Table Of ContentRobert L. Thomas
Commentaries ISBN: 0-8024-9267-3
REVElATION 8-22
EXEGETICAL
AN
COMMENTARY
Robert L. Thomas
MOODY PRESS
CHICAGO
© 1995
RoBERT .L. THoMAs
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of
brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
All Scripturt: quotations, unless otherwise noted, are the author's
translation.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Thomas, Robert L., 1928-
Revelation 8-22 : an exegetical commentary I Robert L. Thomas.
p. em.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8024-9267-3
1. Bible. N.T. Revelation VIII-XXII-Commentaries. I. Title.
ll. Title: Revelation eight-twenty-two.
BS2825.3.T462 1995
228'.07-dc20 95-4176
CIP
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
Dedicated to
my children,
Barbara
Bob
Jon
Mark
Mike,
five overcomers whose faith in Christ has been a great encouragement
Written especially for the informed layman, student, and scholar,
all exegesis and exposition is based on the original languages of the
Bible books. Translations used are those of the author. Textual crit
icism and word study are included where appropriate.
This in-depth commentary also includes extended excursuses on
important topics of theological and historical interest.
The text is interpreted according to a historical and grammatical
hermeneutic and propounds a conservative, evangelical theology. But
the reader will not get a narrow view of problem passages. This com
mentary interacts with a range of major views, both evangelical and
nonevangelical.
REVELATION 8-22
Through the centuries since its writing, the book of Revelation
has captured the fascination of the Christian church. Earliest Chris
tians were unanimous in understanding its prophecies as descrip
tions of events surrounding the premillennial second advent of Jesus
Christ, but alongside their exclusively futuristic and premillennial
view other hermeneutical approaches to the book began to emerge in
the third century. These clouded, and added complexity to, the task of
explaining the book's meaning. For most of the Christian era, conse
quently, many readers have viewed this last of the NT writings as
though it were hopelessly embedded in an aura of deep mystery. An
avalanche of interpretive literature has evidenced remarkable in
terest in the book's contents, but along with the interest has come
widespread bewilderment.
In post-Reformation times detailed commentaries on the Greek
text of Revelation from a futurist and premillennial perspective have
been scarce and perhaps even nonexistent. As a follow-up to Revela
tion 1-7 (Moody, 1993), this second of two volumes continues the
filling of that void with its exegetical analysis of the last fifteen chap
ters of the Apocalypse. It reaffirms the basic framework of eschatology
espoused by ancient Christianity, but with added help from centuries
of maturing thought and doctrinal progress in the Body of Christ.
About the author
Robert L. Thomas (B.M.E., Georgia Institute of Technology;
Th.M., Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testa
ment language and literature at The Master's Seminary, Sun Valley,
California. He has written Understanding Spiritual Gifts and "1, 2 Thes
salonians" in the Expositor's Bible Commentary and has edited A Har
mony of the Gospels (NASB) and TheNIV Harmony of the Gospels. He is
also general editor of the New American Standard Exhaustive Concor
dance.
Table of Contents
General Introduction xi
Preface to Revelation 8-22 xiii
Abbreviations xv
14. The Seventh Seal and the First Six Trumpets 1
9. The Seventh Seal: The Seven Trumpets
Awaited (8: 1) 1
B. The Sounding of the Seven Trumpets (8:2-J 1:19) 6
1. The Setting of the Trumpets: The Prayers of the
Saints (8:2-6) 6
2. The First Trumpet: Burning of a Third of
Vegetation (8:7) 14
3. The Second Trumpet: Destruction of a Third of
Sea Life (8:8-9) 18
4. The Third Trumpet: Poisoning of a Third of the
Fresh Water (8:10-11) 20
5. The Fourth Trumpet: Darkening of a Third of the
Heavenly Bodies (8:12-13) 22
6. The Fifth Trumpet: Demonic Locust Plague
(9:1-12) 26
7. The Sixth Trumpet: Death to a Third of Earth's
Inhabitants (9:13-21) 41
vii
Table of Contents Revelation 8-22
15. Preface to the Seventh Trumpet 57
8. The Announcement of the End of Delay (10:1-11) 57
9. The Measurement of the Temple and Worshipers
(11:1-14) 78
16. The Seventh Trumpet and Background of the Seven
Bowls Begun 103
10. The Seventh Trumpet: The Seven Bowls Awaited
(11:15-19) 103
C. The Pouring Out of the Seven Bowls (12:1-18:24) 115
1. The Background of the Bowls (12:1-14:20) 115
a. The Woman, the Male-Child, and the Dragon
(12:1-18) 116
1 7. Background Concluded and Introductory Episodes for
the Seven Bowls 149
b. The Beast Out of the Sea (13:1-10) 149
c. The Beast Out of the Earth (or Land)
(13:11-18) 171
d. The Victorious Followers of the Lamb (14:1-5) 188
e. Four Climactic Announcements (14:6-13) 201
(1) The Everlasting Gospel (14:6-7) 201
(2) The Fall of Babylon (14:8) 205
(3) The Torment of the Beast Worshipers
(14:9-12) 208
( 4) The Blessedness of Those Dying in the
Lord (14:13) · 214
f. The Harvest and the Vintage (14:14-20) 217
18. The Seven Bowls or the Seven Last Plagues 227
2. The Rejoicing Over the Seven Last Plagues
(15:1-4) 227
3. The Preparation for the Seven Last Plagues
(15:5-8) 240
4. The First Bowl: Incurable Sores on the Beast
Worshipers (16:1-2) 245
5. The Second Bowl: Death to All Sea Life (16:3) 249
6. The Third Bowl: Transforming of All Fresh Water
into Blood (16:4-7) 251
7. The Fourth Bowl: Scorching of All through the
Sun's Intensity (16:8-9) 256
8. The Fifth Bowl: Darkening of the Beast's
Kingdom (16:10-11) 258
viii
