Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
The Ar.gels Pour out their Vials of Wrath. REVELATION XVI. The Plagues that Follow thereupon.
(Epbesiaiis 3. 10). vials—"bowls:" a broad shallow eiip or bowl. Till' breadth of the vials in their upper part would tend to cause their contents to pour out all at once, implying the overwhelming auddenness of tlie woes, fall of . . . -wratli—How sweetly do the viaU full of odours, for this clan.se read, "(which art and wast) holy.'' The Lord is now no longer He that shall come, for He it amus in vengeance; and therefore the third of the three nausea found in ch. 1.4,8; and 4. 8, is here and in ch. 11. 17 omitted. Judged thus— " these things." "Thou didst inM ctthis Judgment." O. (Ch. 11. 18, end ; Genesis 9. 6; Isaiah 4^. 26.) An anticipation of ch. IS. 20, 24; cf. ch. 13. 15. For—A, B, C, and Andreas omit. 7. another out of—Omitted la A, C, Syriac, and Coptic. Translate then, "I heaid the altar [personified] saying." On it the prayers of sainta are presented before God : beneath it are the souls of the martyrs cr.ving for vengeance on the foes of God. 8. angel—So Cfcj>^c and Andre.4S. But A, B, C, Vulgate >\uii Syriac omit it. upon-Not as in v. 2, 3, "into." sun whereas by the fourth trumpet the sun isdarkened (ch. S. i. e., the incense-perfumed prayers of the saints, contrast with these ! 8. temiile . . . <I11«1—Isaiah 6. i : cf. Exodus
4)' .34 ; '1 Chronicles 5. 14, as to the earthly tem);le, of which tiiis is the antitype, the glory of Go<l «ml . . . poivcr then fully manifested, no man was able to «>ntrv . , . tne temple—because of God's presence in His nianilested glory and power during the execution of these judgments.
CHAPTER XVI.
Ver. 1-21. The Sevem Viam and the CoxsECiFENT Plagues. The trumpets shook the world-kingdoms in a longer process; the vials destroy with a swift and sudden overthrow the kingdom of the beast in particular who had invested himself with the world-kingdom. The Hebrews thought the Egyptian plagues to have been in-
12) in a third part, Jiere by the fourth vial the sun's bright scorching power is intensified, power was given nntn him—i-ather, " unto it," the sun. men Greek, " the men,'' ns.. those who had the mark of the beast (r. 2). 9. men Greek, " the men." repented not to give him glory—(ch.
9. 20.) Affliction, if it doe.s not melt, hardens the sinner. flicted with but an interval of a month between them severally. [Bexoel, referring IoSedek Olam.] .-Vs Moses took ashes from an eUrthly common furnace, so angels, as priestly ministers in the heavenly temple, take holy
Cf. the better result on others, ch. 11. 13; 14. 7; 15. 4. IV. angel—Omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac. But Oipticuntl Andreas support it. seat— Greek, "throne of the beast:" setup in arrogant mimicry of God's tlirone the dragon gave his throne to the beast (cli. 13. 2). darkness—parallel to the Egyptian plague of darkness, Pharaoh being the type of Antichrist (cf. ch. 15. 2. 3, notes; cf, the fifth trumpet, ch. !). 2). gnawed their tongues for pnin Greek, "owing to the pain" occasioned l)y the previous plagues, rendered more appalling by the darkness. Or, as "gnashing of teeth" is one of the accompaniments of hell, so this "gnawing of their tongues" is through rage at the baffling of their hopes and the overthrow of their kingdom. They meditate revenge and are unable toell'ect fire in sacred vials or bowls, from the heavenly altar to jpur down (cf. ch. 8. 5). The same Iieavenly altar which would have kindled the sweet incense of praj-er bringing down blessing upon earth, by man's sin kindles the fiery descending cur.se. Just as the river Nile, which ordinarily is the source of Egypt's fertility, became l)lood and a curse through Egypt's sin. 1. a s*"*"* voice—i'i2., God's. These seven vials (the detailed expansion of llie vintage, ch. U. lS-20) being called "the last," must l)elong to the period just when the term of the beast's power has expired (wlience reference is made in them all to ttie wor.shippers of the beast as the objects of the judgments close to llie end or coming of the .Sim of man. The first four are distinguished from the last three, just as in the case of the seven seals and the seven trumpets. The first four are more general, affecting the earth, Ihesea, springs, and the sun, not merely a portion of these natural bodies, as in llie case of the trumpets, but the whole of them ; the it; hence tlieir frenzy. [Gkotius.J Those in angnish, mental and bodily, bite their lips and tongues. 