For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
17. For God hath put in their hearts &c.] The very same “judicial blindness” is spoken of in 2Th 2:11.
to agree ] Lit., to make, (or come to,) one mind, (or one will): cf. Rev 17:13.
and give their kingdom unto the beast ] He therefore, though a representative of the Roman Empire, will not fall with the city of Rome: on the contrary, in the last days of the latter he will have appeared as its enemy. The gradual divorce of the Empire from the City, by Diocletian, Constantine, Charlemagne, the medival German Emperors, Charles V., Francis II., Napoleon, William, is significant as providing precedents for what Antichrist will do: though of course it would be absurd and unjust to think of all these as actuated by his spirit.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will – That is, in regard to the destruction of this mighty power. They would be employed as his agents in bringing about his designs. Kings and princes are under the control of God, and, whatever may be their own designs, they are in fact employed to accomplish his purposes, and are instruments in his hands. See the notes on Isa 10:7. Compare Psa 76:10.
And to agree – See Rev 17:13. That is, they act harmoniously in their support of this power, and so they will in its final destruction.
And give their kingdom unto the beast – See the notes at Rev 17:13.
Until the words of God shall be fulfilled – Not forever; not as a permanent arrangement. God has fixed a limit to the existence of this power. When his purposes are accomplished, these kingdoms will withdraw their support, and this mighty power will fall to rise no more.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.] Let no one imagine that these ten Latin kingdoms, because they support an idolatrous worship, have been raised up merely by the power of man or the chances of war. No kingdom or state can exist without the will of God; therefore let the inhabitants of the world tremble when they see a wicked monarchy rise to power, and let them consider that it is raised up by the Lord to execute his vengeance upon the idolatries and profligacies of the times. It is said of the kings in communion with the Church of Rome, that God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will. How is this Divine will accomplished? In the most awful and afflictive manner! In causing ten Latin kings to unite their dominions into one mighty empire for the defence of the Latin Church. Here is a dreadful dispensation of Jehovah; but it is such as the nations have most righteously deserved, because when they had the truth they lived not according to its most holy requisitions, but loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Therefore hath “the Lord sent them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they might all be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.” But this deplorable state of the world is not perpetual, it can only continue till every word of God is fulfilled upon his enemies; and when this time arrives, (which will be that of Christ’s second advent,) then shall the Son of God slay that wicked “with the spirit of his mouth, and shall consume him with the brightness of HIS COMING.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will; that is, what he hath determined shall be done; not what he commandeth men to do, or approveth their doing of; his permissive will.
And to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast; for God puts malice against himself and his Son into the hearts of none, which is the cause of any persons assisting the beast.
Until the words of God shall be fulfilled; nor shall they do this any longer than till the forty-two months be expired, which he by his word hath declared he hath allowed to these mongrel Gentiles, to tread down the outward court: but till that time be expired, these kingdoms will agree to give their power to the beast, whom about the expiration of that time they shall hate, and help to destroy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. hath putthe propheticalpast tense for the future.
fulfilGreek,“do,” or “accomplish.” The Greek,“poiesai,” is distinct from that which istranslated, “fulfilled,” Greek, “telesthesontai,“below.
his willGreek,“his mind,” or purpose; while they think only ofdoing their own purpose.
to agreeliterally, “todo” (or accomplish) one mind” or “purpose.”A and Vulgate omit this clause, but B supports it.
