@Re 16:1-21. THE SEVEN VIALS AND THE CONSEQUENT 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 inflicted with but an interval of a month between them severally [BENGEL, referring to SEDER OLAM]. As Moses took ashes from an earthly common furnace, so angels, as priestly ministers in the heavenly temple, take holy fire in sacred vials or bowls, from the heavenly altar to pour down (compare @Re 8:5). The same heavenly altar which would have kindled the sweet incense of prayer bringing down blessing upon earth, by man's sin kindles the fiery descending curse. Just as the river Nile, which ordinarily is the source of Egypt's fertility, became blood and a curse through Egypt's sin.
1. a great voice--namely, God's. These seven vials (the detailed
expansion of the vintage, @Re 14:18-20) being called "the last,"
must belong to the period just when the term of the beast's power has
expired (whence reference is made in them all to the worshippers of the
beast as the objects of the judgments), close to the end or coming of
the Son 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, the sea, springs, and the
sun, not merely a portion of these natural bodies, as in the case of the
trumpets, but the whole of them; the last three are more particular,
affecting the throne of the beast, the Euphrates, and the grand
consummation. Some of these particular judgments are set forth in detail
in the seventeenth through twentieth chapters.
out of the temple--B and Syriac omit. But A, C, Vulgate, and
ANDREAS support the words.
the vials--so Syriac and Coptic. But A, B, C,
Vulgate, and ANDREAS read, "the seven vials."
upon--Greek, "into."
2. went--Greek, "went away."
poured out--So the angel cast fire into the earth previous to the
series of trumpets (@Re 8:5).
upon--so Coptic. But A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read,
"into."
noisome--literally, "evil" (compare @De 28:27,35). The very same
Greek word is used in the Septuagint as here, Greek,
"helkos." 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 here the
plague is sent upon those who in the beast worship had practiced
sorcery. As they submitted to the mark of the beast, so they must bear
the mark of the avenging God. Contrast @Re 7:3 Eze 9:4,6.
grievous--distressing to the sufferers.
sore upon the men--antitype to the sixth Egyptian plague.
which had the mark of the beast--Therefore this first vial is
subsequent to the period of the beast's rule.
3. angel--So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and Vulgate omit it.
upon--Greek, "into."
became as . . . blood--answering to another Egyptian plague.
of a dead man--putrefying.
living soul--So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and
Syriac, "soul of life" (compare @Ge 1:30 7:21,22).
in the sea--So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and Syriac
read, "(as respects) the things in the sea."
4. (@Ex 7:20.)
angel--so Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS. But A, B,
C, and Vulgate omit it.
5. angel of the waters--that is, presiding over the waters.
O Lord--omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and
ANDREAS.
and shalt be--A, B, C, Vulgate, and
ANDREAS for this clause read,
"(which art and wast) holy." The Lord is now no longer He that
shall come, for He is come in vengeance and therefore the third
of the three clauses found in @Re 1:4,8 4:8 is here and in
@Re 11:17 omitted.
judged thus--literally, "these things." "Thou didst inflict this
judgment."
6. (@Re 11:18, end; @Ge 9:6 Isa 49:26.)
An anticipation of @Re 18:20,24; compare
@Re 13:15.
For--A, B, C, and ANDREAS omit.
7. another out of--omitted in A, C, Syriac, and Coptic. Translate then, "I heard the altar [personified] saying." On it the prayers of saints are presented before God: beneath it are the souls of the martyrs crying for vengeance on the foes of God.
8. angel--so Coptic and
ANDREAS. But A, B, C, Vulgate, and
Syriac omit it.
upon--not as in @Re 16:2,3, "into."
sun--Whereas by the fourth trumpet the sun is darkened (@Re 8:12)
in a third part, here by the fourth vial the sun's bright scorching
power is intensified.
power was given unto him--rather, "unto it," the sun.
men--Greek, "the men," namely, those who had the mark of the
beast (@Re 16:2).
9. men--Greek, "the men."
repented not to give him glory--(@Re 9:20). Affliction, if it does
not melt, hardens the sinner. Compare the better result on others,
@Re 11:13 14:7 15:4.
