Revelation 16:19 Komentář

In this chapter we have an account of the pouring forth of these vials that were filled with the wrath of God. They were poured out upon the whole antichristian empire, and on every thing appertaining to it. I. Upon the earth (Rev 16:2). II. Upon the sea (Rev 16:3). III. Upon the rivers and fountains of water (Rev 16:4). Here the heavenly hosts proclaim and applaud the righteousness of the judgments of God. IV. The fourth vial was poured out on the sun (Rev 16:8). V. The fifth on the seat of the beast. VI. The sixth on the river Euphrates. VII. The seventh in the air, upon which the cities of the nations fell, and great Babylon came in remembrance before God.

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 16 This chapter gives an account of the pouring out of the seven vials by the angels; their orders for it are in Rev 16:1. The first angel pours out his vial on the earth, the effect of which is a noisome and grievous sore upon the followers of antichrist, and the worshippers of his image, Rev 16:2. The second pours out his upon the sea; the events of it are, the sea became blood, and every living creature in it died, Rev 16:3. The third pours out his upon the rivers and fountains of water, which thereby became blood; upon which the angel of the waters applauds the justice of God, declaring the righteousness of his judgments, and giving a reason for it; and which is confirmed by another angel from the altar, Rev 16:4. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun, the effects of which are, scorching men with heat, their blasphemy against God, and impenitence, Rev 16:8. The fifth pours out his on the seat of the beast, the consequences of which are darkness in his kingdom, men gnawing their tongues because of their pains, their blasphemy of the name of God because of them, and their impenitence, Rev 16:10. The sixth angel pours out his on the river Euphrates, and what followed upon it are, the drying up of that river to make way for the kings of the east; there unclean spirits are seen, described by their original, coming out of the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet; by their form, like frogs; by their internal nature, spirits of devils; by their works, doing miracles; by the errand they are sent, and go upon, to gather the kings of the earth to the battle of God Almighty, which they succeed in; but before this is done, a declaration is made of the suddenness of Christ's coming, exciting the saints to watchfulness, and to keep their garments, that they might not be naked, and exposed to shame, Rev 16:12 Then the seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, the consequences of which are, a voice from heaven declaring it is done: other voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake; a rupture of the great city into three parts; the fall of other cities; the remembrance of Babylon before God; the flight of every island and mountain, and a great hail storm, which causes men to blaspheme God, Rev 16:17.

And every island fled away,.... This may be understood either of the dissolution of the world, the present heavens and earth, when there will be no more sea, Rev 21:1 and so consequently no islands: and the mountains were not found; for the earth and the heaven will be fled away at the appearance of Christ the Judge, and there will be no place found for them, Rev 20:11 and new heavens, and a new earth, without sea or mountains, will succeed: or rather this may signify the utter extirpation of all the antichristian powers in every shape, whether on islands or on the continent; for this day of the Lord will be upon every high mountain and hill, to bring them low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted, Isa 2:14 and may particularly respect the dissolution of monasteries, and the plundering them of their riches and revenues.

This great city is to be understood as in general every people that is under heaven and that is seen to be in three parts when the church is divided [into three parts]. And so, the Gentiles are considered to be one part, the heretics and false Christians [are] another part, and the catholic church [is] the third part.

And he says the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Concerning Jerusalem he says the great city, and it is clear from what he contrasts with it the cities of the nations; for in the divine Scripture, it is customary to call Israel, apart from the other peoples, a nation. And he calls it great, as infamous. And all the cities fell; for when the land was being transformed and made new, how could the cities standing in it remain untouched, defiled by the dwelling of sinners? And Babylon, he says, the Great, was remembered before God to be given the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. In what it said previously, And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon the great has fallen;" (Rev. 14:8) but in the present passage he wants us to understand that he does not mean that Babylon, but signifies another. And I think he means Rome and those who will then occupy it, as the discourse to follow will teach. Therefore he says that great Babylon was remembered before God. That is, the memory of her former sins, when they persecuted and killed the saints, came before God; and the cup of the wine of the wrath of God is already interpreted; therefore there is no need to speak at length.

