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 worshiped his image.
2. went ] Lit., went away, from the Angels’ place in Heaven before the Temple to the edge or “window” whence they can look down upon the earth.
a noisome and grievous sore ] The plagues that accompany these vials have a close analogy to those of the trumpets in ch. 8 sqq., and, like them, have some to the plagues of Egypt: here cf. Exo 9:9. The epithets translated “noisome and grievous” are somewhat more general: “bad and evil” would be perhaps their most exact equivalents.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the first went – Went forth from heaven, where the seat of the vision was laid.
And poured out his vial upon the earth – That is, upon the land, in contradistinction from the sea, the rivers, the air, the seat of the beast, the sun, as represented in the other vials. In Rev 16:1, the word earth is used in the general sense to denote this world as distinguished from heaven; in this verse it is used in the specific sense, to denote land as distinguished from other things. Compare Mar 4:1; Mar 6:47; Joh 6:21; Act 27:29, Act 27:43-44. In many respects there is a strong resemblance between the pouring out of those seven vials, and the sounding of the seven trumpets, in Rev. 89, though they refer to different events. In the sounding of the first trumpet Rev 8:7, it was the earth that was particularly affected in contradistinction from the sea, the fountains, and the sun: The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth. Compare Rev 8:8, Rev 8:10, Rev 8:12. In regard to the symbolical meaning of the term earth, considered with reference to divine judgments, see the notes on Rev 8:7.
And there fell a noisome and grievous sore – The judgment here is specifically different from that inflicted under the first trumpet, Rev 8:7. There it is said to have been that the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Here it is that there fell upon people a noisome and grievous sore. The two, therefore, are designed to refer to different events, and to different forms of punishment. The word rendered sore properly denotes a wound (Homer, Iliad xi. 812), and then, in later writers, an ulcer or sore. It is used in the New Testament only in the following places: Luk 16:21, The dogs came and licked his sores; and in Rev 16:2, Rev 16:11, where it is rendered sore, and sores. It is used in the Septuagint, in reference to the boils that were brought upon the Egyptians, in Exo 9:9-12, and probably Deu 28:27; in reference to the leprosy, Lev 13:18-20, Lev 13:23; in reference to the boil, ulcer, or elephantiasis brought upon Job Job 2:7; and in reference to any sore or ulcer, in Deu 28:35.
In all these places it is the translation of the word shechiyn – rendered in our English version as boil, Exo 9:9-11; Lev 13:18-20, Lev 13:23; 2Ki 20:7; Job 2:7; Isa 38:21; and botch, Deu 28:27, Deu 28:35. The proper meaning, therefore, is that of a sore, ulcer, or boil of a severe and painful character; and the most obvious reference in the passage, to one who was accustomed to the language of Scripture, would be to some fearful plague like what was sent upon the Egyptians. In the case of Hezekiah 2Ki 20:7; Isa 38:21, it was probably used to denote a plague-boil, or the black leprosy. See the notes on Isa 38:21. The word noisome – kakon, evil, bad – is used here to characterize the plague referred to as being especially painful and dangerous. The word grievous – poneron – bad, malignant, hurtful – is further used to increase the intensity of the expression, and to characterize the plague as particularly severe. There is no reason to suppose that it is meant that this would be literally inflicted, anymore than it is in the next plague, where it is said that the rivers and fountains became blood. What is obviously meant is, that there would be some calamity which would be well represented or symbolized by such a fearful plague.
Upon the men – Though the plague was poured upon the earth, yet its effects were seen upon men. Some grievous calamity would befall them, as if they were suddenly visited with the plague.
Which had the mark of the beast – notes on Rev 13:16-17. This determines the portion of the earth that was to be afflicted. It was not the whole world; it was only that part of it where the beast was honored. According to the interpretation proposed in Rev. 13, this refers to those who are under the dominion of the papacy.
And upon them which worshipped his image – See the notes on Rev 13:14-15. According to the interpretation in Rev. 13, those are meant who sustained the civil or secular power to which the papacy gave life and strength, and from which it, in turn, received countenance and protection.
In regard to the application or fulfillment of this symbol, it is unnecessary to say that there have been very different opinions in the world, and that very different opinions still prevail. The great mass of Protestant commentators suppose that it refers to the papacy; and of those who entertain this opinion, the greater portion suppose that the calamity referred to by the pouring out of this vial is already past, though it is supposed by many that the things foreshadowed by a part of these vials are yet to be accomplished. As to the true meaning of the symbol before us, I would make the following remarks:
(1) It refers to the papal power. This application is demanded by the results which were reached in the examination of Rev. 13. See the remarks on the beast in the notes on Rev 13:1-2, Rev 13:11, and on the image of the beast in the notes on Rev 13:14-15. This one mighty power existed in two forms closely united, and mutually sustaining each other – the civil or secular, and the ecclesiastical or spiritual. It is this combined and consolidated power – the papacy as such – that is referred to here, for this has been the grand anti-Christian power in the world.
(2) It refers to some grievous and fearful calamity which would come upon that power, and which would be like a plague-spot on the human body – something which would be of the nature of a divine judgment, resembling what came upon the Egyptians for their treatment of the people of God.
(3) The course of this exposition leads us to suppose, that this would be the beginning in the series of judgments, which would terminate in the complete overthrow of that formidable power. It is the first of the vials of wrath, and the whole description evidently contemplates a series of disasters, which would be properly represented by these successive vials. In the application of this, therefore, we should naturally look for the first of a series of such judgments, and should expect to find some facts in history which would he properly represented by the vial poured upon the earth.
(4) In accordance with this representation, we should expect to find such a series of calamities gradually weakening, and finally terminating the papal power in the world, as would be properly represented by the number seven.
(5) In regard now to the application of this series of symbolical representations, it may be remarked, that most recent expositors – as Elliott, Cunninghame, Keith, Faber, Lord, and others – refer them to the events of the French revolution, as important events in the overthrow of the papal power; and this, I confess, although the application is attended with some considerable difficulties, has more plausibility than any other explanation proposed. In support of this application, the following considerations may be suggested:
(a) France, in the time of Charlemagne, was the kingdom to which the papacy owed its civil organization and its strength – a kingdom to which could be traced all the civil or secular power of the papacy, and which was, in fact, a restoration or reconstruction of the old Roman power – the fourth kingdom of Daniel. See the notes on Dan 7:24-28; and compare the notes on Rev 13:3, Rev 13:12-14. The restoration of the old Roman dominion under Charlemagne, and the aid which he rendered to the papacy in its establishment as to a temporal power, would make it probable that this kingdom would be referred to in the series of judgments that were to accomplish the overthrow of the papal dominion.
(b) In an important sense France has always been the head of the papal power. The king of France has been usually styled, by the popes themselves, the oldest son of the church. In reference to the whole papal dominion in former times, one of the principal reliances has been on France, and, to a very large extent, the state of Europe has been determined by the condition of France. A revolution in France, said Napoleon, is sooner or later followed by a revolution in Europe (Alison). Its central position; its power; its direct relation to all the purposes and aims of the papacy, would seem to make it probable that, in the account of the final destruction of that power, this kingdom would not be overlooked.
(c) The scenes which occurred in the times of the French revolution were such as would be properly symbolized by the pouring out of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth vials. In the passage before us – the pouring out of the first vial – the symbol employed is that of a noisome and grievous sore – boil, ulcer, plague-spot – on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image. This representation was undoubtedly derived from the account of the sixth plague on Egypt Exo 9:9-11; and the sense here is, not that this would be literally inflicted on the power here referred to, but that a calamity would come upon it which would be well represented by that, or of which that would be an appropriate emblem. This interpretation is further confirmed by Rev 11:8, where Rome is referred to under the name of Egypt, and where it is clear that we are to look for a course of divine dealing, in regard to the one, resembling what occurred to the other.
See the notes on that passage. Now, this noisome and grievous sore would well represent the moral corruption, the pollution, the infidelity, the atheism, the general dissolution of society, that preceded and accompanied the French revolution; for that was a universal breaking out of loathsome internal disease – of corruption at the center – and in its general features might be represented as a universal plague-spot on society, extending over the countries where the beast and his image were principally worshipped. The symbol would properly denote that tremendous outbreak of social and moral evil, of democratic fury, atheism, and vice, which was specially seen to characterize the French revolution: that of which the ultimate source was in the long and deep-seated corruption and irreligion of the nation; the outward vent, expression, and organ of its Jacobin clubs, and seditious and atheistic publications; the result, the dissolution of all society, all morals, and all religion; with acts of atrocity and horror accompanying, scarce paralleled in the history of people; and suffering and anguish of correspondent intensity throbbing throughout the social mass and corroding it; what, from France as a center, spread like a plague throughout its affiliated societies to the other countries of papal Christendom, and was, wherever its poison was imbibed, as much the punishment as the symptoms of the corruption within.
Of this sad chapter in the history of man, it is unnecessary to give any description here. For scenes of horror, pollution, and blood, its parallel has never been found in the history of our race, and, as an event in history, it was worthy of a notice in the symbols which portrayed the future. The full details of these amazing scenes must be sought in the histories which describe them, and to such works as Alisons History of Europe, and Burkes Letters on a Regicide Peace, the reader must be referred. A few expressions copied from those letters of Mr. Burke, penned with no design of illustrating this passage in the Apocalypse, and no expectation that they would be ever so applied, will show with what propriety the spirit of inspiration suggested the phrase, a noisome and grievous sore or plague-spot, on the supposition that the design was to refer to these scenes. In speaking of the revolutionary spirit in France, Mr. Burke calls it the fever of aggravated Jacobinism, the epidemic of atheistical fanaticism, an evil lying deep in the corruptions of human nature, the malignant French distemper, a plague, with its fanatical spirit of proselytism, that needed the strictest quarantine to guard against it, whereof, though the mischief might be skimmed over for a time, yet the result into whatever country it entered, was the corruption of all morals, the decomposition of all society, etc. But it is unnecessary to describe those scenes further. The world has them by heart, and they can never be obliterated from the memory of man. In the whole history of the race there has never been an outbreak of evil that showed so deep pollution and corruption within.
