Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 16

CHAPTER XVI

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

The previous chapter described the preparation for the last plagues that were to come upon that mighty Antichristian power to which this series of prophetic visions refers. All is now ready, and this chapter contains the description of those seven last "plagues" under which this power would reel and fall.

These "plagues" are described as if they were a succession of physical calamities that would come upon this Antichristian power and bring it to an end, though perhaps it is not necessary to look for a literal infliction of such calamities. The course of the exposition thus far will lead us to regard this chapter as a description of the successive blows by which the Papacy will fall.

A part of this is still undoubtedly future, though perhaps not far distant. In reference to this and to some portions of the remainder of the book, there may be more difficulty in satisfying the mind than in the portions which pertain to past events. The chapter comprises statements on the following points:

1. A command is issued from the temple to the seven angels to go and execute the commission with which they were entrusted (Revelation 16:1).
2. The first angel pours out his vial upon the earth—followed by a plague upon those who had worshipped the beast and his image (Revelation 16:2).
3. The second angel pours out his vial upon the sea—followed by the death of all that were in the sea (Revelation 16:3).
4. The third angel pours out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they become blood. This is followed by an ascription of praise from the angel of the waters, because God had given to those who had shed the blood of the saints blood to drink, with a response from the altar that this was just (Revelation 16:4–7).
5. The fourth angel pours out his vial upon the sun, and an intenser heat is given to it to scorch men. The consequence is that they blaspheme the name of God, but do not repent of their sins (Revelation 16:8–9).
6. The fifth angel pours out his vial upon the very seat of the beast, and his kingdom is full of darkness. Men still blaspheme the name of God and do not repent of their sins (Revelation 16:10–11).
7. The sixth angel pours out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. The consequence is that the waters of the river are dried up, so that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. The writer sees also, in this connection, three unclean spirits, like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, that go forth into all the earth to gather all nations to the great day of the battle of God Almighty (Revelation 16:12–16).
8. The seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, and a voice is heard answering, It is done! The time of the consummation has come—the formidable Antichristian power is to come to an end. The great city is divided into three parts; the cities of the nations fall; great Babylon thus comes up in remembrance before God to receive the punishment which is her due. This terrific scene is accompanied with voices, thunderings, lightnings, an earthquake, and great hail—a tempest of wrath beating upon that formidable power that had so long stood up against God (Revelation 16:17–21). The detail of the actual destruction of this power is carried forward in the subsequent chapters.

And I heard a great voice out of the temple. A loud voice out of the temple as seen in heaven (Revelation 11:19), and that came, therefore, from the very presence of God.

Saying to the seven angels. That had the seven vials of wrath (Revelation 15:1, 7).

Go your ways. Your respective ways, to the fulfillment of the task assigned to each.

And pour out the vials of the wrath of God. Empty those vials. Cause to come upon the earth the plagues indicated by their contents.

The order in which this was to be done is not intimated. It seems to be supposed that that would be understood by each.

Upon the earth. The particular part of the earth is not here specified, but it should not be inferred that it was to be upon the earth in general, or that there were any calamities in consequence of this pouring out of the vials of wrath, to spread over the whole world. The subsequent statements show what parts of the earth were particularly to be affected.

And the first went. He went forth from heaven, where the scene of the vision was set.

And poured out his vial upon the earth. That is, upon the land, in contrast to the sea, the rivers, the air, the seat of the beast, and the sun, as represented in the other vials. In Revelation 16:1, the word earth is used in the general sense to denote this world as distinguished from heaven; in this verse, it is used in the specific sense to denote land as distinguished from other things. Compare Mark 4:1; John 6:21; Acts 27:29, 43-44.

In many respects, there is a strong resemblance between the pouring out of these seven vials and the sounding of the seven trumpets in chapters 8 and 9, though they refer to different events. In the sounding of the first trumpet (Revelation 8:7), it was the earth that was particularly affected, in contrast to the sea, the fountains, and the sun: The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth. Compare Revelation 8:8, 10, 12.

In regard to the symbolical meaning of the term earth, considered with reference to Divine judgments, see Barnes' notes on Revelation 8:7.

And there fell a noisome and grievous sore. The judgment here is specifically different from that inflicted under the first trumpet (Revelation 8:7). There it is said to have been that the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Here it is that there fell upon men a noisome and grievous sore. The two, therefore, are designed to refer to different events and to different forms of punishment.

