Revelation of John 9:4 · Bible study
Revelation 9:4 Commentary: Seal of God and the Limits of Divine Judgment
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why do demonic locusts spare vegetation and target only the unsealed? This verse shows God's sovereign control over judgment and His protection of the sealed.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God orders demonic locusts to spare vegetation and torment only those without His seal, showing judgment is both targeted and limited.
- Key words: seal (σφραγίς), God’s mark of ownership and protection; hurt (ἀδικέω), to harm or do wrong; green (χλωρός), fresh vegetation, also a color of life.
- Main debate: Whether the locusts represent a specific historical movement (e.g., Saracens, Papacy) or are a general symbol of demonic oppression.
- Theological theme: The sovereignty of God over judgment and the security of the sealed believers.
- Best use: Comfort for the persecuted, God knows who are His and protects them even in the worst trials.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and it was said to them that they may not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but--the men only who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and it was said to them, that they should not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but the men who have not the seal of God on their foreheads:
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y les fué mandado que no hiciesen daño á la hierba de la tierra, ni á ninguna cosa verde, ni á ningún árbol, sino|strong="G1487, G3361" solamente á los hombres que no tienen la señal de Dios en sus frentes.
E foi-lhes dito que não fizessem dano à erva da terra, nem a nenhuma planta verde, nem a nenhuma árvore; mas sim somente aos homens que não têm o sinal de Deus em suas testas.
Il leur fut dit de ne point faire de mal à l’ herbe de la terre, ni à aucune verdure, ni à aucun arbre, mais seulement aux hommes qui n’ avaient pas le sceau de Dieu sur le front.
Und es ward ihnen gesagt, daß sie nicht beschädigten das Gras auf Erden noch ein Grünes noch einen Baum, sondern allein die Menschen, die nicht haben das Siegel Gottes an ihren Stirnen.
En hun werd gezegd, dat zij het gras der aarde niet zouden beschadigen, noch enige groente, noch enigen boom, dan de mensen alleen, die het zegel Gods aan hun voorhoofden niet hebben.
E fu loro detto di non danneggiare l’erba della terra, né alcuna verdura, né albero alcuno, ma soltanto gli uomini che non aveano il suggello di Dio in fronte.
A rzeczono im, żeby nie szkodziły trawie ziemi, ani żadnej rzeczy zielonej, ani żadnemu drzewu, ale tylko samym ludziom, którzy nie mają pieczęci Bożej na czołach swoich.
И сказано было ей, чтобы не делала вреда траве земной, и никакой зелени, и никакому дереву, а только одним людям, которые не имеют печати Божией на челах своих.
並且 吩咐 牠們說，不可 傷害 地上 的草 和 各樣 青物，並 一切 樹木，惟獨 要傷害 額 上 沒 有 神 印記 的人。
And they were ordered to do no damage to the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only to such men as have not the mark of God on their brows.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Revelation of John 9:4
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree the locusts are supernatural, not ordinary insects. The Cambridge Bible notes their natural instinct to devour vegetation is supernaturally restrained, marking the judgment as directly from God. Barnes points out the command could come either from God or from Abaddon, creating ambiguity, but the effect is the same: the locusts bypass the vegetable world entirely. Gill argues the command comes from Christ, who preserves His people, whom he interprets symbolically as grass, green things, and trees (believers of every rank). Wesley, Clarke, and Matthew Henry all see the restraint as evidence that God sets precise boundaries on demonic activity. The shared core is clear: this is no random plague but a measured, targeted judgment that spares the sealed and strikes only those without God’s mark.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Preterist: Sees the locusts as Roman armies in the Jewish War (AD 66-70); the seal protects Jewish Christians who fled Jerusalem.
- Historicist: Views the locusts as successive waves of invaders (Saracens, Ottomans) targeting apostate Christianity; the seal protects true believers.
- Idealist: Takes the locusts as symbolic of any demonic oppression throughout history; the seal represents God’s sovereign protection of His people in every age.
