Locusts in Revelation

[Mark51]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

 

[Marty fox]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

Read Joel chapter two and you will see that they are the army that came against Jerusalem I believe it was Rome back in the first century century.

A locus life span is about five months that same time as the Roman seige on Jerusalem

 

[Mantis]

This is a future event. If this is the army that came against Jerusalem then it also a prophetic scripture for the future. I think a lot of scripture has two fold prophecy.

I have read this so many times and contemplated what they are. When I read it literal it makes sense. Some kind of literal locust that comes out of the earth. But I have also contemplated that they sound like helicopters(see the bolded text below). But literal locusts make much more sense to me. An actual insect of some sort that comes from in the earth.


And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horsesprepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it werecrowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
Rev 9:8

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teethwere as the teeth of lions.
Rev 9:9

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

 

[Davy]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

They represent 'men'. Revelation 9:7 says they have the 'faces of men'.

The first actual mention of this locust army was back in the Book of Joel. God called them, "My great army I sent among you." (Joel 2:25). In Joel 2:20 He points to the "northern army" coming upon the land of Israel.

Joel 1:6 says they symbolically have the 'teeth of a lion', as Revelation 9:8 does also.

Those symbols God uses to show us 'how' symbolically those men attack peoples during the 5th and 6th Trumpet - Woe periods.

They are not allowed to hurt any green thing, per Revelation 9:4, but only those men who do NOT have God's sealing (sealing by The Holy Spirit).

Later on the 6th Trumpet, we are shown their power is in their MOUTH. What comes out of one's mouth? Words. This is showing us that the 'stinging' of these symbolic locusts is by what comes out of their MOUTHS.

Later in Revelation 12:15, we are shown the serpent casts out of his MOUTH waters AS a flood after the symbolic 'woman' of that time that keep God's commandments and have the Testimony of Christ (Christ's Church).

The very first Sign Lord Jesus gave us in His Olivet discourse was to not allow any man to 'deceive' us.

So the main danger for the last days is DECEPTION, and those locusts represent "a nation" (Joel 1:5-6) coming upon His people in the last days, a certain group of workers upon the earth that work for the devil.

What it is definitely NOT about... is a literal military army.

 

[TEXBOW]

They are what the scripture says they are.

 

[Davy]

They are what the scripture says they are.

Hardly, unless you're referring to a Hollywood movie. God is using strong analogy through natural symbols there in Rev.9 to represent events to come by a certain group of men on the earth for the tribulation.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

The fallen angels that caused the Nephilim were bound in a pit in hell, so I think they were unchained and set loose on mankind under the command of God who had chained them.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

(Only an opinion) but I would say they represent those which entered in amongst the church, those that “creeped in” unawares to devour(eat), consume(again to eat up?)and destroy. For example the warning of: be careful that you do not devour one another.

you said to give scriptural references: there are too many so I’m only posting small parts of a passage.

2 Timothy 16 speaks of avoiding empty chatter or talk (as warned in other places in scripture) for it will lead to further ungodliness…their talk spreading like gangrene. Two names are given referred to as a cankerworm, like gangrene which spreads saying they “overturn the faith of some”

then where “like a thief” in the night with warnings to not sleep in the night, but to be sober and watch.

consider “plagues” sent …gangrene isn’t too pleasant of a thought but at the same time it is a pretty vivid description. “An eating sore” (consider the body with many members) a disease by which part of the body suffers and becomes corrupted(led away, led astray), unless a remedy be applied the evil continually attacks other parts of the body.

you might wonder what this has to do with locust? what is the difference between locust and a cankerworm? Again, a cankerworm worm is compared to gangrene which spreads and from lack of blood flow and from being cut off, the body tissue becomes dead. “To gnaw”

what the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; and what the swarming locust has left; the creeping locust has eaten; and what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.
Joel 1:4-7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. (What is the mention of: if there be “white” seen in the sore or plaque in the OT?)



like gangrene … ‘an eating sore’ which attacks other parts of the body (Nahum 3:15-19) thy wound is grievous?

 

[Keraz]

The Bible use of 'locusts' doing damage, in your examples; is allegorical.
In Joel 2, they represent a powerful blast from the sun, Isaiah 30:26a, which comes with the dawn, Joel 2:2 and enters houses thru the windows, Joel 2:9, leaving the holy Land a burned and desolate waste. Joel 2:3, Zephaniah 1:14-18
This will be the Sixth Seal; Day of the Lord's fiery wrath. Joel 2:11, Revelation 6:12-17

Revelation 9:1-10 is also the result of a cosmic event, an asteroid strike, which will release volcanic poisonous gases and toxic chemicals.
This will affect only those people who do not have God's mark on their foreheads. Revelation 7:3
Because God's faithful people will be taken to a place of safety, on earth for the 1260 day period of the Great Trib.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Because God's faithful people will be taken to a place of safety, on earth for the 1260 day period of the Great Trib.

