Revelation 9 - Lake Erie Bible Church

Chapter 9
THE REVELATION TO JOHN
33. Some have recognized that this reference to the teeth is also designed to remind us
that these creatures have adequate power to kill, but are prevented from so doing.
34. It in general indicates their insatiable desire to feed on the human race in their angry
aggression against man.
35. The next characteristic is revealed in vs.9a, “And they had breastplates like
breastplates of iron”.
36. This makes it clear that this fearsome group is arrayed for battle, ready for war and
equipped to prevail.
37. Some have suggested that the breastplate of iron is somewhat of an actual
description of the thorax of a locust, but the real focus is on their invincibility in
battle.
38. All the modern technology that mankind possesses and relies upon to defend
themselves will be of no help when they are confronted with these impregnable
demon locusts.
39. Conventional as well as nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons will be useless
against them.
40. Certainly, one would have to expect that mankind will attempt to rid themselves of
these creatures with every means at their disposal, but it will all be to no avail.
41. Their merciless repetitive attacks will continue uninterrupted for the space of five
months, and there is nothing that mankind will be able to do about it.
42. The seventh aspect of these creatures relates to their mobility and psychological affect
upon their victims in vs.9b, “and the sound of their wings was like the sound of
chariots, of many horses rushing to battle”.
43. The sound itself stems both from the actual description of a locust swarm and the
metaphor of warfare.
44. We are now informed that they have wings logically referring to the method by which
they transported themselves.
45. Wings in the WOG stresses the idea of rapid transport, strength and speed and here is
designed to convey the fact that these creatures will not be restrained from moving
about to every portion of the planet.
46. Further, that the sound of them is designed to create dread is seen in the terrifying
imagery of an approaching army of war chariots as prophesied by Joel. Joe.2:4-6
47. While the Greek of vs.9 may be somewhat vague, the genitive horses should be
construed with the genitive of chariots, and the adjective many is used to modify the
entire phrase, and should be translated many horse-drawn chariots.
48. In vs.10, John concludes the actual description of these horrific creatures returning to
the thought of vs.5, “and they have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their
tails is their power to hurt men for five months ”.
49. He now expands upon the very described purpose for loosing these demons on
mankind.
50. More definitively he notes the actual bodily part that contains the painful sting is the
tail of the creature.
51. The emphasis of the first portion of vs.10 seems to be that of appearance, suggesting
that the tails of these creatures are shaped and segmented like the scorpion’s tail is.
Lake Erie Bible Church
P-T Ken Reed
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