The city that was great because of the size of its population and that was haughty and arrogant because of its immodest enterprises shall fall into three parts. One part will be of the Gentiles, another of the heretics and the Jews, and the third part which is of the false brothers is rejected, for they “confess to know God, but they deny him by their deeds; they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good deed.” The passage continues, “The cities of the nations fell,” that is, all the strength and confidence of the nations fell. “And that great Babylon was remembered and came under the sight of God.” This indicates that the multitude of all of the damned were confused. “And he gave to her from the wine of the fury of his wrath.” It describes the wicked receiving the retribution of that revenge that they merited.

We understand Jerusalem to be a “great city” not because of the number and size of its buildings but as that which is the most ancient and greatest in regard to godliness, in as much as it was made great by the sufferings of Christ and is to be distinguished from the cities of the nations. We think that the division of this city into three parts suggests the division between the Christians and the Jews and the Samaritans who live in it. Or the division is of those who are steadfast in faith and those who have defiled their baptism with filthy works and the Jews who have in no way received the proclamation.… For at the present time the Jews and Samaritans hide their real intentions out of fear of our pious rulers, and they seem to be associated with us, not daring to separate themselves with their own people. It is similar to the fact that those who are truly Christians are intermingled with those who possess the name [of Christian] alone. But when the cleansing fire of temptations will unmask them, then there will occur the division of these people into the three groups of the impious, the pious and the sinners, and these will gather together with those of like habits and be associated with their own kind. The falling of the cities of the nations indicates either their destruction or the cessation of the pagan manner of life at the coming of the kingdom of God, which, according to Daniel, the saints will possess. “And God remembered great Babylon, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.” The thronging multitude, confounded by the meaningless distractions of life and made great by the wealth of their injustices, will drink the cup of the wrath of God. It is as though they went from a merciful forgetfulness [of God] to a remembrance and now faced the retribution for their trampling of the righteous One and for the impiety of their words and deeds.

And the great city was divided into three parts. The impious city inflicts a threefold war upon the Church of Christ. Which the Gentiles and Jews openly with combat, heretics with deceitful defection, false brethren with corrupt examples assail. Which was also figured above in the three bad horses, the red, black, and pale.

And the cities of the nations fell. That is, all the strength and confidence of the nations. For the joy of the wicked is a great ruin, and the joy of the unrighteous is destruction.

And great Babylon came into remembrance before God, etc. Then Babylon falls, or drinks the wrath of God, when it receives power against Jerusalem, especially in the final days. Therefore he said that it fell by the earthquake that affects the Church. But if you refer this to the day of judgment, then the impious will come into remembrance before God, who now says in his heart: God has forgotten.

The angels are commanded to pour out their vials upon the earth, Rev 16:1. The first pours out his vial on the earth, by which a grievous sore is produced, Rev 16:2. The second angel pours out his trial on the sea, and it is turned into blood, Rev 16:3. The third angel pours out his vial on the rivers and fountains, and they are turned also into blood, Rev 16:4-7. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun, and men are scorched with fire, Rev 16:8, Rev 16:9. The fifth angel pours out his vial on the throne of the beast, Rev 16:10, Rev 16:11. The sixth angel pours out his vial on the river Euphrates, Rev 16:12. Three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the beast, dragon and false prophet: and go forth to gather all the kings of the world to battle, in the place called Armageddon, Rev 16:13-16. The seventh angel pours out his vial on the air, on which followed thunders, lightnings, earth-quakes, and extraordinary hail, Rev 16:17-21.

The great city - Some say Jerusalem, others Rome pagan, others Rome papal. The cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath - Alluding to the mode of putting certain criminals to death, by making them drink a cup of poison. See on Heb 2:9 (note).

THE SEVEN VIALS AND THE CONSEQUENT PLAGUES. (Rev. 16:1-21) a great voice--namely, God's. These seven vials (the detailed expansion of the vintage, Rev 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."

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 Rev 11:8 (see on Rev 11:8), is probably distinct, namely, Jerusalem under Antichrist (the beast, who is distinct from the harlot or apostate Church). In Rev 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" (Rev 18:5). It is now that the last call to escape from Babylon is given to God's people in her (Rev 18:4). fierceness--the boiling over outburst of His wrath (Greek, "thumou orgees"), compare Note, see on Rev 14:10.