Vincent's Word Studies And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Earthquake
See on Revelation 6:12. Of men (ὀνόματα ἀνθρώπων) Lit., names of men. See on Revelation 3:4. Gave glory to the God of heaven The phrase signifies not conversion, nor repentance, nor thanksgiving, but recognition, which is its usual sense in scripture. Compare Joshua 7:19 (Sept.). John 9:24; Acts 12:23; Romans 4:20. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. The kingdoms - are become (ἐγένοντο αἱ βασιλεῖαι)
Read ἐγένετο ἡ βασιλεία, the kingdom - is become. Of our Lord, etc. Compare Psalm 2:2-9. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
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.
And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Were angry (ὀργίσθησαν)
See on wrath, John 3:36. Compare Psalm 2:1. The time (ὁ καιρὸς) See on Matthew 12:1. Reward (μισθὸν) See on 2 Peter 2:13. Destroy (διαφθεῖραι) Also to corrupt. Which destroy (τοὺς διαφθείροντας) Or, the destroyers. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. The temple (ὁ ναὸς)
The sanctuary. Compare Revelation 11:1 and see on Matthew 4:5. In heaven Join with temple of God, as Rev., instead of with opened, as A.V. The ark of His covenant (ἡ κιβωτὸς τῆς διαθήκης αὐτοῦ) Κιβωτὸς ark, meaning generally any wooden box or chest used of the ark in the tabernacle only here and Hebrews 9:4. Elsewhere of Noah's ark. See Matthew 24:38; Luke 17:27; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20. For covenant, see note on testament, Matthew 26:28. This is the last mention in scripture of the ark of the covenant. It was lost when the temple was destroyed by the Chaldeans (2 Kings 25:10), and was wanting in the second temple. Tacitus says that Pompey "by right of conquest entered the temple. Thenceforward it became generally known that the habitation was empty and the sanctuary unoccupied do representation of the deity being found within it" ("History," v., 9). According to Jewish tradition Jeremiah had taken the ark and all that the Most Holy Place contained, and concealed them, before the destruction of the temple, in a cave at Mount Sinai, whence they are to be restored to the temple in the days of Messiah. Lightnings and voices, etc. "The solemn salvos, so to speak, of the artillery of heaven, with which each series of visions is concluded." And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. Wonder (σημεῖον)
Better, as Rev., sign. See on Matthew 24:24. Clothed (περιβεβλημένη) Rev., better, arrayed. See on Revelation 3:5. The moon under her feet See Sol 6:10. The symbol is usually taken to represent the Church. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Travailing in birth (ὠδίνουσα)
See on sorrows, Mark 13:9, and see on pains, Acts 2:24. In pain (βασανιζομένη) Lit., being tormented. See on Revelation 11:10, and references. For the imagery compare Isaiah 66:7, Isaiah 66:8; John 16:21. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. Red (πυῤῥὸς)
See on Revelation 6:4. Dragon (δράκων) Satan. See Revelation 12:9. The word is found only in Revelation. In the Septuagint, of the serpent into which Moses' rod was changed. In Isaiah 27:1; Ezekiel 29:3, of the crocodile or leviathan of Job 41:1. In Jeremiah 51:34, of a dragon. Crowns (διαδήματα) The Kingly crown, not the chaplet (στέφανος). See on Revelation 2:10 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. Of the stars of heaven
Some expositors find an allusion to the fallen angels (Jde 1:6). Did cast them to the earth Compare Daniel 8:10. To devour her child as soon as it was born (ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ) Rev., more literally, that when she was delivered he might devour her child. Professor Milligan says: "In these words we have the dragon doing what Pharaoh did to Israel (Exodus 1:15-22), and again and again, in the Psalms and the Prophets, Pharaoh is spoken of as the dragon (Psalm 74:13; Isaiah 27:1; Isaiah 51:9; Ezekiel 29:3). Nor is it without interest to remember that Pharaoh's crown was wreathed with a dragon (the asp or serpent of Egypt), and that just as the eagle was the ensign of Rome, so the dragon was that of Egypt. Hence the significance of Moses' rod being turned into a serpent." And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. A man-child (υἱὸν ἄῤῥενα)
