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繁體中文
英語原文
In this chapter we have an account of the pouring forth of these vials that were filled with the wrath of God. They were poured out upon the whole antichristian empire, and on every thing appertaining to it. I. Upon the earth, Re 16:2. II. Upon the sea, Re 16:3. III. Upon the rivers and fountains of water, Re 16:4. Here the heavenly hosts proclaim and applaud the righteousness of the judgments of God. IV. The fourth vial was poured out on the sun, Re 16:8. V. The fifth on the seat of the beast. VI. The sixth on the river Euphrates. VII. The seventh in the air, upon which the cities of the nations fell, and great Babylon came in remembrance before God.
1-7
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
繁體中文
七碗（主後 95 年）
¹ 我聽見有大聲音從殿中出來，向那七位天使說：「你們去，把盛神大怒的七碗倒在地上。」 ² 第一個天使便去，把碗倒在地上；有惡而且毒的瘡生在那些有獸印記、拜獸像的人身上。 ³ 第二位天使把碗倒在海裡，海就變成血好像死人的血，海中的活物都死了。 ⁴ 第三位天使把碗倒在江河與眾水泉源裡，水就變成血了。 ⁵ 我聽見掌管眾水的天使說：昔在、今在的聖者啊，你這樣判斷是公義的； ⁶ 他們曾流聖徒與先知的血，現在你給他們血喝，這是他們所該受的。 ⁷ 我又聽見祭壇中有聲音說：是的，主神——全能者啊，你的判斷義哉！誠哉！
我們在前一章看見為傾倒七碗所作重大而莊嚴的預備；如今我們看見這工的執行。請留意：
一、雖然凡事都已預備妥當，然而若沒有神直接而明確的命令，甚麼也不可執行；這命令祂從殿中發出，為要應允祂百姓的禱告，並為他們的冤屈報仇。
二、命令一下，立即遵行；沒有遲延，沒有異議。我們發現，連摩西和耶利米這樣最傑出的人，在回應神的呼召去作工時，也沒有那麼迅速順從；但神的天使不僅在能力上，也在樂意遵行神旨意上卓越非凡。神說：你們去，把碗倒出，這工立即就開始了。我們受教禱告，願神的旨意行在地上如同行在天上。如今我們進入一系列極其可畏的護理安排，要給出確定的含義或作出具體應用都不容易。但概括而言，下列幾點值得我們留意：
1. 此處我們看見對埃及幾樣災禍的引用與暗指，例如將水變為血，以及用瘡災擊打他們。他們的罪既相同，刑罰也相同。
2. 這些碗明顯呼應著代表敵基督興起的七號；由此我們得知，教會仇敵的傾覆必在某種程度上與其興起相似，並且神能照他們所選擇高抬自己的方式將他們降卑。敵基督的傾覆是漸進的；羅馬既非一日建成，也必非一日傾覆，而是逐步傾覆；它要傾覆，且不再興起。
3. 敵基督一方利益的傾覆必是普世的。凡是與他們有關、能為他們效勞的一切，房屋及一切附屬之物，都列入了毀滅令中：他們的地、他們的空氣、他們的海、他們的江河、他們的城邑，全都交予荒涼，全都因那百姓的邪惡而受了咒詛。受造之物就是這樣因人的罪而歎息受苦。如今我們來到：
（1）第一位天使倒下他的碗（啟 16:2）。請留意：[1] 碗倒在何處——在地上；有人說是指平民百姓；也有人說是指羅馬神職人員的整體，他們是教宗制的根基，並且屬乎地上的靈，全然推行屬地的計畫。[2] 結果如何——有惡而且毒的瘡生在一切有獸印記的人身上。他們因自己的罪自己作了記號；如今神以審判將他們分別出來。有人認為這瘡是指護理對他們的國家與利益之初次顯露的打擊，使他們大感不安，因為這顯出他們內裡的病患，並是更大禍患的兆頭；瘟疫的斑點已經顯出。
（2）第二位天使把碗倒在海裡；此處我們看見：[1] 碗倒在何處——在海裡；有人說是指教宗制的管轄與權勢；也有人說是指他們整個宗教體系——他們虛假的教義、敗壞的詮釋、迷信的禮儀、拜偶像的敬拜、他們的贖罪券與大赦——一大堆邪惡的發明與制度，藉此維持對自己有利、卻對一切與之交往者有害的貿易與買賣。[2] 結果如何：海變成血，好像死人的血，海中的活物都死了。神不僅揭露了他們宗教的虛空與虛假，更揭露了其有害致命的本性——人的靈魂竟被那假冒為他們得救確切途徑的事物所毒害。
（3）下一位天使倒出他的碗；我們被告知：[1] 碗倒在何處——在江河與眾水泉源裡；極有學問的人認為這是指他們的差役，特別是耶穌會士，他們如同溪流，將其錯謬與偶像崇拜的毒液從源頭輸送遍地。[2] 對他們產生了甚麼效果：水變成血；有人認為這激動了基督教的君王，對那些曾是世界大煽動者、又招致軍隊與殉道者流血的人，予以公正的報復。隨後的頌讚（啟 16:5,6）支持這個見解。神在此工中所用的器皿被稱為掌管眾水的天使，他稱頌神在這報復中的公義：他們曾流聖徒與先知的血，現在你給他們血喝，這是他們所該受的；對此，另一位天使以完全同意來回應（啟 16:7）。
英語原文
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
¹ And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
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.