the words of Godforetellingthe rise and downfall of the beast; Greek, “hoilogoi,” in A, B, and ANDREAS.English Version reading is Greek, “ta rhemata,“which is not well supported. No mere articulate utterances, but theefficient words of Him who is the Word: Greek, “logos.“
fulfilled (Re10:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will,…. By doing the preceding things to the whore of Rome, whose destruction is according to the will of God; it is his approving will, what he likes of, and will be well pleased with; it is his will of command, what he will order to be done, Re 18:6 and it is his determining will, his will of purpose, his decree, what he has resolved shall be done; he has fixed the time of her reign, and longer than that she shall not continue: and these kings, in destroying her, will not do so much their own will, as the will of God, and God will put it into their hearts to do it; he will work in them both to will and to do; he will fill them with hatred to her; he will incline their minds to do the above things, as it will be in the power of their hands to do them; he who has the hearts of all men, and even of kings in his hands, and can turn them as rivers of water, will move them hereunto, Pr 21:1 he that turned the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people Israel, Ps 105:25 will turn the hearts of these kings to hate the whore, and do unto her as is here predicted; and the same God will do this, who has, on the other hand, already put into their hearts to do the following things:
and to agree: this clause is wanting in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Vulgate Latin version, and is the same with that of having one mind, Re 17:13 that is, being of the same religion; God giving them up to a reprobate mind, to believe a lie, that they might be damned; which must be understood not of the same individuals, but of their predecessors; unless this is to be interpreted of their agreeing together against the whore, to pull her down, and set up the pure worship and service of God; for this is a blessing of grace from God, who gives his people one heart and one way, that they may fear him, Jer 32:39 but the former sense seems best, since it follows,
and give their kingdom unto the beast; the eighth king, and seventh head, the pope of Rome; to whom they have given their power and strength in things civil and ecclesiastical, their wealth and riches; and have received their crowns from him, and have held their kingdoms by him, and become tributary to him: and this is done, and will be,
until the words of God shall be fulfilled; concerning the afflictions of his church and people, and the reign of antichrist, for the space of forty and two months, Re 11:2 all which while they are fulfilling the secret will of God, unknown to them, and yet act against his revealed will, and break his commands; just as the Jews, ignorant of the prophecies of the Old Testament, fulfilled them in condemning Christ, Ac 13:27. That God should put it into the hearts of these kings to fulfil his will, in destroying the whore of Rome, is easily received; but there seems some difficulty that he should put it into their hearts to agree and give their kingdom to the beast, which was sinful: now this he did, not by infusing sin into them, which is contrary to his pure and holy nature; but by leaving them, and giving them up to their own hearts’ lusts; stirring up, and moving upon their minds, and directing the motions of it, to such and such objects, which they readily and voluntarily fell in with; and yet the concern of God herein does not, nor do his decrees about sin infringe the liberty of the will in acting, or excuse the sinfulness of the action, or make God the author of sin; as the instances of selling of Joseph by his brethren, and the crucifixion of Christ by the Jews, show.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Did put (). “Did give” (first aorist active of .
To do his mind ( ). Epexegetic first aorist active infinitive of after , as often in this book. They are of one mind (verse 13) because God put them up to it, clear statement of God’s over-ruling hand among the nations.
Until the words of God should be accomplished ( ). Temporal clause about the future with (like ), with the future indicative of , but with aorist passive subjunctive in 15:8. For see also 10:7. For “the words of God” see 19:9. They will be fulfilled.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Hath put [] . Rev., with stricter rendering of the aorist, did put. Lit., did give.
To fulfill His will [ ] . See on ver. 13. Rev., more literally, to do his mind.
To agree [ ] . Lit., to make one mind. Rev., come to one mind.
The words [ ] . But read oiJ logoi the prophetic words. For the distinction, see on Luk 1:37.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For God hath put in their hearts,” (ho gar theos edoken eis tas kardias auton) “for (because) God gave (doled unto) their hearts,” the hearts of the ten puppet Gentile rulers, Rom 1:24; Rom 1:26; Rom 1:28; 2Th 2:11-12; Rev 18:20.
2) “To fulfill his will,- (poiesai ten gnomen a utou) “to do his mind, intention, will, or purpose,” Rom 1:24; 1Ki 22:22; Eze 14:9. After personal obstinate willful, chosen rebellion for a long time against God’s Word and will, God gives men over to lying and deception.
3) “And to agree,” (kai poiesai mian gnomen) “even to make (them) one (in) mind,” in collusion of premeditated malice aforethought against the great whore, mother of harlots.
4) “And give their kingdom unto the beast,” (kai dounai ten basileian auton to therio) “and (caused them) to give over or deliver their kingdom to the beast,” the dragon, that old serpent, the Devil, perhaps incarnate in the antichrist, apart from consultation with their fornicating paramour, Rev 17:2.
