Apocalisse 9:8 Commento

In this chapter we have an account of the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets, the appearances that attended them, and the events that were to follow; the fifth trumpet (Rev 9:1-12), the sixth (Rev 9:13, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 9 This chapter gives an account of the blowing of the fifth and sixth trumpets, and of the effects following upon them. The fifth angel blows his trumpet, and a star falls; the key of the bottomless pit is given to him, which being opened by it, out of it comes smoke to the darkening of the sun and air, and out of the smoke locusts, who have power like scorpions, Rev 9:1; whose power is restrained from using it to the hurt of the grass, or any green thing or tree, only of those who had not the seal of God in their foreheads; but are permitted, though not to kill men, yet to torment them five months, which is worse than death unto them, Rev 9:4. The shapes of these locusts, which are said to be like horses, are described by their heads, faces, hair, teeth, breastplates, wings, and tails, and are said to have a king over them, whose name is mentioned, Rev 9:7. The blowing of this trumpet brings on one of the woes mentioned in Rev 8:13, and the two other follow, Rev 9:12. The sixth angel blows his trumpet, and a voice is heard from the horns of the altar, directed to the said angel, ordering him to loose four angels bound in the great river Euphrates, where they were prepared, for a determinate time, to slay the third part of men, and they were loosed accordingly, Rev 9:13. The number of the army, under these angels, is given, Rev 9:16, and the horses and horsemen are described; the riders by their breastplates of fire, jacinth, and brimstone; their horses' heads as heads of lions, fire, smoke, and brimstone, issuing out of their mouths, by which the third part of men are killed, Rev 9:17. The reason of this slaughter is, because they had power both in their mouth and tails, which latter were like serpents, and had heads, with which they did mischief, Rev 9:19; and yet such who were not killed by these plagues, but escaped, did not repent of their idolatry, murders, sorceries, fornication, and theft, Rev 9:20.

And they had hair, as the hair of women,.... Some locusts have smooth, others hairy heads (n): this fitly points at the Arabians or Saracens, who, as Pliny says (o), used to wear long hair without cutting it, and attired as women, and have their names also from women: they were called Hagarenes, from Hagar, Abraham's handmaid, by whom he had Ishmael, the father of these people; afterwards they took the name of Saracens, from Sarah, the wife of Abraham, whose posterity they would be thought to be; though they may have the latter name, either from to "rob" and "steal", with the Arabians, or from the same word, as it signifies to "comb", from the combing and plaiting: of their hair. This may also point at the effeminacy of the western locusts, the monks and friars, who dress more like women than men; and many of them claim the virgin Mary for their patroness; and may in general design the votaries of the church of Rome, who are under the vow of a monastic life, as those among the Jews, under a Nazarite's vow, wore long hair. And their teeth were as the teeth of lions; so in Joe 1:6; which may denote the ravages and devastations of the Saracens in the empire, robbing, pillaging, and destroying all they met with; and is applicable enough to the devouring jaws of the Romish clergy, their plundering the estates of men, their cruelties and barbarities exercised by their Inquisition, &c. Pliny says (p), that locusts will gnaw the doors of houses. (n) Gloss. in T. Bab. Cholin. fol. 65. 1. (o) Hist. Nat. l. 6. c. 28. (p) L. 11. c. 29.

In the image of the horses he shows the suddenness of persecution that runs around so that it might oppress the innocent and obstruct [their path] to the celestial kingdom.… We recall that it was written that upon the heads of the twenty-four elders, who were a figure of the church, there were crowns of gold. However, these [locusts] do not present a true figure of the church but one only by way of pretense, and so they are not said to have crowns of true gold but crowns similar to gold.… Likewise, they are not perfect human beings but like human beings.… And by the hair he speaks not only of the effeminacy and laxity of women, but he speaks of those from either sex who are given to wantonness and are stained by every baseness.… [By the teeth like lions’ teeth] they daily devour the church.

After this, the divine evangelist vividly and fearfully describes to us the nature of the worms. In each of the descriptions concerning them, one would marvel at the precision of the account; for he did not say that they had the "teeth of lions", the "tails of scorpions", or the "faces of men", but rather, in each case, he presented a figurative and parabolic representation of what was situated there, not the literal reality. Therefore, either their terrifying and astonishing nature is indicated through these images, or he truly sketched their form.

