Revelation 16

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."