The word rendered sore properly denotes a wound (Homer, Iliad 11.812), and then, in later writers, an ulcer or sore. It is used in the New Testament only in the following places: Luke 16:21, the dogs came and licked his sores; and in Revelation 16:2, 11, where it is rendered sore, and sores. It is used in the Septuagint in reference to the boils that were brought upon the Egyptians (Exodus 9:9–12, and probably Deuteronomy 28:27); in reference to leprosy (Leviticus 13:18–20, 23); in reference to the boil, ulcer, or elephantiasis brought upon Job (Job 2:7); and in reference to any sore or ulcer (Deuteronomy 28:35). In all these places, it is the translation of the Hebrew word Shehhin—rendered in our English version boil (Exodus 9:9–11; Leviticus 13:18–20, 23; 2 Kings 20:7; Job 2:7; Isaiah 38:21); and botch (Deuteronomy 28:27, 35).

The proper meaning, therefore, is that of a sore, ulcer, or boil of a severe and painful character. The most obvious reference in the passage, for one accustomed to the language of Scripture, would be to some fearful plague like that which was sent upon the Egyptians. In the case of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21), it was probably used to denote a plague-boil, or the black leprosy. See Barnes' notes on Isaiah 38:21.

The word "noisome"—Greek kakon, meaning evil, bad—is used here to characterize the plague referred to as being peculiarly painful and dangerous. The word grievous—Greek ponēron, meaning bad, malignant, hurtful—is further used to increase the intensity of the expression and to characterize the plague as particularly severe. There is no reason to suppose that it is meant that this would be literally inflicted, any more than it is in the next plague, where it is said that the rivers and fountains became blood. What is obviously meant is that there would be some calamity which would be well represented or symbolized by such a fearful plague. Upon the men. Though the plague was poured upon the earth, yet its effects were seen upon men. Some grievous calamity would befall them, as if they were suddenly visited with the plague.

Which had the mark of the beast. See Barnes' notes on Revelation 13:16-17.

This determines the portion of the earth that was to be afflicted. It was not the whole world; it was only that part of it where the "beast" was honored. According to the interpretation proposed in chapter 13, this refers to those who are under the dominion of the Papacy.

And upon them which worshipped his image. See Barnes' notes on Revelation 13:14-15.

According to the interpretation in chapter 13, those are meant who sustained the civil or secular power to which the Papacy gave life and strength, and from which it, in turn, received support and protection.

In regard to the application or fulfillment of this symbol, it is unnecessary to say that there have been very different opinions in the world, and that very different opinions still prevail.

The great mass of Protestant commentators suppose that it refers to the Papacy. Of those who entertain this opinion, the greater portion suppose that the calamity referred to by the pouring out of this vial is already past, though many suppose that the things foreshadowed by a part of these "vials" are yet to be accomplished.

As to the true meaning of the symbol before us, I would make the following remarks:

1. It refers to the Papal power. This application is demanded by the results which were reached in the examination of chapter 13. See the remarks on the "beast" in Barnes' notes on Revelation 13:1-2, 11, and on the "image of the beast" in Barnes' notes on Revelation 13:14-15.

   This one mighty power existed in two forms closely united and mutually sustaining each other—the civil or secular, and the ecclesiastical or spiritual. It is this combined and consolidated power—the Papacy as such—that is referred to here, for this has been the grand Antichristian power in the world.

2. It refers to some grievous and fearful calamity which would come upon that power, and which would be like a plague-spot on the human body—something which would be of the nature of a Divine judgment resembling that which came upon the Egyptians for their treatment of the people of God.

3. The course of this exposition leads us to suppose that this would be the beginning in the series of judgments which would terminate in the complete overthrow of that formidable power. It is the first of the vials of wrath, and the whole description evidently contemplates a series of disasters which would be properly represented by these successive vials. In the application of this, therefore, we should naturally look for the first of a series of such judgments, and should expect to find some facts in history which would be properly represented by the vial poured upon the earth.

4. In accordance with this representation, we should expect to find such a series of calamities gradually weakening, and finally terminating the Papal power in the world, as would be properly represented by the number seven.

5. In regard now to the application of this series of symbolical representations, it may be remarked that most recent expositors—such as Elliott, Cunninghame, Keith, Faber, Lord, and others—refer them to the events of the French Revolution as important events in the overthrow of the Papal power. This, I confess, although the application is attended with some considerable difficulties, has more plausibility than any other explanation proposed. In support of this application, the following considerations may be suggested:

   1. France, in the time of Charlemagne, was the kingdom to which the Papacy owed its civil organization and its strength—a kingdom to which could be traced all the civil or secular power of the Papacy, and which was, in fact, a restoration or reconstruction of the old Roman power—the fourth kingdom of Daniel. See Barnes' notes on Daniel 7:24-28; and compare Barnes' notes on Revelation 13:3, 12-14.

   2. In an important sense, France has always been the head of the Papal power. The king of France has been usually styled by the popes themselves, "the eldest son of the church." In reference to the whole Papal dominion in former times, one of the principal reliances has been on France, and, to a very large extent, the state of Europe has been determined by the condition of France. "A revolution in France," said Napoleon, "is sooner or later followed by a revolution in Europe." — Alison. Its central position, its power, its direct relation to all the purposes and aims of the Papacy, would seem to make it probable that, in the account of the final destruction of that power, this kingdom would not be overlooked.

