Verse

By Verse 

Series©

Who are the Locusts in Revelation?

False teachers and doctrines that spiritually torment the church! 

A verse-by-verse study of Revelation 9:1-11

By Nab B.

October 11, 2016

(Updated Oct 2023)

Spiritual Understanding of Scriptures 

“The flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)

“We speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual...the things of the Spirit of God...are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:13-14)

Verse By Verse Series©

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Revelation 9:1

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit"

“I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth” 

In Revelation 1:16 Jesus holds the seven stars in His right hand. These represent ALL His “Messengers and or Messages to the seven churches.” (See Rev 1:20)

A falling away occurred shortly after the church's strong and pure beginning. The deception was carried out by a satanic system described as the man of sin, antichrists, the earth beast (aka false prophet), the sea beast, and Babylon the Great. In the Book of Revelation, Christ unveils all the deceiving players and how they work. He offers warnings, consequences, judgments, and outcomes. All are shown as a series of 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 plagues.

From among the seven stars (those serving Christ's churches) were corrupted and fallen away. They became deceivers and false teachers of God’s people. This was accomplished through elaborate schemes of false doctrines, strange gospel, and another Jesus. They introduced sects, rituals, and factions to weaken the church. To this day, such a system of deception holds many of God’s people in spiritual bondage to sin and death.

So, I believe these stars were among those who once believed but have fallen from the faith. Note how they fell from their lofty spiritual heaven to the lower realm of the earth (soulish and carnal). Ironically, they still serve in the churches (as leaders and teachers) “to deceive and be deceived”.

Here is a sample of verses showing how false prophets and teachers infiltrated the Church (even before the end of the first century):

“For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect, if that were possible.” (Matt 24:24)

“I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:29)

“There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them, the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2 Pet 2:1-3)

“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” (Gal 2:4)

“These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ.” (2 Cor 11:13)

“Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Tim 4:1)

“Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God….For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work,” (2 Thess 2:3-4,7)

“To him was given the key” 

A key represents an office or power. The fallen star was given a key (authority) to the Abyss. Jesus holds the keys of death and hades (Rev 1:18) and the keys of the kingdom. (Matt 16:19). Permission “was given” by Christ to the key to the “Abyss” which represents an era of spiritual darkness inflicting God’s judgment upon the unrepentant in hopes of awakening and cleansing the dross from among them. A huge army of false teachers, prophets, and leaders is permitted to attack the churches.

“The bottomless pit (abyss)” 

"The abyss or bottomless pit" comes from the Greek word á-byssos. It is a combination of two words: A means without”;  byssos means depth, bottom. The abyss is NOT a literal place deep beneath the earth! It’s the figurative condition of total spiritual darkness; a place without the knowledge of God. "Abyss" is rendered in the Concordant Translation renders it as “the well of the submerged chaos.”

2 Pet 2:4 “For if God did not spare angels having sinned, but having cast them down to Tartarus, in chains of gloomy darkness, delivered them, being kept for judgment.”

Rev 11:7 “When they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit [abyss] will make war on them.”

Revelation 9:2

"And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit."

“He opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace” 

Dark smoke rising represents signs of toxic and poisonous spiritual darkness spreading fast.

Let me show you an interesting connection between the word “smoke” in this verse and another Greek word # 5187 tuphoó.

‘Tuphoo’ literally means; "to blow smoke”, or having a cloudy (muddled) mindset. Figuratively, it indicates "conceit," "lifted up," and “high-mindedness." In 2 Tim 4:4 ‘tuphoo’ is used for false teachers who are PUFFED UP like smoke. This has a bearing on the smoke in Rev 9:2 since it reveals the spirit of false teachers and prophets to be like the poisonous smoke of pride and conceit! 

“The sun and the air were darkened by…the smoke of the pit” 

Sun and air are used to emphasize an entire ecosphere. The smoke is so great it causes the symbolic sun and air to be darkened. Sun and air are what make life habitable. As false teachings spread, the spiritual life of the church is darkened, choked, and become unbearable. 

