22 matching verse commentaries
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The Substance of the Book. (a. d. 95.) 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Here we have,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The apostle John, having in the foregoing chapter written the things which he had seen, now proceeds to write the things that are, according to the command of God (ch. i. 19), that is, the present state of the seven churches of Asia, with which he had a particular acquaintance, and for which he had a tender concern. He was directed to write to...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Here we have three more of the epistles of Christ to the churches: I. To Sardis, ver. 1-6. II. To Philadelphia, ver. 7-13. III. To Laodicea, ver. 14, to the end. The Church in Sardis. (a. d. 95.) 1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter the prophetical scene opens; and, as the epistolary part opened with a vision of Christ (ch. i.), so this part is introduced with a glorious appearance of the great God, whose throne is in heaven, compassed about with the heavenly host. This discovery was made to John, and in this chapter he, I. Records the heavenly sight he saw,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In the foregoing chapter the prophetical scene was opened, in the sight and hearing of the apostle, and he had a sight of God the Creator and ruler of the world, and the great King of the church. He saw God on the throne of glory and government, surrounded with his holy ones, and receiving their adorations. Now the counsels and decrees of God are...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The book of the divine counsels being thus lodged in the hand of Christ, he loses no time, but immediately enters upon the work of opening the seals and publishing the contents; but this is done in such a manner as still leaves the predictions very abstruse and difficult to be understood. Hitherto the waters of the sanctuary have been as those in...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The things contained in this chapter came in after the opening of the six seals, which foretold great calamities in the world; and before the sound of the seven trumpets, which gave notice of great corruptions arising in the church: between these comes in this comfortable chapter, which secures the graces and comforts of the people of God in times...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have already seen what occurred upon opening six of the seals; we now come to the opening of the seventh, which introduced the sounding of the seven trumpets; and a direful scene now opens. Most expositors agree that the seven seals represent the interval between the apostle's time and the reign of Constantine, but that the seven trumpets are...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have an account of the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets, the appearances that attended them, and the events that were to follow; the fifth trumpet (ver. 1-12), the sixth, ver. 13, &c.. The Seven Trumpets. (a. d. 95.) 1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is an introduction to the latter part of the prophecies of this book. Whether what is contained between this and the sounding of the seventh trumpet (ch. xi. 15) be a distinct prophecy from the other, or only a more general account of some of the principal things included in the other, is disputed by our curious enquirers into these...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have an account, I. Of the measuring—reed given to the apostle, to take the dimensions of the temple, ver. 1, 2. II. Of the two witnesses of God, ver. 3-13. III. Of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and what followed upon it, ver. 14, &c. The Measuring of the Temple. (a. d. 95.) 1 And there was given me a reed like unto a...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
It is generally agreed by the most learned expositors that the narrative we have in this and the two following chapters, from the sounding of the seventh trumpet to the opening of the vials, is not a prediction of things to come, but rather a recapitulation and representation of things past, which, as God would have the apostle to foresee while...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have, in this chapter, a further discovery and description of the church's enemies: not other enemies than are mentioned before, but described after another manner, that the methods of their enmity may more fully appear. They are represented as two beasts; the first you have an account of (ver. 1-10) the second, ver. 11, &c. By the first some...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
After an account of the great trials and sufferings which the servants of God had endured, we have now a more pleasant scene opening; the day begins now to dawn, and here we have represented, I. The Lord Jesus at the head of his faithful followers, ver. 1-5. II. Three angels sent successively to proclaim the fall of Babylon and the things...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Hitherto, according to the judgment of very eminent expositors, God had represented to his servant, John, I. The state of the church under the pagan powers, in the six seals opened; and then, II. The state of the church under the papal powers, in the vision of the six trumpets that began to sound upon the opening of the seventh seal: and then is...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
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, ver. 2. II. Upon the sea, ver. 3. III. Upon the rivers and fountains of water, ver. 4. Here the heavenly hosts proclaim...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter contains another representation of those things that had been revealed before concerning the wickedness and ruin of antichrist. This antichrist had been before represented as a beast, and is now described as a great whore. And here, I. The apostle is invited to see this vile woman, ver. 1, 2. II. He tells us what an appearance she...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have here, I. An angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon, ver. 1, 2. II. Assigning the reasons of her fall, ver. 3. III. Giving warning to all who belonged to God to come out of her (ver. 4, 5), and to assist in her destruction, ver. 6-8. IV. The great lamentation made for her by those who had been large sharers in her sinful pleasures and...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have, I. A further account of the triumphant song of angels and saints for the fall of Babylon, ver. 1-4. II. The marriage between Christ and the church proclaimed and perfected, ver. 5-10. III. Another warlike expedition of the glorious head and husband of the church, with the success of it, ver. 10, &c. The Triumph of the...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is thought by some to be the darkest part of all this prophecy: it is very probable that the things contained in it are not yet accomplished; and therefore it is the wiser way to content ourselves with general observations, rather than to be positive and particular in our explications of it. Here we have an account, I. Of the binding...