For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
17. for the great day of his wrath is come ] So the world has thought in every great social convulsion, since they have learnt so far to believe the Gospel, as to confess that such a day is coming. The thought has led men to repentance or to despair, as they were worthy of one or other: but, since the world has so often thought wrongly that the Day has come, it does not follow that, when this Book tells us that the world thinks it has come, we must suppose the world to be right.
who shall be able to stand? ] Cf. Mal 3:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. For the great day of his wrath] The decisive and manifest time in which he will execute judgment on the oppressors of his people.
Who shall be able to stand?] No might can prevail against the might of God. All these things may literally apply to the final destruction of Jerusalem, and to the revolution which took place in the Roman empire under Constantine the Great. Some apply them to the day of judgment; but they do not seem to have that awful event in view. These two events were the greatest that have ever taken place in the world, from the flood to the eighteenth century of the Christian era; and may well justify the strong figurative language used above.
Through I do not pretend to say that my remarks on this chapter point out its true signification, yet I find others have applied it in the same way. Dr. Dodd observes that the fall of Babylon, Idumea, Judah, Egypt, and Jerusalem, has been described by the prophets in language equally pompous, figurative, and strong. See Isa 13:10; Isa 34:4, concerning Babylon and Idumea; Jer 4:23; Jer 4:24, concerning Judah; Eze 32:7, concerning Egypt; Joel 2:10; Joel 2:31, concerning Jerusalem; and our Lord himself, Mt 24:29, concerning the same city. “Now,” says he, “it is certain that the fall of any of these cities or kingdoms was not of greater concern or consequence to the world, nor more deserving to be described in pompous figures, than the fall of the pagan Roman empire, when the great lights of the heathen world, the sun, moon, and stars, the powers civil and ecclesiastical, were all eclipsed and obscured, the heathen emperors and Caesars were slain, the heathen priests and augurs were extirpated, the heathen officers and magistrates were removed, the temples were demolished, and their revenues were devoted to better uses. It is customary with the prophets, after they have described a thing in the most symbolical and figurative manner, to represent the same again in plainer language; and the same method is observed here, Re 6:15-17: And the kings of the earth, c. That is, Maximin, Galerius, Maxentius, Licinius, c., with all their adherents and followers, were so routed and dispersed that they hid themselves in dens, &c. expressions used to denote the utmost terror and confusion. This is, therefore, a triumph of Christ over his heathen enemies, and a triumph after a severe persecution so that the time and all the circumstances, as well as the series and order of the prophecy, agree perfectly with this interpretation. Galerius, Maximin, and Licinius, made even a public confession of their guilt, recalled their decrees and edicts against the Christians, and acknowledged the just judgments of God and of Christ in their own destruction.” See Newton, Lowman, &c., and Dr. Dodd on this chapter, with the works of several more recent authors.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For this judgment that is upon us, is the effect of his wrath for our abusing and persecuting his members; and we, with all our courage, might, and power, are not able to abide his wrath. These words import, that in this great change, as the greatest persons should be at a loss what to do, so they should perish under a conviction that the great vengeance of God was come upon them for their opposing the gospel, and provoking Christ by persecuting of his members.
There are other more particular explications of the sun, moon, stars, heavens, & c., but they all centre in this general, that here is prophesied a great and universal change of the religion of the world, which should strike a great terror into the pagan rulers, and issue in the overturning of all their altars and temples, and the ruin of the great men, relating either to their civil or ecclesiastical state; and that they at last should know that, God was God, and that these judgments came upon them for their opposition to Christ. And (which addeth strength to this interpretation) Mr. Durham hath observed, that no so short period of time hath produced so many remarkable judgments, and extorted so many ingenuous confessions from enemies, that what came upon them was for their persecutions; and a catalogue of which may be found in Mr. Mede, and in Mr. Durham. Mr. Mede reckoneth Galerius, Maximinus, and Licinius. Galerius was eaten up of worms, being before he died sensible of his guilt, ceasing from his persecution, and begging the Christians prayers. Maximinus, another Roman emperor, (or partner in the empire with the former), being beaten by Licinius, fled to Tarsus, and there fell upon his pagan priests, who had deceived him by their lying oracles, and made a decree for the Christians liberty; but God would not suffer so bloodly a wretch to die after the ordinary death of man; he died miserably through intolerable pain, his eyes dropping out of his head. Licinius was a Christian, and joined a while with Constantine, but apostatized, was overcome in two battles, taken, and by