³ 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.
⁴ And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
⁵ And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
⁶ For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
⁷ And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
We had in the foregoing chapter the great and solemn preparation that was made for the pouring out of the vials; now we have the performance of that work. Here observe,
I. That, though every thing was made ready before, yet nothing was to be put in execution without an immediate positive order from God; and this he gave out of the temple, answering the prayers of his people, and avenging their quarrel.
II. No sooner was the word of command given than it was immediately obeyed; no delay, no objection made. We find that some of the best men, as Moses and Jeremiah, did not so readily come in and comply with the call of God to their work; but the angels of God excel not only in strength, but in a readiness to do the will of God. God says, Go your ways, and pour out the vials, and immediately the work is begun. We are taught to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. And now we enter upon a series of very terrible dispensations of Providence, of which it is difficult to give the certain meaning or to make the particular application. But in the general it is worth our observation that,
1. We have here a reference and allusion to several of the plagues of Egypt, such as the turning of their waters into blood, and smiting them with boils and sores. Their sins were alike, and so were their punishments.
2. These vials have a plain reference to the seven trumpets, which represented the rise of antichrist; and we learn hence that the fall of the church's enemies shall bear some resemblance to their rise, and that God can bring them down in such ways as they chose to exalt themselves. And the fall of antichrist shall be gradual; as Rome was not built in one day, so neither shall it fall in one day, but it falls by degrees; it shall fall so as to rise no more.
3. The fall of the antichristian interest shall be universal. Every thing that any ways belonged to them, or could be serviceable to them, the premises and all their appurtenances, are put into the writ for destruction: their earth, their air, their sea, their rivers, their cities, all consigned over to ruin, all accursed for the sake of the wickedness of that people. Thus the creation groans and suffers through the sins of men. Now we proceed to,
(1.) The first angel who poured out his vial, Re 16:2. Observe, [1.] Where it fell—upon the earth; that is, say some, upon the common people; others upon the body of the Romish clergy, who were the basis of the papacy, and of an earthly spirit, all carrying on earthly designs. [2.] What it produced—noisome and grievous sores on all who had the mark of the beast. They had marked themselves by their sin; now God marks them out by his judgments. This sore, some think, signifies some of the first appearances of Providence against their state and interest which gave them great uneasiness, as it discovered their inward distemper and was a token of further evil; the plague—tokens appeared.
(2.) The second angel poured out his vial; and here we see, [1.] Where it fell—upon the sea; that is, say some, upon the jurisdiction and dominion of the papacy; others upon the whole system of their religion, their false doctrines, their corrupt glosses, their superstitious rites, their idolatrous worship, their pardons, indulgences, a great conflux of wicked inventions and institutions, by which they maintain a trade and traffic advantageous to themselves, but injurious to all who deal with them. [2.] What it produced: It turned the sea into blood, as the blood of a dead man, and every living soul died in the sea. God discovered not only the vanity and falsehood of their religion, but the pernicious and deadly nature of it—that the souls of men were poisoned by that which was pretended to be the sure means of their salvation.