Lit., a son, a male. The correct reading is ἄρσεν, the neuter, not agreeing with the masculine individual (υἱὸν son) but with the neuter of the genus. The object is to emphasize, not the sex, but the peculiar qualities of masculinity - power and vigor. Rev., a son, a man-child. Compare John 16:21; Jeremiah 20:15. To rule (ποιμαίνειν) Lit., to shepherd or tend. See on Matthew 2:6. A rod of iron Compare Psalm 2:9, and see on Revelation 2:27. Was caught up (ἡρπάσθη) See on Matthew 12:12. Compare Acts 23:10; Jde 1:23. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Of God (ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ)
Lit., from God, the preposition marking the source from which the preparation came. For a similar use, see James 1:13, "tempted of God." And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. There was (ἐγένετο)
Lit., there arose. War in heaven Compare 1 Kings 22; Job 1, Job 2:1-13; Zechariah 3:1-10; Luke 10:18. Michael See Daniel 10:13, Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; and see on Jde 1:9. Fought (ἐπολέμησαν) The correct reading is τοῦ πολεμῆσαι to fight. So Rev., "going forth to war against the dragon (κατὰ τοῦ δράκοντος). The correct reading is μετά with. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Prevailed (ἴσχυσαν)
See on Luke 14:30; see on Luke 16:3; see on James 5:16. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. The great dragon (ὁ δράκων ὁ μέγας)
Lit., the dragon, the great (dragon). That old serpent (ὁ ὄφις ὁ ἀρχαῖος) Lit., the serpent, the old (serpent). For this habitual construction in John, see on 1 John 4:9. For ἀρχαῖος old, see on 1 John 2:7, and compare "he was a murderer ἀπ' ἀρχῆς from the beginning," John 8:44; ἀρχή beginning being etymologically akin to ἀρχαῖος old. The Devil See on Matthew 4:1. Satan See on Luke 10:18. The deceiver (ὁ πλανῶν) Lit., he that deceiveth. See on 1 John 1:8. World (οἰκουμένην) See on Luke 2:1 The world with all its inhabitants. Down to (εἰς) Lit., into. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Saying in heaven (λέγουσαν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ)
The correct reading joins in heaven with great voice. So Rev. I heard a great voice in heaven. Now (ἄρτι) See on John 13:33. Is come (ἐγένετο) Lit., came to pass. Alford says: "It is impossible in English to join to a particle of present time, such as ἄρτι now, a verb in aoristic time. We are driven to the perfect in such cases." Salvation, power, the kingdom All have the article: the salvation, etc. So Rev. The phrase, now is come the salvation, etc., means that these are realized and established. Some, less correctly, render, now is the salvation, etc., become our God's. Compare Luke 3:6. Power (ἐξουσία) See on Mark 2:10. Rev., authority. The accuser of our brethren (ὁ κατήγορος τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν) The correct form of the Greek for accuser is a transcript of the Rabbinical Hebrew, κατήγωρ. The Rabbins had a corresponding term συνήγωρ for Michael, as the advocate of God's people. The phrase is applied to Satan nowhere else in the New Testament. Is cast down (κατεβλήθη) The aorist tense. Once and for all. Compare John 12:31; John 16:8, John 16:11. continued... And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail. Overcame (ἐνίκησαν) See on 1 John 2:13. By the blood of the Lamb (διὰ τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀρνίου) The preposition διά with the accusative signifies on account of. Hence Rev., correctly, because of: in virtue of the shedding of that blood. Similarly in the succeeding clause, "because of the word of their testimony." For lamb, see on Revelation 5:6. Testimony (μαρτυρίας) See on John 1:7. They loved not their life even unto death Alford, correctly, "they carried their not-love of their life even unto death." Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]. Text Courtesy of Internet Sacred Texts Archive. Bible Apps.com |