What is clear: All readings agree that the locusts act under divine permission, that God’s seal marks His people for protection, and that judgment is limited both in scope (only the unsealed) and duration (five months).
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of the locusts | The locusts are supernatural beings, not ordinary insects; they emerge from the abyss. | Historicist interpreters (e.g., Gill, Wesley) see them as Saracen or Papal armies; others view them as timeless symbols of demonic forces. |
| Meaning of grass, green things, and trees | These are spared by divine command, marking the judgment as different from a natural locust plague. | Gill reads them as symbolic of believers of every rank. Clarke takes them literally as crops spared for practical reasons. Most modern commentators see them as literal vegetation left unharmed to emphasize the spiritual nature of the attack. |
| Source of the command | The locusts receive a command that restrains their natural destructive tendencies. | Barnes and others suggest the command may come from Abaddon, the locusts’ king, rather than directly from God. Gill and Wesley argue it comes from Christ as a sovereign restraint. |
| Who are the sealed? | The sealed are those who belong to God and are under His protection. | Wesley identifies them as believing Israelites; Gill as true Christians; Clarke as sincere believers. The exact identity depends on one’s interpretation of the earlier sealing in Revelation 7. |
| Nature of the torment | The torment is severe, described as like a scorpion’s sting, and lasts five months. | Some see this as literal physical suffering (during a historical invasion), others as spiritual or psychological anguish. The five months may be a literal time frame or a symbolic period. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Revelation 9:4 sits within the fifth trumpet, the first woe, a vision drawing heavily on Old Testament imagery. The Exodus plague of locusts (Exodus 10) destroyed every green thing, but here the locusts are forbidden to harm vegetation. This reversal signals that John is describing something other than natural disaster. The seal on the foreheads directly echoes Ezekiel 9:4-6, where a mark protects the faithful in Jerusalem from slaughter. Jewish apocalyptic literature often used sealing to identify those belonging to God, especially in times of judgment.
The cultural background includes Roman imperial persecution under Domitian, when Christians faced pressure to worship the emperor. The locusts emerging from the abyss recall the abyss as the prison of demons (Luke 8:31). First-century readers would recognize this as a depiction of spiritual forces unleashed under God’s sovereign permission. The restriction, no harm to grass or trees, also hints that creation itself is not the enemy; the conflict is between God and human rebellion. This verse reassures suffering believers that God remains in control, even when demonic power appears to be in charge.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Revelation 9:4. The Greek text is stable across major manuscripts. The main difference among translations is stylistic: some render the command as “it was commanded them” (KJV) or “they were told” (WEB), but both express a divine passive indicating God’s sovereign direction.
Reception History
Early church interpreters like Victorinus of Pettau read the locusts as heretics and false teachers, while the seal represented baptismal protection. During the Reformation, Protestant commentators (including Gill) identified the locusts with the Saracens or the Papacy, and the unsealed as Roman Catholics. Wesley saw them as unbelieving Jews. In the twentieth century, many scholars moved toward an idealist interpretation: the locusts symbolize any demonic or oppressive power that God permits to afflict the unrepentant. Throughout church history, the seal has consistently been understood as God’s mark of ownership, whether through the Holy Spirit, baptism, or faithful witness, that protects believers from ultimate harm.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Divine command restrains chaos. The locusts are told what to do. Their destructive power is real but limited. God sets the terms even for demonic forces.
- The seal of God marks His own. Those with the seal are protected. This connects to Revelation 7, where the servants of God are sealed before judgment begins.
- Limited judgment points to ultimate justice. The torment is for five months, not forever. Judgment has a purpose, it warns, it calls to repentance, and it is held within boundaries by a merciful Creator.
Five-point outline
- Locusts are not natural but demonic, they come from the abyss.
- Vegetation is spared, God controls nature and holds back destruction.
- Only the unsealed are targeted, God protects His people even in judgment.
- The purpose is torment, not death, a five-month limit suggests a call to repent.
