Revelation 8:10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
This great star represents Christ coming down from Heaven being imparted to the overcomers and for judgment of false doctrines. Let’s go back to Revelation 2 and see the promise given:
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—
as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.
The living Word, the manifested Christ is coming forth as a burning lamp to those who have ears to hear. This is the same star that traveled from east to west guiding the wise men to the promise for all of mankind. This great morning star is the promise of the full sun of righteousness announcing and bringing forth a new day. This new day is the fullness of the revelation of Christ in our minds. We will be empowered with the mind of Christ.
“Burning like a torch (lamp)” directs us to Psalm 119:
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Psalm 119 is broken up into sections by the Hebrew alphabet: 8 lines per letter, 22 letters resulting in 176 verses. This verse is the beginning verse for the letter “Nun”. This letter represents “a swarm of fish” and has a numeric value of fifty. It can be written two ways- bent and straight. These two nuns represent the two fundamental approaches to serving GOD: fear and love. The first person serves GOD out of awe, fear. Therefore, he is hunched over. The second person serves GOD out of love and thus stands straight. This person is also characterized by generosity, because love represents openness. The Sons (153 fish, a swarm) receive a jubilee and serve FATHER both reverently and by Love. The living Word, the lamp, lights the straight and narrow pathway that few are taking. Others have taken the path lit by the bright lights of Babylon and their path leads to death and destruction. The Great Star will judge the rivers and streams.
What are these rivers and streams? There are symbolic rivers and streams in Heaven which are different from those on earth. Jesus speaks of waters flowing out of Heaven at the Feast of Tabernacles in John 7:
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
In addition, there is a river of Living Water flowing from the throne in Heaven:
Revelation 22:1 1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
This life flowing from Heaven is HIS Spirit and it flows from HIS throne through the Sons outward to mankind. This Living Water represent Life and true revelation. Anything less will turn bitter. Doctrines, teachings, and philosophies of men’s lives will be judged. False prophets promised many events which never occurred and thus they simply pointed to some occurrence as the fulfillment. Science promised the war on cancer would be won but when? Lyndon B. Johnson declared a war on poverty and announced it would be won quickly. Years later there are more on government assistance than when he declared the war. Men’s intellectual and fallible words act as rivers and streams of a lesser life. Men “drink” from the 24 hour news channels in hope of being satisfied only to find their thirst remains. Man’s opinions never fulfill anything but often serve to divert focus away from Truth.
The pure river of Life is the only healing solution to mankind. The Word of Life will turn men’s rivers to bitterness. Jesus specifically reveals this star to us in Revelation 22:
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
HIS Body is being raised up to judge nations with a rod of iron. What was once acceptable to those who are chosen is now found to be death. Man’s church doctrines were sufficient for a time but without a future. Yes it took time to allow sufficient inspection of the fruit but when the harvest was found lacking the apprehended ones continued their pursuit of the Rivers of Living Waters. The waters of man’s wisdom, doctrines, creeds, and philosophies became bitter to the taste. The apprehended ones will only be satisfied with the true living waters!