These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
6. power to shut heaven ] Like Elijah: over waters, &c. like Moses.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
These have power to shut heaven – That is, so far as rain is concerned – for this is immediately specified. There is probably a reference here to an ancient opinion that the rain was kept in the clouds of heaven as in reservoirs or bottles, and that when they were opened it rained; when they were closed it ceased to rain. So Job, He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them, Job 26:8. Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly, Job 36:28. Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven? Job 38:37; compare Gen 1:7; Gen 7:12; Gen 8:2; 2Ki 7:2. To shut or close up the heavens, therefore, is to restrain the rain from descending, or to produce a drought. Compare notes on Jam 5:17.
That it rain not in the days of their prophecy – In the time when they prophesy. Probably the allusion here is to what is said of Elijah, 1Ki 17:1. This would properly refer to some miraculous power; but still it may be used to denote merely that they would be clothed with the power of causing blessings to be withheld from people, as if rain were withheld; that is, that in consequence of the calamities that would be brought upon them, and the persecutions which they would endure, God would bring judgments upon people as if they were clothed with this power. The language, therefore, it seems to me, does not necessarily imply that they would have the power of working miracles.
And have power over waters to turn them to blood – The allusion here is doubtless to what occurred in Egypt, Exo 7:17. Compare the notes on Rev 8:8. This, too, would literally denote the power of working a miracle; but still it is not absolutely necessary to suppose that this is intended. Anything that would be represented by turning waters into blood, would correspond with all that is necessarily implied in the language. If any great calamity should occur in consequence of what was done to them that would be properly represented by turning the waters into blood so that they could not be used, and that was so connected with the treatment which they received as to appear to be a judgment of heaven on that account, or that would appear to have come upon the world in consequence of their imprecations, it would be all that is necessarily implied in this language.
And to smite the earth with all plagues – All kinds of plague or calamity; disease, pestilence, famine, flood, etc. The word plague – plege – which means, properly, stroke, stripe, blow, would include any or all of these. The meaning here is, that great calamities would follow the manner in which they were treated, as if the power were lodged in their hands.
As often as they will – So that it would seem that they could exercise this power as they pleased.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. These have power to shut heaven] As Elijah did, 1Kgs 17:1-18:46.
To turn them to blood] As Moses did, Ex 7:19-25. They shall have power to afflict the land with plagues, similar to those which were inflicted on the Egyptians.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It is plain that here is an allusion to Elijah, who prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months, Jam 5:17; see the story, 1Ki 17:1; and to Moses, who turned the waters into blood in Egypt; and after was an instrument to smite the land of Egypt with plagues. But what power analogous to this the ministers of the gospel have had, or have, is not easy to determine. It is certain, the apostles had a miraculous power, but they rarely used it, but in doing good to men; Ananias and Sapphira indeed were struck dead upon their word, Act 5:1-11; and Elymas the sorcerer was struck blind by them; but this power is long since ceased. Mr. Mede understands this power of the keys of doctrine and church censures the ministers of the gospel should be intrusted with; so as they should not preach the gospel unto such as contemned their ministry; by the withholding of which means of grace, also, they would be deprived of the dew of heavenly grace. And, indeed, this seemeth more proper than to understand it of the keys of discipline; for what power of this nature have ministers over those who are without? I take a general explication to be the best. If any hurt them, God shall revenge their cause, not only by spiritual, but by temporal judgments, bringing all manner of evils upon their adversaries. They are said to have power to do it, because God will do it in the revenge of the injuries done unto them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
6. These . . . powerGreek,“authorized power.”
it rain notGreek,“huetos brechee,” “rain shower not,”literally, “moisten” not (the earth).