(3.) The next angel poured out his vial; and we are told, [1.] Where it fell—upon the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; that is, say some very learned men, upon their emissaries, and especially the Jesuits, who, like streams, conveyed the venom and poison of their errors and idolatries from the spring-head through the earth. [2.] What effect it had upon them: It turned them into blood; some think it stirred up Christian princes to take a just revenge upon those that had been the great incendiaries of the world, and had occasioned the shedding of the blood of armies and of martyrs. The following doxology (Re 16:5,6) favours this sense. The instrument that God makes use of in this work is here called the angel of the waters, who extols the righteousness of God in this retaliation: They have shed the blood of thy saints, and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy, to which another angel answered by full consent, Re 16:7.
8-11
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
繁體中文
七碗（公元95年）
⁸ 第四位天使把碗倒在日頭上。日頭能用火烤人。
⁹ 人被大熱所烤，就褻瀆那有權掌管這些災的神之名，並不悔改將榮耀歸給神。
¹⁰ 第五位天使把碗倒在獸的座位上。獸的國就黑暗了。人因疼痛就咬自己的舌頭。
¹¹ 又因所受的疼痛，和身上的瘡，就褻瀆天上的神。並不悔改所行的。
我們在這幾節中看見工作按所定的次序進行。第四位天使把碗倒在日頭上；這就是某些人所說的——倒在教皇派中某位顯赫的君王身上，他要在教皇完全傾覆之前不久，放棄他的假宗教；又有人期望這將是德意志皇帝。如今結果如何？那先前以溫暖美好的影響養育他們的日頭，如今要變為火熱攻擊這些拜偶像的人，把他們烤焦。君王要使用他們的權柄和威權去壓制他們，然而這不但不能使他們悔改，反要使他們咒詛神和他們的君王，並向上觀看，向天上的神發出褻瀆的話；他們要被剛硬直到毀滅。第五位天使把碗倒下（啟16:10）。請注意：1. 這碗倒在何處——「倒在獸的座位上」，倒在羅馬本身，那奧祕的巴比倫，敵基督帝國的首府。2. 在那裏產生甚麼效果：獸的國「充滿黑暗」和痛苦。那原為他們謀略之中心、他們一切學問和知識之源、並他們一切華美和享樂之源的城，如今卻成了黑暗、痛苦、和折磨之源。黑暗原是埃及的災殃之一；它與光輝和尊榮相對，因而預示敵基督的利益將受輕視和藐視。黑暗也與智慧和洞察相對，預示拜偶像的人在當時所要顯出的混亂和愚昧。它又與喜樂和歡樂相對，因而表示他們災禍臨到時心中的痛苦和煩惱。
英語原文
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
⁸ And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
⁹ And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
¹⁰ 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,
¹¹ And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
In these verses we see the work going on in the appointed order. The fourth angel poured out his vial, and that fell upon the sun; that is, say some, upon some eminent prince of the popish communion, who should renounce their false religion a little while before his utter downfall; and some expect it will be the German emperor. And now what will be the consequence of this? That sun which before cherished them with warm and benign influences shall now grow hot against these idolaters, and shall scorch them. Princes shall use their power and authority to suppress them, which yet will be so far from bringing them to repentance, that it will cause them to curse God and their king, and look upward, throwing out their blasphemous speeches against the God of heaven; they will be hardened to their ruin. The fifth angel poured out his vial, Re 16:10. And observe, 1. Where this fell—upon the seat of the beast, upon Rome itself, the mystical Babylon, the head of the antichristian empire. 2. What effect it had there: The whole kingdom of the beast was full of darkness and distress. That very city which was the seat of their policy, the source of all their learning, and all their knowledge, and all their pomp and pleasure, now becomes a source of darkness, and pain, and anguish. Darkness was one of the plagues of Egypt, and it is opposed to lustre and honour, and so forebodes the contempt and scorn to which the antichristian interest should be exposed. Darkness is opposed to wisdom and penetration, and forebodes the confusion and folly which the idolaters should discover at that time. It is opposed to pleasure and joy, and so signifies their anguish and vexation of Spirit, when their calamities thus came upon them.
