Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 16:7

"And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." — Revelation 16:7 (ASV)

And I heard another. Evidently another angel, though this is not specified.

Out of the altar. This means either the angel of the altar—that is, who presided over the altar (Prof. Stuart)—or an angel whose voice seemed to come from the altar. The meaning is essentially the same. The writer seemed to hear a voice coming from the altar, responding to what had just been said regarding the judgment of God, or His righteousness in bringing judgment upon humanity (Revelation 16:5).

This was evidently the voice of someone who was interested in what was occurring, or to whom these things particularly pertained; that is, one who was particularly connected with the martyrs referred to, whose blood was now, so to speak, to be avenged. We are naturally reminded by this of the martyr-scene in Revelation 6:9-11, in the opening of the fifth seal, though it cannot be supposed that the same events are referred to.

There the souls of those that had been slain for the word of God are represented as being under the altar, and as crying to God to avenge their blood on them who dwelt on the earth. Here a voice is heard with reference to martyrs, as of one interested in them, ascribing praise to God for having brought a righteous judgment on those who had shed the blood of the saints.

They are both, for similar reasons, connected with the altar, and the voice is heard proceeding from the same source. Regarding the meaning of the word altar here, and the reason why the martyrs are represented in connection with it, see Barnes on Revelation 6:9.

True and righteous are thy judgments. This responds to what is said in Revelation 16:5. That is, God is true or faithful to His promises made to His people, and righteous in the judgments which He has now inflicted. These judgments had come upon those who had shed the blood of the martyrs, and they were just.

Regarding the application of this, there are several things to be said. The following points are clear:

1. That this judgment would succeed the first mentioned, and apparently at a period not remote.
2. It would occur in a region where there had been much persecution.
3. It would be in a country of streams, rivers, and fountains.
4. It would be a just retribution for the bloody persecutions which had occurred there.

The question now is, where we shall find the fulfillment of this, assuming that the explanation of the pouring out of the first vial is correct. And here, I think, there can be no mistake in applying it to the events bearing on the Papacy and the Papal powers, which followed the French Revolution.

The next material event after that revolution was the invasion of Italy, where Napoleon began his career of victories and where he first acquired his fame.

At this stage of my examination of this passage, I looked into Alison's History of Europe to see what events, in fact, followed the scenes of confusion, crime, blood, atheism, and pollution in the French Revolution. I found that the next chapters in these eventful scenes were such as would be well represented by the vial poured upon the rivers and fountains, and by their being turned into blood.

The detail would be too long for my limits, and I can state merely a summary of a few of the chapters in that history. Chapter 19 contains the history of the French Republic from the fall of Robespierre to the establishment of the Directory—comprising properly the closing scenes of the Reign of Terror. Chapter 20 contains an account of the campaign in Italy in 1796, embracing, as stated in the summing up of contents in this chapter, the Battles of Montenotte, Millesimo, Dego; the passage of the bridge of Lodi, and fall of Milan; the siege of Mantua, and the battle of Castiglione; the battles of Caldero and Arcola; and the battles of Rivoli and Mantua.

This is followed (Chapter 23) with an account of the campaign of 1797, which closed with the fall of Venice; and this is followed (Chapter 26) with an account of the invasion of Switzerland, etc. It is unnecessary to dwell on the details of the wars which followed the French Revolution, on the Rhine, the Po, and the Alpine streams of Piedmont and Lombardy. The slightest acquaintance with that history will show the propriety of the following remarks:

1. These wars occurred in regions under the influence of the Papacy, for these were all Papal states and territories.
2. These scenes followed closely on the French Revolution and grew out of it as a natural consequence. They would be properly represented as a second vial poured out immediately after the first.
3. The country is such as supposed here—of rivers and fountains—for, being mostly a mountainous region, it abounds with springs, fountains, and streams. Indeed, on the supposition that this is the land referred to, a more appropriate description could not have been given of it than is found in this passage.

One has only to look upon a map of Northern Italy to see that there is no other portion of the world which would more naturally be suggested when speaking of a country abounding in rivers and fountains of waters. The annexed admirable map of this region, for which I am indebted to the work of Dr. Alexander Keith on The Signs of the Times, will clearly illustrate this passage and the corresponding passage in Revelation 8:10-11.

Let anyone look at the Po and its tributaries on the map, and then read with attention the twentieth chapter of Alison's History of Europe (Volume 1, pages 391-424). He will be struck with the appropriateness of the description on the supposition that this portion of the Book of Revelation was designed to refer to these scenes. For he cannot but see that the battles there described were fought in a country in every way corresponding with the statement here.

1. This country corresponds with the description given here in another respect. In Revelation 16:5-6, there is a tribute of praise rendered to God, in view of these judgments, because He was righteous in bringing them upon a land where the blood of saints and prophets had been shed—a land of martyrs.

   Now this is applicable to the circumstances supposed, not only in the sense that Italy in general had been the land where the blood of martyrs had been shed—the land of Roman persecution, alike under Paganism and the Papacy—but true in a more definite sense from the fact that this was the very region where the persecutions against the Waldenses and the Albigenses had been carried on—the valleys of Piedmont.

   In the times of Papal persecution, these valleys had been made to flow with the blood of the saints. It seemed, at least, to be a righteous retribution that these desolations of war, these conflagrations, and these scenes of carnage, should occur in that very land. It also seemed a righteous retribution that the very fountains and streams which had before been turned into blood by the slaughter of the Savior's friends should now be reddened with the blood of men slain in battle.

   This is, perhaps, what John saw in vision: a land where persecution had raged, and the blood of the holy had flowed freely, and then the same land brought under the awful judgments of God, and the fountains and streams reddened with the blood of the slain. There was a propriety, therefore, that a voice should be heard ascribing righteousness to God for avenging the blood of the saints (Revelation 16:5–6), and that another voice should be heard from the altar of the martyrs (Revelation 16:7) responding and saying, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

2. It may be added, to show the propriety of this, that this was one of the series of events which will be found in the end to have contributed to the overthrow of the Papal power. A blow was struck in the French invasion of Italy from which Rome has never recovered, and sentiments were diffused as the result in favor of liberty which it has been difficult ever since to suppress. These sentiments are destined yet to burst out in favor of freedom and to be one of the means of the final destruction of that power. (Compare to Alison's History of Europe, Volume 1, page 403).