smite . . . with allplaguesGreek, “with (literally, ‘in’) everyplague.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
These have power to shut heaven,…. For these have the keys of the kingdom of heaven given them, and whatever they bind or loose on earth is bound or loosed in heaven; or in other words, having the true key of knowledge in matters, both of doctrine and discipline, given them, whatever they declare, according to the word of God, to be doctrines fit to be received or rejected, and to be the ordinances of God, and matters of worship to be attended to, and what are not, should be so: and in particular,
that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; that is, on their enemies, the antichristian party; for otherwise it must rain on those to whom they minister, their prophecy itself being rain in a spiritual sense: so rain is explained of prophecy in the Targum on Isa 5:6, which paraphrases the words thus;
“I will command the prophets that they do not prophesy upon them prophecy:”
for this is to be understood not literally, since the days of their prophecy, or preaching in sackcloth, are 1260, that is, 1260 years, and which is the term and duration of antichrist’s reign: wherefore, if this was the case, there must be a famine and great distress, during this long space of time; but as this is not matter of fact, so it would not comport with that plenty, luxury, and deliciousness, in which the whore of Babylon is said to live: but the words are to be taken in a spiritual sense, and to be understood of the Gospel, and doctrines of it, or the word of God, which is sometimes compared to rain, De 32:2. God is the author and giver of rain, and he only; none of the vanities, or idols of the Gentiles, can give it; has the rain a father? it has, but not on earth, only God who is in heaven; and so the Gospel is of God, and it is he only that can make men able ministers of it; the rain comes down from above, from heaven, and of the same original and descent is the Gospel, it is the voice speaking from heaven; the rain falls, according to divine direction, in one place, and not another, on one city, and not another; and so the Gospel is sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another; it is forbid here, and ordered there. Showers of rain moisten and soften the earth, and make it susceptive of seed; and the Gospel is the means of softening hard hearts, and of making them capable of receiving suitable impressions: rain refreshes the earth, revives the plants and trees, and makes them fruitful; and so the Gospel, attended with a divine blessing, refreshes drooping saints, revives the work of God in them, and is the means of filling them with all the fruits of righteousness. Now the withholding of this rain denotes a famine, not of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord; and as it is a judgment on a nation, or on a city, not to be rained upon, so it is a spiritual judgment upon a people, when God commands his clouds, his ministers, to rain no rain of the Gospel on them; and it is one of the judgments upon the antichristian party, that they have not the Gospel preached unto them, nor any dew of powerful and efficacious grace distilled on them, but are left to their blindness, darkness, and hardness of heart: and these witnesses carrying the Gospel along with them, where they prophesy and preach, is called a shutting up heaven, so that it rain not on the followers of antichrist, from whom they separate themselves, or by whom they are cast out; and this is ascribed to them, and is owing to their removal or ejection; much in the same sense as the night and darkness are to the sun’s remove; that is, these follow upon it. The allusion is to the withholding of rain in the times of Elijah, one of the types of these witnesses, because of the idolatries of Ahab and Jezebel, 1Ki 17:1. In like manner is the rain of the Gospel withheld during the reign of antichrist, because of the idolatry and superstition of the apostasy.
And have power over waters to turn them to blood; by “waters” are meant people, multitudes, nations, and tongues, and particularly those over whom antichrist reigns, Re 17:15, and turning of them into blood designs the confusions and wars raised among them on account of the prophesying of these witnesses, and the persecutions and bloodshed which followed upon it; which eventually are the end and issue of preaching the Gospel; see Mt 10:34. The allusion is to one of the plagues of Egypt, and to Moses and Aaron, who were types of these witnesses turning the waters of Egypt into blood, Ex 7:20; and answers to the second and third vials, Re 16:3.
And to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will; alluding to the plagues of Egypt, one of the names of Rome, or the Roman jurisdiction, in Re 11:8, and which is meant by the earth here; and referring to the rest of the seven vials poured out by these witnesses, signified by seven angels; and their having power so to do as often as they will, is to be understood of these plagues being inflicted on the inhabitants of the earth, or followers of antichrist, in answer to their prophecies and prayers, which are made according to the will of God, and so always have their effect, being such.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
To shut the heaven ( ). First aorist active infinitive of . As Elijah did by prayer (1Kgs 17:1; Luke 4:25; Jas 5:17).
That it rain not ( ). Sub-final use of with the present active subjunctive of , old verb to rain (Mt 5:45), here with as subject.
During the days ( ). Accusative of extent of time. In Luke 4:25; Jas 5:17 the period of the drouth in Elijah’s time was three and a half years, just the period here.
Of their prophecy ( ). Not here the gift of prophecy (1Co 12:10) or a particular prophecy or collection of prophecies (Rev 1:3; Rev 22:7), but “the execution of the prophetic office” (Swete).
