The Locust Army

 

  In Revelations 9, the fifth and sixth trump sounded. So, what was John talking about when he described the Locust Army? It has been believed by many Christian scholars, that this swarm of locust has been related to the Arab world and the rise of Islam, as well as the progress of the Mohammedan wars. Lets take a look at John’s vision in chapter nine of the great book of revelation and see the comparison to the rise of Islam. First off, lets go to our Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary and look up a few words that have a connection to the locust army.

  Strong’s Hebrew H697 = Arbeh or locust from H7235 = Rabah, to increase in abundance. H7232 = Rabab, to shoot an arrow. H7231 = to cast together and increase in number. These words certainly describe what we could call an army that is increasing in number. A locust army that is sweeping the world with terror, terrorist recruitment and terrorist acts. Now lets try to make the connection of who they are.

  The fifth trump sounded, the angel opened the bottomless pit and out of the smoke came locust, given power like the scorpion. (Revelation 9:1-3). The bottomless pit we are referring to in the Greek is "Abusso" or simply translated, "the abyss." In a book written to introduce English speaking people to the basics of Islam, Abul A' La Mawdudi, (A prominent Islamic scholar of the 20^th century), states that Muhammed and his message came out of "Arabia – the Abyss of darkness." He is describing the rise of Islam (locust army) out of the "Abyss" or bottomless pit. Just as it appears in (Revelation 9:3).

  A terrible army of locust that had teeth of a great lion. (Joel 1:1-6). Now we could compare any large invading army to a swarm of locust, but the Arabs and Muhammed have a unique connection to the locust swarmers. If you research the "Bedoween Romance Antar," you will find that the locust is introduced as the national emblem of the Ishmaelites (one of the ancestors of the Arabs). In Muslim tradition it speaks of the locust having dropped into the hands of Muhammed, bearing on their wings the inscription; "We are the army of the Great God." The term "Saracen" was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the "Middle Ages" the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam.

  Their appearance as horses and horsemen. (Joel 2:4). Why the appearance as horses and horsemen? Because they are! If you examine the locust of Arabia, you will see that they literally look like little horses. The Bedouins describe them as "soldier horses" and the old Italians called them "Cavaletta," which means "little horses." So we can see there can be a connection between the Locust that come from the Abyss, the Arab world, and Islam.

  A great army of locust. (Joel 2:25). As the inscription above states, We are the army of the Great God," in the book of Joel we find that God had sent out a great destroying army among the people. Was it the Saracens?

  Crowns like gold and faces like men. (Revelation 9:7). Niebuhr the Eastern traveler describes the turbans warn by the Arabs signify wealthy Arabs. "He says that the Arabs wear fifteen caps, one over the other, that which one covers all the rest is usually richly embroidered with gold." Wherein does the face of a man differ from the face of a woman. "A man grows hair on his face." The Arab was also known for the wearing of a beard. Faces like men, because they are men.

  And they had hair as the hair of a woman. (Revelation 9:8). In (I Corinthians 11:14-15), it states that if a man has long hair, it is a shame to him. But, if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her. The prediction of Revelation 9:8 means that the Arabs of that day wore long hair. In Roman times long hair on men was abhorred. It is said that the Arabs of Mahomet's day literally wore long hair. In a famous "Antar" poem, written at the time of the Arab invasions it says; "He adjusted himself properly, twirling his whiskers, folded up his hair under his turban drawing it from off his shoulders." "And their teeth were as the teeth of lions." In Arabic literature the lion is the constant emblem of the valiant warriors. The Saracens were also known to fight with the courage of lions.

  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron. (Revelation 9:9). It is also been know that the Saracen warriors wore iron breastplates in battle.

  And they had tails like unto scorpions. (Revelation 9:10). The natural home of the scorpion is Arabia. Their sting is not fatal but causes acute and dangerous suffering.

  Crowned as the locust, and their place is not known as where they are. (Nahum 3:17). It is hard to find them because they spread like the locust. Spreading the deceptive teachings of Islam to all parts of the world preying on the weak minded. Hiding in the ground and mountains in their own country just as they found Saddam like a rat in a hole.

  Describing the locust army (Arbeh) as Arabs, Arabian, or the Saracen. Strong's H694 Arab, from H693, to lurk, ambush, lay and weight. Perfect description on how they work against the world as terrorists. They "sneak" (lurk) around and are swarming around the world today. They "lay and weight" as they "ambush" defensive troops of the U.S. and other countries. They commit "criminal homicide" as they seek after to kill innocent citizens with cowardly terrorist attacks.

  Not to hurt those with the seal in their forehead. (Revelation 9:4). There were certain restrictions placed upon the locust army that they were not to 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 truth of God’s Word). What is the connection here? "In the Koran it says that, when you fight the battles of the Lord; destroy no palm trees, nor burn any fields of grain, nor cut down no fruit trees." As for those with the "seal of God" in their foreheads. Caliph Aboubekir (Muhammad’s successor), instructed the Muslim armies not to kill the humble, pious Christians who lived in monasteries. It is said that the Muslims had deep respect for St. Francis of Assisi, as well as humble sincere Christians in earlier centuries.