The verses below show how spiritual darkness sweeps Both the earth (fallen church) and the sea (fallen world):

Eph 4:18 “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God.”

2Cor 4:4 “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.”

Eph 2:2 “You walked according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

Isa 60:2 “Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people.”

Luke 21:25,26 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.”

Revelation 9:3

"And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.”

“There came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth” 

Images of locusts portray literal darkness and famine. In Revelation, they represent false teachers and false prophets responsible for the spiritual darkness and famine in the churches until today. As locusts come in great numbers, so do the false teachers and deceivers being released among all “earth dwellers”—the soulish and carnal churches throughout the centuries. The locusts or deceivers target everyone on earth!

“Unto them was given power (authority) as the scorpion” 

Besides devastation, the locusts have the venomous power of scorpions. Locusts with scorpion power refer to the scope of deception and the intensity of spiritual pain false teachers and deceivers will inflict.

Note how scorpions represent deceivers in these verses:

Luke 10:19 “I have given you the authority to trample on snakes and scorpions (false teachers) and to overcome all the power of the enemy.” 

Matt 23:23 “You serpents, you brood of vipers (Ecclesiastical powers), how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?”

Eze 2:6 “Neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions for they are a rebellious house.” (false prophets are the scorpions)

Revelation 9:4

"And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.”

“It was commanded…they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree” 

Literal locusts attack green plants and trees only. Being prevented proves that they are not literal locusts as many think, but represent human deceivers in great and ferocious numbers.

“The grass of the earth, any green thing, and trees”, refers to all true believers who have God’s seal as opposed to those harmed by deception who haven’t God’s seal. Verse 4a is interpreted for the reader by giving its contrasting counterpart in the next phrase.

“But only those which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” 

A seal is a stamp, an etching, or a mark. The seal of God is His Holy Spirit upon His true believers. It protects them from the locusts like deceivers. (See Eph 1:13-14) False teachings and deception can only hurt those unsealed by God’s Spirit.

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

“In their foreheads” is their spiritual identity as the property of God and Christ. The seal protects their minds (thoughts), and hearts (desires), giving them immunity from the enemy’s attacks and the sin which surrounds them.

Revelation 9:5

"And to them, it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man."

“It was given that they should not kill them” 

At God’s permission, His judgment and tests are determined. At this stage, the locusts with scorpion stings (false teachers and prophets) are not allowed to cause TOTAL spiritual death to deceived believers. 

“But that they should be tormented.”

The Greek word for torment is ‘basanizó’. According to Thayer's Greek lexicon, it means:

1. To test (metals) by touchstone.

2. To interrogate by applying torture.

3. To torture. 

4. To vex with grievous pains (of body or mind), to torment.

This is key to understanding the nature of torment. In scripture, this word does not always refer to physical pain. It mainly refers to grave mental agony caused by the spiritual darkness in which soulish and carnal believers choose to live.

“Should be tormented” is a judgment from God; a test on soulish and deceived believers! The tormenting is a test which reveals their heart condition to lead to repentance or adverse judgment.

“For five months” 

The life span (beginning to end) of a locust is five months. They appear during the growing and harvesting season. The five months are not a literal period, but symbolize how the deception (the falling away) will plague the church in full duration and force. It will cover the growing and harvesting season (approx. sometime after the first century AD to this day) of the church age.

At the end of the spiritual harvest, Christ has been separating the wheat from the tares; the sheep from the goats; and the righteous from the unrighteous.

“Their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man” 

Locusts cause famine, but scorpions cause pain and torment! Hardly anyone dies from a scorpion sting. 

Similarly, the symbolic locust/scorpion sting symbolizes the spiritual pain, agony, confusion, and despair false prophets and deceiving teachers cause to the church. In this WOE, they are prevented from causing spiritual death! (On how false teachers work in the church, see 2 Peters chapter 2).

Revelation 9:6

"And in those days people shall seek death and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.”