him put to death. All these three were within the space of eighteen years. Mr. Durham to these adds the instances of Dioclesian and Maximinian, little above twenty years before, in the heat of their persecution making a stop, and through a horror of conscience laying down their imperial dignity; and Maxentius, drowned in the river Tiber; and he says Licinius, before mentioned, before he died, revenged himself upon his idolatrous priests that had persuaded him to forsake Constantines God. The change was so great in the empire, upon Constantine the Greats coming to the throne, by the death of some great persons, turning others out of place, destroying the whole frame and practice of the pagans religion, that it might well be expressed by earthquakes, the sun turning black, the moon as blood, the stars falling from heaven to earth, the heavens departing like a scroll, and the removal of islands and mountains, and by the consternation it would bring all the pagan great men into, &c. And this time, which was a period of about twenty-five or twenty-seven years, is thought to be understood to be the time predicted upon the opening of the sixth seal. Thus we see the dragons reign at an end in about three hundred and eleven or three hundred and twenty-five years after Christ; the empire, as pagan, persecuting the church of Christ, and following it with ten successive persecutions, quite overturned, and a Christian emperor, Constantine the Great, ruling it. But we must understand these great things were not perfected in a few months; some relics of paganism remained; for though Constantine shut up the pagan temples, yet all the idols in them were not destroyed until the time of Theodosius, who began to rule in the empire Anno 379, and reigned sixteen years. Between Constantine and him were Constantius and Constans, Julian the Apostate, and Jovianus, Valentinianus, Valens, and Gratian; during some of whose reigns (Julians especially) the Christians suffered much both from pagans and Arians, so that the Christians had not a full and perfect quiet till after the year 390.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. Literally, “the day,the great (day),” which can only mean the last great day. Afterthe Lord has exhausted all His ordinary judgments, the sword, famine,pestilence, and wild beasts, and still sinners are impenitent, thegreat day of the Lord itself’ shall come. Mt24:6-29 plainly forms a perfect parallelism to the six seals, notonly in the events, but also in the order of their occurrence: Mt24:3, the first seal; Mt 24:6,the second seal; Mt 24:7, thethird seal; Mt 24:7, end, thefourth seal; Mt 24:9, the fifthseal, the persecutions and abounding iniquity under which, as well asconsequent judgments accompanied with gospel preaching to all nationsas a witness, are particularly detailed, Mt24:9-28; Mt 24:29, thesixth seal.
to standto standjustified, and not condemned before the Judge. Thus the sixth sealbrings us to the verge of the Lord’s coming. The ungodly “tribesof the earth” tremble at the signs of His immediate approach.But before He actually inflicts the blow in person, “the elect”must be “gathered “out.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For the great day of his wrath is come,…. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, “of their wrath”; both of him that sits upon the throne, and of the Lamb, against the Heathen gods and Heathen persecutors, in answer to the cry of the martyrs in Re 6:9.
And who shall be able to stand? against either of them, or in their presence, and so as to bear their wrath and displeasure; all which expresses guilt, shame, fear, and despair.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The great day ( ). The phrase occurs in the O.T. prophets (Joel 2:11; Joel 2:31; Zeph 1:14. Cf. Jude 1:6) and is here combined with “of their wrath” ( ) as in Zeph 1:15; Zeph 1:18; Zeph 2:3; Rom 2:5. “Their” () means the wrath of God and of the Lamb put here on an equality as in Rev 1:17; Rev 22:3; Rev 22:13; 1Thess 3:11; 2Thess 2:16. Beckwith holds that this language about the great day having come “is the mistaken cry of men in terror caused by the portents which are bursting upon them.” There is something, to be sure, to be said for this view which denies that John commits himself to the position that this is the end of the ages.
And who is able to stand? ( ?). Very much like the words in Nah 1:6; Mal 3:2. First aorist passive infinitive of . It is a rhetorical question, apparently by the frightened crowds of verse 15. Swete observes that the only possible answer to that cry is the command of Jesus in Lu 21:36: “Keep awake on every occasion, praying that ye may get strength to stand (, the very form) before the Son of Man.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The great day [ ] . Lit., the day, the great (day). For the construction, see on 1Jo 4:9.
Is come [] . Lit., came.
Shall be able to stand [ ] . Rev., rightly, is able. Compare Nah 1:6; Mal 3:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “For the great day of his wrath is come,” (hoti he hemera he megale tes orges auton) “Because the great day of their wrath came,” has come – as John sees and describes it in awe; It is great because of 1)the number of people involved, 2) the fear, terror and panic in them, 3) the Lamb upon the throne, once their Savior, but now their Judges , , 4) because of the issue they faced – who should be able to stand? The final destiny of the earthly living is to be sealed in their Armageddon death as Christ rejectors, Isa 13:6; Mat 24:8.
