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The Sound of Locusts and the Sign of Tongues: Judgment Before the Day of the LORD

 

The Sound of Locusts and the Sign of Tongues: Judgment Before the Day of the LORD

By Domingo Cantu III

Locusts as a Symbol of Judgment

From the days of Egypt’s plagues to the visions of the prophets, locusts have been one of the Bible’s most vivid images of judgment. When Pharaoh refused to let Israel go, God unleashed swarms of locusts that devoured every green thing left in the land (Exodus 10). Later, in the covenant warnings, God told Israel that disobedience would bring locusts to consume their harvests (Deuteronomy 28).

The prophets picked up this imagery. Joel describes locusts as a devastating army that heralds “the day of the LORD” (Joel 2). Amos saw them in visions as instruments of divine discipline (Amos 7). Nahum used locusts as a metaphor for Nineveh’s merchants and soldiers who would vanish under God’s judgment (Nahum 3). In each case, locusts swarm, chatter, and overwhelm — leaving nothing but desolation.

The Noise of Judgment

Joel compares the sound of locusts to the sound of war chariots racing across the mountains. Their relentless chatter is not random background noise; it is a terrifying signal that chaos and devastation are near.

This theme of unintelligible noise as judgment is echoed in Paul’s teaching. In 1 Corinthians 14, he cites Isaiah’s prophecy that God would speak to His people through “strange lips and a foreign tongue.” In Isaiah, this referred to the language of invading nations — unintelligible and frightening — a sign that covenant breakers were under judgment. Paul warns the Corinthians that uninterpreted tongues function in the same way: as a sign of judgment, not of blessing.

Tongues and the Locust Connection

Here is where the imagery begins to overlap. The chatter of locusts in Joel and the chatter of uninterpreted tongues in Corinth both share the same characteristics: noisy, chaotic, and unedifying.

  • Locusts: overwhelming noise, destruction, and a warning of the approaching Day of the LORD.

  • Uninterpreted tongues: overwhelming noise, no edification, and a sign of judgment on unbelief.

When viewed this way, tongues without interpretation become less of a spiritual gift in operation and more of a prophetic warning. They serve as a reminder that when God’s people reject His clear word, they are left with confusion and noise.

Apocalyptic Echoes

The book of Revelation intensifies the connection. In the trumpet visions, locusts rise from the abyss, their wings sounding like chariots rushing into battle. These are no ordinary insects but apocalyptic signs of judgment, tormenting those without the seal of God. Just as Joel’s locusts foreshadowed the Day of the LORD, so too do these end-time locusts warn of what is coming upon a rebellious world.

A Call to Repentance

Joel’s prophecy did not end with judgment. After the devastation, the call rang out: “Return to me with all your heart.” The sound of the locusts was not just a threat; it was a summons. In the same way, Paul’s correction to Corinth was not to silence tongues forever but to bring order, clarity, and edification back into the assembly.

The noise of the locusts, like the noise of uninterpreted tongues, was meant to shake the people awake. God uses these unsettling signs to drive His people back to His Word, to covenant faithfulness, and to repentance before the Day of the LORD breaks in fully.

Conclusion

The chatter of locusts and the chatter of tongues without interpretation both stand as warnings. They remind us that judgment is real, that God’s voice must not be drowned out by noise, and that His call to repentance is urgent. The real question is whether we will hear past the noise and return to His clear and faithful Word.

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