Revelation 16:1-10 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Revelation 16:2. The first bowl. The wrath of God is poured out on the worshippers of the beast, i.e. Antichrist, i.e. Nero. mark of the beast: Revelation 13:16 *. worshipped his image: i.e. the image or statue of the emperor (cf. Revelation 13:14 f.).

Revelation 16:3. The second bowl, like the second trumpet (Revelation 8:8), destroys the living creatures in the sea. Cf. also the first of the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 7:7-21).

Revelation 16:4. The third bowl, following the precedent of the third trumpet (Revelation 8:10), destroys the rivers and springs.

Revelation 16:5. angel of the waters: in later Jewish thought every part of nature was under the control of some angel. The Book of Enoch (6:62) speaks of the angels which were over the powers of the waters. Here the angel recognises the righteousness of the Divine action.

Revelation 16:6. The explanation of the form which the Divine retribution assumed.

Revelation 16:7. the altar saying: a response comes to the angel of the waters from the altar in heaven (Swete).

Revelation 16:8. The fourth bowl, like the fourth trumpet (Revelation 8:12), affects the sun, but whereas the trumpet diminishes its power, the bowl intensifies its heat

Revelation 16:10. The fifth bowl. The first four bowls produce general effects, but now the wrath of God smites the beast (Nero or Domitian) on his throne.

Related Commentaries of Revelation 16:1

Revelation 16:1-10

1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorcheda with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,