but God yanks his leash back.
Now think about the theology here.
If Christ's death was saving us from the punishments of Satan, that fits PERFECTLY with this story! The Blood of the Lamb here is an obvious metaphor for Christ's sacrifice, and sure enough, Satan is prevented from doing his vengeance upon the Israelites whose doors are marked by it.
Just as the sacrificial goat was killed to appease Azazel (Satan), so was the sacrificial lamb killed to appease the Destroyer.
Obviously this is not a perfect metaphor.
In this story, God is the main one behind the killings, and Satan's just joining in. With the Underworld, I believe it was Satan's idea, and God only makes use of the place until he finally destroys it via Christ.
But it's a historical event, and while it has metaphorical implications, it's also its own story about God saving his people from Egypt. We shouldn't expect it to be a perfect analogy.
The name 'Abaddon' or 'Destruction' was used many times in the OT as a synonym for the pit of Gehenna.* In Revelation, it becomes a name for an individual spirit!
*Job 26:6, 28:22, Psalm 88:11, Proverbs 15:11, 27:20
Revelation 9:11 :
And [the locust-monsters] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
Anyone paying attention will chalk this up as the same 'Destroyer' from Exodus.
In my very first post on this blog, I took the position that the Destroyer was none other than Jesus.
Well, that's a little bit awkward now, but I'll leave the article up for you to examine and make up your own mind. In my opinion, the evidence presented there is very feeble.
It hinges almost entirely on the idea that Gehenna is owned by God and Satan has no power over it. My last post took that apart.
In my opinion, this destructive, ravenous King of the Underworld who rules an army of monsters, takes vengeance on the world and is stopped by the Blood of the Lamb fits perfectly with my Justice-Monster theory of Satan.
But as always, make up your own mind, and let me know what you think in the comments.
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