2) “And who shall be able to stand?” (kai tis dunatai stathenai) “And who is dynamic, (powerful enough) to stand,” or to bear-up under it? This is a rhetoric question, expressing a cry of total futility and helplessness on the part of the cave-hiding and mountain-hiding unsaved and or unprepared, at the hour of this great tribulation judgment that is to come on all the earth. The final, tribulation, Armageddon, judgment-wrath of God, in physical manifestation, will usher most of earth’s unregenerate rebels through death, into hell to await the white throne judgment, following the Millennial reign of Christ on the earth, Isa 2:10-22; Mal 3:2; 2Th 1:6-9; Rev 16:12-17; Rev 19:11-21; Isa 33:14; Psa 76:7; Nah 1:6; Rom 14:11-12.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(17) Who shall be (or, is) able to stand?The thought is derived from Mal. 3:2, which spoke of a coming of the Lord. Every advent of Christ is the advent of One whose fan is in His hand, and who will thoroughly purge His floor. Whether it be His advent in the flesh, He tested men; or whether one of His advents in Providencesuch as the fall of Jerusalem, the overthrow of Pagan Rome, the convulsions of the Reformation and Revolution epochs of historyHe still tests men whether they are able to abide in faith and love the day of His coming; and much more, then, in the closing personal advent, when these visions will receive their fullest illustration, will He try men. Who is able to stand? It is the question of questions. Christs answer is: Apart from Me ye can do nothing. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like to men that wait for their Lords coming. And parallel is St. Pauls advice: Wherefore take unto you, (not the weapons on which men rely, but) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. This anxiety that his converts should be ready for the day of testing is continually appearing in his Epistles. Comp, the recurrence of the day of Christ in Php. 1:6; Php. 1:10, and the Apostles wish that the Philippians might be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; and St. Johns desire that Christians should not be ashamed before Him at His coming, and may have boldness in the day of judgment (1Jn. 2:28; 1Jn. 4:17). Who is able to stand? The question is answered in the next chapter. They shall stand who are sealed with the seal of the living God.
The sixth seal does not give us a completed picture. We see the great and awe-inspiring movements which are heralds of the day of wrath. The whole world is stirred and startled at the tread of the approaching Christ, and then the vision melts away; we see no more, but we have seen enough to be sure that the close of the age is at hand. Yet we are anxious to know something of those who have been faithful, pure, and chivalrous witnesses for truth and right, for Christ and God. In that day, that awful day, the whole population of the world seems to be smitten with dismay; the trees, shaken with that terrible tempest, seem to be shedding all their fruit; the trembling of all created things seems to be about to shake down every building. Are all to go? Are none strong enough to survive? We heard that there were seven seals attached to the mystic book which the Lion of the tribe of Judah was opening; but this sixth seal presents us with the picture of universal desolation; what is there left for the seventh seal to tell us? The answer to these questions is given in the seventh chapter, which introduces scenes which may either be taken as dissolving views, presented in the course of the sixth seal, or as complementary visions. And those scenes show us in pictorial form that the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation: that in the midst of the time of the shaking of all things, when all might, majesty, strength, and genius of men is laid low, and every mere earth-born kingdom is overthrown, there is a kingdom which cannot be shaken. The germ of life was indestructible, and ready to break forth in fruit again: an ark, which sheltered all that was good, moved ever secure over the desolating floods:
I looked: aside the dust-cloud rolled,
The waster seemed the builder too;
Upspringing from the ruined old
I saw the new.
Twas but the ruin of the bad
The wasting of the wrong and ill;
Whateer of good the old time had
Was living still.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. The great day of his wrath Can be no other than God’s day of judgment doom.
Who Of the trembling profane world.
To stand To meet the decision of the judge, without falling into the pit of the second death.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
Methinks I would wait in silent humble adoration, while my God and Savior opens the seals one by one, to make known to his Church the mysteries of his kingdom. And while I hear the voice of invitation, come and see! oh! for the Lord that calls to give grace also to hear, that I may understand those prophecies of our God.
Precious Lord Jesus! IS it not thou that I behold, going forth on the white horse crowned with victory, conquering, and to conquer? And do I not hear thee say, and my soul makes her cheerful responses to the same; As for those that will not I should reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me! Yes, Lord, the red horse of blood, and the black horse of famine, and the pale horse or death, with hell in the rear, are suitable to follow in the execution of thy judgments.
