The Bottomless Pit
What is the other name for bottomless pit?
Abyss
NIV: Rev 9:1-2 - 1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss
KJV: Luke 8:31 - And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
What is bottomless pit?
Abyss - Greek: abyssos Strong’s 12 – Abyss/bottomless pit/the deep (9) a very deep gulf or chasm in the lowest parts of the earth used as the common receptacle of the dead and especially as the abode of demons until they go to hell after final judgment. In other words it is a temporary holding place with temporary punishment for the fallen angel or demons, or evil spirits until they go to hell after final judgment.
KJV: Luke 8:31 - And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.
2 Peter 2:4 - For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Jude 6 - And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
1 Peter 3:19 - 17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us--baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
(Warren Wiersbe) The "bottomless pit" is literally "the pit of the abyss." Luke makes it clear that this "pit" is the abode of the demons (Luke 8:31), and John states that Satan will be temporarily "jailed" there during our Lord's reign on the earth (Rev 20:1-3). The Antichrist (i.e., "the beast") will ascend out of this pit (Rev 11:7;17:8). It is not the lake of fire, for that is the final "prison" for Satan and all who follow him (Rev 20:1), but part of that hidden under world under the Lord's authority. Today, the carcerated, waiting for the hour of liberation.
What is the difference between Hades, Bottomless Pit/Abyss and Hell?
Hades - Greek: Hadēs – Storng’s 86 - Hades (11) • Temporary holding place with temporary punishment for the unbeliever until they go to hell after final judgment. Note: Now believers will not be here in Abraham bosom which was in one section of Hades because Jesus died and resurrected to heaven. When believers die they will go to heaven directly and be with the Lord as said in 2 Cor 5:8 "absent from body present with the Lord"
2 Cor 5:6,8 - 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
Luke 16:19-31 - 19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell d from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' 25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' 27 Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' 29 Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' 30 And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "
Bottomless Pit/Abyss - Temporary holding place with temporary punishment for the fallen angel or demons, or evil spirits until they go to hell after final judgment.
Read What is bottomless pit? topic for supporting references.
Hell – Greek: Gehenna – Strong’s 1067
Hell is the place of the future punishment call "Gehenna" or "Gehenna of fire". This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.
Final everlasting destiny for the unbelieving souls/spirits after the final judgment.
This is also described as gnashing of teeth, lake of fire, second death, hell fire
For more details read Hades, Abyss and Hell article.
Where is the bottomless pit?
(David Guzik) The most straightforward answer is that it is in the center of the earth, because there, one might say that all is “top” and nothing is “bottom.” But the “bottomlessness” of the pit may be symbolic.
Is this Bottomless Pit is locked?
Yes
Rev 9:1 - Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
Rev 20:1 - Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
What happened when he opened the bottomless pit?
Rev 9:2 - And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
(Warren Wiersbe) When the pit was opened, smoke emerged as though the door of a furnace had been loosened. Jesus compared hell to a furnace of fire (Matt. 13:42,50), an image that ought to make people stop and think before they jest about it. The smoke polluted the air and darkened the sun, which had already been darkened when the fourth trumpet sounded.
Who has the key for the Bottomless Pit?
As per Rev 9:1 and Rev 20:1 an angel is having the key. In Rev 20:1 he come down from the heaven and opens the bottomless pit and throws Satan into it.
Rev 9:1 - Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
Rev 20:1-3 - 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.
As God's people, we can be thankful that Jesus Christ hold the keys of hell and death (Rev 1:18) and exercises divine authority over all. Praise God that He is in Control.