_And I heard a great voice out of the temple_ All things being prepared, the angels having received their instructions from the oracle, and the vials being filled with the wrath of God, by one of the four living creatures, (see on Revelation 15:7,) I heard the word of command given to the seven ange... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the first poured out his vial upon the earth_ This, according to Mr. Fleming, denotes God's judgments upon the foundation of the Papal kingdom; _the earth_ being that on which we walk, and by the fruits of which we are supported. By this, therefore, he understands the Popish clergy, and the Pap... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea_, &c. This, says the same pious author, must begin where the other ended, as to the period of time. Now I find that in the year 1566 the wars between the king of Spain and the states of the Netherlands began. The Spaniards, indeed, were often vi... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers a fountains of waters_, &c. Or those territories of the Papacy which were as necessary to it as rivers and fountains are to a country: the kind of plague under this vial being the same as that of the former. For, as the former destroyed the li... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun_ Namely, of the Papal kingdom; _and power was given unto him_ Unto the angel; _to scorch men with fire_ Alluding to the heat of the sun, namely, the men who had the mark of the beast. _And_ they _were scorched with great heat;_ nevertheless, _th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the fifth angel poured out his vial on the seat_, or throne, _of the beast_ The reader will recollect that mention has been made of two beasts, (see Revelation 13:1; Revelation 13:11,) the _secular_ and the _ecclesiastical;_ and, as Mr. Faber observes, “it might be doubted which of the two was... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates_ Affected also by the sixth trumpet; _and the water thereof was dried up_ And of all the rivers that flowed into it. The Turkish empire seems to be here intended, lying chiefly on this side the Euphrates. The Romish and Mohammed... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, I come as a thief_ Suddenly and unexpectedly. Observe the beautiful abruptness; _I_, Jesus Christ. Hear him! Thus, when it is foretold that these evil agents will use great art and address in support of their bad cause, the Spirit of wisdom adds a useful caution, warning the faithful servan... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air_ The seat of Satan's residence, who is emphatically styled, (Ephesians 2:2,) _the prince of the power of the air_, and is represented (Revelation 16:13,) as a principal actor in these latter scenes; so that this last period will not only comple... [ Continue Reading ]