12-16
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
繁體中文
七碗（公元95年）
¹² 第六位天使把碗倒在伯拉大河上，河水就乾了，要給那從日出之地所來的眾王預備道路。 ¹³ 我又看見有三個污穢的靈，狀如青蛙，從龍口、獸口並假先知的口中出來。 ¹⁴ 他們本是鬼魔的靈，施行奇事，出去到普天下眾王那裏，叫他們在神全能者的大日聚集爭戰。 ¹⁵ （看哪，我來像賊一樣。那警醒、看守衣服、免得赤身而行，叫人見他羞恥的有福了！） ¹⁶ 那三個鬼魔便叫眾王聚集在一處，希伯來話叫作哈米吉多頓。
第六位天使把碗倒在……當留意：
一、這碗倒在何處——伯拉大河上。 有人按字面理解，指土耳其政權與帝國發源之地；他們認為這是預言土耳其君主政體與偶像崇拜的覆滅，並推測這事將與教皇制的傾覆大致同時發生，視土耳其為另一種形式的敵基督，這樣便為東方那些王子——猶太人——開通道路。也有人將此河理解為臺伯河（Tiber）；因為羅馬既是奧祕的巴比倫，臺伯河便是奧祕的伯拉大河。當羅馬被毀滅時，她的河流與貿易也必與她同受苦。
二、這碗產生了甚麼？1. 河水乾涸，這河原為那城供應財富、糧食和各樣物資。2. 因此為從日出之地所來的眾王預備了道路。羅馬教會的偶像崇拜，一直阻礙猶太人歸信——他們早已根除了對偶像的傾向——也阻礙外邦人歸信，他們因看見那些稱為基督徒者當中與偶像極其相似的種種做法，而更剛硬於自己的偶像崇拜。因此，教皇制的傾覆既除去了這些障礙，便很可能為猶太人及其他東方民族開通進入基督教會的道路。若我們設想回教也同時傾覆，西方與東方民族之間的往來將更為通達，這也必促使猶太人以及外邦人的滿足歸信。當神的這工作顯明、即將成就之際，若引發另一個後果，也就不足為奇了，那就是：3. 大龍最後的掙扎；他決意再作一次努力，若有可能，便要扭轉自己在世上事務的頹勢。他如今正在重整旗鼓，重新召集一切勢力，要在一切盡失之前作最後一次孤注一擲。這便是由第六碗傾倒所引發的。當留意：（1）他用來拉攏地上權勢歸入他的事業與陣營的工具：三個污穢的靈，狀如青蛙，出來了——一個從龍口中出來，一個從獸口中出來，第三個從假先知的口中出來。地獄、敵基督的世俗勢力、與宗教勢力，將聯合差遣各自的工具，帶着地獄般的惡毒、世俗的詭計、以及宗教性的虛假與欺騙；他們要召集魔鬼的軍隊，作決定性的爭戰。（2）這些工具要拉攏地上權勢參與這場戰爭所用的手段。他們要行虛假的奇事——這是那這不法的人來，是照撒但的運動，行各樣的異能、神蹟，和一切虛假的奇事，又在那沉淪的人身上行各樣出於不義的詭詐（帖後2:9-10）者所用的老計倆。有人認為在敵基督傾覆之前不久，教皇派自稱能行奇事的把戲將重被提起，並要大大迷惑、欺騙世人。（3）爭戰之地——一處稱為哈米吉多頓的地方；有人說即米吉多山，在這山附近，巴拉靠着從那裏流出的一條溪水勝了西西拉和他一切結盟的王（士5:19）。約西亞也是在米吉多平原被殺。這地方曾因兩件性質迥異的事件而聞名——前者對神的教會極為有幸，後者極為不幸；但如今這裏將成為教會所要參與的最後一場戰役的戰場，而她必得勝。這場爭戰需要時間預備，因此更詳細的記載暫且擱下，直到第十九章（啟16:19-20）才續述。（4）神對這大而決定性的試驗所發出的警告，要使他的百姓為之預備（啟16.15）。這事將突然臨到、出人意料，所以基督徒當穿戴整齊、武裝齊備、隨時準備，免得被忽然臨到而蒙羞。當神的案件受審、他的爭戰開打之時，他一切百姓都當準備好，為他的權益挺身而出，在他的服侍中忠心英勇。
英語原文
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
¹² And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
¹³ And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
¹⁴ For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
¹⁵ Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
¹⁶ And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
The sixth angel poured out his vial; and observe,
I. Where it fell—upon the great river Euphrates. Some take it literally, for the place where the Turkish power and empire began; and they think this is a prophecy of the destruction of the Turkish monarchy and of idolatry, which they suppose will be effected about the same time with that of the papacy, as another antichrist, and that thereby a way shall be made for the conveniency of the Jews, those princes of the east. Others take it for the river Tiber; for, as Rome is mystical Babylon, Tiber is mystical Euphrates. And when Rome shall be destroyed her river and merchandise must suffer with her.
