ACC ~ Revelation 11 v13

THE DEATH OF SINNERS. TYCONIUS: “In that hour there was a great earthquake.” By mentioning again the persecution, he confirms what he had said above. The Lord also expressed an opinion that is in harmony with this passage. He said, “In that hour let him who is on the housetop not come down to take whatever is in the house, nor let him who is in the field turn back.” When he says “in that hour,” he is indicating all time. “And a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand were killed in the earthquake.” The number ten and the number seven are perfect. Even were it not the case, it would be fitting to understand the whole from the part. He says that a tenth of the city, that is, all of it, fell, along with its builders who allowed the construction of perverse doctrine in the temple of their hearts. For there are two kinds of structures in the church. One structure is laid upon the Rock. The other structure is founded upon the sand and is not able to withstand the onslaught of present dangers. Rather, it crumbles straightway and topples with it whoever had not kept the faith of the true church with a pure heart. “The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” These are those who have been laid upon the Rock. When the unrighteous are dying from the earthquake, these fear lest they also become partakers with the unrighteous in this punishment. And through the confession of the Christian name and by the despising of their souls, they glorify the Lord, since they have been spared the torments of the unrighteous. The saint sang of this when he said, “The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance; he will wash his hands in the blood of the sinner.”For when the righteous sees the death of the sinner, he increases all the more in obedience to the commandments and does them with greater joy and purity, since he is himself being freed from the punishments of the wicked. As it is written, “When a just man sees the wicked punished, he becomes wise.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11.13.

THE SECOND DEATH. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: It is possible that these things will happen at that time in a physical way. But we think that the “earthquake” symbolizes the transposition of those things that are shaking and tottering to something more firm and secure. That a “tenth of the city” falls refers to the corpse of impiety, which was not wise in the seizing of those prophets. The “seven thousand” who are killed signify those who remained attached to the seven days of the present life but did not wait for the eighth day of the resurrection and who must also be killed with “the second death” in Gehenna, namely, eternal punishment. Or, perhaps the seven thousand will be those Jews who were persuaded by the antichrist. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11.13.