Revelation 9:4

They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

• ·        The characteristics of these locusts make it clear that they are not natural locusts. They have a king whereas natural locusts do not have a king (Rev. 9:11; Prov. 30:27). These have the ability to distinguish between unbelievers who they hurt and believers who they do not hurt. Also, natural locusts do not come up from the depths of the earth and do not sting with their tails.  (CS)

• ·        The specific time must be taken literally since there is no contextual (biblical) reason to make this figurative or symbolic.  (CS)

Psalm 105:15 Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm.

Ezekiel 9:4-6 … and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”…..

Revelation 9:3

Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth.  And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

• ·        These locusts had, by the just permission of God, power to hurt (MH)

• ·        God lifts His restraints off the demonic realm, so their wickedness is manifest. (CS)

Exodus 10:12-15  Then the LROD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land – all that the hail has left.” …

Deuteronomy 8:15   …who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock…..

Revelation 9:2

And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace.  So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

• ·        The devil carries on his designs by extinguishing light and knowledge (MH)

• ·        These are obviously not “natural” locusts. They avoid plants and attack men like scorpions attack. They are “A visual representation of the hordes of demons loosed upon the earth.” (Walvoord)

Genesis 19:28  Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.

Ezekiel 32:7  When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.