Hurt Not the Grass or Any Green Thing Revelation 9:4

As John the apostle continued to share about the “tribulation” that was to come upon the earth, he shared how the first, second, third and fourth angels blew their trumpets and judgment came with each of them. 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.” In chapter nine and verse four John saw how the locusts were “commanded to hurt ... only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads” where we read:

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.

The verse reads, “And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree;” John began with the words, “and it was commanded them” which means “it was uttered, spoken and poured forth to the locusts” “that they” or “that the locusts” “should not hurt” which refers to “absolutely and in no way should violate, wrong, damage or harm” “the grass” which means “the herbage, hay, provender and growing crops” “of the earth” or “the arable land, territory, country and region”, “neither” or “not and in no way” “any green thing” which refers to “any greenish, verdant, dun-colored or pale plant”, “neither” or not and in no way” “any tree” which refers to “not even one tree”. John saw how the “locusts” were not to “damage or destroy” any “grass, green plants or trees”.

The verse goes on to say, “but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.” John added the word, “but” which means “if and whether” “only those men” or “solely, alone, merely and by themselves” “which have not the seal” which means “who do not hold or possess the signet mark” “of God” or “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “in their foreheads” which means “upon the space between their eyes”. The “locusts” were to focus their destruction upon people who did not have God's “mark or seal” upon their “foreheads”.

When we meditate upon John's words in this verse, we see the limit of destruction put upon the “locusts” that ascended from the “smoke of the bottomless pit”. They were not to damage any “grass, green things or trees” upon the earth, but they were to focus their attention upon people who did not have “God's seal”. God Almighty sometimes limits His judgment, and sometimes He focuses upon certain people and things. His desire is to save people through His Son Jesus from this horrible time upon the earth, however, should they reject Him, they shall be among the targeted and woe be to those upon whom the “locusts” shall have authority to hurt.

Next time John sees how the locusts were commanded that, “they should not kill” the people who have not been sealed, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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