10. angel--omitted by A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac. But
Coptic and ANDREAS support it.
seat--Greek, "throne of the beast": set up in arrogant mimicry
of God's throne; the dragon gave his throne to the beast (@Re 13:2).
darkness--parallel to the Egyptian plague of darkness, Pharaoh being
the type of Antichrist (compare Notes,
see on Re 15:2,3;
compare the fifth trumpet, @Re 9:2).
gnawed their tongues for pain--Greek, "owing to the pain"
occasioned by 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 to effect it; hence their frenzy [GROTIUS]. Those in
anguish, mental and bodily, bite their lips and tongues.
11. sores--This shows that each fresh plague was accompanied with the
continuance of the preceding plagues: there was an accumulation, not a
mere succession, of plagues.
repented not--(Compare @Re 16:9).
12. angel--so Coptic and ANDREAS.
A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac omit.
kings of the east--Greek, "the kings who are from the rising of
the sun." Reference to the 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, @Re 17:5. The waters of the Euphrates (compare
@Isa 8:7,8) are spiritual Babylon's, that is, the apostate Church's
(of which Rome is the chief, though not exclusive representative)
spiritual and temporal 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 (@Isa 40:3 Mt 3:3 Lu 1:76). He shall come
from the East (@Mt 24:27 Eze 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" (@Re 1:6). As the Antichristian
ten kings accompany the beast, so the saints accompany as kings
the King of kings to the last decisive conflict. DE
BURGH and others
take it of the Jews, who also were designed to be
a kingdom of priests to God on earth. They shall, doubtless, become
priest-kings in the flesh to the nations in the flesh at His coming.
Abraham from the East (if @Isa 41:2,8,9, refers to him, and not
Cyrus) conquering the Chaldean kings is a type of Israel's victorious
restoration to the priest-kingdom. 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-kingdom after Pharaoh's downfall, and at the Lord's descent
at Sinai to establish the theocracy, typifies the restored kingdom of
Israel at the Lord's more glorious descent, when Antichrist shall be
destroyed utterly. Thus, besides the transfigured saints, Israel
secondarily may be meant by "the kings from the East" who shall
accompany the "King of kings" returning "from the way of the East" to
reign over His ancient people. As to the drying up again of the
waters opposing His people's assuming the kingdom, compare
@Isa 10:26 11:11,15 Zec 10:9-11. The name Israel (@Ge 32:28)
implies a prince with God. Compare @Mic 4:8 as to the return of
the kingdom to Jerusalem. DURHAM, several centuries 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 for Israel's restoration. But as Babylon refers to the
apostate Church, not to Mohammedanism, the drying up of the Euphrates
(answering to Cyrus' overthrow of literal Babylon by marching into it
through the dry channel of the Euphrates) must answer to the draining
off 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 Israel's restoration and
conversion. The kings of the earth who are earthly (@Re 16:14),
stand in contrast to the kings from the East who are heavenly.
13. unclean spirits like frogs--the antitype to the plague of frogs
sent on Egypt. The presence of the "unclean spirit" in the land
(Palestine) is foretold, @Zec 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 world
powers of all ages; having rejected Him that came in the Father's name,
they shall worship one that comes in his own, though really the devil's
representative; as frogs croak by night in marshes and quagmires, so
these unclean spirits in the darkness of error teach lies amidst the
mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty, but it is not Gospel
liberty, but license for lust. There being three, as also
seven, 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 (@Re 1:4). Some observe
that three frogs were the original arms of France, a country which
has been the center of infidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. A
and B read, "as it were frogs," instead of "like frogs," which
is not supported by manuscripts. The unclean spirit out of the mouth of
the dragon 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 God. That out of the mouth of the false prophet is
lying spiritualism and religious delusion, which shall take the place of
the harlot when she shall have been destroyed.
the dragon--Satan, who gives his power and throne (@Re 13:2)
to the beast.