By the locusts prepared as horses for war he means those who originate evil teachings. For just as locusts which destroy by their mouth, so also these persons tear asunder by their preaching. It is as we read, “fierce wolves not sparing the flock.” Moreover, they are like horses running around aimlessly and so destroy in such a war many whom they lead astray.… And if false doctrine is indicated by the mouth, by the hair of women he aptly describes their effeminate morals and their souls that are open to seduction. And so the apostle says, “These are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses.” By these images he suggests both leaders and those whom they have led astray, so that he shows them to be not only deceitful in their faith but also hateful in their morals. The historical record shows that some of both sexes exhibit [these characteristics]. For women gave their support to many heretics, such as Priscilla and Maximilla to Montanus and Lucilla to Donatus.… It is natural for the teeth of lions not only to mangle but also to give off a natural stench. And since [the heretics] run around like horses to acquire for themselves fleeting fame as preachers, their opinion is rightly regarded as a stench. For in a good sense the apostle said, “We are the good aroma of Christ.” This bad odor, therefore, is derived from their evil doctrine and is by comparison like the odor of a lion’s mouth.

Some have interpreted these words and those which come afterward to indicate that the locusts are angels who administer the divine punishment and who are metaphorically described through each of the various images. These images would then describe either their fearsomeness and the panic they arouse, or their swiftness, or the destruction that comes upon those worthy of condemnation in Gehenna. However, I think that the image of these locusts depicts rather evil demons who are prepared for war against us and who wear upon their heads crowns as of gold in expectation of victory against us. Whenever we submit to these demons and win an evil victory through pleasure, we believe ourselves also to be crowned with such crowns. That their hair is like that of women reveals their love of luxury and their arousal to fornication. The teeth like those of a lion signifies their murderous and poisonous character.

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle: and on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold. It is right for the heretics to be represented by horses because of their rapidity in running about. They are prepared unto battle against those about whom it is said in Habakkuk, Thou sentest into the sea thy horses, stirring many waters. [Hab. 3:15. acc. to LXX] However, since, by God's favor, they do not win, they are not said to have crowns, but as it were crowns, as if it were said, “They were neither crowns nor of gold, but some kind of invention of falsehood.” And their faces were as the faces of men. And they had women's hair. The faces of the locusts being like human faces mean pretense of reason. As for women's hair, it is the effeminate manners of the heretics. Alternatively, by faces of men, we may understand males; and by women's hair, the sex itself; for heretics have also had women's support. And their teeth were as of lions. The teeth of lions usually bring a natural shame; by them is indicated the stench of the heretics.

The fifth angel sounds, and a star falls from heaven to earth, Rev 9:1. The bottomless pit is opened, and locusts come out upon the earth, Rev 9:2, Rev 9:3. Their commission, Rev 9:4-6. Their form, Rev 9:7-10. Their government, Rev 9:11, Rev 9:12. The sixth angel sounds, and the four angels bound in the Euphrates are loosed, Rev 9:13-15. The army of horsemen, and their description, Rev 9:16-19. Though much evil is inflicted upon men for their idolatry, etc., they do not repent, Rev 9:20, Rev 9:21.

Hair as the hair of women - No razor passes upon their flesh. Their hair long, and their beards unshaven. Their teeth were as the teeth of lions - They are ferocious and cruel.

THE FIFTH TRUMPET: THE FALLEN STAR OPENS THE ABYSS WHENCE ISSUE LOCUSTS. THE SIXTH TRUMPET. FOUR ANGELS AT THE EUPHRATES LOOSED. (Rev. 9:1-21) The last three trumpets of the seven are called, from Rev 8:13, the woe-trumpets. fall--rather as Greek, "fallen." When John saw it, it was not in the act of falling, but had fallen already. This is a connecting link of this fifth trumpet with Rev 12:8-9, Rev 12:12, "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, for the devil is come down," &c. Compare Isa 14:12, "How art thou fallen from heaven, Lucifer, son of the morning!" the bottomless pit--Greek, "the pit of the abyss"; the orifice of the hell where Satan and his demons dwell.

hair of women--long and flowing. An Arabic proverb compares the antlers of locusts to the hair of girls. EWALD in ALFORD understands the allusion to be to the hair on the legs or bodies of the locusts: compare "rough caterpillars," Jer 51:27. as the teeth of lions-- (Joe 1:6, as to locusts).