II. What did this vial produce? 1. The drying up of the river, which furnished the city with wealth, provisions, and all sorts of accommodations. 2. A way is hereby prepared for the kings of the east. The idolatry of the church of Rome had been a great hindrance both to the conversion of the Jews, who have been long cured of their inclination to idols, and of the Gentiles, who are hardened in their idolatry by seeing that which so much symbolizes with it among those called Christians. It is therefore very probable that the downfall of popery, removing these obstructions, will open a way for both the Jews and other eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. And, if we suppose that Mahomedism shall fall at the same time, there will be still a more open communication between the western and eastern nations, which may facilitate the conversion of the Jews, and of the fulness of the Gentiles. And when this work of God appears, and is about to be accomplished, no wonder if it occasion another consequence, which is, 3. The last effort of the great dragon; he is resolved to have another push for it, that, if possible, he may retrieve the ruinous posture of his affairs in the world. He is now rallying his forces, recollecting all his spirits, to make one desperate sally before all be lost. This is occasioned by the pouring out of the sixth vial. Here observe, (1.) The instruments he makes use of to engage the powers of the earth in his cause and quarrel: Three unclean spirits like frogs come forth, one out of the mouth of the dragon, another out of the mouth of the beast, and a third out of the mouth of the false prophet. Hell, the secular power of antichrist, and the ecclesiastical power, would combine to send their several instruments, furnished with hellish malice, with worldly policy, and with religious falsehood and deceit; and these would muster up the devil's forces for a decisive battle. (2.) The means these instruments would use to engage the powers of earth in this war. They would work pretended miracles, the old stratagem of him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness, 2Th 2:9,10. Some think that a little before the fall of antichrist the popish pretence of power to work miracles will be revived and will very much amuse and deceive the world. (3.) The field of battle—a place called Armageddon; that is, say some, the mount of Megiddo, near to which, by a stream issuing thence, Barak overcame Sisera, and all the kings in alliance with him, Jdg 5:19. And in the valley of Megiddo Josiah was slain. This place had been famous for two events of a very different nature, the former very happy for the church of God, the latter very unhappy; but it shall now be the field of the last battle in which the church shall be engaged, and she shall be victorious. This battle required time to prepare for it, and therefore the further account of it is suspended till we come to the nineteenth chapter, Re 16:19,20. (4.) The warning which God gives of this great and decisive trial, to engage his people to prepare for it, Re 16:15. It would be sudden and unexpected, and therefore Christians should be clothed, and armed, and ready for it, that they might not be surprised and ashamed. When God's cause comes to be tried, and his battles to be fought, all his people shall be ready to stand up for his interest and be faithful and valiant in his service.
17-21
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
繁體中文
七碗（公元95年）
¹⁷ 第七位天使把碗倒在空中，就有大聲音從殿中的寶座上出來，從天上說：成了！ ¹⁸ 又有閃電、聲音、雷轟、大地震，自從地上有人以來，沒有這樣大、這樣厲害的地震。 ¹⁹ 那大城裂為三段，列國的城也都倒塌了；神也想起巴比倫大城來，要把那盛自己烈怒的酒杯遞給他。 ²⁰ 各海島都逃避了，眾山也不見了。 ²¹ 又有大雹子從天落在人身上，每一個約重一他連得。為這雹子的災極大，人就褻瀆神。
此處記載第七位、也是最後一位天使把碗傾倒出來，為巴比倫的傾覆這最後的一擊盡了自己的一份。此處與前文一樣，當留意：
一、這災倒在何處——在空中，倒在空中掌權者的首領身上，就是魔鬼。他的權勢被約束，他的詭計被粉碎；他被神的鎖鏈捆綁；神的刀劍在他的眼上、在他的膀臂上；因為他與地上的權勢一樣，都服在神無所不能的大能之下。他曾用盡一切方法來維護敵基督的利益，防止巴比倫的傾覆——盡其對人心的種種影響：蒙蔽他們的判斷、使他們偏離正路、剛硬他們的心、將他們對福音的敵意推到極點。但如今一碗倒在他的國上，他再也無力扶持他那搖搖欲墜的事業和利益了。