I bless my God for unfolding to his Church, the precious view of the souls under the Altar, beseeching the Lord, to avenge their blood on their enemies. May I learn many a sweet lesson here from! And when at any time, I am impatient under exercises, waiting for answers to prayer, here may I look up and learn, how to explain all seeming difficulties. If Jesus deferred the answer to them, how shall I complain? I here discover, that delay is not denial. There is a set time to favor Zion. And learn, O my soul, a sweeter lesson still. Abel’s blood called for vengeance. The martyrs of my God plead to be avenged. But Jesus’s blood for mercy. Oh what a thought to comfort a poor sinner!
Lord! what an awful account this Chapter closeth with, of those apostates under the sixth seal, and every other who deny Christ’s Godhead, and cause even sun, moon, and stars to blush at their foul ingratitude. Surely their judgment is just. For to whom can they look for salvation, while they deny his power who alone can save. Think then my soul of thy safety and happiness, in having Christ for thy portion! Precious Lord Jesus, say to my soul, fear not, I am thy salvation!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Ver. 17. Who shall be able to stand ] They could not stand before their own misgiving hearts and soul condemning consciences; how much less before God that was greater than their hearts! God sent his hornet, which drove out these Canaanites, Exo 23:28 . Facti sunt a corde suo fugitivi, They were made by their heart a fugitive, as Tertullian hath it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
great day All preceding judgments lead up to this. See Joe 2:11, Joe 2:31. Zep 1:14. Compare Jud 1:6.
who, &c. This solemn question now to be answered by the sealing of 144,000 specially protected and blessed ones.
shall be = is.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ver. 17. , who) They who are freed from wrath to come, having fellowship with the Lamb.-V. g. ABCh Vulg. support : Rec. Text omits it.-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the great: Rev 11:18, Rev 16:14, Isa 13:6-22, Jer 30:7, Joe 2:31, Zep 1:14-18, Rom 2:5, Jud 1:6
who: Psa 76:7, Psa 130:3, Psa 130:4, Joe 2:11, Mal 3:2
Reciprocal: Exo 11:6 – General Jos 2:24 – all the inhabitants 2Ki 22:13 – great Est 1:12 – was the king Job 21:30 – day Job 24:17 – in the terrors Psa 2:12 – when Psa 21:9 – in his Psa 45:4 – right Psa 47:2 – is terrible Psa 50:22 – I tear Psa 68:2 – as wax Psa 68:35 – terrible Psa 88:7 – Thy wrath Psa 88:16 – fierce Psa 90:11 – General Isa 22:5 – crying Jer 11:11 – which Jer 49:19 – that shepherd Eze 13:5 – the day Eze 25:14 – and they shall know Eze 30:3 – the day is Joe 1:15 – the day of Nah 1:6 – can stand Zep 1:15 – is Zec 14:5 – the Lord Mal 4:5 – great Mat 3:7 – flee Joh 3:36 – but Rom 4:15 – Because Rom 9:22 – willing Eph 6:13 – to stand 2Th 1:8 – taking Heb 2:3 – How Rev 7:1 – after
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 6:17 : Great day of his wrath does not refer to the last great day of judgment, for the book is not that far along in the world drama. It is the day in which these overbearing men in high places in the pagan government of Rome, came to realize the effects that the religion of Christ was bringing as a punishment upon them.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 17.
8. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand–Rev 6:17.
As the previous verse is a direct quotation from Hosea, this last verse of the sixth seal is an allusion, if not a quotation, of Nah 1:5-6 : “The mountains quake at him, the earth burned at his presence . . . who can stand before his indignation? Who can abide his fierce anger? His fury is poured out . . . the rocks are thrown down by him.”
The Revelation passages are connected by quotation and the meaning is evident. The appeal of the great and mighty was for covert from the face of Him that sat on the throne and from the Lamb who was in the midst of the throne, which means that both God and Christ joined in the events of visitation in this pageant of retributive judgment on the nations. It places the passage where it belongs, not to the final judgment nor to a future procession of events, but to the period of the struggle and triumph of the early church with and over the Jewish and Roman persecutors of the apostolic and post-apostolic period.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 17
The great day of his wrath. This and other expressions indicate strongly that the vision arising under this seal was meant to prefigure the great final retribution, when the enemies of God should be overwhelmed with a most awful destruction, from which his friends, as particularly indicated in the Revelation 7:1-17, should be protected and saved, in the most marked and solemn manner. Many commentators have, however, applied this description to judgments and retributions of a minor character.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
This "great day of their wrath" is the Tribulation, Daniel’s seventieth week (cf. Jer 30:7; Dan 12:1; Joe 2:2; Mat 24:21). These people will not turn to God in repentance but from Him in terror (cf. Isa 2:19; Isa 2:21; Hos 10:8; Luk 23:30). By the end of the sixth seal judgment, they will know that what they are experiencing is the outpouring of His wrath. This is the first part of the judgment phase of the day of the Lord (cf. Joe 2:11; Joe 2:30-31; Isa 2:10-11; Isa 2:19-21; Isa 13:8-13; Isa 26:17-19; Isa 34:4; Isa 34:8; Isa 66:7-9; Jer 30:6-8; Eze 32:7-8; Hos 10:8; Mic 4:9-10; Mat 24:8; 1Th 5:3). The day of the Lord includes Daniel’s seventieth week (seven years) of judgment, Christ’s return to the earth, and His 1,000 year reign on the earth. Some have sought to limit the day of the Lord to Armageddon only. [Note: E.g., Gundry, pp. 91-92.] But this view fails to take all the day of the Lord data in Scripture into account.
