Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 16:12

"And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the [river] Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might by made ready for the kings that [come] from the sunrising." — Revelation 16:12 (ASV)

And the sixth . . .—Better, The sixth (angel) poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates; and its water was dried that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be prepared.

The symbolical meaning of the Euphrates has been touched upon before (See Notes on Revelation 9:14). In the great age-long struggle between the kingdoms of Christ and the world, the Euphrates represents the great separating boundary between the two kingdoms, as the literal Euphrates formed the barrier between Israel and the hostile northern and eastern kingdoms. It is the great impediment to war. It is true that there is a great interposed boundary of public opinion, which restrains evil from breaking forth in its ruder and more violent forms.

Men may be hostile to spiritual religion, yet they scarcely like to shock public sentiment or to incur the charge of depraving public morals; but a time may come—after false principles have been taught, corrupt conduct tolerated, and the light of better things darkened—when public sentiment loses all sense of shame, and the decorums of life, which have acted as a breakwater against the tide of outrageous evil, are swept away: then the Euphrates is dried, and then the hostile powers of evil, unrestrained by any considerations and unchecked by the popular conscience, may cross boldly over and invade the whole sacred soil of human life.

There have been times like this when shameless sin has walked forth, assured of public favour, to desecrate every sanctuary of purity and faith—when the most barbarous conduct and the most unscrupulous violations of public faith and morals have been not only tolerated, but applauded. The “kings of the east” (or of the sun-rising) represent the forces of rude and open evil which have been long restrained.

As the four barbarian and tyrant kings (Genesis 14:1–24) from the East invaded the land of promise in Abraham’s days, so the leaders of open and violent hate of right, purity, and Christ have the way of their advance prepared. But certain agencies go forth to bring about this uprising of rude revolt against every sanctity of life.