Revelation 9:17-19 meaning

The Apostle John describes the armies of horsemen (v 16) in greater detail in Revelation 9:17-19. The sixth of seven angels has blown his horn, which have each brought about destruction and plagues. At the sound of the sixth horn, four bound angels were released and given the authority, along with the armies of the horsemen, to kill “a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:14-16).

John began by describing the number of the armies, that they were “two hundred million,” as well as the auditory experience, that he “heard the number of them” (Revelation 9:16). Now, he adds visual description:

And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone (v. 17).

These horses had riders that were outfitted with breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone. One translation renders this as being “fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur.” The phrase “the color of” is inferred. If this is correct, the colors might indicate that this army is well organized and unified, since they are all similarly outfitted. We were told in verse 11 that they are led by an angelic king.

It could also be that John is describing breastplates that appear to be flaming rather than just describing a color. If so, this could mean that this army is supernaturally endowed with power. John described the riders’ mounts as horses, but now says the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions. It seems likely that this vision is describing a supernatural scene. This is particularly likely since it says out of the mouths of the lion-like heads of the horses proceeds fire and smoke and brimstone.

The first instance of the word brimstone that speaks of the breastplates is an adjective, speaking of the breastplate. The last instance is a noun. It seems the breastplate is like brimstone, but the horses actually belch out brimstone and smoke. John’s description sounds much like our modern notions of fire-breathing dragons. In Revelation, dragons are always associated with evil and demonic activity (Revelation 12:3-17).

The fire and smoke and brimstone that these creatures belch is then described as these three plagues that killed a third of mankind (v. 18). John explains that the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm (v. 19).

This is not the first time that we have seen a distorted animal in Revelation. Just at the beginning of Chapter 9, we saw the locusts that were like scorpions but “the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men” (Revelation 9:7). These locust-demons also have the power to sting and the pain of their sting lasts for five months (Revelation 9:10).

Now, similarly, these horses, with their heads that are like the heads of lions, also have tails that are like serpents. It would seem that these dragon-like, fire-breathing demonic creatures have tails that are like vipers, for the serpents that are their tails have heads, and with them they do harm. We can presume that the heads of these snakes that are the demonic creatures’ tails do harm with their bite.

It seems that, whether coming or going, these vicious creatures are destructive to all in their path. From the front they have vicious teeth and can breathe fire. From their rear they can do harm from their tails that are like serpents.

A third of mankind will die at their hand. The serpent bite could indicate disease. The fire and brimstone could represent cosmic disturbances and war. It could be that we are being given a glimpse into the spiritual world of evil forces unleashed upon the earth to bring about a number of adversities, all of which result in mass death: a third of all humanity. We are not told the duration of this plague. The demon-locusts were specifically limited to five months. It could be that these four angels and armies of the horsemen continue through the full span of the three-and-one-half year’s great tribulation.