The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 355

the idea is, no doubt, to E>Xpl'E'SS the etel'lllll or oonl'80, it is undel'!tood. 'For the fll'l!t nature of God. The same expre88ion OOOlUB time we have ,.,,, "upon," instead of e;s, in eh. :n. 8 (Revised Version) in almost "into" (see on ver, 2). Another p,,rt of exactly parallel connection; so also in eh. xi. creation is visited, thus completing the 17, 18. T~ had judge,J thu reft>xs to the visitation of the fourfold division of the judgrnent of the third vial, possibly to all universe-the earth, the sea, the rivers, the the first three. Note the marginal reading heav111111-W! .foretold in eh, xiv. 7. And of the Revised Version (supported by Alford), power was given unto him to aeorch men which dilconnecta this Val'81! frum t-he suc- with fire. '' And it was given to it" is more ceeding one. · probable than " to him ; " the angels do not Ver. 6.-l'or they have shed the blood of direcUy punish, but indirectly by pouring Hints and prophets, and thou hast given out the vials. This form of words expressee them blood to drink; for they are worthy, the permissory nature of the evil which is This supplies the key to the interpretation wrought; notiling can be done but by tl1e of the previous visions. The ungodly have will of God (cf. eh. xiii. 5, 7, 14). shed the bloo,l of saints, therefore God Bengel, Hengstenberg, and others con• deals out death to them. This is the mean- sider that the permission to 11COrch men ing signified by the "blood" of the previous is given to the angel Tha men (with the v - (of. the doom of Babylon, described article); perhaps referring to those men- in eh. xvii., espeoi&lly ver. 6.; and eh. xv:iii. tioned in ver. 2. who had the mark of the 6, 24. Of. the words, "they are worthy," beast, and those who worshipped his image, 'With oh. iii. 4). It is correct to consider that and who are the object of all the viRl• this prophecy received its first fulfilment in plagues. Though differing in form from the violent deaths of so many of those who tl1e fourth trumpet, where the sun waa were the earliest Christian perseout.ors. On darkened, yet the judgment is similar, this subject see La.otautiu.s, • De MUJ"te though here of a more intense nature. In Persecutorum.' both caaes. those objects which are given to Ver. 7.-And I heard another out of the men for their good are converted into insmi- alt&: say, Omil "another out of." The ments of punishment We may. perhaps, altar: is connected (1) with the martyred see here an allusion to the heat of men'• aaiuts (-eh. vi. 9, 10; viii. 8); (2) with the passions and vices, by which. physically 1111 judgments that fall on the earth in ven- well as morally they are destroyed; and geance for the blood of the saints (eh. viii whic-h are .also an emblem of the pa.ins of 5 ; ix. 18; xiv. 18); hence the appropriate- hell as pictured in Luke xvi. It has been ness of this voice from the altar, which noticed !IS a coincidence that the objects of acquiesces in the judgmenta inflicted. The creation which are the subjects of the ja~~- altar is here personified, and speaks con- ments of the fourth trumpet and fourth vial, curring in the justice of those judgments were created on the fourth day. rent on account of the saints who are repre- Ver. 9.-And men were aeorehed with ented by it. Some writers, however, under- great heat, and blasphemed the Name of stand "the angel of the altar;• which is 6od. The 111en (see on ver. 8). (On llie similar to the reading of the Authorized meaning of the first clause, see on ver. 8.) V ersiou. Even so, Lord God Almighty, true This is the first mention in the vials of men and righteous are thy judgmenta; Yea. 0 blaspheming. As with Pharaoh and the Loril (J-Od, the Almighty (Revised Version). Egyptians, the judgmenta of God, instead Reaffirming what has been declared by the of awakening them to repentance, only serve angel of the waters (ver. 5), and expreSBing to harden their hearts. This again occurs concurrence therein. (On.•• true•• (.t\7181val), under the fifth and seventh vie.ls. So alao ~ on eh. iii 17,) Compare the expression in the sixth trumpet, we are told, men . - in ver. 5. There God is declared right«Jua pented not-a statement also made in the because he has thus judged; here the judg- subsequent part of this vene. As before menta are righteoua because they are his. pointed out (oh. ~ii 1), the two things am Both phraees are equally trae, ~ring ihe identical; non-repentance, oontinuanoe in amairuih fromdi:fferentatandpomta. The the service of the dragon. is bl11Sphemy 11Brne verdict is endorsed by the heavenly l!,gainst God; though we generally reserve multitude in oh, xix. 2, when they celebrate the name" blasphemy" for the open avowal ot the downfall of Babylon ; another proof of inftdelity to God. Which bath power over the identity of the world which is here the these plagues. This is what is implied in object of the vial-judgments and the Baby- the words of VEIJ' 8, "it W811 given to it.• .Jon, which is afterwards described, and In this visitation men distinctly recognize whose doom is pronounced. the hand of God. And they repented not Ver. 8.-And the fourth angel poured out to give him. glory. Vi,Je au_p,-a, on llie his vial upon the sun. •Arrl>,os, "angel," "blasphemy; " and contrast whh eh. xi. IS 'la 01nitted in nearly all manuscripts, though, -another example of the selllle iI1 which m. x"t1. 