(d) The result of this was to affect the papacy – a blow, in fact, aimed at that power. Of course, all the infidelity and atheism of the French nation, before so strongly papal, went just so far in weakening the power of the papacy; and in the ultimate result it will perhaps yet be found that the horrid outbreaks in the French revolution were the first in the series of providential events that will result in the entire overthrow of that anti-Christian power. At all events, it will be admitted, I think, that, on the supposition that it was intended that this should be descriptive of the scenes that occurred in Europe at the close of the last century, no more expressive symbol could have been chosen than has been employed in the pouring out of this first vial of wrath.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. A noisome and grievous sore] This is a reference to the sixth Egyptian plague, boils and blains, Ex 9:8; Ex 9:9, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Here is a plain allusion to the plagues which God brought upon Pharaoh king of Egypt for his oppression of his ancient Israel; God hereby showing us, that he would deal by this Romish beast for his persecutions of his gospel churches, as he dealt by Pharaoh: as he turned the Egyptian rivers into blood, so as the fish died, and the waters stunk, Exo 7:20,21, and as he plagued the Egyptians with boils and blains, Exo 9:9; so he would plague the papacy by proportionable judgments, until, as Pharaoh with his whole party was at last drowned in the Red Sea, so all the antichristian party shall be rooted out. Here are two of the Egyptian plagues mentioned, but this vision begins with the sixth of the Egyptian plagues, viz. that of boils breaking out in blains. What is meant by this
grievous sore I must profess myself not to understand, but think Dr. More speaks very probably, interpreting it of trouble and vexation, which the popish party should have upon the first prospect of their kingdoms going down; it being of the nature of sores to vex and disturb those that are affected with them, so as they are very uneasy so long as they are affected with them. And, indeed, I find many interpreters agree in this notion.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. wentGreek, “wentaway.”
poured outSo the angelcast fire into the earth previous to the series of trumpets (Re8:5).
uponso Coptic.But A, B, C, Vulgate, and Syriac read, “into.”
noisomeliterally,”evil” (compare Deu 28:27;Deu 28:35). The very same Greekword is used in the Septuagint as here, Greek,“helkos.” The reason why the sixth Egyptian plagueis the first here is because it was directed against theEgyptian magicians, Jannes and Jambres, so that they could not standbefore Moses; and so here the plague is sent upon those who in thebeast worship had practiced sorcery. As they submitted to the mark ofthe beast, so they must bear the mark of the avenging God. ContrastRev 7:3; Eze 9:4;Eze 9:6.
grievousdistressing tothe sufferers.
sore upon the menantitypeto the sixth Egyptian plague.
which had the mark of thebeastTherefore this first vial is subsequent to the period ofthe beast’s rule.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the first went,…. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, “the first angel”, and who undoubtedly is meant, who readily and cheerfully obeyed the orders given him, as did the rest; by this angel cannot be meant Pope Adrian, as Lyra, a Popish interpreter, imagines; for a pope would never hurt the worshippers of the beast, as this angel does; rather some Christian Protestant prince or magistrate is designed, and Brightman applies it to Queen Elizabeth; though a set of kings and princes yet to come seem to be intended:
and poured out his vial upon the earth; not upon the whole earth, and the inhabitants of it; not upon the temple or church of God, and the worshippers in it, which are measured, hid, and protected; nor upon the Roman Pagan empire, which was destroyed under the sixth seal, and which never had any worshippers of the beast and his image in it, for then he was not risen; nor upon the whole apostate church, only a part of it: some think the meaner and vulgar sort of Papists are meant, who were reformed by the Waldenses, Wycliff, Huss, and others before Luther; but rather the antichristian powers on the continent are designed, and particularly Germany; for as the first trumpet affected the earth, Re 8:7 and brought the Goths into Germany, and other inland countries on the continent; so this first vial affects the earth, and brings distress upon the Popish party in the same place: and this respects not the Reformation by Luther, as some have thought, nor the wars of the Turks here in the last age; though were it not for some things unfulfilled, which are to precede these vials, one would be tempted to think that this vial was now pouring out upon the empire; but I rather think this refers to a time of distress yet to come on those parts, and which will issue in a reformation from Popery again; for it should be observed, and it may be observed once for all, that though these vials are so many plagues upon antichrist, they are each of them so many steps to the advancement of Christ’s kingdom and glory:
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; that is, who were professors of the Popish religion, and adherents of the pope of Rome in those parts; see Re 13:15 who will only feel the effects of this vial, and that by a noisome and grievous sore falling on them, in allusion to the plague of boils in Egypt, Ex 9:8 by which may be meant, either literally something external, but not the plague in Dioclesian’s time, for then the beast was not risen; and there were none that could have his mark or worship his image: some have thought the French disease is intended, which first appeared in the world in 1490, among the Papists, as a just judgment upon them for the horrible and unnatural lusts and uncleanness of the Romish clergy; and others understand it of a very great heat, which will be before the burning of the world, and will raise blisters and boils upon men: or rather this may design something internal, either the remorse of their consciences, reflections on their past practices, and black despair and horror of mind; and their madness, wrath, and fury, their malice and envy at the success of the preachers of the Gospel, and of Protestant states and princes against them; see De 28:27. Moreover, their secret and wicked practices, both in political and ecclesiastical affairs, will be discovered, and they will appear with boils and blotches upon them all over, which will render them odious to the people, and be the means of a general reformation. Mr. Daubuz thinks the curse of wickedness in the ninth and tenth centuries, after the invocation of saints and angels, and the worship of images were settled, is meant.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Went and poured out ( ). Second aorist active indicative of (redundant use like with , “go and pour out,” in verse 1) and of . Each angel “went off” to perform his task. For see it repeated in verses Rev 16:3; Rev 16:4; Rev 16:8; Rev 16:10; Rev 16:12; Rev 16:17.
Into the earth ( ). This same use of after in verses Rev 16:3; Rev 16:4.
It became (). “There came” (second aorist middle indicative of ).
A noisome and grievous sore ( ). “Bad and malignant sore.” H is old word for a suppurated wound (Latin ulcus), here, verse Rev 16:11; Luke 16:21. See the sixth Egyptian plague (Exod 9:10; Deut 28:27; Deut 28:35) and Job 2:7. The magicians were attacked in Egypt and the worshippers of Caesar here (Rev 13:17; Rev 14:9; Rev 14:11; Rev 19:20).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
And the first went. Each angel, as his turn comes, with draws (uJpagete, see on Joh 6:21; Joh 8:21) from the heavenly scene.
There fell [] . Lit., there came to pass. Rev., it became. Elliott, very aptly, there broke out.
Noisome and grievous [ ] . Similarly the two cognate nouns kakia and ponria malice and wickedness occur together in 1Co 5:8. Ponhrov emphasizes the activity of evil. See on Luk 3:19.
Sore [] . See on Luk 16:20. Compare the sixth Egyptian plague, Exo 9:8 – 12, where the Septuagint uses this word elkov boil. Also of the boil or scab of leprosy, Lev 13:18; king Hezekiah ‘s boil, 2Ki 20:7; the botch of Egypt, Deu 28:27, 35. In Job 2:7 (Sept.) the boils are described as here by ponhrov sore.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And the first went,” (kai apelthen ho protos) “and the first (of the seven angels) went away,” away from the temple in heaven, as he had been directed, Rev 16:1; Rev 8:7; For God’s angels are now eager to do his will, Heb 1:6.
2) “And poured out his vial upon the earth,” (kai eksecheen ten phialen autou eis ten gen) “And poured out his vial (bowl) into the earth,” or upon the land area of the earth, the domain of the devil, the seat of sin for yet a little season. Joh 12:31; Joh 14:30; Eph 2:2; Rev 12:8-12.
3) “And there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men,” (kai egeneto helkos kakon kai poneron epi tous anthropous) “and there came a loud, bad, and vulgar appearing sore, a painful ulcer upon the men of the earth,” Isa 1:6; to annoy and make them cry aloud in pain, as Pharaohs rebellion in Egypt, Exo 9:9-11; Deu 28:35; as literal and as real as were the sores that dogs licked on Lazarus’ body, Luk 16:19-21.
4) “Which had the mark of the beast,” (tous echontas to charagma tou theriou) “(upon) those who had received the mark of the beast; who were his slaves, his property by their personal choice. The antichrist controls every polluted soul, every lost soul, every false teacher, 2Co 4:3-4.
5) “And upon them which worshipped his image,” (kai tous proskunountas te eikoni autou) “and upon those continually worshipping his image,” or who had continually worshipped his image, who had bowed down before this beast person who had declared himself to be God and required worship of men, Dan 9:27; Joh 5:43; 2Th 2:4-12; Rev 13:14-17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Strauss Comments
SECTION 50
Text Rev. 16:2
2 And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.
Initial Question Rev. 16:2
1.
What were the results of the first bowl of anger Rev. 16:2?
Rev. 16:2
The content of the first bowl brought a terrible plight to mans physical comfort. It repeats the picture of the Egyptian plagues discussed in Exo. 9:10-11 And came (egeneto 2nd aor. ind. the judgment came immediately) a bad, (kakon bad has a moral connotation) evil (ponron stresses the activity of evil or evil at work see Pauls Mystery of Lawlessness 2Th. 2:7) sore (helkos a boil, or scab of leprosy) on the men having the mark of the beast The sixth Egyptian plague (Exo. 9:8-12) had this same effect on men.
Discussion Questions
See Rev. 16:17-21.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(2) And the first . . .Translate, And the first went forth, &c. The angel which receives the command departs and pours forth his vial upon the earth. All the vials are poured forth into the earth (Rev. 16:1) generally; the first angel pours his vial forth upon the earth, that is, the dry land. And there came an evil and painful sore upon the men (i.e., upon that part of the human race) who, &c. The plague falls on those who carry the mark of the beast, and who worship it. Like the plagues of Egypt, they are directed against those who aid the oppressor. The plague here described resembles the sixth of the Egyptian plagues, the plague of boils (comp. Exo. 9:8-12; Deu. 28:27). Egypt is one type of the world-power; and the plagues are used as types also, and are not to be understood literally. The plague of the evil sore denotes some throbbing and hateful sore, perhaps spiritual or mental, which distracts attention and disturbs the personal serenity and self-complacency of the worshippers of the world-power.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Went As commissioned, from the temple, (Rev 15:5,) the Christic citadel.
Upon the earth The Babylonic land or soil; the ground element. Earth was first cursed for man’s sake. Sin has created a discord between man and nature. When man comes right, all will for him be right. But, at any rate, at this crisis of judgment the creation must reflect that retribution upon Babylon.
Sore Like Egypt’s plague of “boils.”
Exo 9:10. The broad land is plague-smitten, as in Egypt, for the crime of the capital. The earth is, perhaps, made to give forth miasms that corrupt and disease the systems of the Babylonic peoples.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the first went and poured out his bowl into the earth, and there came a distressing and grievous sore on the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image.’
Those who have received the mark of the beast now receive another mark, the mark of judgment in the form of a grievous sore. Compare Deu 28:35 where it is to be one of a number of judgments on faithless Israel. See also Rev 16:10-11 of this chapter where it is more generalised. Such sores were the mark of someone in a desperate state, like Lazarus at the gate of the rich man (Luk 16:21). This particular sore is directly related to the mark of the beast. It thus typifies the resulting sickness in heart and spirit that destroys men, a sore from which Christ’s own are protected. Reference to the mark of the Beast (see chapter 13)demonstrates that this commenced early on.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rev 16:2. The first went, and poured his vial, &c. The first vial is poured out upon the earth; and so the hail and fire of the first trumpet, ch. Rev 8:7 were cast upon the earth. it produces a noisome and grievous sore, and in this respect resembles the sixth plague of Egypt; Exo 9:10. This is inflicted upon the men who had the mark of the beast; which is to be understood of the others also, where it is not expressed. Whether these sores and ulcers are natural or moral, the event will shew.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rev 16:2 . The first vial poured forth upon the earth ( , in relation to Rev 16:1 , as Rev 8:7 to Rev 8:5 ) produces a severe ulcer.
. Cf. Exo 9:10 sqq.; Deu 28:35 . [3670] The [3671] designates, besides the , which expresses only the evil nature, the virulence, malignity, and affliction of the ulcer. [3672]
., . . . , The accus. after results [3673] from the idea that the plague extends to the men. [3674]
. . , . . . Cf. Rev 13:15 sqq., Rev 14:9 sqq. Of such a pestilence as there was at Rome [3675] in Nero’s time, nothing is said.
[3670] LXX.: . So also Job 2:7 .
[3671] Suidas: .
[3672] Cf. my commentary on 1Jn 3:12 .
[3673] Cf. Luk 1:65 ; Luk 3:2 . De Wette.
[3674] Cf. Winer, p. 380.
