Revelation 16:12

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. ANGEL. So Coptic, Andreas; but 'Aleph (') A B C, Vulgate, Syriac, omit. KINGS OF THE EAST - `the kings who are from the rising of the sun.' So the Euphrates is referred to in the sixth trumpet. The drying up of the Euphrates is figurative, as Babylon itself, situated on it, is undoubtedly so, . The waters of the Euphrates (cf. Isaiah 8:7) are spiritual Babylon's, the apostate church's spiritual and temporal powers. The drying up of Babylon's waters answers to the ten kings' stripping, eating, and burning the whore. The phra...

12-16 This probably shows the destruction of the Turkish power, and of idolatry, and that a way will be made for the return of the Jews. Or, take it for Rome, as mystical Babylon, the name of Babylon being put for Rome, which was meant, but was not then to be directly named. When Rome is destroyed, her river and merchandise must suffer with her. And perhaps a way will be opened for the eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. The great dragon will collect all his forces, to make one desperate struggle before all be lost. God warns of this great trial, to engage his people to prepare for it. These will be times of great temptation; therefore Christ, by his apostle, calls on his professed servants to expect his sudden coming, and to watch that they might not be put to shame, as apostates or hypocrites. However Christians differ, as to their views of the times and seasons of even...

Verse Revelation 16:12. _UPON THE GREAT RIVER EUPHRATES_] Probably meaning the people in the vicinity of this river; though some think that the _Tiber_ is intended. _THE WATER THEREOF WAS DRIED UP_] The _people_ discomfited, and all impediments removed. _THE KINGS OF THE EAST_] There seems to be an allusion here to the ruin of Babylon by Cyrus, predicted by the Prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 50:1. But what city or people is pointed out by this Babylon it is in vain to conjecture....

AND THE SIXTH ANGEL POURED OUT HIS VIAL UPON THE GREAT RIVER EUPHRATES - On the situation of that river, and the symbolical meaning of this language, see the notes on Revelation 9:14. The reference there was supposed to be to the Turkish power, and the analogy of interpretation would seem to require that it should be so understood here. There is every reason, therefore, to suppose that this passage has reference to something in the future history of the Turkish dominions, and to some bearing of the events which are to occur in that history on the ultimate downfall of the anti-Christian power referred to by the “beast.” AND THE WATER THEREOF WAS DRIED UP, THAT THE WAY OF THE KINGS OF THE EAST MIGHT BE PREPARED - That is, as the effect of pouring out the vial. There is an allusion here, undoubtedly, to the dividi

EXPOSITION In the judgments of the _vials, _or _bowls, _we have undoubtedly a recapitulation of what has been already foretold in the trumpet and seal visions. This recapitulation is not a mere repetition; but the idea contained in the first visions is strengthened and set forth more forcibly, in conformity with Revelation 15:1, where we are told the wrath of God is finished in these plagues of the vials. The following comparison will illustrate the points of resemblance and contrast between the visions of the trumpets and of the vials. _Trumpets._ 1. Hail, fire, and blood cast upon THE EARTH; _one third _trees, etc., burnt. 2._ One third _of SEA made blood; one third of creatures therein and of ships destroyed. 3.

AND THE SIXTH ANGEL POURED HIS VIAL ON THE GREAT RIVER EUPHRATES,.... Which is not to be understood literally of the river Euphrates, which ran through Mesopotamia and Chaldea, and by the walls of Babylon; and of the drying of it up to make way for the Jews in the eastern parts of the world, to pass into their own land, and possess it; when a like miracle will be wrought for them as was when they came out of Egypt, by dividing the Red sea for them; and as when they entered into Canaan's land, by laying the waters of Jordan on heaps, so that they passed over as on dry land; in favour of which sense the passage in Isaiah 11:15 is thought to be, which the Targum interprets of God's smiting the river Euphrates; though the river Nile in Egypt seems rather to be meant: but it does not appear that there is any number of Jews beyond the river Euphrates; the far greater number of them is in the w...

ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

CHAPTER 16 Revelation 16:1 . 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 have, besides the symbolical, also a literal meaning. The sixth plague which came upon Egypt, the first judgment upon the persons of the Egyptians, was also a sore (Exodus 9:10). The worshipers of the beast and of the image will be dreadfully afflicted....

REVELATION 16:12. The sixth bowl lets loose forces in the Far East, at or near the river Euphrates (Revelation 9:14 *), to attack and destroy the Roman Empire. EUPHRATES. DRIED UP: the object of this is to make it easy for the nations of the Far East to swoop down on the Roman Empire. Revelation 16:13. dragon. beast. prophet: Revelation 12:3 *, Revelation 13:1; Revelation 13:11 *; the prophet here is the beast t

THE SIXTH VIAL. "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared."-16:12. The sixth vial is poured out upon the river Euphrates, and its waters were dried up that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. If the reader will turn back to chapter vii. he will find that the sixth angel there is also connected with the river Euphrates. When his trumpet is blown the command is given to loose the four angels that are bound by the river Euphrates. We have found that these angels and the accompanying symbolism evidently describe the Turkish invasion of the eastern Roman empire. As there were four angels, so there were four Turkish kingdoms. They were restrained (or bound) by the Euphrates, and prevented from crossing it for generations. They were an army of horsemen. Th...