   3. The scenes which occurred in the times of the French Revolution were such as would be properly symbolized by the pouring out of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth vials. In the passage before us—the pouring out of the first vial—the symbol employed is that of a noisome and grievous sore—boil, ulcer, plague-spot—on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image. This representation was undoubtedly derived from the account of the sixth plague on Egypt (Exodus 9:9–11); and the sense here is, not that this would be literally inflicted on the power here referred to, but that a calamity would come upon it which would be well represented by that, or of which that would be an appropriate emblem.

      This interpretation is further confirmed by Revelation 11:8, where Rome is referred to under the name of Egypt, and where it is clear that we are to look for a course of Divine dealing in regard to the one resembling that which occurred to the other. See Barnes' notes on Revelation 11:8.

      Now this "noisome and grievous sore" would well represent the moral corruption, the pollution, the infidelity, the atheism, the general dissolution of society that preceded and accompanied the French Revolution. For that was a universal breaking out of loathsome internal disease—of corruption at the center—and in its general features might be represented as a universal plague-spot on society, extending over the countries where the beast and his image were principally worshipped.

      The symbol would properly denote "that tremendous outbreak of social and moral evil, of democratic fury, atheism, and vice, which was specially seen to characterize the French Revolution: that of which the ultimate source was in the long and deep-seated corruption and irreligion of the nation; the outward vent, expression, and organ of its Jacobin clubs, and seditious and atheistic publications; the result, the dissolution of all society, all morals, and all religion; with acts of atrocity and horror accompanying, scarce paralleled in the history of men; and suffering and anguish of correspondent intensity throbbing throughout the social mass and corroding it; that which, from France as a center, spread like a plague throughout its affiliated societies to the other countries of Papal Christendom, and was, wherever its poison was imbibed, as much the punishment as the symptoms of the corruption within." Of this sad chapter in the history of man, it is unnecessary to give any description here.

      For scenes of horror, pollution, and blood, its parallel has never been found in the history of our race, and as an event in history it was worthy of a notice in the symbols which portrayed the future. The full details of these amazing scenes must be sought in the histories which describe them, and to such works as Alison's History of Europe, and Burke's Letters on a Regicide Peace, the reader must be referred.

      A few expressions copied from those letters of Mr. Burke, penned with no design of illustrating this passage in the Apocalypse, and no expectation that they would be ever so applied, will show with what propriety the spirit of inspiration suggested the phrase, "a noisome and grievous sore" or plague-spot, on the supposition that the design was to refer to these scenes.

      In speaking of the revolutionary spirit in France, Mr. Burke calls it "the fever of aggravated Jacobinism," "the epidemic of atheistical fanaticism," "an evil lying deep in the corruptions of human nature," "the malignant French distemper," "a plague, with its fanatical spirit of proselytism, that needed the strictest quarantine to guard against it," of which though the mischief might be "skimmed over" for a time, yet the result, into whatever country it entered, was "the corruption of all morals," "the decomposition of all society," etc. But it is unnecessary to describe those scenes further. The "world has them by heart," and they can never be obliterated from the memory of man. In the whole history of the race, there has never been an outbreak of evil that showed so deep pollution and corruption within.

   4. The result of this was to affect the Papacy—a blow, in fact, aimed at that power. Of course, all the infidelity and atheism of the French nation, before so strongly Papal, went just so far in weakening the power of the Papacy; and in the ultimate result, it will perhaps yet be found that the horrid outbreaks in the French Revolution were the first in the series of providential events that will result in the entire overthrow of that Antichristian power. At all events, it will be admitted, I think, that on the supposition that it was intended that this should be descriptive of the scenes that occurred in Europe at the close of the last century, no more expressive symbol could have been chosen than has been employed in the pouring out of this first vial of wrath.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea. So the second trumpet (Revelation 8:8): And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood. For the meaning of this as a symbol, see Barnes on Revelation 8:8.

And it became as the blood of a dead man. "Either very bloody, like a mangled corpse, or else colored, as it were, with the dark and almost black blood of a dead man."—Professor Stuart, in loc. The latter would seem to be, most probably, the meaning, implying that the ocean would become discolored and indicating that this was the effect of blood shed in great quantities on its waters. In Revelation 8:8 it is, the sea became blood; here the allusion to the blood of a dead man would more naturally suggest the idea of naval conflicts, and of the blood of the slain poured in great quantities into the deep.

And every living soul died in the sea. In Revelation 8:9, it is said that the third part of the creatures that were in the sea died, and the third part of the ships were destroyed. Here the destruction is more general; the calamity is more severe and awful. It is as if every living thing—pasa psuchē zōsa—had died. No emphasis should be put on the word soul here, for the word means merely a creature, a living thing, an animal (Acts 2:43; Acts 3:23; Romans 13:1; 1 Corinthians 15:45).

