What do the locusts symbolize in the Bible?

Locusts appear in the Bible, usually when God disciplines His people or makes judgment. Although they are also mentioned as food and we know the prophet, John the Baptist is known to live in the wilderness of locusts and wild honey, most of the mentions of locusts in the Bible are during the times when the wrath of God was poured out both as a discipline for His people or as a means of demonstrating His power in order to move those who challenge Him to repentance.

What are locusts and where do we see them in Scripture?

Locusts are grasshopper-like insects that are generally solitary. In some countries, they are a source of protein, boiled with salt or roasted for a tasty crunch. They can go unnoticed in their lonely state for months except for babies who marvel at the strength of their legs and their ability to jump to impressive heights. But under certain conditions. Locusts can swarm, becoming a frighteningly destructive agent of crop devastation.

In this teeming phase, usually caused by drought, they reproduce rapidly and travel in large clouds, consuming all the vegetation in their path. Locust swarms exist in our time, especially in Africa, India and the Middle East, although they are not completely unknown in some parts of the United States. According to the BBC, in 2020, swarms of locusts appeared simultaneously in dozens of countries. When they hit several neighboring countries in this way, we refer to it as a "plague of locusts"

What role do locusts play in Revelation?

Locust swarms are present in the Old Testament, occupying a prominent place in the history of the Jewish people. They also appear as essential figures in biblical prophecy in both the Old Testament and the Apocalypse.

The locusts of the Apocalypse, however, are not ordinary locusts. They will not swarm against vegetation. In fact, instructed not to worry about grass or trees but, instead, swarm against humans. Five months are allowed in which to torment people with pain similar to that of a scorpion bite. The Bible he says it will be such agony that people will long for death but will not be able to find it