[3675] Volkm.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
There can be no doubt, but that it was the Lord Jesus Christ, whose voice John heard, as mentioned in the former verse, thus sending forth his servants on their employment; or God the Holy Ghost, whose office it is to ordain to the ministry. In either sense, it is blessed. For in either point of view, it must be attended with success. And most blessed was the success of it. For the effects of the pouring out of the first vial was, that a noisome, and grievous sore, fell upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
The Reader will remember that I do not speak decidedly upon any point of doubtful meaning, but I venture to believe that it was the pouring out of this first Vial, which is said to have been poured upon the earth, that is, the empire of the Pope, which produced a change upon the minds of numbers, concerning him and his heresy. For what is a noisome and grievous sore, in a spiritual sense, but a sense of dissatisfaction. And when the eyes of the common people, here called the earth, through grace, were opened to see the folly of bulls, and grants, and licences, and pardons, all for money, what could sour the mind more, than the having been long hoodwinked by such iniquity.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Ver. 2. And the first went ] They went not all at once. Note the patience of God, waiting men’s return unto him.
Upon the earth ] Antichrist’s footstool, his branded slaves.
A noisome and grievous sore ] The French disease, say some; the devil’s disease, say others, viz. spite and envy at the Reformation wrought in Bohemia, Germany, England, &c., upon the discovery of the Papists’ hypocrisy and filthiness.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2 .] And the first departed (each angel, as his turn comes, leaves the heavenly scene, and from the space between heaven and earth, empties his vial on the appointed object) and poured out his vial into the earth (the , which before in Rev 16:1 was general, is now particular, and correlative with the objects of the other vials, cf. Rev 16:2-3 , , ): and there came (took place: fell , as E. V.) an evil ( , in itself) and painful ( , to the sufferers, , Suidas. See reff.) sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast and that worshipped his image (see above ch. Rev 13:15-17 , Rev 14:9-10 . The allegorical and historical interpretations have been very various: see them in Elliott, vol. iv. Notice the parallel with the sixth Egyptian plague, Exo 9:8 ff. Cf. Deu 28:27 ; Deu 28:35 ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Rev 16:2 . The sixth Egyptian plague, “a noisome and painful ulcer” (the punishment of the impious and rebellious, according to Philo, de Execr. Rev 16:6 ) breaks out on the adherents of the Cssar-cult.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev 16:2
2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
Rev 16:2 This first bowl is very much like one of the Egyptian plagues (cf. Exo 9:10-11). Some see this as related to Deu 28:35, which is in the cursing and blessing section of Moses’ covenant renewal. It is to be noted that, like the Egyptian plagues, these plagues affected unbelievers.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
went = went forth. Greek. aperchomai.
upon. Greek. epi, but the texts read eis as Rev 16:1.
fell. Literally came or became.
noisome. App-128.
grievous. App-128.
sore = ulcer. Greek. helkos. Only here, Rev 16:11. Luk 16:21.
upon. Greek. eis, but the texts read epi (App-104.)
men. App-123.
mark. See Rev 13:16.
beast. See Rev 12:1.
upon them. Omit.
which worshipped = those worshipping (App-137.)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] And the first departed (each angel, as his turn comes, leaves the heavenly scene, and from the space between heaven and earth, empties his vial on the appointed object) and poured out his vial into the earth (the , which before in Rev 16:1 was general, is now particular, and correlative with the objects of the other vials, cf. Rev 16:2-3, , ): and there came (took place: fell, as E. V.) an evil (, in itself) and painful (, to the sufferers, , Suidas. See reff.) sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast and that worshipped his image (see above ch. Rev 13:15-17, Rev 14:9-10. The allegorical and historical interpretations have been very various: see them in Elliott, vol. iv. Notice the parallel with the sixth Egyptian plague, Exo 9:8 ff. Cf. Deu 28:27; Deu 28:35).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Rev 16:2. , the first) Thus, the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, without the noun angel.[177] The style expresses a very quick outpouring of the vials, of which quickness this also is a proof, that the vials have no periods of times expressed. These bear a great resemblance to the plagues of Egypt, which the Hebrews generally suppose to have been inflicted at intervals of months. See Meyer ad Seder Olam, p. 287. What if the same thing should be about to happen in the case of the vials? Their whole outpouring indeed is as yet among the things to come.- , a grievous sore) Deu 28:35, , in the LXX. . [This, I believe, will be a new and hitherto unheard of plague.-V. g.]
[177] Rec. Text adds in ver. 3, with B: ACh Vulg. oppose it. In ver. 4 also: ABCh Vulg. opposing it. In ver. 8, 10, 12 also, with h: ABC Vulg. opposing it. In ver. 17 also, with h: AB Vulg. and Syr. opposing it.-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Rev 16:2-11
3. THE FIRST FIVE PLAGUES DESCRIBED
Rev 16:2-11
2 And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.–This is what John saw, in the vision, but what this represents as a symbol is another thing. There is perhaps no part of Revelation for which expositors have offered more different explanations than the seven bowls of God’s wrath. That they represent punishments and calamities that were to befall the papal hierarchy is generally admitted, but the difficulty comes in trying to fix upon some historical events as the fulfillment of the symbols. If we are not able definitely to locate any event that is a sure fulfillment, we will still know that the symbols have been or will be fulfilled by some such events.
The general facts about which there can be no reasonable doubt are these: (1) That a general series of calamities would befall the beast and his devotees that would culminate in his destruction. To misunderstand these or misapply the items will not change this fact. (2) These plagues were to affect directly the man of sin–the apostate church. (3) As they were to accomplish his destruction, they would naturally begin when his power was ready to wane. This would indicate that these plagues would not begin to be poured out till after the 1,260-year period had ended. The record says (Rev 13:4-5) that authority was given unto the beast to “continue forty and two months.” These facts are certainly true, and would be sufficient for practical purposes, if no effort were made to find any historical fulfillment.
A noisome and grievous sore would be a physical malady that is particularly painful and tormenting. These words, doubtless, are to be understood symbolically–that is, some calamities would fall upon men that would be as disagreeable as the physical plagues mentioned. Surely there would be more calamities befall them than just one physical disorder. But whatever punishments were visited upon them, they would be as tormenting as a burning boil. Those to be thus tormented were men who had the “mark” and “image” of the beast. As already learned, this refers to those who have received the doctrines of the apostate church and practice them. See notes on Rev 13:15-17. Naturally this means that whatever the plagues might indicate, the events would occur in countries predominantly under the influence of Catholicism, either religiously or politically, or both. It should be remembered that this beast power was united so closely in both religious and political forms that each sustained the other and a plague upon one affected the other.
As a matter of historical fact the Roman apostate church began the loss of her universal sway over the nations about the time of the French Revolution, A.D. 1789 to 1794. Of all the conflicting views presented by expositors this appears to be the most probable, and is the view of several. Elliott (Vol. III, pp. 351-375) gives this application of the plague in detail. France, being a strong Catholic nation, was a suitable place for the events to happen. The Standard History of the World (Vol. VII, p. 3384) thus describes the unhappy state of France in this period “During the Reign of Terror, in 1793-94, unhappy France–torn by factions, rent by civil war, invaded by civil enemies, threatened by famine, suffering from bankruptcy, cursed by atheism–presented a picture beyond our powers of description.”
On page 3386 it is stated that “infidelity and atheism reigned supreme,” and that the leaders of the Paris Commune declared they intended “to dethrone the King of heaven as well as the monarchs of the earth.” The national convention decreed “the abolition of the Christian religion in France and the substitution of the worship of reason instead.”
The same authority, same page, thus states the treatment received by the Catholic Church: “Gobel, the constitutional Bishop of Paris, and several other ecclesiastics were compelled publicly to apostatize from Roman Catholic Christianity and to accept the new worship of reason. While the cathedral at Notre Dame was thus profaned by being converted into a temple of atheism, the other Catholic churches were plundered and subjected to every kind of sacrilege, and the mass vestments and church ornaments and implements were carried through the streets in blasphemous processions.”
The same writer says that the Reign of Terror cost the lives of more than a million Frenchmen. If such a moral and religious ulcer in the leading Catholic nation does not fulfill the demands of John’s symbolic plague, it would be difficult to find anything in history that does. It would be remarkably strange that a situation without a parallel in history for moral and religious corruption should not be made a part of the symbolic imagery depicting the rise and fall of an apostate religion. That the papacy began at that time the downgrade which will ultimately end in its destruction is most certainly true; hence, it is the most probable application for the fulfillment of the first plague
3 And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea.–John saw the second angel pour the contents of his bowl into the sea and it turned to the color of blood, and all living creatures in the sea died. It was not the warm flowing blood of a living being, but the dark coagulated blood of the dead. Very naturally this would destroy everything in the sea or upon the sea. This was only what John saw in the vision; what the symbol represents is the difficult problem the Bible student must try to solve. We have already learned (see preliminary notes on Rev 6:1-8) that modifying facts sometimes require certain words in a symbol to be taken literally and others figuratively. “Many waters” (Rev 17:1) where the harlot sitteth is said in verse 15 to be “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”; but the book nowhere gives a symbolic meaning for sea. To say it must be given the same meaning as “waters” in Rev 17:15 is an assumption without proof. The words “earth” and “men” in the first plague (verse 2) are to be taken liter-ally; for, whatever the plague meant, it was to affect people here on earth. That is where they dwell. Some commentators have suggested different figurative meanings for the word sea; but, in harmony with the application offered for the first plague, it seems more probable that it is to be understood literally here. The meaning then will be: some great calamities would take place upon the sea which would affect the papal nations adversely, and become one of the things that would help to bring about the destruction of the apostate church. This view harmonizes with plain facts of history, even if the word sea should be given some metaphorical meaning.
Elliott’s commentary (Vol. III, pp. 378-380) describes the great naval war between France and England which began in the time of the French Revolution, 1793, and lasted more than twenty years. After naming about a dozen great engagements in which France and her allies lost heavily, Elliott says “Altogether in this naval war, from its beginning in 1793 to its end in 1815, it appears from James’ Naval History that there were destroyed near 200 ships of the line, between 300 and 400 frigates, and an almost incalculable number of smaller vessels of war and ships of commerce. It is most truly stated by Dr. Keith that the whole history of the world does not present such a period of naval war, destruction, and bloodshed.”
Such facts surely would justify the language of the symbol: the sea “became blood as of a dead man.” Sweeping the navy of papal nations from the sea in such decisive victories is fittingly described by the words, “every living soul died,” of the creatures in the sea. As Mr. Barnes so often says in his commentary, if the Spirit had desired to describe these historical facts in symbols, more appropriate language could hardly have been chosen. Regardless of how the plague is to be understood, these were heavy blows against those who had the “mark of the beast.”
4 And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood.–It should be remembered that whatever application may be given these symbols, the plagues represent events that were to fall upon the beast power as punishments. They would have to be where obedience to papal authority was rendered, and upon the worshipers in that system. As in the first two visions, the words “earth” and “sea” probably indicate the places where those plagues would be most heavily felt, so here rivers and fountains of waters, doubtless, refer to another place where the third plague would fall. If so, then the events indicated would happen in a section where rivers abounded. The statement that the water became blood as a result shows that the plague is to be understood as referring to destructive wars. Because John saw these visions in regular order does not mean that the events signified by one had to be past before those of another could begin. Events depicted by several may have occurred at the same time in different places.
Again we refer to Elliott (Vol. III, pp. 382 to 388), who describes another series of wars from 1792-1805 which were fought in the territory of the three rivers, Rhine, Danube, Po, and their tributaries. It must be admitted that these wars were at an appropriate time, and of the right character, to be the fulfillment of the symbol. If these wars do not fulfill the requirements of the vision, then something of a similar nature would have to be located at some other time. Nothing seems more probable, and certainly this view does no violence to the symbol.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge:–The expression “angel of the waters” is not easy of interpretation. That angels were sometimes given power to use or control certain elements is clear from Rev 7:1; Rev 14:18. In the text it seems more probable that the angel referred to is the one who poured out the plague upon the waters, the thought being that the angel declared the righteousness of God in the punishments indicated by this plague. They indicated that God is a righteous Judge.