The Tribulation will be a distinct judgment of God unique from other times of distress that the earth has ever experienced (Jer 30:7). It will be worldwide and severe. Furthermore everyone will not only know that it is a divine judgment, but they will act like it by seeking death to hide from God, not just from these calamities. The judgments of the sixth seal appear to be a foreshadowing of the similar but even greater judgments that will come at the end of the Tribulation, just before Jesus Christ returns to the earth (cf. Rev 16:17-21; Mat 24:21).
"The cosmic disturbances immediately before the beginning of the Joel 3 Day of the Lord and the Second Coming of Christ immediately after the Great Tribulation are not the same as those of the sixth seal. The cosmic disturbances immediately before the beginning of the Joel 3 Day of the Lord and the Second Coming of Christ will occur at the end of the 70th week, but those of the sixth seal will occur and end considerably before then." [Note: Showers, p. 70.]
Other cosmic disturbances appear in the Great Tribulation before the one described in Joel 3 occurs, namely, those associated with the fourth and fifth trumpets and the sixth bowl (Rev 8:12; Rev 9:1-11; Rev 16:12-16). Joel 3 does not refer to a cosmic disturbance before the Tribulation begins.
Postmillennialists and amillennialists interpret the revelation of tribulation in chapters 6-18 as a symbolic description of various troubles that have come and will come on believers before Jesus Christ’s second coming. [Note: See David Chilton, Paradise Restored: A Biblical Theology of Dominion; idem,The Days of Vengeance: An Exposition of the Book of Revelation; and David S. Clark, The Message from Patmos: A Postmillennial Commentary on the Book of Revelation, for postmillennial views. William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors, is one of the most carefully argued amillennial commentaries, as is Beale’s. Hailey is also clear, while Herman Hoeksema’s Behold, He Cometh! is comprehensive.] They do not believe the Tribulation will be a specific seven-year period of the unique outpouring of God’s wrath yet future.
Posttribulationists believe the church will be on earth during the Tribulation. Among premillennialists there are pretribulationists (those who believe that the Rapture will occur before the Tribulation) and posttribulationists (those who believe that the Rapture will occur at the end of the Tribulation, immediately before or concurrent with the Second Coming). Gundry, a posttribulationist, held that sufferings Christians experience during the Tribulation will not come as a result of God’s penal judgments but will be persecutions that arise "from other quarters." [Note: Gundry, p. 51.] He viewed the martyrs of this period as Christians (believers living between the day of Pentecost and the Rapture) rather than as tribulation saints.
Marvin Rosenthal argued, correctly I believe, that the first four seals describe what Jesus called "the beginning of sorrows" (Mat 24:8). [Note: Marvin Rosenthal, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church. See Robert Van Kampen, The Sign, for a similar view.] He equated this period with the first half of Daniel’s seventieth week (i.e., three and one-half years, or 42 months). However, he wrote, incorrectly I believe, that the fifth and sixth seals picture "the Great Tribulation" (Mat 24:21), which he limited to the following 21 months, not the whole second half of Daniel’s seventieth week. He further argued, also incorrectly, that the seventh seal begins "the day of the Lord" (Joe 2:1-2), which will only be the final quarter of Daniel’s seventieth week, namely, the remaining 21 months. He placed the Rapture at the beginning of the day of the Lord, which he believed would be the only period of wrath poured out. Thus since the Rapture will occur before it, according to his scheme, we can expect a "Pre-wrath Rapture." [Note: For refutations of Rosenthal’s view, see Paul S. Karleen, The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church-Is it Biblical?; Gerald B. Stanton, "A Review of The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church," Bibliotheca Sacra 148:589 (January-March 1991):90-111; John A. McLean, "Another Look at Rosenthal’s ’Pre-Wrath Rapture’," Bibliotheca Sacra 148:592 (October-December 1991):387-98; and Renald E. Showers, The Pre-Wrath Rapture View: An Examination and Critique.]