Revelation 9:1-12 – 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. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.11They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer). 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.
“The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.” John is trying to relate to us from his first century life experience. He is seeing things that he has never seen before, and that also none of us have ever seen before. He is comparing what has never seen before to what he has seen before. These “locusts” are not natural. They are demons from the spiritual realm that are appearing with a physical form. It is important to keep that in mind when he expresses that something was “like” something else. He is giving to us pictures, images for us to try to understand what he has seen. Here he says these demons are coming in some type of forms as locusts. John now further describes them as “like” horses prepared for battle. In your mind, picture a first century battle horse in full cavalry array. John says that on their heads they wore “something like” crowns of gold. Possibly this could be the helmet / face shield that war horses could be fitted with. Or it could be they had some type of crown on. Now to add to this locust appearing creature that looked like horses “prepared” for battle, who had something “like” crowns of gold, we find that their faces resembled human faces. Okay, if you had any doubt that these were demons (though it is clear from scripture that they are), from the description that John as given so far, we are beginning to envision very scary creatures. Oh, and let’s remember that these swarm in, they fly in. They come in overwhelming numbers and Joel 2 says they, like sunlight coming in a dawn, fill the sky. They are not silently flying in, they are thunderously loud as they sound like thousands of chariots barreling in. Joel says they terrify everyone as brave faces turn pale at the unstoppable onslaught descending on the earth. Oh…My…Goodness! No wall stops them, they go right over them. This is an invading supernatural army that mankind has no defense against. The weapons that man creates to feel safe will not help them . Just as these things jump upon a person, what will be unexpected to these people is to see these beasts with human faces. The mind will reel, the heart will grow faint, but the hardness of their hearts to God will remain. All so terrifying. All so sad. All so very avoidable if man would repent. But the vast majority will not. Inconceivable!
“Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.” Some have said they description of hair “like” women’s hair refers to an ancient Arabic proverb that compares the antlers of a locust to the hair of a girl. This is possible. It also could mean exactly what it says, that these demons have long hair.
Comparing their teeth to lion’s teeth could mean they are big and scary like the teeth of lions. It also could refer to them having strong fangs to bite deeply and inflict great damage. It could mean both. Joel 1:6 states “A nation has invaded my land, a mighty army without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness.”
As we read the book of Revelation let us always remember that God is in control. Therein is our comfort and our peace. May we also pray for those who refuse the grace of God, that they may relent and repent. We must pray for the lost who cling to lies to avoid the truth. These judgments are for those who reject God and not for His own. Praise God who loves us so much to save us and praise God that even during the End Time judgments His hand of mercy is extended to all who will come to Him. Praise God! He is good all the time and all the time He loves us!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.