ACC ~ Revelation 16 v16

MANY WILL BE “CUT UP.” ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Armageddon is translated as “cutting” or “being thoroughly cut up.” And so we should think that the nations gathered and led for battle there by the devil will be slaughtered, since the devil rejoices in human blood. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.16.

THE DEVIL RESUMES HIS FORMER PLOTS. BEDE: Elsewhere he mentions this place and says, “He gathered them for battle, and they surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city,” that is, the church. [Or] the place of the ungodly can be understood to be the devil, who in the man of perdition, puffed up with an usurped deity, will be glad to resume his former plots, which were formerly forbidden by the Lord. For Armageddon is interpreted to mean “a general uprising in former things” or “a spherical mountain.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 16.16.

THE SEVENTH BOWL REVELATION 16:17-21

OVERVIEW: When the commandment and will of God are accomplished (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and the last enemy, death, is destroyed (BEDE), an angelic voice from heaven will say, “It is done!” At that time when the Christ comes, there will be alarm, terror and turmoil on the earth (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). The greatest of all tribulations and wondrous signs, whether from the good or from the bad, will occur (BEDE) similar to those that announced the descent of God upon Sinai (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). This time will also commence the transformation of the visible world (OECUMENIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

Moreover, at that time cities will fall and the peoples will be divided. This will include Jerusalem, which is great not because of its buildings but because of the sufferings of Christ in it. This city will be divided into Christians, Jews and Samaritans, for at the present time the Jews and the Samaritans do not dare to separate themselves from the Christians. But when the cleansing fire of temptation comes, they will be unmasked and a division will take place, for the sinners will gather together with those of like habit (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

This division similarly will distinguish those who remained steadfast in faith, those who defiled their baptism with filthy deeds, and the Jews who did not receive the proclamation of the gospel (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). Rome also will fall at this time, as will those who seize it. Indeed, all cities will fall at the end, for when the earth is becoming new, no city befouled by the habitation of sinners can stand (OECUMENIUS), nor will the pagan manner of life remain at the coming of the kingdom of God (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

The great city may also be understood to be the city of all the haughty and arrogant people who will be divided into Gentiles, heretics and Jews, and the false brothers (PRIMASIUS). Or the great city may represent all people upon the earth, for at the end these will be divided into Gentiles, heretics and false brothers, and the catholic church (CAESARIUS OF ARLES). During the great tribulation the church will be established in stability like islands and mountains (PRIMASIUS, BEDE), and especially the Gentile churches will rejoice, for like islands they rose above their distasteful idolatry (OECUMENIUS). Yet the church will flee at the coming of these terrible occurrences. For wisely she will hide from her persecutors (BEDE) and will seek refuge among the mountains and caves to preserve her piety (ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and to avoid all contact with evil persons so that there be no longer any mixture of the wicked with the church (PRIMASIUS).

Despite all of this, some will continue to curse God, even in the midst of their torments. They will prove to be even more intransigent than was Pharaoh, who at least to some extent relented of his hardness of heart (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). Such ongoing blasphemy will be both sin and a punishment of sin, for these impious become worse and more demented when they are being corrected (PRIMASIUS).

Rev