Back to the fifth trumpet.
There's a lot of information in the fifth trumpet.
The historical focus of this trumpet is on the Byzantine Empire and the Greek Orthodox Church which had it's head quarters in Constantinople. Byzantine Constantinople was home to a strong Christian religion, which literally could date its Christianity back to the apostles. Constantinople's status as the capital of a the Byzantine empire, dates back to Constantine.


1052 AD The big schism when eastern church separated from the Roman Catholic Church
1204 AD the fourth crusade from Europe which ended up conquering and ransacking Constantinople bringing great confusion to the Byzantine Empire.
1261 AD Michael VIII of Nicaea was able to restore the shattered empire back into Byzantine hands.
and start rebuilding some of its power. Providence was giving them a "second chance".

1299 AD Osman I, founded the House of Osman, (Ottoman) and began building what was to become the mighty Ottoman Empire. The Turks now had a "king" over them and the 150 years began.

1449 AD The last Byzantine Emperor asked the Turks to grant him permission to reign. Virtually signing over the authority of the Empire to the Turks. Thus marking the end of the 150 years the Byzantine Empire had been given to return to Christ.
1454 AD The Ottoman's conquered Constantinople, made the city their capital and the surviving Orthodox Christians fled north to Russia or to the Baltic lands.

THE LOCUSTS
in the Fifth Trumpet John SEES these locusts who destroy the Byzantine Empire, and he describes them by saying -- they looked LIKE several different things.

unto them (the locusts) was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.	These locusts are not scorpions, but they are given power similar to the power of scorpions. From where did they receive this power? Of Israel it is stated: ?He led them through the "great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought" (Deuteronomy 8:15) It was only when they grumbled and complained against God, that God removed His protection and those scorpions bit with deadly results. The only salvation against a scorpion bite, is looking to Christ and his sacrifice. (See John 3:14-15) ?As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so much the Son of Man be lifted up that whoever believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life.? Scorpions represent satan?s power. But God?s power is far greater.
Terrible tails, tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails	What is the meaning of having power in their TAIL? A tail is something that follows. It?s a back part. It's not the first thing that presents itself. In Revelation 12:4, the dragon?s tail sweeps 1/3 of the stars into his ranks. Isaiah links the tail, to falsehood or deception. The head is the elder and honorable man, And the prophet who teaches falsehood is the tail. Isaiah 9:15 Whether one has "power" in their head (above) or tail (beneath), seems to have something to do with keeping God's commandments. The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God Duet. 28:13
like unto horses prepared for battle The sound of chariots of many horses running to battle	Obviously depicting a lot of conflict and war. Horses prepared for battle Chariots running to battle. All symbolic (as well as literal) of battle, whether spiritual or physical.
had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron;	A breastplate protects the heart and lungs. God?s people wear the breastplate of righteousness (Christ?s righteousness) Ep, 6:14. But these Iron breastplates sound like war. A strong, resilient, metal. This gives this swarm of locusts an impenetrable and strong appearance. They mean business.
and on their heads as it were crowns (victory crowns) like gold,	They wore something that looked like victory crowns on their heads. It looked like those crowns were made of gold. But looks can be deceiving. True victory crowns are crowns of salvation, Ep. 6:17 which we can claim by faith. They are made of pure gold tried in fire.
They had human faces	Human faces signify intelligence, humanity, a sense of honesty. This is where it gets interesting -- they have human faces that one can relate to, dialogue with, but watch out! The TAIL, "the prophet that teaches falsehood is the tail" Is.9:15. Their power was in deceit? Presenting a "good human face" but having a stinging, terrible tail that causes agony and pain?
Hair like women	Hair length often had cultural implication.
Teeth like a lion	Preying instead of praying.

Are the locusts the Turkish armies, or are the locusts the evil powers influencing the Turkish armies in their program of conquest and subjection? Both the literal and the supernatural seem intertwined. And were those same evil powers of deception working on the minds and hearts of the Christians inside that city.

It was a "last call" for Byzantine Christians before their cities was given to the conquering Ottomans.
Judgment time was bearing down on them. As the Ottoman's came closer and closer to the final conquest, the Christians could have been in repentance and sublication before the Lord. He saved Ninevah, He could have saved them!

The locusts had no power to hurt those who had the seal of God. God's all-powerful, distinguishing grace will keep his faithful people from total and final apostacy.
It wasn't just the human armies attacking them. God could have easily stopped them. Evil forces were at work, working through human armies, to cause distress, but they were also working on people's hearts to led them away from Christ and His protecting, loving care.

We also see the implications that the human war dress isn't what we need, we need the armor outlined in Ephesians 6:13-18.

The very fact these trumpets run parallel with Christ's heavenly ministry (Rev. 8:2-5), indicates that God was working mightily to reach these Orthodox Christians in those 150 years prior to the fall of their Capital city.

The situation back then isn't that different from today. We are heading for the last judgment to fall as well.