二、這碗產生了甚麼：1. 從天上發出感恩的聲音，宣告如今工作已經完成。天上得勝的教會看見了，便歡喜；地上爭戰的教會看見了，便成了得勝者。成了。2. 地上極大的震動——地震，大得前所未有，震動地的根基，並照常以雷轟和閃電為先導。3. 巴比倫的傾覆，這城裂為三段，稱為列國的城（啟16:19）；她既管轄過列國，又吸納了列國的偶像崇拜，在自己的宗教裏攙雜了猶太教的、異教的、以及基督教的成分，便如一城而有三城。神如今記念這大而邪惡的城。雖然有一段時間他似乎忘記了她的偶像崇拜與殘忍，如今卻要把那盛自己烈怒的酒杯遞給她。這傾覆的範圍遠超敵基督的所在地；它從中心延伸到周圍；每一海島、每一座山——那些按本性與位置看似最穩妥的——都在這場毀滅的洪濤中被沖去。
三、敵基督陣營的人對此有何反應。雖然這災如可怕的暴風臨到他們，彷彿城裏的石頭被拋到空中，又像重達一他連得的雹子般落在他們頭上，他們卻不僅不悔改，反而褻瀆那如此刑罰他們的神。這是心靈可怕的災病，一種屬靈的審判，比其他一切更可怕、更具毀滅性。當留意：1. 若沒有神的恩典與之同工，人所可能遭遇的最大災禍也不能使他們悔改。2. 那些沒有因神的審判而變得更好的人，反倒因之變得更壞。3. 因神公義的審判而在罪中與對神的敵意上更加剛硬，乃是確定無疑將要完全毀滅的記號。
英語原文
The Seven Vials (95 AD)
¹⁷ And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
¹⁸ And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
¹⁹ And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
²⁰ And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
²¹ And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
Here we have an account of the seventh and last angel pouring forth his vial, contributing his part towards the accomplishment of the downfall of Babylon, which was the finishing stroke. And here, as before, observe,
I. Where this plague fell—on the air, upon the prince of the power of the air, that is, the devil. His powers were restrained, his policies confounded; he was bound in God's chain: the sword of God was upon his eye and upon his arm; for he, as well as the powers of the earth, is subject to the almighty power of God. He had used all possible means to preserve the antichristian interest, and to prevent the fall of Babylon—all the influence that he has upon the minds of men, blinding their judgments and perverting them, hardening their hearts, raising their enmity to the gospel as high as could be. But now here is a vial poured out upon his kingdom, and he is not able to support his tottering cause and interest any longer.
II. What it produced, 1. A thankful voice from heaven, pronouncing that now the work was done. The church triumphant in heaven saw it, and rejoiced; the church militant on earth saw it, and became triumphant. It is finished. 2. A mighty commotion on the earth—an earthquake, so great as never was before, shaking the very centre, and this ushered in by the usual concomitants of thunder and lightnings. 3. The fall of Babylon, which was divided into three parts, called the cities of the nations (Re 16:19); having had rule over the nations, and taken in the idolatry of the nations, incorporating into her religion something of the Jewish, something of the pagan, and something of the Christian religion, she was as three cities in one. God now remembered this great and wicked city. Though for some time he seemed to have forgotten her idolatry and cruelty, yet now he gives unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And this downfall extended further than to the seat of antichrist; it reached from the centre to the circumference; and every island and every mountain, that seemed by nature and situation the most secured, were carried away in the deluge of this ruin.
III. How the antichristian party were affected with it. Though it fell upon them as a dreadful storm, as if the stones of the city, tossed up into the air, came down upon their heads, like hailstones of a talent weight each, yet they were so far from repenting that they blasphemed that God who thus punished them. Here was a dreadful plague of the heart, a spiritual judgment more dreadful and destructive than all the rest. Observe, 1. The greatest calamities that can befal men will not bring them to repentance without the grace of God working with them. 2. Those that are not made better by the judgments of God are always the worse for them. 3. To be hardened in sin and enmity against God by his righteous judgments is a certain token of utter destruction.
本章記載了盛滿神忿怒之七碗傾倒出來的情形。這些碗傾倒在整個敵基督帝國之上，也傾倒在其一切附屬之物上。一、傾在地上（啟 16:2）。二、傾在海中（啟 16:3）。三、傾在江河與水泉源之上（啟 16:4）。此處天上的眾軍宣告並頌讚神審判的公義。四、第四碗傾在日頭之上（啟 16:8）。五、第五碗傾在獸的座位上。六、第六碗傾在幼發拉底大河之上。七、第七碗傾在空中，隨即列國的城邑傾倒，大巴比倫在神面前被記念。