Revelation 9:7
In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that these locusts, though monstrous, are like horses prepared for battle and possess faces like human faces. This careful phrasing suggests that the imagery isn't a literal description of insects, but a symbolic portrayal of terrifying, powerful, and intelligently directed forces that possess human-like intent and purpose, even in their destructive fury.
This passage is describing the horrific appearance of supernatural locusts that are unleashed from the bottomless pit. These creatures are not natural locusts but symbolic beings, depicted with disturbing, hybrid features like horse-like bodies, golden crowns, and human faces, intended to inspire terror and represent a destructive force. Their appearance, drawing on imagery from Joel, hints at a powerful, invasive entity that will torment humanity.
These aren't your average garden pests! John sees locusts that defy natural explanation, blending terrifying features from different creatures. What does this bizarre combination tell us?
The imagery of these locusts is intentionally mixed and unsettling. They look like horses prepared for battle, a powerful symbol of military might and aggression. But then, John adds details that shatter this natural image: crowns like gold on their heads and faces like human faces.
This isn't about finding a literal insect that matches this description (though some natural locusts do have horse-like heads!). Instead, John is painting a picture of something unnatural and sinister. The horse aspect speaks to their destructive power and organized advance. The human faces suggest intelligence and a deceptive, almost personal, form of torment, rather than just blind instinct. The golden crowns hint at a false authority or a deceptive grandeur.
This fusion of features highlights that these locusts represent something far beyond mere insects. They are a potent symbol of a destructive force that combines terrifying power with a disturbing human-like cunning and a false claim to authority.
The locusts wear 'crowns like gold' and have 'faces like human faces.' What hidden messages lie within these specific, strange details?
The elements of 'crowns like gold' and 'faces like human faces' are crucial for understanding the nature of these symbolic locusts.
False Authority and Grandeur
The 'crowns like gold' aren't literal crowns, but they evoke royalty, power, and victory. However, the phrase 'as it were' (or 'like') suggests a mimicry or a counterfeit. This points to a force that appears authoritative and victorious but lacks true divine legitimacy. It could represent a false religious or political power that claims dominion.
Human-like Intellect and Deception
Understand the original words
akris · Greek Noun
Migratory insects that devour vegetation in massive swarms, frequently used in Scripture as symbols of divine judgment and irresistible destruction.
stephanos · Greek Noun
A symbol of authority, victory, and sovereignty; in a biblical context, it often refers to reward, glory, or royal power bestowed by God or assumed by human rulers.
The imagery of locusts resembling horses with crowns likely refers to the rapid and devastating military expansion of the early Islamic caliphates, particularly the Saracens, whose conquests dramatically reshaped the geopolitical landscape of the Mediterranean and beyond.
c. 610 AD
Muhammad Receives First Revelations
Muhammad begins receiving revelations that form the basis of the Quran, marking the start of Islam.
632 AD
Death of Muhammad
The death of the Islamic prophet leads to a succession crisis and the rapid expansion of Islamic caliphates.
634-644 AD
Expansion Under Umar
The Rashidun Caliphate, under Umar ibn al-Khattab, conquers vast territories including Syria, Palestine, and Egypt from the Byzantine Empire.
661 AD
Establishment of Umayyad Caliphate
The Umayyad Caliphate moves its capital to Damascus, initiating a period of further expansion into North Africa and Spain.
c. 670 AD
This passage directly informs the imagery of locusts appearing like horses prepared for battle, establishing a clear Old Testament precedent for this symbolic comparison used in Revelation.
Nahum 3:17This verse mentions 'crowned men' like locusts, hinting at a similar visual where formidable, possibly adorned, figures are compared to swarming insects, echoing the 'crowns like gold' on the Revelation locusts.
Ezekiel 23:42This prophecy describes a destructive invading force with elaborate adornments, suggesting a parallel to the 'crowns like gold' and the imposing appearance of the locusts, signifying a powerful, divinely judged enemy.
Job 39:19-25While not a direct visual match, Job's description of the war horse captures the fierce, battle-ready imagery and the terrifying power that the locusts in Revelation are meant to convey.
ellicottRevelation 9:7: "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."
(7) And the shapes . . . —Translate, And the shapes (or, forms) of the locusts were like horses made ready for war. The resemblance of the locust to the horse (especially in the head) has been remarked upon by travellers, and has found expression in the Italian and German names cavalletta and heupferd. The rese…
barnesRevelation 9:7: "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 the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for battle - The resemblance between the locust and the horse, dissimilar as they are in most respects, has been often remarked. Dr. Robinson (Bib. Research. i. 59) says: "We found today upon the shrubs an insect, either a species of black locust, or…
The verse highlights that these locusts, though monstrous, are like horses prepared for battle and possess faces like human faces. This careful phrasing suggests that the imagery isn't a literal description of insects, but a symbolic portrayal of terrifying, powerful, and intelligently directed forces that possess human-like intent and purpose, even in their destructive fury.
This passage is describing the horrific appearance of supernatural locusts that are unleashed from the bottomless pit. These creatures are not natural locusts but symbolic beings, depicted with disturbing, hybrid features like horse-like bodies, golden crowns, and human faces, intended to inspire terror and represent a destructive force. Their appearance, drawing on imagery from Joel, hints at a powerful, invasive entity that will torment humanity.
This passage is describing the horrific appearance of supernatural locusts that are unleashed from the bottomless pit. These creatures are not natural locusts but symbolic beings, depicted with disturbing, hybrid features like horse-like bodies, golden crowns, and human faces, intended to inspire terror and represent a destructive force. Their appearance, drawing on imagery from Joel, hints at a powerful, invasive entity that will torment humanity.
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Having 'faces like human faces' is particularly chilling. While natural locusts act on instinct, these beings possess a disturbing intelligence. This human-like aspect implies cunning, strategy, and the capacity for manipulation. It suggests that the destructive force isn't just a mindless plague but a force capable of reasoning, deceiving, and possibly even communicating in ways that mimic humanity, making its attacks more insidious.
Together, these details paint a picture of a power that wields a false claim to authority and uses intelligent, deceptive tactics to torment and conquer.
Arab Conquests Intensify
Saracen armies, renowned for their horsemanship and rapid conquests, continue to expand their empire, impacting regions historically part of the Roman Empire.
711 AD
Invasion of Spain
Umayyad forces invade and conquer the Visigothic Kingdom in Hispania (modern Spain and Portugal).
732 AD
Battle of Tours
The Frankish leader Charles Martel halts the northward advance of the Umayyad Caliphate into Europe at the Battle of Tours.
"In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces," — The verse highlights that these locusts, though monstrous, are like horses prepared for battle and possess faces like human faces. This careful phrasing suggests that the imagery isn't a literal…
