ACC ~ Revelation 16 v5 - 6

ANGELS ASSIST GOD IN THE PROVIDENTIAL CARE OF THE WORLD. OECUMENIUS: “And I heard the angel of the waters saying,” it says. To be sure, God is all-powerful and provides for his creatures and is sufficient for the beneficial care of all things, and so he has need for no one to assist him in this task. For since his willing a work is for it at the same time to be effected, and since by the movement of his will all things were brought into being, how is it that he should be in need of a coworker and an assistant for his providential care? But since he is good, he wishes that also the holy angels be benefited through the succor which goes to those in need—for the one who aids another in need benefits not so much the other as he does himself, and there is none in the angelic ranks who is wanting for and in need of the aid of any other. And so God has ordained that the holy angels provide aid and succor to those on the earth who are in need of every good thing. For indeed, in earlier sections we noted that angels were placed as benefactors of the churches, and the all-wise Daniel wrote that the leader of the angels, Michael, looked after the race of the Jews. And now the Apocalypse explains to us that an angel is set over the waters. For although the world is constituted out of the four elements of air, fire, earth and also water—although some think that the heavenly things are established from some fifth element that they say is ethereal and moves in a circle—the three elements of fire, earth, and air are richly abundant for the purpose of breathing and for other common necessities, … water alone is not present to everything in abundance, whether it be fresh water in wells, springs, cisterns or rivers, or that water of the air that moves in the sky in clouds and gives to us timely rain by the command of God and nourishes every living thing on the earth. Therefore, since water is not everywhere abundant, one of the holy angels is set over it, so that when sufficiently abundant for what is needed he might provide to those who are in need of it that water which often is sparse and lacking due to our vices, causing drought and famine and the sickness that follows them. Most certainly it is this angel who is placed by the providence of God over the waters whom, he says, “I heard saying, ‘Righteous are you, who is and was, the holy One.’” The phrase who is shows the endlessness of God, and who was that he is without beginning. The Holy One refers to the fact that he is righteous in all things on behalf of all things. For it says, “You have judged these things,” so that those who have spilled the blood of the saints might drink blood. And it is necessary that those who encamped and fought by streams and rivers drink the water polluted by the blood of the dying being carried away downstream. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.2-7.

UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRITUAL LAW IN A FLESHLY WAY. PRIMASIUS: The angels of the waters are the messengers of the peoples who by an affection of the heart raise up together loud praises to God. … To be sure, both the Jews and the nations have in a bodily manner shed the blood of the saints, which the Lord says must be exacted “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zachariah.” However, this plague might also be interpreted as a plague of that blindness so that they might even recognize that they have shed the blood of the prophets. For while they were abusing them [the prophets], they turned their minds to other things. It is as though he said, whoever understood the spiritual law in a fleshly way, they are justly handed over to the corruptions of the flesh and of blood when both the sins and the punishment for sins is recognized. Therefore, the apostle said, “For they did not receive the love of truth so that they might be saved; therefore, God shall send upon them a work of error to make them believe what is false, so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had consented to iniquity.”COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.5-6.

THOSE WHO TURN FROM THE PROPHETS. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Here also it is shown that angels are placed over the elements. One of these, who is over the waters, sings a hymn to God for the just condemnation that has come upon the transgressors. For since they soiled their hands in the blood of the saints, God has given them blood to drink. By means of these words, it is shown either that at that time many are accounted worthy of the prophetic grace because of their remaining steadfast in faith, those, namely, who are killed by the henchmen of the devil, or that those who turn from the preaching of the prophets of God and justify their murder at the hands of the hardhearted Jews, become purposefully participants in their slaughter, as the Lord said to the Jews, “for although you build the tombs of the prophets, you consent in their murder.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16.4-6.

Rev