Revelation 9:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"But that they should receive torment for five months" means that sinners will be tormented fiercely and grievously only for a certain appointed time, and afterward more lightly, yet eternally.

We think the five months of torments indicate their short duration. For the Lord says, "Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved" (Mt 24:22).

Or they indicate a certain fivefold time corresponding to the five external senses, through which sin acts in man. Or they indicate, in general, an appointed time known only to God.

Since there are two parts in the Church, the good and the evil, one part is stung so that it may be corrected. The other is left to its own pleasure.

The part of the good is handed over to humiliation for the knowledge of God's justice and as a reminder of punishment. As it is written: "It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me, that I might learn Thy justice" (Ps 118:12).

It was given to her not to kill them, but only to torment them. Their torment is like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man. This happens when the devil gives poison to drink through vices or sins.

However much secular power may support the heretics, and though for a time they are permitted to torment the good, nevertheless, according to the Lord's word, they cannot kill the soul (cf. Mt 10:28).

The five months of the time of this age undoubtedly signify the five senses that we use. Another translation speaks of six months, corresponding to the six periods of human life.

As the scorpion emits poison from its tail, so the impiety of the wicked wounds from behind. It insinuatingly urges one to prefer what lies behind, that is, temporal goods, to what lies before, that is, eternal goods.

From the smoke of scientific and technological progress, which darkens the sun and air to the point of ecological catastrophe, there comes forth a new ideology of technology, like the old Tower of Babel forgotten and then remembered again. It spreads across the whole maddened planet by means of the militant noise and clamor of the mass media. It exercises harmful dominion over the minds and hearts of men for a definite time, five months. This time is needed to prepare a generation incapable of being corrected or repenting from the coming admonitions. At the same time, its destructive nature is evident to all: to believers who speak the language of the knowledge of God, and to pagans who chiefly use the language of Hellenic wisdom.

"They shall receive torment for five months." The activity of locusts usually continues from May through September inclusive. The Apostle John probably adapts his number to this period of locust activity.

Interpreters find an event corresponding to this vision in the campaign of Cestius Gallus, the Roman governor of Syria. In the year 66 he brought an army to Jerusalem to subdue the Jews, who had risen against the procurator Gessius Florus.

This campaign lasted from the end of May to the beginning of November (De bello Iud. 2:19).