11. ^ores —This shows that each fresh plague was accompanied with the continuance of the preceding plagues: there waa an accumulation, not a mere succession, of plagues, repented not—(Cf. V. 9.) 1'3. angel—So Coptic and /Vndkeas. A, B, C, Vulgate and Syriac omit, kings of the Knst— Greek, "the kings who are from the rising of the sun." Reference to Euphrates similarly occurs in the sixth trumpet. The drying up of the Euphrates, I think, is to be taken figuratively, as Babylon Itself, which is situated on it. Is undoubtedly so, ch. 17. % The waters of the Eupitrates (cf. Isaiah 8. 7, 8) are spiritual Babylon's, i. e.. the apostate Church's (of which Home is the chief, though not exclusive representative) spiritual and teinporai powers. The drying up of the waters of Babylon expresses the same thing as the ten kings stripping, eating, and burning the whore. The phrase "way may be prepared for" is that applied to the Lord's coming {isi\\{i)l 40.3; Matthew 3. 3; Luke 1. 76). He shall come from th« last three are more particular, atl'ecling the throne ot tlie beast, llie Euphrates, and the grand consummation. Some of these particular judgmeiilsare set forth in detail In chs. 17.-20. out of tlie temple—U and Hyriac omit. But A, C, Vulgritc unA Andueas support the words. tl»c vials—So tlijriuc and Coptic. But A, H, C, Vtilgate and Andreas read, "the .seven vials." wpnn— Greek, "Into."'
9i. went— Greet:, " wentaway." poured out—So the angel cast Are into the earth previous to the series of trumpets (ch. 8. 5). upon—So Coptic. But A, B, C, Viilgale and Syriac read, "into." gore upon tlie men—antitype to the sixth Egyptian plague. "Noisome," lit., evil (cf. Deuteronomy '2S. '27, .'?5). The very same Greek word is used in the XjXX. as iicre, Greek helko.i. The reason why the sixth Egyptian plague Is the first here. Is because it was directed against the Egyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, so that they could not stand before Moses; and so hero the plague is sent upon those who in the beast-
(Matthew 24. 27; E/.ekiel 43. 2, " the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the East"): not alone, for His elect transfigured saints of Israel and the Gentiles shall accompany Him, who are "kings and priests unto God" (ch. 1. 6). As the Antlchrlstian ten kings accompany the beast, so the saints accompan.v as kings the King of kings to the last decisive coiillict. 1)E Bi;roh, Ac, take It of the Jews, who also were designed to be a kingdom of priests to God on earth. They shall, doulitless, become prltst-klngs In the flesh to the nations In the tlesh at His coming. Abraham from the East (If Isaiah 41.2,8,9, refers to Him, and not Cyrus) conquering the I'haldean kings Is a type of Israel's virlorions restoration to the priest-klngdom. Israel's exodus after the last Egyptian plagues typifies Israel's restoration after the spiritual Babylon, the apostate Church, has been smitten. Israel's promotion to the priest-klngdom after Pharaoh's downfall, and at the Lord's descent al Slnal to establish the tlieocracy, tyjiilles the restored kingdom of Israel at the Lord's more glorious descent, when Antichrist shall bedestroyed utterly. Thus, besides the trnusflgured saints, Israel secondarll.v m;\,v be meant by " ttl» kings from the Eiist" who shall accompany the "King of ' worsliip ha<l practised sorcery. As they submitted to the mark of the beast, so they must bear tlie mark of the avenging God. Contrast ch. 7. ,') ; Ezeklel 9. 4, 0. "Grl(>vous," distressing to the sufrerers. men witlelt Iinil tlie niajrk of the beast—Therefore this first vial is subsefjuenl to the period of the beast's rule. 3. angel-So liand AnDREA.s. liut Aj C, and Vnlgnte omit It. n\wn— Greek, "Into." became as . . . blood—a nswerl iig to another Eg.vpllan plague, of a dead man—putrefying, living •out-So 15 and Andkkas. But A, V,, and Syriac, "soul of life" (cf. Genesis 1. ;«; 7. 21, 22). In the sea-So B and .\Ndueas. But A, C, and Ni/riac read, "(as respects) the things In the sea." 4. (Exodus 7.20.) angel—So Si/riae, Coptic and Andkeam. But A, B, O, and Vulgate omit It. 5. angel of the waters i. e., presiding over the waters. n liord—Omitted by A, B, V,, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic and •NDiiUAS. and Shalt be—A, B, C, Vulgate , n.\\t\ ANnuEAS