6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy.–It is unnecessary to give any detailed account of the persecutions which the papal beast brought upon the true people of God. That this apostate church with her political power did shed the blood of saints we would know from what the angel here says, even if history recorded not a single instance. Since simple Christians and prophets (teachers of the word) had been killed, God allowed those persecutors to be given blood to drink –to suffer terrible bloodshed in the wars indicated. The angel declared that they were worthy–that is, they deserved the punishments they were getting because of their shedding the blood of saints.
7 And I heard thealtar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.–Under the fifth seal (Rev 6:9-11) the martyrs were seen under the altar and they were crying with a great voice, asking how long till God would avenge their blood on those upon the earth. Here John hears another voice that appears to come from the altar endorsing the angel’s statement that God’s judgments are true and righteous. All this means that all the punishments indicated by these plagues that fell upon the apostate Roman church were a just and righteous retribution for sins against the church Christ established. It also placed the stamp of divine approval upon those who were martyrs for the word of God.
8 And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire.–The thing John saw was an angel pouring the contents of a bowl upon the sun which so intensified the heat that men were scorched. In the symbol the word “sun” is used literally; but in applying the symbol it must be used figuratively, for the reason that men do not live on the sun, as they do upon the earth or sea. Christ is referred to prophetically as “the sun of righteousness.” (Mal 4:2.) In a dream Joseph saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing to him. This was explained to mean his father, mother, and brethren. (Gen 37:9-10.) As a symbol the sun represents a leader or prominent man. The simple and natural meaning of the fourth plague is that a great leader with irresistible power would bring great distress and suffering to men that might be likened to the burning rays of a scorching sun. The facts naturally indicate that he would be a military leader, and the sufferings would come through war.
According to the view taken of the preceding plagues, this one is probably another result of the French Revolution, and would naturally be expected to follow close after them. The military career of Napoleon Bonaparte came at the exact time to fulfill the requirements of this symbol. He was the most brilliant, successful, and scorching military sun the world had seen. His military talents were first recognized in 1793. After many successful invasions of other nations, he took the government of France into his own hands in 1799, becoming first consul for life. With unlimited power he became a constant menace to other nations. “Never before,” says Elliott (Vol. III, p. 391), “had there been such a subversion of old dynasties, and changes in new ones, in the history of modern Europe.” The nations that felt the scorching effect of his power were dominated by the papal system of religion. Surely no known historical event fits the symbol any better. It would certainly be remarkable if a career that so clearly affected the fortunes of the church would not be a subject to be depicted in a series of prophetic symbols. No other explanation seems as probable.
9 And men were ‘scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath the power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.–Doubtless it would be impossible to learn how much suffering and bloodshed occurred in these wars. The natural effect that these calamities would have upon wicked men would be to cause them to blaspheme God for allowing such misfortunes to fall upon them. They would charge that he alone had power to bring them. If they admitted that God had power to bring the plagues, and they were suffering from them, that should have produced repentance, but it did not. This shows that those with the mark of the beast were too fully steeped in false teaching to yield; so they repented not.
10 And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast and his kingdom was darkened; –The preceding plagues were naturally preparatory to this one, which was a direct thrust at the very foundation of the system. The word “throne” means authority and this bowl was, therefore, intended to weaken the highest authority in the beast power. As the theory here accepted is that the beast represents the apostate or papal church, we conclude that the beast’s throne means the authority of the Pope. This plague was greatly to weaken that power, but not to destroy it. That would not occur till the seventh plague had been poured out. The “man of sin” is not to be destroyed till the Lord comes. (2Th 2:3; 2Th 2:8.) This blow against papal authority would leave the Pope’s subjects in distress and confusion, fittingly represented as spiritual darkness.
and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.–The words “pains” and “sores” seem to refer to the effects of the preceding plagues, indicating that this one only intensified their distress and misery already felt from plagues suffered. Gnawing their tongues signifies great suffering and deep anguish. The plague had the same effect in these particulars as the fourth had.
If no fact in history could be found to correspond with this symbol, we would know that something had occurred, and the symbol was true. That events transpired during the French Revolution and soon after it that weakened the power of Rome and strengthened Protestantism is too well known to need reciting. The language naturally implies that the fifth plague was poured out not long after the preceding ones. Elliott (Vol. III, pp. 395-408) offers the most plausible explanation. Briefly stated, he refers it to the time when the “Pope’s temporal authority over the Roman state was abolished.” After victories in northern Italy in 1796 and 1797, the French army under Napoleon was rushed toward Rome. The Pope (Pius VI) saved himself with a payment of some thirty million francs, and surrendered a hundred of the finest paintings and statues in the Vatican. But he lost his temporal power, was taken away as a prisoner, and soon thereafter died. In 1804 Pope Pius VII was summoned to Paris to crown Napoleon as emperor, or rather to give official sanction to his assuming the position. In 1801 Napoleon made an agreement with Pius VII by which the Roman Catholic Church was restored as the state religion of France, but Protestant worship was to be allowed. In 1809 Napoleon issued a decree, declaring the Pope’s temporal authority at an end, but allowed him the Vatican and the position of spiritual head of the church. This intensely exasperated the Pope, who excommunicated Napoleon. The Pope was then taken a prisoner to France, and the states of the church annexed to that empire. These facts surely fulfill the demands of the symbol well enough to justify their acceptance as the things meant. The authority of the Roman Pontiff had been both changed and limited.
Notwithstanding these sufferings, they repented not, but still worshiped the beast. Peace was restored and the Pope returned to his place in Rome in 1815. The preceding year he issued a proclamation, declaring himself “God’s Vicar on Earth.” Soon after his return to Rome he refused tolerance to Protestant worship in France, and issued briefs against Bible societies, declaring the Scriptures themselves, unless accompanied with papal explanations, to be the gospel of men or the devil rather than of God. (See Elliott, Vol. III, pp. 418. 419.)
Commentary on Rev 16:2-11 by Foy E. Wallace
(1) A prologue to the plagues-Rev 16:1-14.
1. The voice of verse one is not that of an angel but of God himself. The seven angels were commanded to Go your ways-each had a special and separate work to perform, to pour out the vials of wrath. The vials corresponded with the cup of his indignation in Rev 14:10, the contents of which were the components of the penal woes which were to descend on the subjects of Gods wrath. It was during this period of divine wrath that no man was able to enter into the temple to appear in the presence of God for the prayer of intercession to avert the destruction of old Jerusalem and the devastation of the old temple.
2. The subjects of the plagues were the adherents of the Roman empire in Palestine; and the judgments which commenced with verse two were commensurate with the Roman beasts and the worshipers of his image who were the recipients of his mark.
The significance of the seven plagues may now be summarized as follows:
(1) The noisome sore upon the adherents of the imperial beast: 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”-Rev 16:2.
The object of this plague was the people in Judea and other provinces of Palestine who had submitted to the imperial decree of the emperor of idolatry in the form of his image-worship, which was the mark of the beast. The effect of this plague was signified by a noxious malodorous sore, a stench in the nostrils, the symbol of the civic posion of idolatry; and it was grievous as a spiritual contagion, being inimical to the ultimate degree to Christianity. In this role the emperor was the veritable embodiment of the antichrist of 1Jn 2:18 and 1Jn 4:3 and 2Jn 1:7. The mention of the last time by John in this connection was comparable to Pauls present distress 1Co 7:1-40, and similar allusions in other epistles in the same sort of reference to the grievous times connected with the end of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state.
3. The plagues followed the pattern of the experiences of the Israelites in Egypt, as indicated in Rev 16:3-4; and Pharaoh Rameses, the oppressor of Israel, parallels Nero Caesar, the imperial persecutor of the church. It again presented the comparison of the old testament and new testament people of God–Israel and the Church.
(2) The sea of dead blood which putrified the society of imperial idolatry: 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.”-Rev 16:3.
In accordance with the definitions of the symbols in the first section, the sea represented society in various descriptions- tossed and troubled, or placid and peaceful. Here the sea became as the blood of a dead man–signifying the complete dissolution of the emperor-beast and his subject.
(3) The conversion of the rivers and fountains of waters into blood: And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood -Rev 16:4.
The pollution of the fountains and streams of water resulted in epidemics of deadly disease. The sickening figure of the total contamination of the streams of water by the effluence of blood was symbolic of retribution for the blood of the martyrs. In chapter 6:10 the souls under the altar of martyrdom cried: How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? This plague symbol was the answer to the martyr-cry. It was the squaring of the account in this symbolic retribution of blood, the avenging of the martyrs. And Rev 16:6 so declares: For they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. The statement for they are worthy means that they deserved the recompense of blood for the blood they had shed.
A similar pronouncement of judgment upon apostate Jerusalem was made by Jesus in Mat 23:37 : O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
The plague meant that they were figuratively made to drink the blood which they had made to flow from the mass murder of the saints.
4. Each apocalypse had a separate attending angel in the superintendence of the scene enacted, and each angel personified the vision he represented, as Rev 16:5-6 exemplifies, in the angels of waters of the sea, and of the altar of the martyrs; in each symbol the one represents the other.
5. The angel of the altar in verse seven reverted to the altar of martyrs in Rev 6:9-10 and was in the role of sending the judgment which the martyrs petitioned, and of satisfying their avenging cry.
(4) The smitten sun that scorched blasphemous men with fire: And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire”-Rev 16:8.
This plague was the symbol of the punishment inflicted on the persecutors who had blasphemed God in the assumption of the powers and prerogatives of God by compelling the worship of the emperors image; and had thus branded the mark in the hands and on the foreheads of all who bowed in submission. This symbol portended the end of the activities of the emperor and his colleagues.
6. The power of the persecution was represented as broken in Rev 16:10, when the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast–the seat of authority for action in Palestine, which came from the emperor. The kingdom of the beast was full of darkness in Palestine. The same metaphor was used by Isaiah (Isa 13:10) to describe the fall of ancient Babylon; and Jesus adopted the same figure of speech (Mat 24:29) in foretelling the darkness that settled over the Jewish state in the fall of Jerusalem. The same use of the symbol was made here in Rev 16:10.
(5) The vial of wrath poured upon the seat of the beast that darkened his kingdom: 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 -Rev 16:10.
The king of the kingdom mentioned in this verse must be identified with the great red dragon of Rev 12:9, personified as the devil and Satan.
The seat of the beast here was on the same principle of Satans seat, or throne, in Pergamos; mentioned in Rev 2:13. It referred to his base of operations through his imperial agents. His kingdom was darkened by the exposure of the deceptions of his lying wonders, which resulted in his ignominious end. The subjects of this Satanic beast, who repented not of theirdeeds of idolatrous worship of the emperor-image, by which they blasphemed the God of heaven, suffered the same consequences.
7. The realm of the persecutors operations, by the wrath poured out of the vials, was subjected to the calamities narrated; and the minions of the emperor gnawed their tongues for pain–the symbol of retribution for the lies of deception and seduction their tongues had spoken; which was the method employed to brand the subjects of their deceit with the mark of emperor-worship. And in evidence of entire allegiance to the beast-power Rev 16:11 declared that these representatives of Rome blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Commentary on Rev 16:2-11 by Walter Scott
FIRST BOWL OF WRATH.
