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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 16:4 - 16:7
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_16:4-7
4Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel of the waters saying, "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; 6 or they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." 7And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."
Rev_16:5 "the angel of the waters" This may reflect the intertestamental Jewish apocalyptic terminology of I Enoch 66:2. In Revelation there has been an angel in charge of the wind (cf. Rev_7:1) and an angel in charge of fire (cf. Rev_14:8), so it is not unusual to see an angel in charge of the water. Again, angelic mediation and activity are common in intertestamental apocalyptic literature. We must interpret Revelation in light of its own genre, its own day, and not our modern western theological systems of eschatology.
▣ "Righteous are You" This is an allusion to Moses' song in Deuteronomy 32 (especially Rev_16:5) or possibly Psa_119:137.
▣ "who are and who were" Notice that there is no future element as in Rev_1:4; Rev_1:8; Rev_4:8, because there is no future time (cf. Rev_11:17). This is the end! This is purposeful; note the threefold designation of Rev_1:4. Time is no more! The end (i.e., Parousia) is revealed several times in Revelation, not just Revelation 19. Each of the seals, trumpets, and bowls ends with the Second Coming and culmination of history. This is why I Think the recapitulation theory for the interpretation of Revelation is best!
Rev_16:6 "saints" See Special Topic at Rev_5:8.
▣ "prophets" For OT Prophecy see Special Topic at Rev_10:7. See Special Topic below.
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Rev_16:7 "And I heard the altar saying" The horns of the altar had already spoken in Rev_9:13. This seems to refer to (1) souls that are under the altar (cf. Rev_6:9; Rev_14:18) or (2) the prayers of God's children (cf. Rev_8:3-5). It may also be simply a personification for graphic emphasis.
▣ "Lord God, the Almighty" See note of Rev_15:3 b and the Special Topic at Rev_1:8.
▣ "true and righteous are Your judgments" This may be an allusion to Psa_19:9; Psa_119:137. This is a helpful reminder in the midst of such terrible persecution toward Christians (cf. Rev_15:4; Rev_19:2). God will set all things straight one day!