Over the waters ( ). “Upon the waters.” As Moses had (Ex 7:20).
Into blood ( ). As already stated in 8:8 about the third trumpet and now again here.
To smite (). First aorist active infinitive of , used here with (they have power), as is (to turn).
With every plague ( ). In 1Ki 4:8, but with reference to the plagues in Egypt.
As often as they shall desire ( ). Indefinite temporal clause with and modal (= ) and the first aorist active subjunctive of , “as often as they will.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
To shut up the heaven. As Elijah, 1Ki 17:1; Luk 4:25; Jas 5:17.
That it rain not [ ] . Lit., that the rain may not wet. To turn them into blood. Compare Exo 7:19.
To smite [] . Used by John only in Revelation, here and Rev 19:15. Compare Mt 26:31; Mr 14:27; Luk 22:49, 50; Act 12:7, 23. With all plagues [ ] . Singular number. Rev., correctly, with every plague. See on Mr 3:10. Not merely with the plagues with which Moses smote Egypt.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “These have power to shut heaven,” (haitoi echousin ten eksousian klesai ton ouranon) “These have or hold administrative power, or authority In their prophecy work, to shut up the heaven,” to control the natural law by supernatural power for divine purposes, as in the Law Age and apostolic times.
2) “That it rain not in the days of their prophecy,” (hina me huetos breche tas hemeras tes propheteias auton) “in order that rain may not fall in the days of their prophecy,” as Elijah prayed and it rained not for three years and six months, Jas 5:17-18; 1Ki 17:1; 1Ki 18:41-46.
3) “And have power over waters,” (kai eksousian echousin epi ton hudaton) “and they have or hold administrative power over the waters,” of heaven and earth.
4) “To turn them to blood,” (strephein auta eis haima) “to turn them (the waters) into blood,” as Moses and Aaron did against Egypt, Exo 7:19-25.
5) “And to smite the earth with all plagues,” (kai pataksai ten gen en pase plege) “and to strike the earth (land) with every kind (manner) of plague,” similar to those administered by Moses and Aaron over Egypt under rebellious King Pharaoh.
6) “As often as they will,” (hosakis ean thelesosin) “as often as they may strongly will,” repeatedly, with plague after plague; Luk 9:53-54, indicates that they had the power to call fire from heaven, Like Elijah, but were restrained. They will not be here. 2Th 1:6-9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
6. As the individual judgment upon rejection of the gospel prophecy is given in Rev 11:5, so now we have the public judgments. The firmament of God’s goodness becomes brass, and the genial showers of mercy descend not.
Waters blood Nay, the very mercies of God, designed for our life and happiness, are transformed, by the divine judgments, to the very image and essence of curse. The very gospel, the water of life, proves to be the stream of death.
As often as they will Which will, since they are but the embodiments of divine truth, is simply the expression of God’s law. This absoluteness of their power of inflicting judgments is the absoluteness of the divine justice, not of their personal caprice. And all their power of infliction is simply the power of annunciation, sure to be fulfilled by the divine power. It was thus that Elijah burned up the fifties; and thus that Peter struck Ananias dead. It is thus that the Christian prophet, in the true performance of his duties, slays men and nations. His word kills, because God within the word kills, according to the word. What kills all men is just this word, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘These have the power to shut the heaven so that it will not rain during the days of their prophecy, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they will desire.’
It is not said that they do this. These examples are given to demonstrate that these witnesses are prophets in the mould of Elijah and Moses, and if necessary can call on similar powers. It was Elijah who prayed and shut the heavens (1Ki 17:1; Jas 5:17). It was Moses who turned water into blood (Exo 7:19) and smote the earth with plagues.
But we are not to think that we actually have here Moses and Elijah. Jesus Himself spoke of John the Baptiser as the Elijah who was to come (Mat 11:14; Mar 9:13), demonstrating that the promise of Mal 4:5 should not be taken pedantically. Here we have the church and its leaders who are carrying on the witness of Moses and Elijah.
