Chapter 16:
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| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
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| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Revelation 16
Verse 1. Pour out the seven phials - The epistles to the seven churches
are divided into three and four: the seven seals, and so the
trumpets and phials, into four and three. The trumpets gradually,
and in a long tract of time, overthrow the kingdom of the world:
the phials destroy chiefly the beast and his followers, with a swift
and impetuous force. The four first affect the earth, the sea, the
rivers, the sun; the rest fall elsewhere, and are much more terrible.
Verse
2. And the first went - So the second, third, &c., without adding
angel, to denote the utmost swiftness; of which this also is a
token, that there is no period of time mentioned in the pouring out
of each phial. They have a great resemblance to the plagues of
Egypt, which the Hebrews generally suppose to have been a
month distant from each other. Perhaps so may the phials; but
they are all yet to come. And poured out his phial upon the earth -
Literally taken. And there came a grievous ulcer - As in Egypt,
Exod. ix, 10, 11. On the men who had the mark of the wild beast -
All of them, and them only. All those plagues seem to be
described in proper, not figurative, words.
Verse
3. The second poured out his phial upon the sea - As opposed to
the dry land. And it become blood, as of a dead man - Thick,
congealed, and putrid. And every living soul - Men, beasts, and
fishes, whether on or in the sea, died.
Verse
4. The third poured out his phial on the rivers and fountains of
water - Which were over all the earth. And they became blood -
So that none could drink thereof.
Verse
5. The Gracious one - So he is styled when his judgments are
abroad, and that with a peculiar propriety. In the beginning of the
book he is termed "The Almighty." In the time of his patience, he
is praised for his power, which otherwise might then be less
regarded. In the time of his taking vengeance, for his mercy. Of
his power there could then be no doubt.
Verse
6. Thou hast given then, blood to drink - Men do not drink out of
the sea, but out of fountains and rivers. Therefore this is fitly
added here. They are worthy - Is subjoined with a beautiful
abruptness.
Verse
7. Yea - Answering the angel of the waters, and affirming of
God's judgments in general, what he had said of one particular
judgment.
Verse
8. The fourth poured out his phial upon the sun - Which was
likewise affected by the fourth trumpet. There is also a plain
resemblance between the first, second, and third phials, and the
first, second, and third trumpet. And it was given him - The angel.
To scorch the men - Who had the mark of the beast. With fire - As
well as with the beams of the sun. So these four phials affected
earth, water, fire, and air.
Verse
9. And the men blasphemed God, who had power over these
plagues - They could not but acknowledge the hand of God, yet
did they harden themselves against him.
Verse
10. The four first phials are closely connected together; the fifth
concerns the throne of the beast, the sixth the Mahometans, the
seventh chiefly the heathens. The four first phials and the four
first trumpets go round the whole earth; the three last phials and
the three last trumpets go lengthways over the earth in a straight
line. The fifth poured out his phial upon the throne of the wild
beast - It is not said, "on the beast and his throne." Perhaps the sea
will then be vacant. And his kingdom was darkened - With a
lasting, not a transient, darkness. However the beast as yet has his
kingdom. Afterward the woman sits upon the beast. and then it is
said, "The wild beast is not," chap. xvii, 3, 7, 8.
Verse
11. And they - His followers. Gnawed their tongues - Out of
furious impatience. Because of their pains and because of their
ulcers - Now mentioned together, and in the plural number, to
signify that they were greatly heightened and multiplied.
Verse
12. And the sixth poured out his phial upon the great river
Euphrates - Affected also by the sixth trumpet. And the water of it
- And of all the rivers that flow into it. Was dried up - The far
greater part of the Turkish empire lies on this side the Euphrates.
The Romish and Mahometan affairs ran nearly parallel to each
other for several ages. In the seventh century was Mahomet
himself; and, a little before him, Boniface III., with his universal
bishopric. In the eleventh, both the Turks and Gregory VII.
carried all before them. In the year 1300, Boniface appeared with
his two swords at the newly-erected jubilee. In the self-same year
arose the Ottoman Porte; yea, and on the same day. And here the
phial, poured out on the throne of the beast, is immediately
followed by that poured out on the Euphrates; that the way of the
kings from the east might be prepared - Those who lie east from
the Euphrates, in Persia, India, &c., who will rush blindfold upon
the plagues which are ready for them, toward the Holy Land,
which lies west of the Euphrates.
Verse
13. Out of the mouth of the dragon, the wild beast, and the false
prophet - It seems, the dragon fights chiefly against God; the
beast, against Christ; the false prophet, against the Spirit of truth;
and that the three unclean spirits which come from them, and
exactly resemble them, endeavour to blacken the works of
creation, of redemption, and of sanctification. The false prophet -
So is the second beast frequently named, after the kingdom of the
first is darkened; for he can then no longer prevail by main
strength, and so works by lies and deceit. Mahomet was first a
false prophet, and afterwards a powerful prince: but this beast was
first powerful as a prince; afterwards a false prophet, a teacher of
lies. Like frogs - Whose abode is in fens, marshes, and other
unclean places. To the kings of the whole world - Both
Mahometan and pagan. To gather them - To the assistance of their
three principals.
Verse
15. Behold, I come as a thief - Suddenly, unexpectedly. Observe
the beautiful abruptness. I - Jesus Christ. Hear him. Happy is he
that watcheth. - Looking continually for him that "cometh
quickly." And keepeth on his garments - Which men use to put off
when they sleep. Lest he walk naked, and they see his shame -
Lest he lose the graces which he takes no care to keep, and others
see his sin and punishment.
Verse
16. And they gathered them together to Armageddon - Mageddon,
or Megiddo, is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament.
Armageddon signifies the city or the mountain of Megiddo; to
which the valley of Megiddo adjoined. This was a place well
known in ancient times for many memorable occurrences; in
particular, the slaughter of the kings of Canaan, related, Judg. v,
19. Here the narrative breaks off. It is resumed, chap. xix, 19.
Verse
17. And the seventh poured out his phial upon the air - Which
encompasses the whole earth. This is the most weighty phial of
all, and seems to take up more time than any of the preceding. It is
done - What was commanded, verse 1. chap. xvi, 1 The phials are poured out.
Verse
18. A great earthquake, such as had not been since men were upon
the earth - It was therefore a literal, not figurative, earthquake.
Verse
19. And the great city - Namely, Jerusalem, here opposed to the
heathen cities in general, and in particular to Rome. And the cities
of the nations fell - Were utterly overthrown. And Babylon was
remembered before God - He did not forget the vengeance which
was due to her, though the execution of it was delayed.
Verse
20. Every island and mountain was "moved out of its place,"
chap. vi, 14; but here they all flee away. What a change must this
make in the face of the terraqueous globe! And yet the end of the
world is not come.
Verse
21. And a great hail falleth out of heaven - From which there was
no defense. From the earthquake men would fly into the fields;
but here also they are met by the hail: nor were they secure if they
returned into the houses, when each hail-stone weighed sixty
pounds.
Chapter 16:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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