I look at it differently. We see the two witnesses in Rev. 11. And then the woman/Israel being hidden for the same amount of time in 12. I believe this is when all Israel is being saved. During this first half of the 7 years the beast goes after "the rest of her offspring," namely lukewarm Christians and other types that need to overcome mentioned in the last four of the seven letters to the churches. Only the true Christians of Philadelphia that have already overcome will be kept from the trials of the tribulation. They and the holy ones that are worthy in Sardis will be kept safe throughout the whole 7 years. The last half of the GT, the beast will continue for another 42 months, ch. 13, and come after both the new Jews who have became Christians during the time of the 2 witnesses, and the pre-tribulation Christians. No new Gentile Christians will be saved during the 7 years, only Jews.

 

[quietthinker]

What do the "locusts" in Revelation 9:3, 7-10 represent? Please provide scriptural reference-if possible-to support your responses. I know of scriptural references on this subject, but I am interested in other opinions.

Voracious consumers of freedoms ?

 

[Davy]

I look at it differently. We see the two witnesses in Rev. 11. And then the woman/Israel being hidden for the same amount of time in 12. I believe this is when all Israel is being saved. During this first half of the 7 years the beast goes after "the rest of her offspring," namely lukewarm Christians and other types that need to overcome mentioned in the last four of the seven letters to the churches. Only the true Christians of Philadelphia that have already overcome will be kept from the trials of the tribulation. They and the holy ones that are worthy in Sardis will be kept safe throughout the whole 7 years. The last half of the GT, the beast will continue for another 42 months, ch. 13, and come after both the new Jews who have became Christians during the time of the 2 witnesses, and the pre-tribulation Christians. No new Gentile Christians will be saved during the 7 years, only Jews.

Lot of that, which is not written in God's Word, is from men's leaven doctrine of a Pre-trib Rapture theory. Why not just allow God to speak in His Own Word?

 

[Davy]

Voracious consumers of freedoms ?

Yeah! That too.

 

[TEXBOW]

Seems to me many do their best to abandon literal scripture for a man-made opinion. Discount any supernatural event because in our limited intellect we feel the need to find another meaning that makes sense to US. Many wish to ignore God's promise of wrath during the tribulation. Maybe it makes them feel better to fool themselves. The locust can't literally mean some demon just like Jesus feeding the multitudes cannot actually mean he did so. You don't understand so YOU desire to change God's word to fit your limited intellect. I see over and over again people try to spiritualize every scripture that can't rationalize and the practice of textualism is abandoned. People say "it can't possibly mean what it says" foolish.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Lot of that, which is not written in God's Word, is from men's leaven doctrine of a Pre-trib Rapture theory. Why not just allow God to speak in His Own Word?

You couldn't have gotten anything about a so-called pre-trib rapture from what I wrote, just the opposite. That is slander. Looks like Leviathan is at work - the twisting serpent demon - twisting words to mean the opposite of what is written.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

Seems to me many do their best to abandon literal scripture for a man-made opinion. Discount any supernatural event because in our limited intellect we feel the need to find another meaning that makes sense to US. Many wish to ignore God's promise of wrath during the tribulation. Maybe it makes them feel better to fool themselves. The locust can't literally mean some demon just like Jesus feeding the multitudes cannot actually mean he did so. You don't understand so YOU desire to change God's word to fit your limited intellect. I see over and over again people try to spiritualize every scripture that can't rationalize and the practice of textualism is abandoned. People say "it can't possibly mean what it says" foolish.

Tribulation is not wrath. The wrath comes later, after the seals were opened.

 

[TEXBOW]

Tribulation is not wrath. The wrath comes later, after the seals were opened.

The last 3.5 years of the tribulation will see a great deal of wrath.

 

[1stCenturyLady]

The last 3.5 years of the tribulation will see a great deal of wrath.

Will the tribulation saints be protected from God's wrath for the whole seven years or not?

 

[Keraz]

Will the tribulation saints be protected from God's wrath or not?

God's faithful Christian people will be taken to a place of safety for the duration of the Great Trib. Revelation 12:14
Jesus will gather them at His Return. Matthew 24:30-31

 

[Davy]

You couldn't have gotten anything about a so-called pre-trib rapture from what I wrote, just the opposite. That is slander. Looks like Leviathan is at work - the twisting serpent demon - twisting words to mean the opposite of what is written.

Pre-trib believes in new Jewish converts for the tribulation, they call "tribulation saints". In reality, there's no Scripture about their conversion during the trib.