Topical Bible: The Locust: Like to Horses Prepared for Battle

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Topical Encyclopedia

The imagery of locusts in the Bible is both vivid and symbolic, often representing divine judgment, destruction, and the overwhelming power of God's wrath. One of the most striking descriptions of locusts is found in the Book of Revelation, where they are likened to "horses prepared for battle."

Biblical References

The primary reference to locusts resembling horses prepared for battle is found in Revelation 9:7-10 : "The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads, and faces like the faces of men. They had hair like that of women, and teeth like those of lions. They also had breastplates like iron, and the sound of their wings was like the roar of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers like scorpions, which had the power to injure people for five months."

This apocalyptic vision, given to the Apostle John, portrays a terrifying and supernatural army of locusts unleashed as part of the fifth trumpet judgment. The description emphasizes their formidable and fearsome nature, suggesting a force that is both organized and relentless, much like a cavalry charge.

Symbolism and Interpretation

In the biblical context, locusts are often associated with devastation and divine retribution. The Old Testament frequently uses locust plagues as instruments of God's judgment, as seen in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 10:12-15) and the prophetic warnings in Joel 1:4-7. The locusts in Revelation, however, are not ordinary insects but rather a symbolic representation of a demonic force permitted by God to torment those who do not bear His seal.

The comparison to "horses prepared for battle" underscores the locusts' readiness and power. Horses in ancient warfare were symbols of strength, speed, and strategic advantage. The imagery suggests that these locusts are not only destructive but also disciplined and purposeful in their mission.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the locusts in Revelation serve as a reminder of the spiritual warfare that underlies the physical world. They illustrate the reality of demonic forces and the severity of God's judgment upon unrepentant humanity. The detailed description of their appearance and actions highlights the seriousness of the end-times tribulations and the need for spiritual vigilance.

The passage also reflects the sovereignty of God, who controls even the forces of chaos and destruction. The locusts are given power for a limited time, indicating that their reign of terror is under divine constraint and serves a specific purpose within God's redemptive plan.

Historical and Cultural Context

In the ancient Near East, locust plagues were a well-known and feared natural disaster. They could devastate crops and lead to famine, making them a potent symbol of divine punishment. The biblical authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, utilized this familiar imagery to convey spiritual truths and prophetic warnings.

The description in Revelation draws on this cultural understanding while expanding it into a cosmic and eschatological framework. The locusts' hybrid features—crowns, human faces, lion's teeth, and scorpion tails—combine elements of earthly and otherworldly terror, reflecting the apocalyptic genre's use of symbolic language to convey profound spiritual realities.

Conclusion

The locusts "like horses prepared for battle" in Revelation 9 serve as a powerful symbol of divine judgment and the spiritual warfare that characterizes the end times. Their depiction challenges believers to recognize the seriousness of sin, the reality of spiritual forces, and the ultimate sovereignty of God over all creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joel 2:4
The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 9:7
And the shapes of the locusts were like to horses prepared to battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... Wonderful A locust scorpion. ... The warlike apparatus is thus described: "And the figures
of the locusts were like horses (ie cavalry) prepared for battle ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm

The Seven Trumpets.
... plate; and in rushing to battle, their onset was like that of chariots and many
horses. ... symbolized the servants of God, and that these locust-warriors were ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the seven trumpets.htm

The Second vision "On Earth"
... wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses rushing into ... 10. And they have
tails like scorpions, and stings were in their ... Arbah in Hebrew means a locust. ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the second vision on earth.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... A certain Locust-tree and a Ceiba were mentioned. ... mud the jolly fellows, working
meanwhile like horses, laughed for ... jump bolt upright side by side, like a pair ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

Book ii. Jerome Answers the Second, Third, and Fourth Propositions ...
... or a native of Pontus to eat a locust, and he ... And as horses without a driver go at
break-neck speed ... be found in paradise, but upon grain and fruit like that of ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/book ii jerome answers the.htm

A Treatise of the Fear of God;
... grace, he will be translated to those mansions of glory and blessedness prepared
for him ... his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a treatise of the fear.htm

Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ...
... powers, of whom also the locust and the caterpillar are called not only a power
but a great power [Joel 2:2], and there are many other things like to the Son ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period i the imperial state.htm