(Jesus said of John the Baptiser ‘If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah who is to come’ (Mat 11:14). This is perfectly clear, but it is surprising how many students of prophecy are not willing to receive it because it does not fit their preconceptions. The Elijah of Mal 4:5 HAS already come. We have Jesus word for it. These two witnesses are not therefore specifically fulfilling that prophecy. But how easily and subtly we can, if we are not careful, make the Scripture say what we want it to say in order build up a satisfactory picture or to fit a literalistic viewpoint, a danger to us all.
There is possibly in this passage also a contrast with the work of evil angels and spirits. They also bring famine on the world (Rev 8:7). They also turn water into blood (Rev 8:8). They also smite the earth with plagues (Rev 9:18). God wants us to know that, if they wish, He and His people have the power to do the same even though they may not use it.
James points this out in his letter when he states firmly that the church is powerful through prayer. ‘The supplication of a righteous man avails greatly in its working’, he says, and gives this very example of the withholding of rain by Elijah (Jas 5:16-17). The early church was not as afraid of such miracles as we are. Thus there is no difficulty in John seeing a future (to him) church in Jerusalem effectively having such powers available for use, especially through their anointed leaders, and possibly although not necessarily using them.
However, it is noteworthy that there have been rare times when miracles of one sort or another have abounded. The time of Moses was one, the time of Elijah and Elisha another and the time of Jesus and His apostles a third. Miracles do not just happen at random. So these words in Revelation may suggest that in the end days the same will apply. But even then they will not be at random. The witnesses will not misuse their powers. They will only use them as God commands. Unlike the beast, their aim is not wholesale slaughter.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Ver. 6. That it rain not ] That the influence of divine grace be withheld from those that despise the gospel; so that they become as those mountains of Gilboa, 2Sa 1:21 , or that accursed earth,Heb 6:8Heb 6:8 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
power. App-172.
heaven. See Rev 3:12.
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
not. App-105.
in. Greek. en. but the texts omit.
prophecy. See App-189.
waters = the waters.
to = into.
plagues. See App-197.
will = shall desire. App-102.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
power: 1Ki 17:1, Luk 4:25, Jam 5:16-18
have power over: Eze 7:1 – Eze 12:28, Eze 12:14, Psa 105:26-36
Reciprocal: Gen 20:7 – pray Lev 26:4 – Then I 1Sa 12:18 – sent thunder 1Ki 8:35 – heaven 1Ki 18:1 – after many days 2Ch 6:26 – there is no rain 2Ch 7:13 – If I shut up heaven Job 12:15 – Behold Job 37:12 – that Job 38:35 – Canst Isa 5:6 – also Isa 55:10 – as the rain Jer 5:14 – I will make Jer 5:24 – that giveth Amo 4:7 – I have Zec 14:17 – even Mat 16:19 – and whatsoever Jam 5:17 – and he Rev 11:10 – these Rev 16:3 – it became
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 11:6. Not only does fire proceed out of the mouth of the witnesses; they have also the power to shut the heaven that it rain not during the days of their prophecy, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they shall desire. The allusions are obviously to Elijah and Moses, but the power of the witnesses is described in language far stronger than that of the Old Testament. For three and a half years only was rain kept back by Elijah: the witnesses have power to withhold it during the whole time of their prophecy. Moses had control over the waters of Egypt: they over all waters. The plagues with which Moses could smite were definite in number and limited in range: the witnesses may smite the whole earth with every plague as often as they shall desire.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 6
These expressions seem intended to denote the power and prevailing efficacy of the Christian’s prayer.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
God will also empower them to do other miracles similar to what Elijah (cf. 1Ki 17:1; 1Ki 17:7; 1Ki 18:1; Luk 4:25; Jas 5:17) and Moses (Exo 7:17-21; Exo 9:14; Exo 11:10; 1Sa 4:8) did. The length of their ministry will be the same as the drought that God sent during Elijah’s day. It will also be for the same purpose, namely, to punish His people for their sins and to lead them to repentance. However the two witnesses will be able to exercise their power whenever they wish, not like Moses who could only perform miracles at God’s specific command.
This will be the fifth period in history when God will enable a few people to do unusually spectacular signs and wonders. The first four periods were the times of Moses and Joshua, of Elijah and Elisha, of Daniel and his three friends, and the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry and that of His apostles.
"Here is a fundamental clue to the understanding of biblical prophecy: eschatological events are foreshadowed in historical events." [Note: Ladd, p. 156.]