Revelation 16:18

And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. VOICES, AND THUNDERS, AND LIGHTNINGS. A has the order, 'lightning ... voices ... thunders.' The same close as that of the seven seals and seven thunders; with the difference, that they do not merely form the conclusion, but introduce the consequence, of the last vial-namely, the destruction of Babylon, then of the anti-Christian armies. EARTHQUAKE - often preceded by a lurid air, such as would result from the vial poured upon it. MEN WERE. So 'Aleph (') B, Vulgate, Syriac, Andreas; but A, Coptic, read, 'a man was.' SO MIGHTY - `such.'...

17-21 The seventh and last angel poured forth his vial, and the downfal of Babylon was finished. The church triumphant in heaven saw it and rejoiced; the church in conflict on earth saw it and became triumphant. God remembered the great and wicked city; though for some time he seemed to have forgotten her idolatry and cruelty. All that was most secure was carried away by the ruin. Men blasphemed: the greatest judgments that can befal men, will not bring to repentance without the grace of God. To be hardened against God, by his righteous judgments, is a certain token of sure and utter destruction....

Verse Revelation 16:18. _A GREAT EARTHQUAKE_] Most terrible commotions, both civil and religious. Or a convulsion, shaking, or revolution....

AND THERE WERE VOICES, AND THUNDERS, AND LIGHTNINGS - Accompanying the voice that was heard from the throne. See the notes on Revelation 4:5; Revelation 11:19. AND THERE WAS A GREAT EARTHQUAKE, ... - See the notes on Revelation 6:12; Revelation 11:19. The meaning is, that a judgment followed as if the world were shaken by an earthquake, or which would be properly represented by that. SO MIGHTY AN EARTHQUAKE, AND SO GREAT - All this is intensive, and is designed to represent the severity of the judgme

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 THERE WERE VOICES, AND THUNDERS, AND LIGHTNINGS,.... As at the giving of the law, Exodus 19:16 and at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Revelation 11:15 and may intend either the pure ministry of the Gospel in the spiritual reign, the voices of Christ's ministers, and the effects of them, who will be "Boanergeses", sons of thunder, and will be the means of enlightening the minds of many, as well as of shaking the consciences of men, signified by the earthquake following; or rather, the tremendous and awful judgments of God upon the remains of the antichristian party, as the very great commotions and changes that will be made in the world are expressed in the next clause: and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, an

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 16:17. The seventh bowl. The scene of destruction this time is the air. A mighty earthquake and a storm of hail follow, which involve the whole world, and specially Rome, in ruin. LIGHTNINGS. THUNDERS: so also after the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:19). A GREAT EARTHQUAKE: earthquakes followed the opening of the sixth and seventh seals (Revelation 6:12; Revelation 8:5) and the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:19), but this earthquake is described as the greatest of all....

THE SEVENTH VIAL. "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came. great voice out of the temple or heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was. great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath."--16:17-19. I have shown that these vials each represent calamities that befall the Papal power and follow in succession. The number _seven,_ is the perfect number. The seventh vial which completes the perfect number must be the grand consummation of the catastrophes of Rome. It is in harmony with the fitness of things that it should bring her utter de...

THE SEVEN BOWLS OF THE WRATH OF GOD (Revelation 16:1-21) It will be better to read through the whole chapter before we study it in detail. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying to the seven angels: Go, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God 2 upon the earth. The first angel went away and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and there came an outbreak of evil and malignant ulcerous sores on the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image. 3 The second poured out his bowl upon the sea; and it became blood, like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing died of the things in the sea. 4 The third poured out his bowl upon the rivers and the 5 springs of waters, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: You are just, you who are and who were, O Holy One, because you have delivered this 6 judgment. Because they