  Perhaps the Muslims believed these Christians had the "seal of God" to protect them. (St. Francis's visit to Egypt and attempted rapprochement with the Muslim world had far-reaching consequences, long past his own death, since after the fall of the Crusader Kingdom it would be the Franciscans, of all Catholics, who would be allowed to stay on in the Holy Land and be recognized as "Custodians of the Holy Land" on behalf of Christianity). The "seal of God" in their foreheads (in your mind), also pertains to Christians in the end times. It is those who know the "truth of the Word" and have that "truth" sealed in their minds. They have nothing to worry about during the tribulation of the end times. "God takes care of His own."

  So, what's the connection to early Christianity and the Muslim world? Notice the record as given by Dr. B.G. Wilkinson in his study of the rise and spread of the early Christian faith. He gives some remarkable information concerning this period of church history. In the early centuries of the Christian era, the church of the East (not the Western or Latin church), sometimes called the Assyrian church, or Nestorian church were observers of the true Sabbath. This very effectively spread throughout Asia and the East, but remained separate from the church in the West, especially the apostasy. These true Christians became the teachers of the Saracens, and were responsible for establishing an educational system in Syria, Mesopotamia, Turkestan, Tibet, China, India, Ceylon, and other areas. When the Arabian empire was fully established, it built up Bagdad, its magnificent new capital. The Church of the East removed its spiritual capital from Seleucia to Bagdad, where it remained for approximately the next 500 years. B.G. Wilkinson 'Truth Triumphant.' p 268-291. Pacific Press.

  To his Christian subjects (i.e. the true Christians, not the apostate ones whom the Arabs tormented); Mohomet readily granted the security of their persons, the freedom of their trade, the property of their goods, and the toleration of their worship.

  Tormented for five months. (Revelations 9:5). The locusts in John’s vision were not allowed to "kill them," but they were to torment them like scorpions for a period of "five months." Commentator Albert Barnes understood this to mean that Islam was "not to cut off and destroy the church," but it was to bring upon it various calamities to continue for a definite period (i.e., 'five months').

  Five prophetic months or 150 years. (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). Five months by most Christian scholars is to mean five prophetic months, that is 150 years as stated in the bible. The Muslims did annoy and torment the Christian world for five prophetic months. They were determined to make the Mediterranean sea a Moslem lake. Their intension was to conquer Spain, France, Italy, the Vatican, Germany, the Danube, Constantinople and return to Syria enveloping the Mediterranean, making it the sea of Islam. Such as their first siege on Constantinople in (674-678 A.D.), and their second siege in (716-718 A.D.). They failed every time! Why? God decreed that the locust swarmers (the Arabs), were "to hurt" or "torment" the apostate power, but not to destroy them.

  Perhaps it's mission was to destroy the apostate Christian religion of the Roman empire. This period of torment had ceased in 762 A.D. and the Christian world would be at peace. To this day, "true Christianity" spread throughout the eastern world. The gospel was taken to China, as well as other distant lands. Perhaps a lesson well learned, but it isn't hardly over yet. Are we in for another lesson in the end times? There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. (Isaiah 57:21). Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. (Ezekiel 7:25).

   Islam on the rise. We all know that at this time Islam is on the rise again. Especially after 911. The locust army is back and the (Arbeh) are swarming all around the world. There was an interesting article written in August 2011, by Soeren Kern of the Hudson New York. He said that Islamic mosques are being built more often in France than Roman Catholic churches, and that there are now more practicing Muslims in the country than practicing Catholics. Nearly 150 new mosques are currently under construction in France, which is now home to the biggest Muslim community in Europe. These mosque-building projects are at various stages of completion, according to Mohammed Moussaoui, the president of the Muslim Council of France.

   The number of mosques in France has doubled to more than 2,000 during the past ten years, and France’s most prominent Muslim leader, Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris called for the number of mosques in the country to be doubled again to 4,000 to meet growing demand.

  On the other side of the table, the Roman Catholic Church in France has built only 20 new churches during the past decade, and has formally closed more than 60 churches, many of which are destined to become mosques. (Research conducted by La Croix, a Roman Catholic daily newspaper based in Paris). With all the research, data provides empirical evidence that Islam is well on it’s way to overtaking Roman Catholicism as the dominant religion in France.

  Reflecting on the retreat of Catholicism and the rise of Islam in France, Archbishop Giuseppe Bernadini, an Italian Franciscan who heads the Izmir archdiocese in Turkey, and who has lived in the Islamic world for more than 40 years, has recounted a conversation he once had with a Muslim leader, who told him: "Thanks to your democratic laws, we will invade you. Thanks to our religious laws, we will dominate you."

  Yes my friend the fifth trump has sounded and the sixth trump is right at our feet. The locust army of the end times are swarming and the terrorist are rising at an alarming rate around the world. Islam is on the rise and they will have a new king to lead them. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whos name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:11). Satan himself will lead the locust army of the end time, his spirit being at work as we speak, he will appear in the sixth trump to recruit and deceive as many as possible. "The tribulation of the end time has just begun." DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

Keep The Faith,
Barton