See Robinson's Lexicon, sub voce, c. The sense here is that there would be some dreadful calamity, as if the sea were to be changed into dark blood and as if every living thing in it were to die.

In inquiring into the proper application of this, it is natural to look for something pertaining to the sea, or the ocean (see Barnes on Revelation 8:8-9). We should expect to find the fulfillment in some calamity that would fall on the marine force, or the commerce, of the power that is here referred to—that is, according to the interpretation consistently adopted, of the Papal power. The proper application, according to this interpretation, would be the complete destruction or annihilation of the naval force that contributed to sustain the Papacy.

This we should look for in respect to the naval power of France, Spain, and Portugal, for these are the only Papal nations that have had a navy. We should expect, in the fulfillment of this, to find a series of naval disasters, reddening the sea with blood, which would tend to weaken the power of the Papacy, and which might be regarded as one in the series of events that would ultimately result in its entire overthrow.

Accordingly, in pursuing the plan adopted in explaining the pouring out of the first vial, it is to be observed that immediately following, and connected with, the events thus referred to, there was a series of naval disasters that swept away the fleets of France and that completely demolished the most formidable naval power that had ever been prepared by any nation under the Papal dominion. This series of disasters is thus noted by Mr. Elliott (iii. 329, 330): "Meanwhile the great naval war between France and England was in progress, which, from its commencement in February 1793, lasted for over twenty years, with no intermission but that of the short and delusive peace of Amiens. In this war, the maritime power of Great Britain was strengthened by the Almighty Providence that protected her to destroy everywhere the French ships, commerce, and smaller colonies, including those of the steadfast and long-continued allies of the French: Holland and Spain."

"In the year 1793, the greater part of the French fleet at Toulon was destroyed by Lord Hood; in June 1794, followed Lord Howe's great victory over the French off Ushant; then the taking of Corsica, and nearly all the smaller Spanish and French West India islands. Then, in 1795, Lord Bridport's naval victory, and the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, as also soon after of a French and Dutch fleet sent to retake it; then, in 1797, the victory over the Spanish fleet off Cape St.

"Vincent, and that of Camperdown over the Dutch; then, in succession, Lord Nelson's three mighty victories—of the Nile in 1798, of Copenhagen in 1801, and, in 1805, of Trafalgar.

"Altogether in this naval war, from its beginning in 1793 to its end in 1815, it appears that nearly 200 ships of the line, between 300 and 400 frigates, and an almost incalculable number of smaller vessels of war and ships of commerce were destroyed.

"The whole history of the world does not present such a period of naval war, destruction, and bloodshed." This brief summary may show, if this was referred to, the propriety of the expression, The sea became as the blood of a dead man; and may show also that, on the supposition that these events were intended to be referred to, an appropriate symbol has been employed. No language could more strikingly set forth these bloody scenes.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters. This coincides also with the account of the sounding of the third trumpet (Revelation 8:10–11): And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven burning as a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. As to the meaning of the phrase, "rivers and fountains of waters," see Barnes on Revelation 8:10-11.

We found, it was supposed, in the application of that passage, that the invasion of the Roman empire by Attila, king of the Huns, was referred to, affecting mainly those parts of the empire where the rivers and streams had their origin. The analogy would lead us, in the fulfillment of the passage before us, to look for some similar desolations on those portions of Europe. See Barnes on Revelation 16:7.

And they became blood. This would properly mean that they became as blood, or became red with blood; and it would be fulfilled if bloody battles were fought near them so that they seemed to run blood.

And I heard the angel of the waters say. The angel who presides over the element of water; in allusion to the common opinion among the Hebrews that angels presided over elements, and that each element was committed to the jurisdiction of a particular angel. (Compare to Barnes on Revelation 7:1).

Thou art righteous, O Lord. In view of the judgments that reddened these streams and fountains with the blood of men, the angel ascribes righteousness to God. These judgments seemed terrible—the numbers slain were so vast—the bloody stream indicated so great slaughter, and such severity of the Divine judgment; yet the angel sees in all this only the act of a righteous God bringing just retribution on the guilty.

Which art, and wast, and shalt be. That is, who is eternal—existing now; who has existed in all past time; and who will exist ever onward. (See Barnes on Revelation 1:8).

The reason why this attribute of God is here referred to seems to be that the mind of the angel adverts to it in the changes and desolations that were occurring around him. In such overturnings among men—such revolutions of kingdoms—such desolations of War—the mind naturally turns to one who is unchanging; to one whose throne is from everlasting to everlasting.

Because thou hast judged thus. You have allowed these wars to occur that have changed rivers and fountains to blood.