Rev 16:2. – And the first went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and there came an evil and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped his image. In the enumeration of the respective Trumpets each of the seven angels is referred to as second angel, third angel, fourth angel, and so on (Rev 8:1-13), but not so here. The introduction is more brief, the ordinals as first, second, etc., being simply employed, and the word angel omitted.(Bengel, remarking on the omission of the word angel in the Vials, tersely adds, The Vials make short work.)
The plague here referred to as an evil and grievous sore reminds us of the sixth Egyptian plague (Exo 9:10-11). This was the first of the plagues which attacked the persons of the Egyptians, and one under which the magicians, or wise men, specially smarted. It was a disgusting and loathsome disease (see Deu 28:27; Deu 28:35). There are two other New Testament references to this painful character of boil. Under the fifth Bowl it is mentioned in conjunction with other judgments (Rev 16:11), and in Luk 16:20-21 we learn that Lazarus, dying amongst the dogs on the street, was covered with these painful and generally incurable boils or sores, but the soul of the pauper was waited upon by the angels of God, and carried up and into the bosom of Abraham – the reserved place of Jewish blessing.
The literality of the apocalyptic plagues (Rev 16:1-21) is a moot question with some. It has been argued that because the Egyptian plagues were literal, so must these be, because of their general resemblance. Now, while strongly protesting against any limitation of divine power, or intruding on the region of sovereignty which God alone can and must necessarily occupy, yet we judge that the plagues of our chapter must be understood symbolically in keeping with the general character and design of the book. What is signified is a moral sore which will cause intense mental suffering. Physical suffering, no doubt, will also add to the anguish endured by men, but the chief and predominating feature will be judicial dealing with the soul and conscience – a suffering far exceeding any bodily infliction. It is called an evil and grievous sore. The word literally means a bad ulcer, that which produces and draws to it unhealthy humours, discharging these in a highly offensive form. Persons bearing the mark of the Beast and his worshippers – the active supporters of the apostate civil power then under the direct authority of Satan – are the sufferers under the first Bowl. It is Gods wrath on the adherents and devotees of the Beast throughout the prophetic earth. This truly awful judgment precedes the fall of Babylon (Rev 16:19), whereas the everlasting torment of the Beast worshippers succeeds that great event (Rev 14:9-10). We gather therefore that the pouring out of the first Vial is a precursor of the doom announced as the fourth subject in that interesting chapter 14 of grave and notable events.
THE TRUMPETS AND VIALS COMPARED.
Besides a general resemblance to the plagues of Egypt, the Vials and Trumpets strikingly correspond. In the first four of each series the sphere of operation is the same, namely, the earth, the sea, the rivers, the fountains, and the sun. But in the Trumpets the area affected is restricted to a third part, i.e., the Roman world. The effects produced under the Vials are different, and of a severer character, than those under the Trumpet judgments. Then the fifth, sixth. and even seventh Trumpets correspond in some general respects to the last three Vials. But in the Vials the range of the various plagues is in no wise limited to a fourth (Rev 6:8) or third part (Rev 8:1-13) of the prophetic earth. Wherever the evil is it is searched out and none escape.
SECOND BOWL OF WRATH.
Rev 16:3 – And the second poured out his bowl on the sea; and it became blood, as of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea. All the Vials are poured on the earth, not geographically but prophetically considered (Rev 16:1). But the terms earth (Rev 16:2) and sea (Rev 16:3) both form part of the prophetic scene referred to in verse 1; that is, the term earth in Rev 16:1 is of larger and wider import than the earth of Rev 16:2. The latter is contrasted with the sea, and as a symbol denotes that special part of the prophetic earth then in ordered external relation to God, while the sea signifies that portion of the sphere of prophetic dealing, not organized, but revolutionary in character – the masses in general. It is important to lay hold of the force of these symbols and of their application in detail. The grand desideratum, however, is to hold in the soul and understanding the moral principles and teaching of the book. A detailed exposition, however interesting, and to some minds fascinating, should be subordinated to the moral element – to that which deals with the conscience and with God. The great moral principles of truth which run through all Scripture are meant to govern the heart and control the life.
The sea became blood is not a physical fact, as in the first Egyptian plague (Exo 7:17-25), when the Nile, the justly celebrated river of Egypt, with its canals, streams, and tributaries, was turned into blood literally and actually. But in the Vial plague the sea becoming blood points symbolically to a scene of moral death. Christianity, or at least what then represents it, is abandoned. So complete and thorough is the apostasy that the blood (life, moral or physical, as the case may be) is as of a dead man. Here we have death in a double sense. First, spiritual death, as in Eph 2:5, even in the case of those naturally alive; second, by apostasy, the giving up of all religious profession – the open, public renunciation of all external relationship to God, as in Jud 1:12 – twice dead, even when physically alive.
Every living soul died in the sea. The masses of people within the bounds of the prophetic earth are signified by the restless sea, while those in special outward relation to God within that same sphere are signified by the solid earth. Every living soul died. Each mere professor makes shipwreck of faith, of conscience, of truth, and gives up every vestige of religious profession. The apostasy and alienation from God are complete, not one left, save those who are real and whose names are in the Lambs book of life.
It has been contended that a violent physical death is here signified by the term blood, but this, we judge, is a mistake. A sword symbolically sets forth death by war or violence, and that is absent here (Rev 6:8; Rev 19:15). The scene before us represents a general state of corruption and apostasy amongst the peoples and masses of mankind not in ordered relation to God, as also the open apostasy of every one. A pagan world we have read and heard of with all its disgusting and filthy practices. A papal Europe shrouded in moral darkness there has been, and that at no very distant date. But an apostate world, with its blasphemy, cruelty, and frightful misery, abandoned by God and given over to Satan, is the appalling picture in the Apocalypse, one most sure, and, moreover, not far off. The character of the times unmistakably points in that direction.
THIRD BOWL OF WRATH.
Rev 16:4-7. – And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers, and (on) the fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Thou art righteous, Who art, and wast, the Holy One, that Thou hast judged so. For they have poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; they are worthy. And I heard the altar saying, Yea, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous (are) Thy judgments. In the third Trumpet, to which the third Vial corresponds, the rivers and fountains come under judgment. In the former, however, they become wormwood (Rev 8:11); here they are turned into blood. In the former all national life, character, and source of thought and action are morally poisoned; in the latter the national corruption is of a deeper kind – moral death and complete alienation from God are the results. The rivers, the ordinary life of a nation characterized by known and accepted principles of government, social and political, its life-breath so to speak, as also fountains of waters, the sources of prosperity and well-being, are all turned into blood, symbolically of course. (See remarks on Rev 8:10.) We would again remark that, allowing a certain parallelism between the Trumpets and Vials, the latter are, at the same time, of wider extent and more severe and searching than the former.
Rev 16:5 – The angel of the waters seems at first sight an ambiguous expression. But when it is borne in mind the large part which angels occupy in the economy of the redemption of the inheritance the expression assumes a definiteness quite in keeping with other portions of the book. Almost every subject in the Apocalypse has its angel. An angel is the intermediary between Christ and John (Rev 1:1); the seven churches have each their angel or moral representative, not a celestial being (Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22); an angel challenges the universe to produce one competent to fulfil the counsels of God respecting the earth (Rev 5:2); the numberless throng of angels worship the Lamb (Rev 16:11-12); angels control the elements (Rev 7:1); an angel seals the servants of God (vv. 2, 3); each Trumpet and each Vial has its respective angel (Rev 8:1-13; Rev 16:1-21); angels are the combatants in the heavenly war (Rev 12:1-17); an angel announces the Everlasting Gospel (Rev 14:6); an angel proclaims the fall of Babylon (Rev 16:8); an angel declares the awful doom of the worshippers of the Beast (Rev 16:9); an angel comes out of the temple (Rev 16:15); and another out of the altar (Rev 16:18). If the winds, the fire, and the abyss have each an angel, the waters too have their appropriate and guardian angel. The peoples symbolized by the waters (Rev 17:15) are controlled by an angel, all, however, under the governing hand of God.
The angel of the waters acquiesces in the divine judgment. It might be naturally supposed that he would deprecate judicial and retributive dealing in the sphere over which he presides. On the contrary, he justifies God, saying, Thou art righteous. The plague does not overstep by a hairbreadth the just measure of strict righteousness. Then the eternity of Gods Being, Who art, and His past relation to men and angels, and wast, are next affirmed. (See remarks in our Exposition on Rev 1:4; Rev 1:8; Rev 4:8; Rev 11:17.) The holy One. This peculiar word occurs but twice in the New Testament in relation to Christ: the other instance is in Rev 15:4.
In the Authorized Version of Rev 16:5 the words O Lord and shalt be are unnecessary interpolations, and are rejected by most critics, while the title the holy One is omitted (see R.V.).
Rev 16:6. – They have poured out the blood of saints and prophets. This sentence conclusively proves the symbolic character of the plague. Apostate peoples and nations are referred to as waters. They had freely and wantonly poured out the blood of saints and prophets. In Rev 11:18 the order is prophets and saints; here it is saints and prophets. In the former it is a question of public acknowledgment of service and faithfulness, hence the most responsible and distinguished company is first named; whereas in our text it is the martyrdom of all who stand for God, of all who witness for Him, negatively and positively, according to the principle in Luk 11:50-51. Saints (See remarks on Rev 11:18.) is a common enough term in both Testaments, signifying true believers on God. Prophets designate those who truly witness for God in a dark and evil day.
Rev 16:6 – Thou hast given them blood to drink: they are worthy. Water is the ordinary source of life and refreshment. Wine is the symbol of earths joy. Blood is the witness of death. In retributive justice, in holy righteousness, God judicially gives over the persecutors of His people to drink blood, to realise in their own souls and consciences death. The penalty is an awful one. The drinking of blood does not mean physical death, it is infinitely worse. The punishment is as horrible as it is righteous. It is really an instalment and foretaste of the horrors of the lake of fire. They are worthy. Not only is it a righteous judgment, but these apostates have fully earned their awful doom. They are worthy to have this terrible and judicial character of death inflicted upon them, to drink it, and thus fully know its bitterness.
Then the altar speaks, not as in the Authorized Version, the angel of the altar, but the altar itself. The brazen altar is here referred to (Rev 6:9), the altar of consuming judgment. The lives of Gods saints and witnesses had been sacrificed on the altar (so He regarded it), and their souls after death are heard underneath it crying to God for vengeance on their bloodthirsty persecutors. God hears the cry. For about six thousand years it might have seemed as if God slept or was indifferent to the cruel and heartless treatment of His people in all ages. But no! The long, lingering patience of our God has now come to an end, and the slumbering vengeance of Jehovah bursts forth. The cry of the altar is a vindication of the God of wrath. It exults in the holy and righteous character of these retributive judgments. In the first book of Scripture (Gen 4:10) we hear the cry of the blood of the first of the martyred band; now in the last book (Rev 16:7) we listen to the cry of the altar which had borne its testimony to the slaughter of Gods saints from Abel onwards. It is the appeal of the altar itself in the near approach of the final consummation of judgment under the seventh Vial. It is both an appeal to and a vindication of God in His true and righteous judgments (see Rev 15:3; Rev 19:2).
FOURTH BOWL OF WRATH.
Rev 16:8-9. – And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun; and it was given to it to burn men with fire. And the men were burnt with great heat, and blasphemed the Name of God, Who had authority over these plagues, and did not repent to give Him glory. There is a marked and striking parallelism between the first four Trumpets and the first four Vials. In both the order is the same. The great departments of nature, symbolic, of course, come under judgment, namely, the earth, the sea, the rivers, and the sun. In the Vials the whole prophetic scene is involved, whereas in the Trumpets the Roman earth is specially in view.