false prophet--distinct from the harlot, the apostate Church (of which
Rome is the chief, though not sole, representative), @Re 17:1-3,16;
and identical with the second beast, @Re 13:11-15, as appears by
comparing @Re 19:20 with @Re 13:13; ultimately consigned to the
lake of fire with the first beast; as is also the dragon a little later
(@Re 20:10). The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, "the
mystery of iniquity," form a blasphemous Antitrinity, the counterfeit of
"the mystery of godliness" God manifests in Christ, witnessed to by the
Spirit. The dragon acts the part 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; compare as to the
Father and Son, @Joh 5:23; as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns
crowned with diadems (Greek, @Re 13:1), so Christ has on His
head many diadems. While 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
attested similarly to Christ's divine mission.
14. devils--Greek, "demons."
working miracles--Greek, "signs."
go forth unto--or "for," that is, to tempt them to the battle with
Christ.
the kings of the earth and, &c.--A, B, Syriac, and
ANDREAS omit
"of the earth and," which clause is not in any manuscript. Translate,
"kings of the whole habitable world," who are "of this world," in
contrast to "the kings of (from) the East" (the sun-rising), @Re 16:12,
namely, 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 rod was changed into a serpent, so were
those of the Egyptian magicians. Aaron turned the water into blood; so
did the magicians. Aaron brought up frogs; so did the magicians. With
the frogs their power ceased. So this, or whatever is antitypical to
it, will be the last effort of the dragon, beast, and false prophet.
battle--Greek, "war"; the final conflict for the kingship
of the world described in @Re 19:17-21.
15. The gathering of the world kings with the beast against the Lamb
is the signal for Christ's coming; therefore He here gives the charge to
be watching for His coming and clothed in the garments of justification
and sanctification, so as to be accepted.
thief--(@Mt 24:43 2Pe 3:10).
they--saints and angels.
shame--literally, "unseemliness" (Greek, "aschemosunee"):
Greek, @1Co 13:5: a different word from the Greek in
@Re 3:18 (Greek, "aischunee").
16. he--rather, "they (the three unclean spirits) gathered them
together." If English Version be retained, "He" will refer to
God who gives them over to the delusion of the three unclean
spirits; or else the sixth angel (@Re 16:12).
Armageddon--Hebrew, "Har," a mountain, and "Megiddo" in
Manasseh 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 the mourning for Josiah at
Megiddo. Megiddo comes from a root, gadad, "cut off," and means
slaughter. Compare @Joe 3:2,12,14, where "the valley of
Jehoshaphat" (meaning in Hebrew, "judgment of God") is 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 Syriac omit it.
into--so ANDREAS (Greek, "eis"). But A and B, "upon"
(Greek, "epi").
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 is 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. voice . . . thunders . . . lightnings--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 difference that
they do not merely form the conclusion, but introduce the consequence,
of the last vial, namely, the utter destruction of Babylon and then of
the Antichristian armies.
earthquake--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--Greek, "such."
19. the great city--the capital and seat of the apostate Church,
spiritual Babylon (of which Rome is the representative, if one literal
city be meant). The city in @Re 11:8
(see on Re 11:8), is probably distinct, namely, Jerusalem
under Antichrist (the beast, who is distinct from the harlot or
apostate Church). In @Re 11:13 only a tenth of Jerusalem falls
whereas here the city (Babylon) "became (Greek) into three parts" by
the earthquake.
cities of the nations--other great cities in league with spiritual
Babylon.
great . . . came in remembrance--Greek, "Babylon the great was
remembered" (@Re 18:5). It is now that the last call to escape from
Babylon is given to God's people in her (@Re 18:4).
fierceness--the boiling over outburst of His wrath
(Greek, "thumou orgees"), compare Note,
see on Re 14:10.
20. Plainly parallel to @Re 6:14-17, and by anticipation
descriptive of the last judgment.
the mountains--rather as Greek, "there were found no
mountains."
21. fell--Greek, "descends."
upon men--Greek, "the men."
and men blasphemed God--not those struck who died, but the rest.
Unlike the result in the case of Jerusalem (@Re 11:13), where "the
remnant . . . affrighted . . . gave glory to the God of heaven."
was--Greek, "is."