Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Revelation 16

Rev 16:1 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.

angels [See also Rev 16:3-5, 8, 10, 12, 17.]

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

vials

Literally bowls.

Rev 16:2 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.

the first went, and poured out his vial

Cf. Rev 6:1; 8:7.

there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men

Cf. Exo 9:9-11; cf. Isa 1:6.

Rev 16:3 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.

the second angel poured out his vial

Cf. Rev 6:3-4; cf. Rev 8:8-9.

upon the sea

Cf. Rev 17:15.

as the blood of a

blood as of a.

Rev 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

the third angel poured out his vial

Cf. Rev 6:5-6; cf. Rev 8:10-11.

rivers and fountains of waters

Cf. Exo 7:17-21.

Rev 16:5 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.

Thou art righteous

Cf. Rom 3:3-6.

Rev 16:6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

they have shed the blood of saints and prophets

Cf. Rev 18:24; cf. Mat 23:35.

they are worthy

Contra, Rev 5:12.

Rev 16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

another out of the altar say

the altar say.

Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

the fourth angel poured out his vial

Cf. Rev 6:7-8; cf. Rev 8:12.

upon the sun

Contra, Mal 4:2.

power was given unto him

it was given to it.

Rev 16:9 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.

which hath power

who had authority.

Rev 16:10 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,

the fifth angel poured out his vial

Cf. Rev 6:9-11; 9:1-11.

seat

throne.

was full of darkness

became darkened.

Rev 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

the God of heaven

Dan 2:18.

repented not

Repentance. Rev 16:9, 11. (Mat 3:2; Act 17:30.)

Rev 16:12 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.

the great river Euphrates

Rev 9:14.

the way of the kings of the east might be prepared

Isa 41:2, 25; 44:27.

Rev 16:13 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.

unclean spirits like frogs

Exo 8:1-6; 1Ti 4:1; 1Jo 4:1-3.

the false prophet

Antichrist. Rev 19:20. (Deu 30:3; Acts 1:9-11.)

Rev 16:14 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.

devils

demons.

miracles

signs.

kings of the earth

Times of the Gentiles. Rev 16:19. (Luk 21:24; Rev 16:19).

world

oikoumene = inhabited earth. (Luk 2:1).

battle of that great day

Armageddon (battle of). Isa 10:27-34. (Rev 16:14; 19:21.)

Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

I come as a thief

Christ (Second Advent). Rev 19:11-21. (Deu 30:3; Acts 1:9-11.)

Rev 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

Armageddon

i.e. Mount of Slaughter.

Rev 16:17 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.

into

upon.

It is done

Day (of Jehovah). Rev 16:12-17; 19:11-21. (Isa 2:10-22; Rev 19:11-21).

Rev 16:18 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.

there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings

Rev 11:19.

there was a great earthquake

Rev 6:12; 11:13.

Rev 16:19 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.

the nations fell

Times of the Gentiles. (Luk 21:24).

Babylon

Summary: The Times of the Gentiles is that long period beginning with the Babylonian captivity of Judah, under Nebuchadnezzar, and to be brought to an end by the destruction of Gentile world-power by the "stone cut out without hands" (Dan 2:34-35, 44), i.e., the coming of the Lord in glory (Rev 19:11, 21), until which time Jerusalem is politically subject to Gentile rule (Luk 21:24).

See Scofield Isa 13:1, note.

the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath

Isa 51:21-23; Rev 14:10; 18:5.

Rev 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

every island fled away

Rev 6:14.