Jht Vials of ^'rath Poured Out. RKVLLATIOjN' X\i. TJie Gathering to Battle at Armageddon. the saints to whom Christ has appointed a kingdom, and who are "children of light." God in permitting Satan's miracles, as in the case of the Egyptian magicians who were His instruments in hardening Pharaoh's heart, gives the reprobate up to judicial delusion preparatory to their destruction. As Aaron's rfid was changed into a serpent, so were those of the Egyptian magicians. Aai'on turned the water into blood; so did the magicians. Aaron brought up frogs; so did the magicians. With the frogs their power ceased. So tliis, or whatever is antitypical to it, will be te last ett'ort of the dragon, beast, and false prophet, batti*—Greet, " war :" the final conkings" returning "from the way of the East" to reign over His ancient people. As to tlie drying up again of tlie it'oers opposing His people's assuming tlie kingdom, cf. Isaiah 10. 20; 11.11,15; Zechariah 10. iJ-U. The name Israel (Genesis 32. 28) implies a prince with God. Cf. Micah 4. 8 as to the return of the kingdom to Jerusalem. Durham, 200 years ago, interpreted the drying up of the Euphrates to mean the wasting away of the Turkish power, which has heretofore held Palestine, and so the way being prepared tor Israel's restoration. But as Babulon refers to the apostate Church, not to Mohammedanism, the drying up
Vf the Euphrates (answering to Cyrus' overthrow of literal Babylon by marching into it through the dry cliannel of the Euphrates) must answer to the draining ofl' of the apostate Church's resources, the Roman and Greek corrupt Church having been heretofore one of the greatest barriers by its idolatries and persecutions in the way of flict for the kingship of the world described ch. 10. 17-21. 15. The gathering of the wor'd-kings with the beast against the Lamb is the signal lor Clirist's coming; therefor He here gives the charge to be watching for His comiiig and clothed in the garments of justification ami .sanctification, so as to be accepted, thief—(Matthew 24.43; 2 Peter 3. 10.) tliey—saints and angels. sKaiiii-— Israel's restoration and conversion. The kings of the enrt/i who are earthly (v. 11), stand in contrast to the kinysfrom the E<tsl who Ave heavenly. 13. tUe dragoit—Satan, who lit., " unseemll.. <!ss" {Greek, aschemosunce) : Grcet/c, 1 Corinthians 13.5: a ^.'ifferent word from the Greek, ch.3. 18 (Greek, aischunee). *6. lie—rather, " they (the three unclean spirits) gathered them together^" If English Version be retained, "He" wi." refer t-.i G-'oof who gives them, over to the delusion of ti.s." three unclean spirits; or else the sixth angel (v. Ai.^agedclon Hebrew, liar, a mountain, and Megiddo in Mo.iasseh in Galilee, the scene of the overthrow of the Canaanite kings by God's miraculous interposition under Deborah and Barak; the same as the great plain of Esdraelon. Josiah, too, as the ally of Babylon, was defeated and slain at Megiddo; and the mourning of the Jews at the time just before God shall interpose for them against all the nations confederate against Jerusalem, is compared to tlie mourning lor Josiah at Megiddo. Megiddo comes from a root, gadad, " cut oil," and means slaughter. Cf. Joel 3. 2, 12, 14, where " the valley of Jehoshaphaf (meaning in Hebrew, "judgment of God") gives his power and throne (ch. 18. 2) to the heajst. false p»-ophet—<listiact from the harlot, the apostate Church
which Rome is the chief, though not sole, representa-
cli. 17. 1-3, IG; and identical with the second beast, ch.
