Breastplates of Iron Revelation 9:9

As John the apostle continued to share about the “tribulation” that was to come upon the earth, he shared concerning the first six seals Jesus removed from the “scroll” in God's right hand. He began to write about what happened when Jesus, “had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets … And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. The first, second, third and fourth angels” blew their trumpets, and great judgment fell upon the earth. John continued, “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!” John continued, “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 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 they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.” In chapter nine and verse nine John saw how the “locusts” “had breastplate of iron” where we read:

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

The verse reads, “And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron;” John began with the words, “and they had breastplates” which means “and the locusts from the bottomless pit owned, possessed and held corsets consisting of two parts and protecting the body on both sides from the neck to the middle”, “as it were breastplates” or “like it was corsets consisting of two parts and protecting the body on both sides from the neck to the middle ” “of iron” which refers to “made of iron”. John's description of the armor for the chest area on these “locusts” was as though they had “iron breastplates” to protect them.

The verse goes on to say, “and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.” John added the words, “and the sound” which means “the tone and noise” “of their wings” or “coming from the wings of the locusts” “was as the sound” which means “was like the tone or noise” “of chariots” or “like war chariots which are drawn with horses and armed with scythes” “of many horses running” which means “of a large and abundant amount of horses running in a race or hastily” “to battle” or “to war, strife, dispute and battle”. John attempted to describe the incredible loudness of these “locusts” by employing “horse bound chariots running to war” as an example.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we not only can imagine this ominous sight, but also this terrific noise they made. The sight and noise of them would be a fearful experience for anyone, but these “locusts” shall target people who do not have God's “signet seal” upon them during the tribulation period. God desires to “save” people from this time, and when they give their lives to His Son Jesus Christ, they shall know the “salvation” of the Lord. May all who read these words pay particular attention to John's detail concerning these “locusts” and turn their hearts to Jesus before it is too late.

Next time John shares how the “locusts”, “had tails like unto scorpions”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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