And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
'In that same (literally, the) hour.'
Great earthquake - answering to the "great earthquake" under the sixth seal, at the approach of the Lord (Revelation 6:12). Christ was delivered unto His enemies on the fifth day of the week, on the sixth was crucified, and on the Sabbath rested: so under the sixth seal and sixth trumpet the Church's last suffering, begun under the fifth seal and trumpet, is to be consummated, before she enters on her seventh day of eternal Sabbath. Six expresses the world-power's height, at the same time verges on seven, the divine number, when its utter destruction takes place. Compare 666, Revelation 13:18.
Tenth part of the city fell - "the great city" (Revelation 16:19; Zechariah 14:2). Ten is the number of the world-kingdoms (Revelation 17:10-12), the beast's horns (Revelation 13:1), and the dragon's (Revelation 12:3). In the church-historical view, one of the ten apostate world-kingdoms falls. In the narrower view a tenth of Jerusalem under Antichrist falls: nine-tenths remain, and become, when purified, the center of Christ's earthly kingdom.
Of men - `names of men:' men as accurately enumerated as if their names were given.
Seven thousand. Elliott, seven chiliads or provinces, the seven Dutch united provinces lost to the papacy; and 'names of men,' titles of dignity, duchies, lordships, etc. Rather, seven thousand combines the perfect and comprehensive numbers, seven and thousand, implying the full and complete destruction of the impenitent.
The remnant - the Israelite inhabitants not slain. Their conversion forms a blessed contrast to Revelation 16:9; and Revelation 9:20-21. These (Zechariah 12:10-14; Zechariah 13:1) become in the flesh loyal subjects of Christ reigning over the earth with His transfigured saints.
Gave glory to the God of heaven - which, while apostates, worshipping the beast's image, they had not done. "God of heaven:" the apostates of the last days, in self-wise enlightenment, recognize no heavenly power; only the earth's natural forces which come under their observation. His receiving up into heaven the two witnesses who had power while on earth to shut heaven from raining (Revelation 11:6), constrained His and their enemies witnessing it, to acknowledge the God of heaven to be God of the earth (Revelation 11:4). As He declared Himself God of the earth by His two witnesses, so now He proves Himself God of heaven also.