- Judgment has boundaries set by God, the command comes from a higher authority, not from the locusts themselves.
Illustration hooks
- A hospital wristband identifies a patient’s allergies and critical needs, the seal on the forehead similarly marks those under God’s care.
- A security guard at a building checks IDs; only those without proper clearance are stopped. The locusts check for the seal before they act.
- A child in a crowd is told to hold on to a parent’s hand, that connection keeps them safe when the crowd gets chaotic.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Will I be safe if I am a believer? This verse says yes, the seal protects.
- Why would God allow demonic torment at all? Judgment serves justice and may lead to repentance.
- What does the seal on the forehead mean for me today? It points to the Holy Spirit as a seal of belonging to God (Ephesians 1:13).
Leading a Discussion
Revelation 9:4 shows that even in the darkest visions of judgment, God sets boundaries. The locusts can only touch those without His seal. This raises deep questions about protection, divine sovereignty, and the purpose of suffering. As you discuss, keep the focus on what this passage reveals about God’s character and His care for His people.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the command given to the locusts?
- Why do you think grass, green things, and trees are specifically spared?
- How does the seal in Revelation 9:4 connect back to the sealing in Revelation 7:1-8?
- What does it tell us about God that even demonic forces must obey His commands?
- How would this vision have encouraged Christians facing persecution in the first century?
- In what ways can believers today “have the seal of God” on their lives?
- How does this passage shape your understanding of judgment, both its severity and its limits?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 12:23 | For Yahweh will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when he sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two door posts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you. |
| Job 1:10 | Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. |
| Job 1:12 | Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh. |
| Job 2:6 | Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.” |
| Psalms 76:10 | Surely the wrath of man praises you. The survivors of your wrath are restrained. |
| Ezekiel 9:4 | Yahweh said to him, “Go through the middle of the city, through the middle of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done within it.” |
| Ezekiel 9:6 | Kill utterly the old man, the young man, the virgin, little children and women; but don’t come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” Then they began at the old men who were before the house. |
| Matthew 24:24 | For false christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
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What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights a deliberate ambiguity in who issued the command to the locusts. The writer does not name the commander, so the order may come from the destroyer himself rather than from God. If so, the restriction reflects how the destroyer views his enemies, not necessarily how God judges them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
that they should not hurt the grass , &c.] i.e. not to do the damage that natural locusts do —these natural objects having been plagued already, Rev_8:7 —but other damage, still more directly distressing the sinful world. the seal of God ] See Rev_7:3 and note.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And there came out of the smoke Locustes vpon the earth, and vnto them was giuen power, as the scorpions of the earth haue power.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads the locusts as Muslim Saracens and Roman Catholic Papists, who are restrained from harming true believers. He interprets grass, green things, and trees as Christians of every class, from the weakest to the strongest. Only those without God's seal—the reprobate antichristian party—suffer their destruction.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB argues that these locusts cannot be ordinary ones because their natural instinct to eat plants is supernaturally held back, marking the judgment as directly from God. He also contends that since only unsealed men are harmed, the locusts cannot represent Mohammed's armies, which killed many believers.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the fallen star as a spiritual condition rather than a person or angel. He identifies it with repentance separated from faith, a faithless remorse that becomes religious self-torment and opens the abyss within the human soul. This
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that these demonic locusts act under strict divine restraint: they cannot touch the grass, trees, or the sealed, and they cannot kill, only torment for a set time. Their king, named Destroyer in both Hebrew and Greek, rules a realm whose power is real but carefully bounded by God.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent draws attention to the Greek construction behind "men which," noting the double relative pronoun groups these individuals into a class. The accurate sense, he explains, is "such men as have," rather than a simple reference to particular people.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley reads this as a divine command given by God's hidden power. The restriction spares not only objects of every rank but focuses judgment on the unsealed, whom he identifies chiefly as unbelieving Israelites. Yet he adds that many who bore the name of Christian suffered alongside them.