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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Revelation 16:17 - 16:21
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The emptying of the seventh vial:
v. 17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
v. 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.
v. 19. 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.
v. 20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
v. 21. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
This is the climax, the final Judgment, the end. Anti-Christ will be destroyed with the brightness of the Lord's coming, 2Th_2:8. Of this the seer writes: And the seventh poured out his vial upon the air; and there came a loud voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done! The Lord Himself declares that with the coming of this last plague all is over. It begins in the air, and it ends in the abyss burning with fire. The triumph of the Lord is assured in advance.
The voice announcing the victory in heaven is echoed on earth, among the creatures: And there occurred lightnings and voices and thunders, and there occurred a great earthquake, the like of which did not occur since man came on the earth, an earthquake of such magnitude. Here is a picture of the disintegration, dissolution, of the world: flashes of lightning, loud blasts, peals of thunder, a terrible, unexampled earthquake. The result of this storm is described: And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the heathen fell; and Babylon the Great was brought to remembrance before God to give her the cup of wine of the wrath of His anger; and every island fled, and mountains were no longer found. Shattered into three parts, the city of Anti-Christ sinks into ruins, followed by the cities of the heathen. And spiritual Babylon, Rome, the seat of Anti-Christ, must now drink the cup of God's rage to the very dregs, Isa_51:22. The islands are removed, and the mountains sink from sight, for the final Judgment has come, and the end of all things is at hand. This is indicated also in the last verse: And great hail, resembling a talent in size, fell down from heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God for the plague of the hail, for the plague of it is very great. This is the punishment which will destroy all the enemies of the Lord, a hail of God's wrath which falls from heaven upon the blasphemers and casts them into the lowest hell. And yet the enemies, in the midst of their destruction, blaspheme the Lord, just as they will blaspheme Him throughout eternity, as they are consumed by the torments of hell.
Summary
In the picture of seven plagues, culminating in the final Judgment, the effect of the Gospel proclamation since the Reformation upon, the kingdom of Anti-Christ and upon his adherents and worshipers is depicted.