1-21.J TllE RE\'ELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. ll98 • theee dalt are the "lruit plagues" ( eh. enemies. And the water thereof was dried xv. 1). up, that the way of the kings of the east; Ver. 10.-And the fifth angel poured out might be prepared. The Revised Venion 1dl '9ial upon the HBt o1 the beast, Omit gives the 11enae more pl&inly, That the way .. angel" u before (see on ver. 8). TM migkt b6 made ready /or the king• tha.t [ooa,] t1mnM of tha lwut. That throne which had /rum tM nmri,ing. The meaning :iB tha$ been given to him by the dragon (oh, xiii. 2). a barrier that wards off hostile hoeta ill and which here typifies the centre and source removed. The" kings of the east" represent ofhis power. While this throne uiay aptly God's judgments; those who are laid open refer to the Roman empire in St. John's to attaok are the adherents of the beast. time, its position varies at different times; The imagery may be derived: (1) From the wherever the world-power is worshipped, fact (as explained in oh. ix. 14, which see) there the belll!t has his throne. And hie that the enemies of the Jews generally came Jdngdom wu full of darkne11; 1001 darkemd. from beyond the Euphrates. This aooounu Another allusion to the plagues of Egypt. for the employment of this figure in eh, ix., The darkness ill a type of the apiritual and may reasonably be considered to oontain darkneu which prevails among the subject& the same allusion hel'0. In this caae the of the beast, and which fuey themselves minor detail.a do not agree : the idea is frequently realize in the course of their merely to convey the central fact of an career. The fear of the future sometimes advance of enemies. (2) From the historical arouses their misgivings, and then there .is fa.et of the taking of Babylon by Cyrus, by 110 light or hope in their hearts. And they mea.ns of a diversion of the watere of the gnawed their tongues fer pain. The pain Euphraiel!-a circumstance referred to in arising from the darknees of their minds; Jer. li. 81, 82, eto. : Isa. xiii.; xliv. 17, 28. the misgivings as to'theirfuture (1'ide aupm); In this case the details are more in accord• or perhaps also on account of their suifer- anoo with the general symbolism of the ings under the former plagues, to which Apocalypse. Babylon would signify the thia iB an addition. kingdom of the beast (a.a in ver. 19). The Ver. 11.-And blasphemed the God of kings of the east would still represent God'e heaven beoa11Be of their pains and their sorea. judgments, whichnowaill'ail the kingdom of The expreesion, "God of heaven," .seems to Se.tan. Satan attempts to meet this llllillluli by enhance the exaltation of God, and to place the three spirits, which gather kings from in more terrible contraat the sin of those the whole world (ver. H) to battle against who ventured to blaspheme One BO high, so the Almighty. The "kings of the east" far above them. Thill title ill only mentioned are certainly the forces ranged on the aide here and in eh. xi. 13, where, however, some of God. Many writers see an allusion to repented. (On the word "blaspheme," aee Christ and the .saints. The sun is a frequent on ver, 9.) In spite, therefore, of their plagues, figure of Christ in Scripture (cf. Mal. iv, 4; and perhaps as a .consequence of their spiri- Zech. iii. 8 and vi. 12., LXX.: Luke i 78 ; tual darkness, they still own the suprema.cy also eh. vii 2 ;, xii. 1; xxii. 16). "The of the beast and deny God ; just as Pharaoh kings of the east" may thus be identified hardened his heart. Compare th~ previoua with the armies of oh. xix. ll-16. verses for an account of their pain, and thew Ver. 18.-And I saw ; introduces a. new 80n8/ the allusion to which shows plainly phase of the vision (see on eh. il', 1). The ihat these plague■ are not necessarily con- mention of the punishment of the ungodly 1106Uti'8 iu time. And repented not of their by thi, kings of the east causea the seer to deeds (see on ffr. B). look forward to the conflict, the end of Ver, 12.-hd the11bt'1uagel poured out whioh is deacribed in eh. .xix. 19-21. He hi.I vial upon the great riftr l'/ap)ll"llt& therefore now digres.ses somewhat, in order Omit" angel" (see on previous verses). (Ori. to daoribe the means by which the dragon the /lupkrata, see on eh. ix. 14.) This river endeavOUIII to lllW8I; the hosts of the world also figures in the sixth txnmpet-vision, and on hill side. 'l'llne--i.aepirialike.frop. po8861808 the samesignificatiouin both places. These tkrH ,piriu repreB8D1' the intlu..,. If; is the natural direction from .which of the dragon, the first beast and the second enemies arise; and it derives this significa- beast, which we have 1nterpreted as the tion from the fact that the. enemies of thil devil, the love of the world and worldly Jews often came from that direction. The power, and self-deceit; in other words, the next aentenoe leaves no douM that this ia devil, the world, the flesh. Theee intluenoes the .meaning, and aupports the view taken are apirHually unclean, and suggest the of eh. ix. 14. It lil to be noticed that, though loathsome Egyptian plague of the /"°f/8; the viBl ill poured out upon the Euphrates, that is to aay, their likeness to frogs comnsta ii ia not with the purpose of intlioting in their eommon quality of uncleanne-. injury on the river, but upon the men who Perhaps also there is a reference to their are thua la.id open to the attacb of their devilish origin, in which they resembled U. 898 TIIE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVIN:E. [c:a. xvi. 1-2L