5) “Until the words of God shall be fulfilled,” (achri telesthesontai hoi logoi tou theou) “until the words of God (concerning the judgments) shall be completed,” or accomplished, Jer 1:12; Rev 10:7; Mat 24:34.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(17) For God hath put . . .Better, For God gave it into their hearts to do his mind, and (to do) one mind, and to give their kingdom, &c. The kings give their kingdom to the wild beast; their authority and might is used for him, whether in making war upon the Lamb (Rev. 17:14) or in casting down the harlot. In these enterprises they act unitedly; there is given to them to make one mind. But they are only carrying out the righteous will of God; God wills that the harlot shall fall; and even in their war upon the Lamb, they are but preparing for the crisis when the foes of the righteous King shall fall (Rev. 19:19). Thus does the wrath of man ever turn to Gods praise.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘For God did put it in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.’
‘God did put it in their hearts.’ So even in this there is the hand of God. Idolatry and commercialism will be forcibly stamped out by some monotheistic religion inspired by Satan. Satan will no longer have to disguise his worship under the guise of idolatry. He will demand it fully for himself. In the midst of chaos we are reminded all this is within the sovereignty of God.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Ver. 17. For God hath put ] As he sent Nebuchadnezzar against Tyre, Alexander against Asia, and Attila against Rome, who surnamed himself the World’s Scourge; so he will one day send these kings against Rome. It had been burnt when Charles V took it, but that the soldiers were kept in by a kind of violence. God’s time was not yet come for that purpose.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 17:17 . The remarkable unanimity and obedience of the usurping vassals, which welds them into an avenging instrument, can only be explained on supernatural grounds. A divine overruling controls all political movements ( cf. Rev 11:2 , Rev 13:5 ; Rev 13:7 ), according to the determioism of apocalyptic tradition (Baldensperger, 58 f.). The irony of the situation is that the tools of providence are destroyed, after they have unconsciously served their purpose (as in Isa 10:12 f.). The Imperial power, hitherto the usual support of Rome, is to prove her deadly foe; John’s stern philosophy is that one partner in this hateful union is employed to ruin the other. Not long before this prophecy appeared, Vitellius and Vespasian in the person of their partisans had ravaged Rome in the near future Nero’s allies were to fight, like Corio-lanus, against their “cankered country, with the spleen of all the under-fiends”. . . . The same tradition, on a simpler scale, appears in 4 Esd. 13:33, 34 where, at the revelation of God’s Son, “every man shall leave his own land and their battles against one another; and a countless multitude shall assemble together, desiring to come and fight against him”. The dualism of God and Satan is not absolute; even the latter’s manuvres are made to subserve some providential design.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
hath put = put. Literally “gave”.
fulfil. Literally “do”.
will. App-177.
agree = carry out (literally “do”) one purpose (App-177.)
kingdom. Singular. Compare Rev 17:12.
words. Greek. rhema, but the texts read App-121.
fulfilled. Compare App-125.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rev 17:17. , his will) namely, of the beast. The expression, , occurs Ezr 6:14; but here John expresses, , the will of the beast, against the whore.- ) See App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this passage.[193] A twofold point of importance is recorded; first, that the ten horns fulfil the will of the beast; and secondly, that they in concert with one another fulfil one will, namely, concerning the delivering up of their kingdom to the beast alone.[194]
[193] A Vulg. omit this clause: so Lachm. B supports it: so Tisch.-E.