The previous visitation of the sun in judgment (Rev 8:12), that is, the supreme governing authority, resulted in a scene of intense moral darkness, confined, however, to the revived Roman world. But the fourth Trumpet, both in severity and range, must pale before the greater horrors of the fourth Vial. There darkness, here intolerable agony; there an area of circumscribed judgment, here the judgment extends to the utmost bounds of Christendom; there the circumstances of men are in question, here men themselves in their own persons are the agonized sufferers.
Rev 16:9. – Burnt with great heat. The power of the sun is increased to such an intense degree that men are scorched or burnt with its fire. It is not, of course, a physical judgment produced by the great celestial luminary; we must therefore seek to ascertain what is the moral significance and symbolic meaning of the sign. The sun as a figure denotes supreme government (see on Rev 6:12; Rev 8:12; Rev 9:2; Rev 12:1). We understand, therefore, that the great governing authority on earth becomes the cause of intense and frightful anguish to men. Burnt, or scorched, would naturally convey as much (Deu 32:24; Mal 4:1).
Rev 16:9 – We are next called to witness the effect of these dire plagues upon the consciences of men. Are they humbled and made repentant thereby? Are they crushed in spirit under the repeated and increasing severity of these judicial chastisements? No! They blasphemed the Name of God. What an answer on mans part to the expressed wrath of the Almighty! How incorrigibly bad and thoroughly corrupt is the will of man! Had there been godly repentance the storm of divine wrath might have been arrested, for God had authority over these plagues. All were in His hand, and He possessed supreme control. God is the source of these apocalyptic judgments. We are not living in a world of chance, but in a world which belongs to God and which He controls, even down to the minutest circumstance of life. There was produced, not repentance, but increased hardness of heart; not glory to God, but blasphemy of His blessed Name. In this plague God and the creature stand out strongly contrasted.
FIFTH BOWL OF WRATH.
Rev 16:10-11. – And the fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the Beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues with distress; and blasphemed the God of the Heaven for their distresses and their sores, and did not repent of their works. The seven churches (Rev 2:1-29; Rev 3:1-22), the seven Seals (Rev 6:1-17; Rev 8:1), the seven Trumpets (Rev 8:1-13), and the seven Vials (Rev 16:1-21) are each divided into two distinct groups. In the case of the churches the division is into three and four, whilst in the others the grouping is reversed, four and three. Number seven in itself signifies completeness, spiritual perfection. When separately numbered as one, two, etc., the various parts of the whole are distinguished, and when grouped into the two unequal divisions of three and four it intimates a special and characteristic feature peculiar to each group.
We have had in the preceding Vials the four great departments of nature symbolically represented, as the earth, the sea, the rivers, and the sun. But now we pass from the realm of nature to witness a characteristic and specific subject of judgment, i.e., the kingdom of the Beast, which is smitten in the center and seat of its power. The Beast himself, or the personal head of the empire, is, with his fellow in crime, the Antichrist, reserved for an awful doom (Rev 19:20). But till then the civil and political power of earth established by Satan (Rev 13:4; Rev 17:8) is in its strength and center made to feel the stroke of divine judgment. The executive of the kingdom, not the subjects of it, is referred to here. The throne, the strength and glory of the kingdom, is overwhelmed with judgment. The impious and insolent challenge, Who is like unto the Beast? who is able to make war with him? (Rev 13:4) is unmistakably answered here, and subsequently too (Rev 19:19-21).
Rev 16:10. – His kingdom became darkened. No doubt there is here an allusion to Exo 10:21-23. There, however, the darkness was physical, here it is moral. It is difficult to realize in any conceivable degree the horror of such a doom. One main characteristic of the misery endured in the eternal abode of suffering, the lake of fire, is darkness and blackness (Mat 25:30). That darkness is here foreshadowed with its accompanying consequences. They gnawed their tongues with distress. This is the only expression of the kind that we have in all the Word of God, and it indicates the most intense and excruciating agony. (Rev. Wm. Ramsay, Lectures on Revelation, p. 364.)
Rev 16:11. – Under the distress caused by the former Vial men blasphemed the Name of God; here there is advance in an evil sense, they blaspheme the God of the Heaven, not His name merely, but God Himself. There is remorse and suffering in the morally darkened kingdom. The very knowledge that God is in Heaven and is the author and source of their misery, judicially inflicted, does not bow the heart in repentance. The will is yet unbroken. And did not repent of their works, the very deeds which God was answering in judgment were gloried in. They loved darkness and its evil deeds. Heavier strokes must yet descend.
Commentary on Rev 16:2-11 by E.M. Zerr
Rev 16:2. Noisome and grievous indicates something extremely objectionable and damaging. It should be remarked that the judgments against the wicked leaders in the corrupt institution were suffered immediately. They felt it through the humiliation of seeing their places of evil rulership brought down through the effects of the Reformation. But this was destined to be only a foretaste of the final judgment that will be pronounced upon them at the last day. The mark and image of the beast have been explained at Rev 13:14.
Rev 16:3. Blood of a dead man. When a man dies his blood dies with him and becomes poisonous. That which would come in contact with it would be killed. The blood of Christ was dead when it was poured out, hence it will kill the sins of the world if brought into contact with them. (See 1Jn 1:7.)
Rev 16:4. The mention of the earth and other parts of the creation are to represent them as symbols, denoting the completeness of God’s judgments against evil men. That is why rivers and water fountains are named in this verse.
Rev 16:5. Angel of the waters is the one in the preceding verse. These angels form a unit (seven) and hence any principle held by one goes for all of them. The angel commended the action of the Lord for the righteous judgments inflicted upon the servants of the beast. Art, and vast and shalt be is the same as saying that God had no beginning and will have no end. Such a Being cannot do wrong hence his judgments against His enemies are bound to be just.
Rev 16:6. The first part of this verse is literal, for the agencies of both Pagan and Papal Rome caused many righteous servants of God to shed their blood. Given them blood to drink is figurative and refers to the legal executions imposed on the wicked.
Rev 16:7. This angel repeated the same commendation of God’s judgments that was expressed by the one in Rev 16:5-6.
Rev 16:8. The sun is a part of the creation which was commented upon at Rev 16:4. It is specified in the present group of symbols because of the particular item it contributes to the welfare of humanity when it is used normally. It is the source of light and heat without which man could not live. But it is now used as a symbol of torment of fire by increasing the volume of the rays upon men. In Mal 2:2 the Lord was making threats against some of His ancient people for their wickedness in which he says “I will curse your blessing.” The thought is similar to the one of our verse. The sun is normally a blessing to the people of the earth, but it is used as a symbol of cursing.
Rev 16:9. The intense heat caused men to blaspheme the name of God because of their suffering; that was because they recognized Him as being the cause of the affliction. But the very motive that caused them to blaspheme Him, should have had the effect of making them repent, for they must have known that a Being who can bring such tremendous revolutions in the universe is worthy to be feared and served.
Rev 16:10. The seat of the beast means his throne or headquarters. The darkness is figurative and refers to some confusion or disarrangement of the affairs of the government. To gnaw the tongues for pain would be a naturalor literal performance, but it is another one of the many symbols used in this book, and represents the intense disappointment and humiliation of the leaders in Rome when they see their structure of oppressive power tumbling about them.
Commentary on Rev 16:2-11 by Burton Coffman
Rev 16:2
And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.
And the first went and poured out … The word for “sore” is “the same as that used to describe the boils and sores in the plagues of Egypt (Exo 9:8-11).”[13] Moffatt translated it as a “noisome and painful ulcer.”[14] “Noisome,” of course, means “stinking.” Before taking up the meaning of this, note that this plague fell only upon those identified with the beast.
Upon the men that had the mark of the beast … “These evils (the bow]s) do not affect other men (the Christians).”[15] A mandatory deduction here is that no literal destruction of the land is meant.
But what is meant? The earth itself, its populations out of which the land-beast arose, will become one vast propaganda factory advancing the teachings of the devil, with the result that all kinds of “stinking ulcers” shall spring up all over the world. Within a few blocks of where this is written, there are a dozen of them, as proclaimed by their gaudy neon signs: “Totally Nude Girls,” “Adult Theater XXX Movies,” “Bottoms Up Club,” “Sylvia Sin’s Lounge,” etc. If anyone does not believe such places are “stinking ulcers,” let him ask the police of any great city. Tragically, there is no way to stop the pornographic, liquor, prostitution, and perversion palaces which today fill half the world. An angel of the wrath of God has poured out his bowl upon the earth, not upon a third of it, but upon all of it.
Scholars who think they can get rid of this prophecy by limiting it to ancient pagan Rome, or by dismissing it as, “merely a retelling of the sixth Egyptian plague of boils,”[16] need to read it again. The things mentioned above are merely the tip of the iceberg. The printing and publication industries of the world are glutted with vicious, anti-God, atheistic, subversive, immoral, and destructive propaganda of every evil kind. Every grocery store has its magazine section devoted to the secularization and corruption of humanity. The movies and entertainment business have so far been corrupted that there is hardly any market for decent and helpful material.
Likewise, the art, and even the music of the world, have been lowered to a level of jungle rhythm, guttural screaming, and the mouthing of obscenities. The art forms of our day betray a ruptured, fractured, and broken culture.
All over the world, evil religious cults are springing up. What are these but more “stinking ulcers”? Recently, in Houston, “The Church of Atheism” was unveiled. Satan has so perverted the laws and opinions of mankind that such monstrosities are endowed with all of the rights and privileges that should belong to righteousness and truth.
The bitter delusions of Marxism are being peddled all over the earth by means of every device of propaganda and subversion ever invented by Satan. But why go on? It would take a library to describe what is meant by the bowl of the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth. How about all those learned men who see nothing here except some ancient historical event?
We do not offer this interpretation as meaning that “the end of time is upon us” or that the final judicial hardening of the race of mankind has already occurred. Nor, are the things we have pointed out intended as an affirmation, for it is not true, that all art, music, literature, publications, entertainment, etc., are evil. Thanks to the God of heaven through Christ, there are still many wonderful, beautiful, and uplifting things available in every one of these fields; and it could be that the complete fulfillment of this prophecy lies yet a great distance into the future, or that the things we have understood as pertaining to the whole world could be merely the astounding perversions that mark the decline of our own isolated culture in America. Therefore, we make no claim whatever that this bowl of wrath, or any of the others, is totally fulfilled by the aberrations noted.
However, our interpretation is that the bowls of wrath mean exactly the type of moral and spiritual pollution of the total human environment that we have attempted to point out. It is not merely that lust, vulgarity, pornography, violence, perversion, and obscenity are present in our culture. They have always been present in greater or lesser extent in every culture. What is alarming today is the toleration, acceptance, and justification of such things, even to the extent of their being advocated and encouraged by and political institutions; and that is what signals a frightening new aspect of such wickedness today. It could be later than we think.
The festering, malignant, noisome ulcers which are breaking out over the earth are represented as hurting the worshippers of the beast, the followers of Satan. How is this true? The parasitic and destructive nature of all satanic “sores” causes them to hurt all kinds of legitimate and constructive endeavors. The “stinking ulcer” of the late Jim Jones’ Communist Camp in Guyana literally destroyed everyone connected with it. Look what communism has done all over the world.
In the interpretation of this first bowl, we have also, in part, the interpretation of all seven, for they are concurrent, intermingled, mutually supported; and each one is but a part of the total corruption of mankind’s moral and spiritual environment.
