Revelation 16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:4

And the third angel poured his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters ,.... Which also is not to be literally understood of a stagnation of them, before the burning of the world; nor of the destruction of Popish fleets and navies, such as the Spanish armada in 1588, and others since; but rather of Popish writings, of the most learned and subtle men among them, who like rivers and fountains, which supply and fill the sea, support and keep up the Romish jurisdiction and hierarchy; and of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:5

And I heard the angel of the waters say ,.... So we read in Jewish writings F20 T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 68. 3. of an angel that was שרא דימא , "the prince of the sea", and of angels that were over the waters, and others over fire F21 Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 58. 4. par. 2. fol. 167. 4. ; though here is designed not one of the מלאכי מים "angels of the water", that presided ove the waters, as another over fire; See Gill on Revelation 14:18 , but the third angel that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:6

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets ,.... Which shows that rivers and fountains cannot be literally understood, but men are designed, wicked and bloody men; and it is notorious to all, how much of the blood of the saints, of the preachers of the Gospel, of the prophets and witnesses, have been shed in Italy, Savoy, and other places near Rome, as well as in Rome itself; see Revelation 17:6 . And thou hast given them blood to drink ; sent the sword among them, making... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:7

And I heard another out of the altar say ,.... That is, another angel that came out of the altar; see Revelation 14:18 and who represents the souls under the altar, whose blood had been shed by the above persons; compare with this Revelation 6:9 though, there, such whose blood had been shed by Rome Pagan are described; the Ethiopic version calls this angel as before, "the angel of the fountains of water"; and the Alexandrian copy, and Syriac and Arabic versions, read, "I heard the altar... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:8

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun ,.... Not literally; and so designs not a violent heat, which shall go before, and be a preparation for the burning of the world; nor any sore famine arising from it, which would be common to all, good and bad; but mystically: some understand this of Christ, the sun of righteousness, not of any wrath that shall be poured forth on him again, being now justified in the Spirit; but either of that clear shining of Christ in the ministry of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:9

And men were scorched with great heat ,.... Burned with rage against the followers of Christ; were filled with envy at the success of his Gospel, and with fury and madness at the ruinous condition of the antichristian state, being deprived of its head, and chief officers: and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues ; plagues or judgments are from God, when and wherever they come; they are sent and inflicted by him, and he can lessen or increase them, continue or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:10

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast ,.... The beast is the same with that in Revelation 13:1 and which again shows that to be one and the same: the seat or throne of the beast is Rome, which, when the empire was Pagan, was the seat of Satan, or the dragon, Revelation 2:13 and when the beast or antichrist was risen, the dragon gave this seat, as well as his authority to him, Revelation 13:2 and is that city which is so often called, in this book, the great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:11

And blasphemed the God of heaven ,.... Who made it, and dwells in it, and from whence wrath is revealed, and comes upon the seat of the beast, upon the kingdom of antichrist, and the subjects of that kingdom; they will curse him who is of right their King, and their God, and look upwards to heaven, where he is, Isaiah 8:21 and this, because of their pains and their sores : see Revelation 16:2 the inward frettings and distresses of their minds, the gallings and gnawings of their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:12

And the sixth angel poured his vial on the great river Euphrates ,.... Which is not to be understood literally of the river Euphrates, which ran through Mesopotamia and Chaldea, and by the walls of Babylon; and of the drying of it up to make way for the Jews in the eastern parts of the world, to pass into their own land, and possess it; when a like miracle will be wrought for them as was when they came out of Egypt, by dividing the Red sea for them; and as when they entered into Canaan's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:13

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs ,.... Rome, the seat of antichrist, being destroyed, and the kingdom of the beast darkened, and brought into great contempt, Mahometanism greatly declining, the Gospel succeeding everywhere, the Jews being converted, and resettled in their own land, the devil bestirs himself more than ordinary; and dispatches his, and the emissaries of antichrist, to the kings of the whole earth, that can any ways be engaged on their side, and against the saints;... read more

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