VIALS] RV 'bowls.' 3-6. St. John is taken to a wilderness to see the harlot city, as in Isaiah 21:1 the vision of Babylon's fall was declared from a wilderness. She is sitting on a beast, i.e. the Roman empire: cp. Isaiah 13:1. The beast is scarlet, because of the blood shed by Rome. It is full of n... [ Continue Reading ]
BABYLON THE GREAT HARLOT The judgment on Rome, which had been announced before, is now shown in detail. The identification of 'Babylon' with Rome, here and elsewhere in Rev., is supported (HDB.) by the following considerations:—The name Babylon in Revelation 17:5; 'is described as _mystery_, i.e. a... [ Continue Reading ]
ADMIRATION] RV 'wonder.' For some description of the condition of Rome, see Intro. Romans. The state of society at Rome, at the time of the Rev., was probably the worst the world had ever seen. The aristocracy, which alone had any voice in public affairs, was, with few exceptions, utterly given over... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT WAS] RV 'how that he was.' YET IS] RV 'shall come.'... [ Continue Reading ]
HERE _is_ THE MIND, etc.] i.e. a wise man will be able to understand that which follows. The expression challenges the reader's attention: cp. Revelation 13:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE] RV 'they.' 10F. HE MUST CONTINUE, etc.] With a different punctuation of the Greek this might be rendered, 'he must continue a little while, and (so must) the beast which was and is not. And he himself is also an eighth,' etc. With this rendering, the beast is not identified with one of his h... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN HE IS THE EIGHTH] RV 'is himself also an eighth.'... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE HOUR] i.e. a very short time.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY.. CALLED] RV 'and they also shall overcome that are with him, called.'... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON] RV 'and.'... [ Continue Reading ]