[13] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 126.
[14] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 446.
[15] Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 193.
[16] Martin Rist, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XII (New York-Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1957), p. 481.
Rev 16:3
And the second poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea.
And the second poured out his bowl into the sea … This sea was the origin of the sea-beast described earlier, which was nothing other than the teeming populations of the earth. The earth of the first bowl and the sea of this bowl are therefore identical, their mention separately being due to the nature of the figure. The figure is the total physical environment (which necessarily includes the sea) symbolical in this vision of the moral, intellectual, and spiritual environment of mankind.
And it became blood as the blood of a dead man … It is clearly the whole of earth’s people who are meant in all this. “Souls” do not literally live “in the sea.” The figure here is an ocean completely turned into rotting, stinking blood; but, “When the entire sea is stinking blood, what about the land which it surrounds?”[17] It is clearly the physical environment that is ruined in the figure; therefore, we look to the spiritual environment for the fulfillment. When man himself as a factor in his environment becomes popularly and generally devoted to selfishness, greed, lust, violence, and every form of evil, when the “in thing” for the vast majority is indulgence in sex, homosexuality, blasphemy, drunkenness, corruption, hatred, and irreligion, the human race itself becomes a “dead sea.”
Thus, this bowl is merely another and extended phase of the first. We shall note some of the types of corruptions indicated. The universities and schools have taken up the task of preaching Satan’s lies, such as evolution, which leads undeniably to the conclusion that man is merely an animal with no more cosmic value than a worm or a rat. What has this done for the human moral and spiritual environment? Besides this, there are a thousand other evil postulations which are being swallowed, advocated and taught almost universally in our culture today, such as humanism, the self-sufficiency of man, the lie that his favorite sins of adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, criminality, etc., are in no sense sins at all, but merely diseases which society is obligated to pay for and treat! Another lie is that man is not morally responsible for what he does, that society owes every man a good living with all of the conveniences and luxuries thrown in, that man is essentially good, that he is thoroughly capable of solving all of his problems, etc., etc. The great theological seminaries devoted unreservedly to the destruction of the Bible; the churches that ordain homosexuals, adulterers, and even atheists to their pulpits, and contradict the Scriptures in practically all that they either do or teach; the “love cult” that robs God of any other prerogative except that of loving us wicked sinners (what else is God for?) … these are just a few of the evidences of man’s intellectual environment having been polluted. An angel of God has poured out the bowl of his wrath upon the sea!
ENDNOTE:
[17] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 467.
Rev 16:4
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of waters; and it became blood.
And the third poured out his bowl … The figurative nature of this is evident in the truth that with both the sea and the land already ruined, there would have been no need to bother with the rivers and fountains. What can be meant? A vast number of earth’s great cities are located upon the rivers; and just as the rivers move downward to the sea, so the influences of earth’s great cities flow downward from them into all mankind. We interpret the blight upon the rivers and fountains as the ultimate blight upon the urban civilizations of the world which will change the influences descending from those great cities into blood. People cannot worship self and sensuality without degrading, at last, their joys, recreations, and all creative activity and reducing them to lower and lower levels. “When the public taste grows corrupt, the literature, for example, will become so.”[18]
Are not all of earth’s great cities today in trouble as never before? The proliferation in many of them of a vast army of the incompetent, idle, non-productive dependents upon the public charity, the erosion of authority by the rapacious greed of godless labor unions controlled by thieving, looting bosses in league with the underworld, the spread of lawlessness, official corruption, fiscal irresponsibility, and the encroaching malignant godlessness that has spread terror like a fog over every one of them … such things appear to have crossed a boundary between what can be contained, corrected, and reduced, and to have become a demonic engine running away. As to which it is now, we do not pretend to know; but this prophecy reveals what it will be like when the angel of the wrath of god pours his bowl upon the rivers and fountains. There are today coming out of earth’s cities influences which spiritually are the blood of dead men. See comment on Rev 11:13, above, in which the fall of urban civilization is a forerunner of the final judgment. In this context, Lenski spoke of the contamination of “such things as marriage, political science, public morals, and good taste being rivers and springs turned into blood.”[19] These are only a few examples of many that could be cited.
[18] W. Boyd Carpenter, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 607.
[19] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 469.
Rev 16:5
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge:
And I heard the angel of the waters … It is probably a mistake to tie this reference in with the extensive angelology of the Jews. What is probably meant is merely the angel who had poured out the bowl of wrath on the waters.
Righteous art thou, who art and who wast … We might have expected the phrase “and who is to come” until it is remembered that this vision reveals the state of things when the coming of Christ has already begun.
Thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge … This with the next two verses is a kind of parenthesis to show that such terrible judgments are in no sense to be construed as unbecoming or out of character in the one true and living God who gave his Son for our redemption. No! These judgments are exactly what the God of love should do. “The pouring out of the bowls is not a series of arbitrary actions, but a solemn judgment.”[20] When people are fully determined and have decided that they will not obey God, nothing could be more just and honorable on the part of the Father than to turn them loose, give them up, harden their hearts, and deliver them completely into the hands of the devil whom they have chosen to obey. That is exactly the state of the situation prophesied here.
ENDNOTE:
[20] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 194.
Rev 16:6
for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy.
For they poured out the blood of saints … Violence has a way of destroying itself through the operation of the divine law of retribution. Where were the saints and prophets of God murdered? Almost without exception, they were murdered in earth’s great cities, indicating that we are on the right track in our interpretation of the rivers and fountains. God will reward ruthless, barbarous, violent cultures with a liberal dose of their own medicine. They shed innocent blood; very well, God will give them blood to drink.
For they are worthy … This carries the meaning that wicked, hardened men fully deserve the divine sentence of wrath being executed upon them. Conspicuous in the present day is the blurred sense of justice. There are many now who do not believe that anyone is worthy of punishment, no matter what were their crimes. The “Reign of Terror” in Paris during the French Revolution was brought about primarily from the reluctance or outright refusal of legitimate authority to punish criminals. “Had Louis XVI been the tyrant that the extremists accused him of being, there would have been no Revolution.”[21] “France had a revolution because she tolerated and invited every conceivable kind of dissension,”[22] even that of the mob murder of duly elected assemblymen of the central government! A society that is incapable of taking care of its Murats will inevitably perish.
[21] Stanley Loomis, Paris in Terror (Philadelphia and New York: The J. S. Lippincott Company, 1964), p. 102.
[22] Ibid.
Rev 16:7
And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
A voice from the altar … In connection with that altar, we remember the prayers of the martyrs for the execution of God’s judgment upon the wicked, and these bowls of wrath are the answer of those prayers.
True and righteous are thy judgments … It is startling to find some commentators of the opinion that the profound condemnations and punishments of this chapter are “unworthy of the kind of God revealed in the New Testament.” Our own view is that such sentiments are unworthy of Christian commentators. People are not wiser than God, a delusion which these visions were designed to correct! Note, also, that these awful punishments of a world gone berserk in its rebellion against God are not capricious reactions of a peevish God who is annoyed with human “mistakes.” Ah no! These are the just retributions which the wicked bring upon themselves. The only way in which such wicked men can be contained and corrected by God is in removing the restraints, giving them up (Rom 1:24; Rom 1:26; Rom 1:28), and throwing the derail switch at the head of the canyon.
Rev 16:8
And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire.
And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun … Can there be any doubt now, that the total physical environment of the earth is the figure here? What is the specific analogy? The sun in the physical realm is “the light of the world,” even as Christ and his truth are the true spiritual light of people (Joh 1:9). When that which should be light is so polluted that it will only scorch and burn with fire, then the bowl of the wrath of God has been poured upon the sun. How ridiculous must be accounted any physical, literal interpretation of this. Lactantius thought that:
God will cause the sun to stand still for three days so that it (the earth) will catch on fire; whereupon the impious and hostile people of earth will suffer by excessive heat and burning.[23]
“This fourth bowl has no parallel in the Egyptian plagues,”[24] which certainly stops the writers who cannot find anything in this series except those plagues. Although there are certainly overtones and resemblances here and there to the plagues of Egypt, this vision is distinctly John’s. “Strange how little commentators venture to say with regard to this bowl!”[25]
All of these bowls are represented as destroying, not merely injuring, the physical environment. Any one of them would have been sufficient to that purpose, but the absolute corruption and ruination of all of it are made overwhelming by the seven bowls. That the physical environment is not meant is made evident in the promise of Gen 8:22, to the effect that the ordered seasons of day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest shall not cease while the earth remains. We cannot believe that anything in this prophecy contradicts that promise.
And it was given unto it … The sentence of judicial hardening is inherent in this. That the very light which should illuminate human life should be changed into scorching destruction denotes a condition mentioned by Jesus, “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Mat 6:23).
What does this mean? It means that institutions of learning, and even churches and religious organizations, are teaching: evolution, humanism, communism, libertinism, a new morality, atheism, and a host of other lies. It means that churches are preaching the philosophies of men, the commandments of men, the prejudices of men, and the traditions of men instead of the word of God. It means that the prophetic voice of the Scriptures no longer disturbs what few church-goers are left, the great worldwide mission of saving souls having been replaced by “social programs,” endowing the church with her new status of carrying the bedpan for the sick society, instead of proclaiming the true light of the fire of God’s word to a wicked world. Thank God, this picture is by no means true of all, but it is sufficiently true to raise the question of whether or not the angel of God has poured the bowl of heavenly wrath upon the sun. The general apostasy of Christianity is almost certainly indicated by this. Instead of being lamp-bearers of the true light, many are instead merely waving the smoking torches of human wisdom.
[23] Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, Divine Institutes, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1951), VII, 26.
[24] James D. Strauss, The Seer, the Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1972), p. 204.
[25] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 471.
Rev 16:9
And men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.
And they were scorched with great heat … The wars, revolutions, social unrest, bitterness and frustrations of our present times may only be a token of what is indicated by this. The less true light possessed by people from the word of God, the more they are scorched and burned by the fires of evil.
They blasphemed … they repented not … Eller and several others viewed this and a similar statement in Rev 16:11 as, “a possible reference to the possibility of repentance”;[26] but the more likely view is that it is intended for us to see by the final and terminal nature of these judgments that, “Not for one moment did these men think of repenting.”[27]
[26] Vernard Eller, The Most Revealing Book of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 148.
[27] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 473.
Rev 16:10
And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast … The kingdom of the world, marshaled by Satan against God and his truth, is the object of this judgment, particularly irreligious, atheistic, humanistic states. “This throne of the beast may aptly apply to the Roman Empire in John’s day, but its position varies at different times. Wherever the world-power is worshipped, there the beast has his throne.”[28] This prophesies the corruption of human governments into instruments of suppression, persecution, and destruction of God’s truth in Christ. Russia is an excellent example from our own times of what Rome was in John’s. This pouring out of the bowl upon the kingdom of the beast prophesies that the brutal godless governments faced by the first Christians will reappear at the end, or near the end-time. It should not be overlooked that the hardening of the pre-Christian Gentile nations is again to take place when “the times of the Gentiles” is fulfilled (Luk 21:24). When history has run its course, once more the judicial hardening of impenitent mankind will occur. Romans 1 is therefore a vital comment upon what is prophesied here.
And his kingdom was darkened …
When men shut out the higher light, the smoke of their own candles soon obscures the whole heavens. When moral evil is mixed with intellectual light, the moral evil will be found the stronger.[29]
Twice the Holy Scriptures reveal that, “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”; and the darkening of the true light, as by this bowl, results inevitably in the deterioration and ultimate collapse of godless states, always accompanied by the proliferation of woes upon mankind.
