Abaddon, 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 references (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. By extension, it can mean an underworld abode of lost souls, or hell. In some legends, it is identified as a realm where the damned lie in fire and snow, one of the places in Hell that Moses visited.

In Revelation 9:11, it is personified as Abaddon, "Angel of the Abyss", 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 him to be Satan or the antichrist Jehovah's Witnesses originally also considered Abaddon a demon, but now identify him with Jesus.

According to them, there are several proofs in favor of their concepts, including Revelation 20:1, which reads that "the angel with the key of the abyss and a large prison in his hand seized the dragon (Satan the Devil) and threw him down into the abyss, and closed it on him (Satan)", meaning that the 'angel of the key' had power and authority superior to that of the Devil himself. Therefore, from their standpoint, Abaddon, "the angel with the key of the abyss" (see Revelation 9:1,11) and "the ancient serpent", "the dragon", Satan the Devil, must not be both the same person.

External links

• Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Abaddon

References

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• This article incorporates text from the public-domain Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge 1907