I was probably the only one in Bible class that morning thinking about Charles Manson.
Our scripture for the day was Revelation 9. John wrote about scorpions who torment the ungodly in the days of God's wrath. It's scary stuff.
Manson was the cult leader who ordered two terrible mass murders in 1969. Attorney Vincent Bugliosi in "Helter Skelter” explained how Manson used the Bible to brainwash his followers.
Manson believed the scorpions were the Beatles. After all, St. John said they had "hair like a woman" and “shining breastplates” that were obviously electric guitars. Manson said the Beatles spoke to him through their songs. One song, "Helter Skelter," had special meaning. He saw it as a race war that would kill millions. Manson was Abaddon (v. 11) who would take his followers to a secret place in the desert for safety, from which they'd emerge as sovereign when the war was over.
We remembered David Koresh lately on the 30th anniversary of the Waco tragedy. He, too, was fixated on the seventh seal of Revelation and insisted it explained his mission.
Another expositor, Hal Lindsey, published “The Late Great Planet Earth” in 1970. It purports to be a map for end-time events and sold 20 million copies. Lindsey insisted the scorpions are attack helicopters. “The sound of their wings like chariots in battle” is the whir of the blades and rotors. The helicopters look like “battle horses” and the “human faces” are the pilots looking through windshields. The “crowns of gold” are their helmets, and so forth.
Thus, we have a number of unique interpretations of John’s “first woe” in the “fifth trumpet.”
Which interpreter is correct?
Of course, Manson’s interpretation falls short. He died in 2017 without witnessing the race war that would make him king. Two of the Beatles have also passed on, and neither Paul nor Ringo seem to be sharing apocalyptic music any longer.
Koresh, too, has left us.
So, what about Lindsey?
Lindsey didn’t claim a date for Christ’s return, but he quoted “many scholars who have studied biblical prophecy all their lives” who thought 40 years after the rebirth of Israel in 1948 might mark the fulfillment of the end times.
1948 was 75 years ago and we’ve not yet seen the scorpion attack helicopters.
We have, however, seen a lot of fallible interpretations.
Jesus taught about the end of the age in Matthew 24 and followed this with three parables in the next chapter dealing with faithfulness.
Thus, the proper response to the apocalypse is not speculation. These matters are peripheral to faith fundamentals.
The proper response is being faithful until the death angel ushers us into God’s presence for an accounting.