And they gnawed their tongues for pain … Inevitable agony and suffering must follow the perversion of government to satanic purposes. Has such a thing happened? A government that legalizes and pays for murder by abortion, that extensively subsidizes drunkenness, adultery, bastardy, illegitimacy, idleness, incompetence, laziness, and corruption might indeed qualify as an example. Does such wisdom (?) solve the problems. No! There’s a lot of tongue-gnawing going on right now! “The pain arises from the darkness of their minds and their misgivings as to the future.”[30] Well, that’s only part of it. A state that departs from the principles of the word of God soon finds plenty of occasions for tongue-gnawing, because of the present conditions that immediately follow. “God is grimly vindicated when godless society proudly rises against the church and claims to provide a viable alternative, and then proves unequal to the task.”[31]
This satanic take-over of human government is but another environmental factor in the total picture.
[28] A. Plummer, Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 395.
[29] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 608.
[30] A. Plummet, op. cit., p. 395.
[31] Michael Wilcock, op. cit., p. 147.
Rev 16:11
and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.
See notes on Rev 16:9, which is very similar. The fact of the bowl-judgments being collective is seen in this mention of their sores, which are associated with the first bowl (Rev 16:2).
Commentary on Rev 16:2-11 by Manly Luscombe
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. The first bowl is poured out. There is a great sore (boil) that rises on the beast. One of the 10 plagues on Egypt was the spreading of very painful boils. (Exo 9:8-11). These sore boils were poured on the beast and those who worshiped his image. All who followed and obeyed the beast, as well as the beast itself are under the condemnation and wrath of God.
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. Immediately the second angel moves forward and pours his bowl on the sea. Since the earth of the first bowl is described as the people who worship the beast, it is clear to me that each of these descriptions are not literal. We are not here discussing some great poison poured on the oceans. Rather, the sea represents the sea of humanity. Some would argue that this would make this bowl similar to the first. True. Both of these plagues are against the same people. The same is true with the 10 plagues against Egypt. All 10 plagues were directed against the same people. Every living creature died. All evil humanity, all those who worship the beast are harmed.
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. The third angel is now center stage and pours out the third bowl of wrath. This bowl is poured on the rivers and springs of water. The water was turned to blood. Again, there is a similarity with the first plague in Egypt. The next verses will help us understand the meaning of this plague.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. The angel declares that the judgment of God is righteous. God is Just. I made some extended comments on this matter in the notes in chapter 15. When God judges the wicked, all the saints will agree that the judgment was the only thing that a Righteous and Holy God could do. If God did not judge them in this way, He would not be a Holy and Just God.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due. Who are these under this plague? They are the ones who have shed the blood of the saints. God, in response to this violent bloodshed, gives them blood to drink. The angel also explains that this is their just due. They get what they deserve.
7 And I heard another from the altar saying, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments. A second angel affirms the righteousness of the judgment of God. Jehovah is Almighty. The judgments of God are correct and righteous.
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. Next comes the fourth angel with a bowl of wrath to pour out on the sun. It is clear that this is not taken as the literal sun in the solar system. The sun in this plague has the power to scorch men with fire. Therefore, this plague is on the same people as the previous plagues. When God issues judgment, wicked men will feel the heat. They will know that their end will be in a place of fire, smoke and torment.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. When these men are burned with this great heat of judgment, they have two choices 1. They could weep, repent, seek forgiveness and plead for mercy from God. 2.The plague could just make them more determined and angry. This is what they did. They blasphemed the name of God. The refused to repent. Even while they are suffering the pain of this plague, they still do not give God the recognition that He is God. It is clear that there is no willingness to repent. God is longsuffering. God will be patient as long as men are willing to repent and correct their behavior. Here, they are not willing to repent. God cannot allow this rebellion to continue.
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. Subsequently, the fifth angel pours out his bowl of wrath on the seat of the beast. The seat of the beast represents the place or territory of his power. When the wrath of God is poured out, the kingdom is thrown into darkness. In some way this darkness caused them extreme pain. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain. Many people have put their trust in physical kingdoms of this earth. It would be very painful if those kingdoms collapsed.
NOTE: If you can imagine this, visualize some nation invading the USA, conquering it, overthrowing our government, and placing all of us under the dictatorship of some ruthless leader of the invading army. Would you be in pain? Of course. This is the picture being painted by Johns brush.
11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds. They blaspheme God. They have done this wickedness and are angry that God is punishing them. They are not being falsely accused. They did the things for which they are being punished. The do not repent of their deeds. This is a clue that God could not allow it to continue. There was no reason or purpose to wait.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
upon the earth: Rev 8:7, Rev 14:16
a noisome: Exo 9:8-11, Deu 7:15, Deu 28:27, 1Sa 5:6, 1Sa 5:9, 2Ch 21:15, 2Ch 21:18, Job 2:7, Job 2:8, Psa 78:26, Isa 1:5, Isa 1:6, Isa 3:17, Isa 3:24, Luk 16:20-22, Act 12:23
had: Rev 13:15-18
Reciprocal: Exo 9:9 – a boil Exo 9:11 – General Exo 20:4 – General Lev 19:28 – print 2Ch 12:7 – and my wrath Jer 42:18 – As mine Eze 7:8 – pour Eze 9:11 – I have Rev 13:14 – they Rev 15:7 – seven Rev 16:1 – and pour Rev 16:11 – because
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 16:2. Noisome and grievous indicates something extremely objectionable and damaging. It should be remarked that the judgments against the wicked leaders in the corrupt institution were suffered immediately. They felt it through the humiliation of seeing their places of evil rulership brought down through the effects of the Reformation. But this was destined to be only a foretaste of the final judgment that will be pronounced upon them at the last day. The mark and image of the beast have been explained at Rev 13:14.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 2.
2. The subjects of the plagues were the adherents of the Roman empire in Palestine; and the judgments which commenced with verse two were commensurate with the Roman beasts and the worshipers of his image who were the recipients of his mark.
The significance of the seven plagues may now be summarized as follows:
(1) The noisome sore upon the adherents of the imperial beast: “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”–Rev 16:2. The object of this first plague was the people in Judea and other provinces of Palestine who had submitted to the imperial decree of the emperor of idolatry in the form of his image-worship, which was the mark of the beast. The effect of this plague was signified by a noxious malodorous sore, a stench in the nostrils, the symbol of the civic posion of idolatry; and it was grievous as a spiritual contagion, being inimical to the ultimate degree to Christianity. In this role the emperor was the veritable embodiment of the antichrist of 1Jn 2:18 and 1Jn 4:3 and 2Jn 1:7. The mention of “the last time” by John in this connection was comparable to Paul’s “present distress” 1Co 7:1-40, and similar allusions in other epistles in the same sort of reference to the grievous times connected with the end of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 16:2. The first angel poured out his bowl into the earth. The whole earth is thought of, and no more only a third part of it as at chap. Rev 8:7.
And there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast and which worshipped his image. The idea of the plague is taken from that of Egypt in Exo 9:8-12, but it cannot be literally understood, for literal interpretation is wholly inapplicable to the sixth bowl, and all the bowls must be interpreted on the same principles.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. What allusion this plague inflicted upon Babylon has to that plague which God of old inflicted upon Egypt, Exo 9:9. Egypt had her boil, breaking forth with blains, upon men and upon beast; in like manner the worshippers of the beast have noisome and grievous sores upon them; that is, great trouble and uneasiness of mind, upon the first prospect of the shaking of their kingdom, by discovering the vanity, blasphemy, hypocrisy, and tyranny, of their devised religion; even as sores and blains do vex and torture those that are troubled with them.
Learn hence, That it is no small vexation and trouble to the wicked, when they have their sins detected and discovered; it is as great a torture to their minds as an ulcer or boil is to their bodies.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
The first warning trumpet brought hail and fire mingled with blood upon earth and a third part of vegetation was killed as a warning. ( Rev 8:7 ) An evil, perhaps stinking, and painful open sore or ulcer fell upon the followers and worshipers of the beast. (Compare Exo 9:9-11 ) Sinful practices and the worship of false gods, such as pornography, humanism, materialism, atheism, etc., do fester as open sores upon all those who practice them. The highest crime areas in any city surround places peddling pornography and nudity, bars, and particularly I am told, gay bars. Notice, the warnings had been given previously, so this plague is not restricted, except in that it will not come upon the righteous.
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Rev 16:2. And the first poured out his vial upon the earth This, according to Mr. Fleming, denotes Gods judgments upon the foundation of the Papal kingdom; the earth being that on which we walk, and by the fruits of which we are supported. By this, therefore, he understands the Popish clergy, and the Papal dominions and revenues, by which they were upheld. This vial, he thinks, began with the Reformation, and continued until the time when these agents of Popery were thrown out of as many countries of Europe as embraced the Reformation. And we may easily conceive what a mortification it was to that party, when the pretended sanctity of their bishops, priests, monks, and nuns was discovered to be a mere cheat, and their miracles nothing but lies or tricks; and when their tales of purgatory were exposed to public contempt, and their pardons and indulgences would sell no longer; and consequently, when the pope and his mitred officers saw themselves driven out from so great a part of their dominions, their seminaries for training up their advocates and defenders, of all denominations and orders, pulled down, and so much of their yearly revenues lost. Whence they are said to fall under a noisome and grievous , ulcer, or sore Being by this means pained and vexed inwardly, and rendered contemptible to the whole world, which looked upon them as no better than the plagues of mankind. So that this vial began with the rise of Zuinglius and Luther, and the other reformers, in the years 1516 and 1517, and continued to the year 1566; that is, about forty or fifty years; for by that time all the reformed churches were settled, and had published their creeds and confessions of faith against Rome, in opposition to the determinations of the Popish council of Trent, published A.D. 1563, and the creed of Pope Pius IV., which added twelve antichristian articles to the twelve primitive Christian ones, A.D. 1564.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
16:2 {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 {3} mark of the beast, and [upon] them which worshipped his image.
(2) The history of the first angel, whose plague on the earth is described almost in the same words with that sixth plague of the Egyptians in Exo 9:9 . But it does signify a spiritual vicar, and that torture or butchery of conscience seared with a hot iron, which accuses the ungodly within, and both by truth of the word (the light of which God has now so long shown forth) and by bitterness stirs up and forces out the sword of God’s wrath.
(3) See Rev 13:16
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
2. The first bowl 16:2
The first four trumpet judgments fall on man’s environment rather than on man himself, but the first bowl judgment falls directly on man himself. This plague resulted in some loathsome (bad) and malignant (evil) sores breaking out on the beast-worshippers (cf. Exo 9:9-11; Lev 13:18-27; Deu 28:27; Deu 28:35; Job 2:7). The same Greek word, helkos, occurs in the Septuagint translation of these Old Testament passages. Beale argued that since the bowls are figurative, so are these sores. [Note: Beale, p. 814.] For him the sores represent afflictions. However the plague of boils in the Exodus was literal, so it seems this plague will be literal too. This appears to be some type of skin ulcer that breaks out on the surface of the body. Might this be the result of germ warfare (cf. Rev 16:17)? Believers who apostatize and worship the beast may suffer from this plague (cf. Rev 14:9-12), but the faithful will be in a safe refuge (cf. Rev 12:13-17) or God may protect them in other ways.
"It is an awesome thought to consider almost the entire population of the world suffering from a painful malady that nothing can cure. Constant pain affects a person’s disposition so that he finds it difficult to get along with other people. Human relations during that period will certainly be at their worst." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:609-10.]
Compare the present spread of the AIDS epidemic.