And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Ver. 5. Lightnings and thunderings] Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to persecutors? Job 31:3. Who ever hardened himself against God's Church and prospered? Job 9:4. Have these workers of iniquity no knowledge, who eat up God's people as they eat bread? Psalms 14:4. Surely, if they had but so much wit for themselves as Pilate's wife had in a dream, they would take heed of having anything to do with just men. If any man will hurt God's witnesses, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies, Revelation 11:5. It was therefore no ill counsel that a martyr gave his persecutors, If thou wilt not spare us, yet spare thyself. It is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God.
The seven spirits] See Revelation 1:4 .