--- title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation" author: "Adam Clarke" languages: [en] shelf: "Commentaries" section: 758 of 769 url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/758/ cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 758. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/758/" --- # Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation *Adam Clarke* Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2. ## 758. Revelation · 26 of 37 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/758/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/758/#p-N ### Verse 1 [¶1] Seven angels having the seven last plagues - Under the emblems of harvest and vintage God's judgments on the enemies of his Church have already been pointed out: but these are farther signified by the seven vials, which are called the seven last plagues of God. The seven last plagues appear to fall under the seventh and last trumpet. As the seventh seal contained the seven trumpets, so the seventh trumpet contains the seven vials. And as seven angels sounded the seven trumpets, so seven angels are appointed to pour out the seven vials, angels being always the ministers of Providence. This chapter contains the opening vision which is preparatory to the pouring out of the vials. [¶2] The Targum of Jonathan on [Isa 51:17], Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury, uses the same words employed by the evangelist here: "Jerusalem, thou hast received from the face of the Lord the cup of his wrath; ית פילי כסא דלוטא yath pailey casa dilvata, "the Phials of the cup of malediction " find again on [Isa 51:22] : I will take out of thy hand the cup of malediction; ית פילי כסא דחמתי yath Pailey casa dechemti, "the Phials of the cup of my indignation." ### Verse 2 [¶4] A sea of glass - A spacious lucid plain around the throne, from which fiery coruscations were continually emitted: or, the reflection of the light upon this lucid plain produced the prismatic colors of the most vivid rainbow. [¶5] Over the beast, and over his image - See the notes on Revelation 13:1-18 (note). ### Verse 3 [¶7] They sing the song of Moses - That which Moses sang, [Exo 15:1], when he and the Israelites, by the miraculous power of God, had got safely through the Red Sea, and saw their enemies all destroyed. [¶8] And the song of the Lamb - The same song adapted to the state of the suffering, but now delivered Christians. [¶9] Great and marvellous are thy works - God's works are descriptive of his infinite power and wisdom. [¶10] Lord God Almighty - Nearly the same as Jehovah, God of hosts. [¶11] Just and true are thy ways - Every step God takes in grace or providence is according to justice, and he carefully accomplishes all his threatenings and all his promises; to this he is bound by his truth. ### Verse 4 [¶13] Who shall not fear thee - That is, All should fear and worship this true God, because he is just and true and holy; and his saints should love and obey him, because he is their King; and they and all men should acknowledge his judgments, because they are made manifest. ### Verse 5 [¶15] The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony - The temple which succeeded the tabernacle, in which was the testimony, viz., the two tables, Aaron's rod, pot of manna, holy anointing oil, etc. All bearing testimony to the truth of God and his miraculous interposition in their behalf. ### Verse 6 [¶17] The seven angels came out of the temple - To show that they were sent from God himself. [¶18] Clothed in pure and white linen - Habited as priests. For these habits see [Exo 28:6], [Exo 28:8]; and see the note on [Rev 1:13]. ### Verse 8 [¶20] The temple was filled with smoke - So was the tabernacle when consecrated by Moses, [Exo 40:34], [Exo 40:35], and the temple when consecrated by Solomon, [1Kgs 8:10], [1Kgs 8:11]; [2Chr 5:14]. See [Isa 6:4]. This account seems at least partly copied from those above. [¶21] When the high priest entered into the holy of holies, and the ordinary priest into the holy place, they always carried with them a great deal of smoking incense, which filled those places with smoke and darkness, which prevented them from considering too attentively the parts and ornaments of those holy places, and thus served to produce an air of majesty in the temple, which none dared to approach without the deepest reverence. To this Calmet thinks the allusion may be here. ### Introduction [¶23] The angels are commanded to pour out their vials upon the earth, [Rev 16:1]. The first pours out his vial on the earth, by which a grievous sore is produced, [Rev 16:2]. The second angel pours out his trial on the sea, and it is turned into blood, [Rev 16:3]. The third angel pours out his vial on the rivers and fountains, and they are turned also into blood, [Rev 16:4-7]. