Analysis Of The Chapter The three remaining trumpets Rev. 9–11 are usually called the woe-trumpets, in reference to the proclamation of woes, Revelation 8:13 (Prof. Stuart). The three extend, as I suppose, to the end of time, or, as it is supposed by the writer himself Revelation 11:15, to the perio... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIFTH ANGEL SOUNDED - See the notes on Revelation 8:6. AND I SAW A STAR FALL FROM HEAVEN UNTO THE EARTH - This denotes, as was shown in the notes on Revelation 8:10, a leader, a military chieftain, a warrior. In the fulfillment of this, as in the former case, we look for the appearance of so... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE OPENED THE BOTTOMLESS PIT - It is represented before as wholly confined, so that not even the smoke or vapor could escape. AND THERE AROSE A SMOKE OUT OF THE PIT - Compare Revelation 14:11. The meaning here is that the pit, as a place of punishment, or as the abode of the wicked, was filled w... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE CAME OUT OF THE SMOKE LOCUSTS UPON THE EARTH - That is, they escaped from the pit with the smoke. At first they were mingled with the smoke, so that they were not distinctly seen, but when the smoke cleared away they appeared in great numbers. The idea seems to be, that the bottomless pit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS COMMANDED THEM - The writer does not say by whom this command was given, but it is clearly by someone who had the direction of them. As they were evoked from the “bottomless pit” by one who had the key to that dark abode, and as they are represented in Revelation 9:11 as under the command... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO THEM IT WAS GIVEN - There is here the same indefiniteness as in the former verse, the impersonal verb being here also used. The writer does not say by whom this power was given, whether by God, or by the leader of the host. It may be admitted, however, that the most natural interpretation is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN THOSE DAYS SHALL MEN SEEK DEATH ... - See the notes on Revelation 9:5. It is very easy to conceive of such a state of things as is here described, and, indeed, this has not been very uncommon in the world. It is a state where the distress is so great that people would consider death a relief,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SHAPES OF THE LOCUSTS WERE LIKE UNTO HORSES PREPARED FOR BATTLE - The resemblance between the locust and the horse, dissimilar as they are in most respects, has been often remarked. Dr. Robinson (Bib. Research. i. 59) says: “We found today upon the shrubs an insect, either a species of black... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAD HAIR AS THE HAIR OF WOMEN - Long hair; not such as men commonly wear, but such as women wear. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 11:14. This struck John as a peculiarity, that, though warriors, they should have the appearance of effeminacy indicated by allowing their hair to grow long. It i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAD BREASTPLATES, AS IT WERE BREASTPLATES OF IRON - Hard, horny, impenetrable, as if they were made of iron. The locust has a firm and hard cuticle on the forepart of the breast, which serves for a shield or defense while it moves in the thorny and furzy vegetation. On those which John saw... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAD TAILS LIKE UNTO SCORPIONS - The fancy of an Arab now often discerns a resemblance between the tail of the locust and the scorpion. See the remark of Niebuhr, quoted in the notes on Revelation 9:7. AND THERE WERE STINGS IN THEIR TAILS - Like the stings of scorpions. See the notes on Reve... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAD A KING OVER THEM - A ruler who marshalled their hosts. Locusts often, and indeed generally, move in bands, though they do not appear to be under the direction of anyone as a particular ruler or guide. In this case it struck John as a remarkable peculiarity that they had a king - a king... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE WOE IS PAST - The woe referred to in Revelation 9:1. In Revelation 8:13 three woes are mentioned which were to occur successively, and which were to embrace the whole of the period comprised in the seven seals and the seven trumpets. Under the last of the seals we have considered four successive... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SIXTH ANGEL SOUNDED - See the notes on Revelation 8:2, Revelation 8:7. AND I HEARD A VOICE FROM THE FOUR HORNS OF THE GOLDEN ALTAR WHICH IS BEFORE GOD - In the language used here there is an allusion to the temple, but the scene is evidently laid in heaven. The temple in its arrangements was... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING TO THE SIXTH ANGEL, WHICH HAD THE TRUMPET - See the notes at Revelation 8:2. LOOSE, ... - This power, it would seem, was given to the sixth angel in addition to his office of blowing the trumpet. All this, of course, was in vision, and cannot be literally interpreted. The meaning is, that th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FOUR ANGELS WERE LOOSED - Who had this mighty host under restraint. The loosening of the angels was, in fact, also a letting loose of all these hosts, that they might accomplish the work which they were commissioned to do. WHICH WERE PREPARED - See Revelation 9:7. The word used here properly... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NUMBER OF THE ARMY OF THE HORSEMEN - It is to be observed here that the strength of the army seemed to be cavalry. In the former plagues there is no distinct mention of horsemen; but here what struck the beholder was the immense and unparalleled number of horsemen. WERE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THUS I SAW THE HORSES IN THE VISION - That is, he saw them as he proceeds to describe them, for the word “thus” - οὕτως houtōs - refers to what follows. Compare Robinson’s Lexicon on the word (b), and see Matthew 1:18; Matthew 2:5; John 21:1; Hebrews 4:4. Prof. Stuart, however, refers to what... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THESE THREE - Three things - explained immediately as referring to the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone. WAS THE THIRD PART OF MEN KILLED - See the notes on Revelation 8:7, on each of which verses we have notices of calamities that came upon the third part of the race, of the sea, of rivers, e... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEIR POWER IS IN THEIR MOUTH - That is, as described in the fire, smoke, and brimstone that proceeded out of their mouths. What struck the seer as remarkable on looking on the symbol was, that this immense destruction seemed to proceed out of their mouths. It was not that they trampled down the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE REST OF THE MEN WHICH WERE NOT KILLED BY THESE PLAGUES ... - One third part is represented as swept off, and it might have been expected that a salutary effect would have been produced on the remainder, in reforming them, and restraining them from error and sin. The writer proceeds to state,... [ Continue Reading ]