John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 6:15
And the king's of the earth, and the great men ,.... The Roman emperors, and other principal magistrates, governors of provinces and cities: and the rich men ; among the commonalty; these three may design perhaps more particularly the emperors, nobles, and senate of Rome: and the chief captains ; or captains of thousands, that had the command of the Roman legions and the mighty men ; the soldiers that were under them, men of strength, courage, and valour; and every bondman,... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 6:14
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together ,.... The manner of writing formerly was on rolls of parchment; hence the word volume is used for a book, which, when rolled up, the writing within could not be seen, not a syllable nor letter of it. In like manner the Roman empire, as Pagan, which was like a large sheet, or rather like the expanse or firmament of the heaven, stretched out over all the earth, was now, as to the Paganism of it, rolled up together, so that there... read more