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun, and men are scorched with fire, [Rev 16:8], [Rev 16:9]. The fifth angel pours out his vial on the throne of the beast, [Rev 16:10], [Rev 16:11]. The sixth angel pours out his vial on the river Euphrates, [Rev 16:12]. Three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the beast, dragon and false prophet: and go forth to gather all the kings of the world to battle, in the place called Armageddon, [Rev 16:13-16]. The seventh angel pours out his vial on the air, on which followed thunders, lightnings, earth-quakes, and extraordinary hail, [Rev 16:17-21]. ### Verse 1 [¶25] Go your ways, and pour out - These ministers of the Divine justice were ready to execute vengeance upon transgressors, having full power; but could do nothing in this way till they received especial commission. Nothing can be done without the permission of God; and in the manifestation of justice or mercy by Divine agency, there must be positive command. ### Verse 2 [¶27] A noisome and grievous sore - This is a reference to the sixth Egyptian plague, boils and blains, [Exo 9:8], [Exo 9:9], etc. ### Verse 3 [¶29] As the blood of a dead man - Either meaning blood in a state of putrescency, or an effusion of blood in naval conflicts; even the sea was tinged with the blood of those who were slain in these wars. This is most probably the meaning of this vial. These engagements were so sanguinary that both the conquerors and the conquered were nearly destroyed; every living soul died in the sea. ### Verse 4 [¶31] Upon the rivers and fountains of waters - This is an allusion to the first Egyptian plague, [Exo 7:20]; and to those plagues in general there are allusions throughout this chapter. It is a sentiment of the rabbins that "whatever plagues God inflicted on the Egyptians in former times, he will inflict on the enemies of his people in all later times." See a long quotation on this subject from Rabbi Tanchum in Schoettgen. ### Verse 5 [¶33] The angel of the waters - The rabbins attribute angels, not only to the four elements so called, but to almost every thing besides. We have already seen the angel of the bottomless pit, [Rev 9:11], and the angel of the fire, [Rev 14:18]. The angel of the earth is spoken of in Yalcut Rubeni, fol. 13, 2, and is called Admael. They have also an angel that presides over the grass; another that presides over the cattle which feed upon the grass. [¶34] They say that God employed the angel of the sea to swallow up the waters at the creation, that the dry land might appear. He disobeyed, and God slew him; the name of the angel of the sea is Rahab. See Baba bathra, fol. 74, 2. It is plain from several places that the writer of the Apocalypse keeps these notions distinctly in view. ### Verse 6 [¶36] Thou hast given them blood to drink - They thirsted after blood and massacred the saints of God; and now they have got blood to drink! It is said that when Tomyris, queen of the Scythians, had vanquished Cyrus, she cut off his head and threw it into a vessel of blood, saying these words: Satia te sanguine, quem sitisti, cujusque insatiabilis semper fuisti; "Satisfy thyself with blood, for which thou hast thirsted, and for which thy desire has been insatiable." See Justin. Hist., lib. i. c. 8. This figure of speech is called sarcasm in rhetoric. "Sarcasmus with this biting taunt doth kill: [¶37] Cyrus, thy thirst was blood; now drink thy fill." ### Verse 8 [¶39] Poured out his vial upon the sun - Mr. Robert Fleming, more than one hundred years ago, in his View of Scripture Prophecy, supposed that the sun here meant the French empire, and conjectured that this vial would be poured out on that empire about the year 1794. And it is remarkable that in 1793 the French king was beheaded by the National Assembly; and great and unparalleled miseries fell upon the French nation, which nearly extinguished all their nobility, and brought about a war that lasted twenty-three years, and nearly ruined that country and all the nations of Europe. ### Verse 9 [¶41] They repented not - No moral national amendment has taken place in consequence of the above calamities in that unhappy country, nor indeed any of those nations engaged against her in that long and ruinous contest, which has now terminated, (1817), without producing one political, moral, or religious advantage to herself or to Europe. ### Verse 10 [¶43] The seat of the beast - Επι τον θρονον του θηριου· Upon the throne of the wild beast. The regal family was smitten by the fourth vial; they did not repent: then the fifth angel pours out his vial on the throne of the wild beast, or antichristian idolatrous power. [¶44] Was full of darkness - Confusion, dismay, and distress.