[194] , having) This at that very time, in which desolation threatens the whore, is to be taken for the present time.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
God hath: Rev 17:13, Act 4:27, Act 4:28
put: Ezr 7:27, Psa 105:25, Pro 21:1, Jer 32:40, 2Th 2:10-12, Jam 1:13-17
to fulfil: Luk 22:3, Luk 22:22, Luk 22:37, Joh 13:2, Joh 13:18
until: Rev 6:11, Rev 10:7, Rev 15:1, Pro 19:21, Isa 45:17, Isa 46:10, Isa 46:11, Jer 27:6, Jer 27:7, Eze 38:16, Eze 38:17, Dan 12:7, Joh 10:35, Joh 12:39, Joh 12:40, Joh 19:24, Joh 19:28
Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:22 – Thou shalt Neh 2:12 – my God Isa 13:9 – cruel Isa 14:6 – is persecuted Isa 33:1 – when thou shalt cease Jer 50:45 – hear Jer 51:11 – the Lord hath Dan 3:3 – the princes Dan 8:19 – the last Dan 8:24 – but Dan 11:14 – exalt Dan 11:35 – even Dan 11:36 – for Mat 1:22 – that Mat 12:25 – Every kingdom Act 4:26 – kings Act 7:23 – it came 2Co 8:16 – thanks Rev 13:3 – all Rev 13:15 – cause Rev 16:10 – upon Rev 17:2 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 17:17. God bath put in their hearts. God never directly causes any person to do wrong who wants to do right. But when a man or group of men shows a persistence toward wrong, then He gives them up to carry out their own ways until they have learned their lesson. (See the comments at 2Th 2:11.) It had been predicted (in such passages as that just cited) that such conduct would be practiced by these kings, hence in doing so they were carrying out the divine prediction. But they will be suffered to operate in that way only until the words of God shall be fulfilled. This means until the time for them to be enlightend by the work of the Reformation.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 17.
The accord of these kings with the emperor was described in Rev 17:17 as being in God’s plan to fulfill his words, spoken by his prophets, and by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, concerning the destruction of the once faithful but then harlot city of Jerusalem,
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 17:17. For God gave it into their hearts to do his mind, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast. This giving of authority to the beast we have already met with in Rev 17:13; and in Rev 17:12 it has been intimated that the ten kings held their authority from God. Whatever, therefore, they had done in persecuting the saints had been accomplishing Goos purpose (comp. Act 2:23).
Until the words of God should be accomplished; until all His purposes should be fulfilled.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. How the infinitely wise and perfectly holy God can, and does, so order things, that all his judgments shall be executed by sinners, without his being the cause of any one of their sins; though by the permissive will of God, these kings gave their power for a time to the beast, yet they never had his aprobation for so doing. God so over-rules the actions of wicked men, that when they are doing their will, contrary to their own intentions, in and by them, the Lord is likewise doing his will. God sometimes does his will by those who resolve they will not do his will.
Observe, 2. The time when Almighty God, who permitted them to submit to the whore will put it into their hearts to hate her, and help to destroy her, namely, when his word is fulfilled. God’s word shall be fulfilled in spite of Satan, and all his instruments; yea, the wicked are then fulfilling God’s word and will, that is, his permissive will, when they are going on in their wickedness. God hath put it in their hearts to fulfil his will.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
17:17 {34} For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
(34) A reason rendered from the chief efficient cause, which is the providence of God, by which alone John by inversion of order affirms to have come to pass, both that the kings should execute on the harlot that which pleased God, and which he declared in the verse before: and also that by one consent and counsel, they should give their kingdom to the beast, etc. Rev 17:13-14 for as these being blinded have before depended on the call of the beast that lifts up the harlot, so it is said, that afterward it shall come to pass, that they shall turn back, and shall fall away from her, when their hearts shall be turned into better state by the grace and mercy of God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The ultimate cause of this action is God’s sovereign purpose. God has used the forces of evil for His own purposes before (cf. Rev 16:13-14; Rev 16:16; Jdg 7:22; 1Sa 14:20; 2Ch 20:23; Jer 25:9-11; Eze 38:21; Hag 2:22; Zec 14:13). Nevertheless the sinner is always responsible for his or her actions (Ezekiel 18).
"This verse denies the existence of any ultimate dualism in the world. In the final analysis the powers of evil serve the purposes of God." [Note: Mounce, pp. 319-20.]
The "common purpose" in view in this verse is world domination (Rev 17:13). The allied kings will submit to the beast’s leadership because this will help them achieve their goal of attaining universal power and resisting God. This situation will continue until the end of the age, until all God’s words about rebellion against Him in the Tribulation have come to fulfillment (cf. Rev 10:7).