V. 11-15, as appears by comparing ch. 19. 20 witli ch. 13. 13; > t'.mately consigned to the lake of tire witli the lirst twr. st; as is also the di'agon a little later (eh. 20. 10). Tire
/vj.'gon, the beast, and the false prophet, " the mystery of .n'liuity," form a blasphemous Antitrinity, the counter- 'eit of "the mystery of godliness" God manifests in Christ, witnessed to by the Spirit. The dragon acts the cart of God the Father, assigning his authority to his representative the beast, as the Father assigns His to the Son. They are accordingly jointly worshipped; cf. as to Jhe Father and Son, John 5. 23: as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns crowned with diadems (Greek, ch. 13. 1), so Christ has on His head many diadems. Whilst the false prophet, like the Holy Ghost, speaks not of himself, but tells all men to worship the beast, and confirms his testimony to the beast by miracles, as the Holy Ghost atis mentioned as the scene of God's final vengeance on the God-opposing foe. Probably some great plain, antitypical to the valleys of Megiddo and Jehoshaphat, will be the scene. 17.. angel—So Andreas. But A, B, Vulgate and tested similarly to Christ's Divine mission, uucleaii iac omit it. into—So Andreas t GVeeA; eii). ButA, B, "upon" (Greek cpi). great-So B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic and Andreas. But A omits, of heaven—So B and Andreas. But A, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit. It ia done—" It is come to pass." God's voice as to the final consummation, as Jesus' voice on the cross when the work of expiation was completed, "It is finished." 18. voices spirits like frogg—the antitype to the plague of frogs sent on Egypt. The presence of tlie "unclean spirit" in the land (FaU-stinej is foretold, Zechariah 13.2, in connection with idolatrous prophets. Beginning with infidelity as to Jesus Christ's coming in the flesh, men shall end in the grossest idolatry of the beast, the incarnation of all that is self-deifying and God-opposed in the worldpowers of all ages; having rejected lliin that came in the Father's name, they shall worship one l hat comes in . . . tikimders . . . liglttnings—A has the order, "lightnings . . . voices . . . thunders." This is the same close as that of the seven seals and the seven thunders; but with the diflference that they do not merely form the conclusion, but introduce the consequence, of the last vial, his own, though really the devil's representative; as fix)gs croak by night in marshes and quagmires, so these unclean spirits in the darkness of error leach lies amidst viz., the utter destruction of Babylon and then of the Antichristian armies, eartlnquake-which is often preceded by a lurid state of air, such as would result from the vial poured upon it. men were—So B, Vulgate, Syriac, and Andreas. But A and Coptic read, "A man was." so mighty— 6'?eeA:, "siuh." 19. tlie great cl»y—l:lie capi tal and seat of the apostate Church, spiritual Babylon, (of which Rome is the representative, if one literal city be meant). The city in ch. 11. 8 (see JVote), is probably disthe mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty, but it is not Gospel liberty, but license for lust. There being tliree, as also 4cte?», in the description of the last and worst state of the Jewish nation, implies a parody of the two Divine numbers, three of the Trinity, and seven of the Holy Spirit (cl>. 1. *). some observe that three froys were the original arms of F'rance, a country which has been the centre of Jntidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. A, B, read, " ns it were frogs," instead of "like fiogs," which is not supported by AISS. Theunclean spirit out of the moutli of tinct, 1112., Jerusalem under Antichrist (the beast, who is distinct from the harlot or apostate ('liuich). In ch. U. Vi only a tenth falls of Jerusalem, whereas here the city (Bal)ylon) " liecame (G'reefe) Into three parts " by the earthquake. cHlcs of the nations—other greatcitics in Uague wit h spiritual Babylon, great. . . came in remembrance — Greek, " Babylon the great was remembered " (ch. IS. 5). ihe d;«ffo« symbolizes the proud infidelity which opposes God and Christ. That out of the beast's mouth is the spirit of the world, which in the politics of men, whether lawless democracy or despotism, sets man above (iod. That out of the mouth of the faUe prophet is lying spiritualism and religious delusion, which shall take the place
It is now that the last call to escape from Babylon is given
tlie harlot when she shall have been destroyed. 14. tlevll»— Greek, "demons." working mlrntlm— (/reek, "signs." go forth ui»to— or "for," i. e., to tempt them to to God's people in her (ch. 18. 4). flcrccness—the biiiting orcr outburst of His wrath (Greek Ihiimou orgees), cf. .Vr;^*', ch. M. 10. !iO. Plainly parallel to ch. (i. 14-17, and by anticipation descriptive of the last judgment, the mountnlna —rather as Greek, "there were found no mountains." 'il. the battle with Christ, the kings of the eartii Mn«l—A, 3, .V//rtV/c, and Andkeas omit "of the earth and," which .sUuse Is not in any M.S. Trnnslate, " Kings of the whole fell— (/reefc, "desceiiils." npon men— Greek, " the men.' wan— Greek, "is." men-not those struck who died, but aabitable world," who are "of this worM," in contrast to "the kings of (Irom) the East" (the sunrising), v. 12, viz.,-