“They scale walls like soldiers” Joel 2:7… Are the Locusts of Joel and Revelation Prophetic Metaphors for Future Technology?

This article follows on from ‘Submarines in the Bible’ as it’s a little bit ‘out there’, but I’ve done it on purpose! It’s meant to challenge your thinking about God’s word, what it really means, and how it’s relevant to today’s world.

The Bible is a text rich in metaphor, mystery, and prophecy. For millennia, scholars have debated the meaning behind its symbols. In our modern age, a new layer of interpretation has emerged—one that considers the possibility that ancient prophetic visions may align with 21st-century technological developments.

Here, I’m speculating that the locusts in the book of Joel and Revelation may not be literal insects, but symbolic representations of future machines—perhaps even a swarm of robotic entities.

The Locusts of Joel: Robotic Swarms?

The book of Joel clearly says that a plague of locusts ravage the land.

But it’s more than that. Read Joel 2:31 and you’ll see it’s also talking about the day of the Lord.

In Joel 2:10 the vision is apocalyptic. The earth quakes before them. The sun, moon and stars withdraw their shining.

If Joel’s vision was indeed prophetic, it’s conceivable he is describing not just insects, but future machines—perhaps drones or robotic units devastating landscapes with the cold precision of artificial intelligence.

Check out the bottom video on military drone swarms (like locust swarms) and other videos if you’re not familiar with the recent development of robot armies, to be used in warfare.

The headless robot dogs, developed 7 years ago, freaked me out back then. But the tech is advancing at lightening speed, and the new age of AI and robots is now upon us.

Revelation’s Locusts from the Abyss

In Revelation 9, another swarm of locusts emerges—this time from the Abyss:

“And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.” (Revelation 9:3)

These locusts are given a disturbing and surreal description. They are demons, but perhaps they are inhabiting robot bodies?

“The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle… their faces were like human faces… they had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.” (Revelation 9:7-9)

The imagery here is bizarre—part animal, part machine, part human. Could it be that John, like Joel, was seeing something technological that he lacked the vocabulary to describe? Iron breastplates, the sound of mechanical wings, and terrifying synthetic faces all align uncannily with descriptions of advanced robotics or cybernetic drones—devices perhaps designed for psychological warfare as much as physical destruction.

The following video predicts that this scenario could come true as early as 2028.

Given that these locusts emerge from the “Abyss,” a term often associated with the spiritual realm or deep places of the Earth, one might even interpret this as a reference to technology originating from hidden or classified sources—perhaps even from subterranean facilities or advanced AI research black sites.

Additionally, the enigmatic “image of the beast” in Revelation could, in light of recent advances, be reimagined as a prophetic vision of holographic artificial intelligence.

I actually don’t think this is correct.

It’s a hundred times more likely that Bible scholars got it correct in the past, when they concluded that the image of the beast was either the USA or the United Nations submitting to Roman Catholic dominance, as governments did in the dark ages. (Even this week Anthony Albanese invited the pope to visit Australia.)

But here’s an alternate scenario.

The Image of the Beast: A Hologram?

Further deepening the technological reading of Revelation is the “image of the beast” in Revelation 13:

“It was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could speak and cause all who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.” (Revelation 13:15)

This image described is not simply a statue; it is animated, speaking, and capable of judgment. In a pre-modern world, such a vision would be unfathomable. But in our age of holography, AI-driven virtual avatars, and deepfake technologies, it becomes chillingly plausible.

Imagine a globally projected holographic figure, infused with artificial intelligence, demanding allegiance. With voice synthesis, predictive algorithms, and biometric surveillance, such an “image” could, in theory, interact, track, and even punish dissenters. The ability to “cause those who refuse to worship to be killed” need not be mystical—it could be enforced by autonomous systems, robotic enforcers, or algorithm-driven security frameworks.

Convergence of Prophecy and Technology

None of this is to dismiss the spiritual or theological layers of Biblical prophecy. Rather, it is to suggest that ancient visions may contain dual meanings—both symbolic and literal—and that the literal fulfillment may unfold in a world dominated by technologies the prophets could scarcely comprehend, yet dimly foresaw through divine inspiration.

When we read the descriptions of coordinated swarming locusts, synthetic monsters from the abyss, and speaking images demanding worship, we must ask: are these simply metaphors, or was the Bible warning us of a future where technology—ungoverned by morality—becomes the true apocalyptic force?

As artificial intelligence, robotics, and immersive holography race forward, perhaps we are witnessing not just innovation, but the unfolding of visions sealed for “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9). The locusts may yet return—not as insects, but as the machines of our own making.

By the way, did you know the Bible mentions a place called Ai? Using Ai with a double meaning (AI instead of Ai), is probably stretching the boundaries of Biblical interpretation, but it’s really interesting! If you think AI is from the devil, (and why not? – even the experts admit they don’t know how AI thinks, and it often lies… Satan is the Father of lies.) If you think this, you can find this message in Joshua 8:1:

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai (AI): see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai (AI), and his people, and his city, and his land!