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John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 16:1-21

The Seven BowlsIn the last chapter there was a pause of suspense, during which the angels of the ’plagues’ were seen coming forth from the Presence of God to pour out His wrath. In this chapter the suspense is ended, and the angels pour out God’s wrath into the earth.1-9. The vision of the ’bowls’ (RV) is parallel with that of the ’trumpets’ (Revelation 8 f.). In each vision there are four preparatory judgments, falling upon the earth, the sea, the rivers and fountains, and the sun. But, in the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 16:8-9

(8, 9) And the fourth . . .—Better, And the fourth (angel) poured out his vial upon the sun; and it was given to it (the “sun,” not the “angel;” the rendering of the English version “unto him is misleading) to scorch men with fire. And men (i.e., those who were worshippers of the wild beast) were scorched . . . and did not repent to give him glory. The sun, the great source of light and warmth, whose beams call forth the flowers of the earth, becomes a power to blast, not to bless. This is... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 16:10

(10) And the fifth . . .—Better, The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne (not “the seat:” see Notes on Revelation 4:10; Revelation 13:2) of the wild beast. The vials of judgment gradually dissolve the integrity and organisation of the kingdom of the wild beast. The result of the principles on which it has been based begin to show themselves: first, moral disease in individuals; then a corrupt tone of national morals spreading into the higher orders of society; then the fierce pride... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 16:10-11

(10, 11) But even the failure of their own light does not work repentance: they gnawed their tongues from their pain. Here is remorse and suffering. They are “unto themselves” (as the Book of Wisdom describes the Egyptians) “more grievous than the darkness” (Wis. 17:21); but there is no softening or humbling of themselves, no turning to God. They still love what God hates, and hate what He loves, for they blasphemed God, &c., and repented not of their works. Such is the wretched state of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 16:12

(12) And the sixth . . .—Better, The sixth (angel) poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates; and its water was dried that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be prepared. The symbolical meaning of the Euphrates has been touched upon before. (See Notes on Revelation 9:14.) In the great age-long struggle between the kingdoms of Christ and the world the Euphrates represents the great separating boundary between the two kingdoms, as the literal Euphrates formed the... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Revelation 16:1-21

Revelation 16:1 In the thirty-seventh chapter of Shirley, Charlotte Bronte applies this passage to Napoleon's final campaign in Russia, in 1812: 'This summer, Bonaparte is in the saddle: he and his host scour Russian deserts.... He marches on old Moscow: under old Moscow's walls, the rude Cossack waits him. Barbarian stoic! he waits without fear of the boundless ruin rolling on. He puts his trust in a Snow-cloud; the Wilderness, the Wind, and the Hail-storm are his refuge; his allies are the... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Revelation 16:1-21

Revelation 16:1-21 CHAPTER XIITHE SEVEN BOWLS.Revelation 15:1-8; Revelation 16:1-21.NOTHING can more clearly prove that the Revelation of St John is not written upon chronological principles than the scenes to which we are introduced in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of the book. We have already been taken to the end. We have seen in chap. 14 the Son of man upon the throne of judgment, the harvest of the righteous, and the vintage of the wicked. Yet we are now met by another series of... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Revelation 16:1-21

CHAPTER 16 Revelation 16:1-2 . The great voice commands the seven angels to go on their way and to empty the bowls upon the earth (Ps. 49:24). And these vials of judgments affect not only the Roman Empire, but the entire world, for the whole world is guilty before God. The first vial poured out produces a grievous sore upon the worshipers of the beast. While it is undoubtedly true that we have symbols also in these vial judgments, it is nevertheless possible that some of these plagues may... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Revelation 16:8

16:8 {7} And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.(7) The story of the fourth angel, who throws the plague on the heavens and on the sun, of which Luke notes the effects in Lu 21:26 . The one peculiar, that it shall scorch men with heat in this verse. The other proceeding accidentally from the former, that their fury shall so much more be enraged against God in Revelation 16:9 , when yet (O wonderful mercy and patience of God)... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Revelation 16:10

16:10 {8} And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,(8) The story of the first angel, who strikes the kingdom of the beast with two plagues abroad the darkness, with biles and distresses most grievous, throughout his whole kingdom that by this he might wound the conscience of the wicked, and punish the perverse obstinacy of the idolaters: of which arose perturbation, and thence a furious... read more

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