What are the scorpions and locusts of the fifth and sixth trumpets in Revelation 9-10?

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The imagery of the book of Revelation can seem bizarre and unfathomable, until we realize that the book is a compilation of Day of the Lord prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures. In this case, we’re examining the strange imagery of “scorpions” and “locusts” related to the fifth and sixth trumpets in Revelation 9–10.

Texts: Revelation 9–10; Ezekiel 2–7; Joel 1–2

Last time, we discussed the Angel of the Lord, who David met in vision in 2nd Samuel 24. We meet this Angel again in Revelation. 

In the Bible, a “star” usually symbolizes a tribe or a country, and we see what happened to one of these stars in Rev. 9:1–6 after the fifth angel with a trumpet sounded it. 

There are a few references to scorpions in Scripture. One of them is in Ezek. 2:1-7. Scorpions are a symbol of rebellious people, people who should know God’s Torah but are in rebellion against it, specifically the rebellious House of Israel. They are to attack another group of people who are Torah-less as well. 

In Luke 10:17–20, Yeshua sent His Apostles into ministry and they reported back to Him. He encouraged them by telling them they had “authority to tread on serpents and scorpions.”

As we saw in the beginning of Revelation 9, the “scorpion” — the rebellious house of Israel — will scourge the people who don’t have the mark of God on their heads, and this attack will last for five months. They do not kill those who are unsealed, just “harm” them. 

God uses evil nations to punish other nations. It doesn’t make them good, just because God uses them as His tool. These scorpions do not destroy everything and everyone but they are still in rebellion against God and are simply one of His tools of judgement. 

In Rev. 9:13-15 the sixth angel with a trumpet mentions the release of four other angels, who are principalities stationed at the River Euphrates. The attack of these angels are far more vicious, because they are commissioned to kill a third of all mankind, whether they have a mark of God or not. 

In Revelation 10, John is told in vision to “eat” a small book, which John does (Rev. 10:8–11). It starts out tasting sweet but turns bitter in the mouth. On the surface, it doesn’t make sense, but Ezek. 2:9-3:15 gives us a translation of the passage in Revelation. 

John was not told what was written on the scroll, but Ezekiel, who had to eat a same scroll, was told what was on the scroll. Ezekiel’s scroll included words of “lamentations, mourning and woe,” which made Ezekiel’s spirit bitter. 

Do you feel horrified if bad people, evil people die? No. But we do feel horror and anguish when we see our own family or good people die. 

What is both “bitter” and “sweet”? Justice, judgment and punishment. “Bitter” because they come in a horrifying manner. “Sweet” because the dominion of wicked evil on Earth largely comes to an end on the Day of the Lord.

What is the “Mark of God” (Rev 20:4; Ezek. 9:4)? God’s commandments, which are to be written on our heads and in our hands and we are to teach the children so they will be marked too. 

Speaker: Daniel Agee. Summary: Tammy Quackenbush.