“In those days people shall seek death and shall not find it, and shall desire to die” 

Those who suffer, often think of death as an escape. Facing severe tests by God, Job said, “Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures.” (Job 3:21) When God disciplined Jonah, he said, “O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:3) Complaining of the heavy burden God placed upon him, Moses said, “if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.” (Num 11:15)

The plague of locusts is a severe test from God to purify those who can be purified. It is so severe, that they would rather die than suffer the spiritual purification and be healed. This was foreshadowed by a remarkable prophecy to Ezekiel concerning Israel's apostasy:

"Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you." (Ezek 22: 19-20)

The deceived are unable to see what God is doing. They favour spiritual suicides rather than accept God’s cleansing judgments. Often, spiritual death relieves humans from guilty consciences, broken hearts, and repenting urges. 

At this trumpet woe, mercifully, God is not allowing them to be killed spiritually in the hopes that the tormenting test will urge many to repent. But this won’t last, for the next woe will be more severe!

“Death shall flee from them” 

The meaning is this: Part of God’s righteous judgement is to convict humans of their sins while alive, to give them the chance to gain life!

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom 2:4)

“The Lord…is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Pet 3:9) ESV.

On the other hand, God can express His final judgment against the unrepentant by giving them over to their desires and choices:

Rom 1:24 “God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts.”

Rom 1:26 “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.”

Rom 1:28 “So God gave them over to a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done.”

It’s great kindness and mercy when God does not give up on some by disciplining and judging them to bring them back.

Revelation 9:7-9

"And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle, and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 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."

The symbolic meaning of the locusts’ shapes:

As horses: Ready for battle.

As crowns of gold: Authority (as permitted by God).

As the faces of men: The deceivers are mainly humans.

As the hair of women: Appeal of deception and seduction.

As lions' teeth: Ferocious (the devil is like a devouring lion).

As breastplates of iron: Full Protection.

As sounds of wings: Numerous.

As the sound of chariots: Threatening.

Revelation 9:10

“And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.”

“They have tails like unto scorpions…Stings in their tails” 

In the Scriptures, tails denote false teachers. Tails are the lowest part of a creature denoting gratifying what is earthly, sensual, and physical. It leads to curses and judgments! 

Note how tails are referred to in the scriptures:

Isa 9:14-15 “So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail. The prophet who teaches lies is the tail.”

Rev 12:4 “The tail (deception) of the Dragon drew the third of the stars of heaven (or deceived believers who were once in spiritual heaven).”

Deut 28:13 “The Lord will make you the head (blessings and dignities) and not the tail (curses and judgments), and you shall only go up and not down if you obey the commandments.”

“Their power was to hurt men five months” 

The inflicted pain comes from the tails (false and deceiving teachers). Notice in the verses below how deceiving and false teachers work.

1 Tim 4:1 ”Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”

2 Cor 11:13-15 “Such people are false apostles and dishonest workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. It is no great surprise then that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.” (CEB)

Revelation 9:11

"And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.” 

“They have a king over them…the angel of the bottomless pit” 

In nature, locusts seem to have no leader or king over them. But whom they represent (human deceivers), do have a king or ruler over them. An organized army of deceivers needs a plan and a king (ruler) to them:

“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed.” (Rev 12:17)

“Whose name in Hebrew Abaddon…In Greek Apollyon” 

In Hebrew, Abaddon means destruction and Apollyon in Greek means destroyer. The use of the two nouns personifies Satan, a symbol of destruction. He is the same deceiver in the Hebraic OT or the Greek NT.

Satan’s main method of destruction is using deception: 

“Satan transforms himself into an angel (messenger) of light.” (2 Cor 11:14) 

As king of the locusts, Satan the devil is the mastermind of all deception using human deceivers. Here are some scriptures showing the deceiver as a destroyer:

John 10:10 “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and KILL and DESTROY; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil. A MURDERER from the beginning.”

Rev 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan who DECEIVES the whole world.”

Heb 2:14 “He (Jesus) through death might destroy who had the power of DEATH, the Devil.”

1 Peter 5:8 “Your ADVERSARY the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

“One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.” 

A reminder that the three woes are certain to occur. The first woe causes full-scale severe torment, what will become of the second woe? Please refer to the next study for verses 13-21.

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