(5-7) But this state of things is declared to be a just retribution, and reasonably so; for the corruption arises because the true power of life has been rejected: it is the refusal of the good, the want of the life-giving element, which is the secret of all death, physical, moral, spiritual. "'Tis life we want when breath is scant." The world-power and its worshippers have driven away goodness and faith, the elements of the higher life of man; they have slain the just and the righteous, who were the salt of the earth; they have rejected Christ, who is the life of men; how can they reap anything but decay and death? They slay the righteous; the death of righteousness leaves them nothing but the lifeless blood behind; they can no longer drink moral life from the good; there is but the legacy of death. "Blood of saints and prophets did they pour out; and blood didst Thou give them to drink."

(5) And I heard the angel of the waters . . .--That is, the angel who was set over the waters, or the angel who is, on the heavenly side, representative of the waters. (See Excursus A: On the Angels.) The angel acknowledges God's righteousness. Thou art righteous . . . because Thou didst judge these things--i.e., because of the righteous law which these judgments manifested.

Verse 5. - And I heard the angel of the waters say. The angels, throughout this book, are represented as having individual offices to fulfil. Here we have a reference to the angel whose duty it is to control the rivers, just as, in Revelation 14:18, another angel is represented as having authority over fire. This verse and the following one are anticipations of Revelation 19:2, which is a commentary on Revelation 18, which latter is an elaboration of the judgments here described. Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus; righteous art thou, which art and which wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge (Revised Version). There is scarcely any authority for inserting "O Lord," or "and shalt be" (cf. Revelation 11:17). The angel, as having authority over the waters, and, as it were, a commission to see that they do their duty for men, acknowledges the justice of the sentence which makes them into an instrument for, and type of, man's destruction. Though there is no authority for inserting "and shalt be," the idea is, no doubt, to express the eternal nature of God. The same expression occurs in Revelation 15:3 (Revised Version) in almost exactly parallel connection; so also in Revelation 11:17, 18. Thou hast judged thus refers to the judgment of the third vial, possibly to all the first three, Note the marginal reading of the Revised Version (supported by Alford), which disconnects this verse from the succeeding one.

16:1-7 We are to pray that the will of God may be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Here is a succession of terrible judgments of Providence; and there seems to be an allusion to several of the plagues of Egypt. The sins were alike, and so were the punishments. The vials refer to the seven trumpets, which represented the rise of antichrist; and the fall of the enemies of the church shall bear some resemblance to their rise. All things throughout their earth, their air, their sea, their rivers, their cities, all are condemned to ruin, all accursed for the wickedness of that people. No wonder that angels, who witness or execute the Divine vengeance on the obstinate haters of God, of Christ, and of holiness, praise his justice and truth; and adore his awful judgments, when he brings upon cruel persecutors the tortures they made his saints and prophets suffer.And I heard the angel of the waters say,.... So we read in Jewish writings (t) of an angel that was , "the prince of the sea", and of angels that were over the waters, and others over fire (u); though here is designed not one of the "angels of the water", that presided ove the waters, as another over fire; See Gill on Revelation 14:18, but the third angel that poured out his vial upon the waters; when he had so done, he said as follows. Dr. Lightfoot thinks, and that not without reason, that since these angels appeared in the garb of priests, Revelation 15:6 and since there was a priest appointed to take care of the wells, and fountains, and ditches about Jerusalem, that the people might have water at the feasts (w), there is an allusion to him; and certain it is that there was such an officer; there was one Nechoniah, who was over the fountains and ditches (x); and in the same office was Nicodemon ben Gorion (y), thought to be the Nicodemus mentioned in the New Testament.

Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shall be: which may be understood either of God the Father, who had power over these plagues, Revelation 16:9 and sent them; or of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, and is righteous in all his ways and works, in all his judgments on antichrist, and is the eternal "I AM", which is, and was, and shall be; see Revelation 1:8. The Alexandrian copy, and most others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read "holy", instead of "shalt be"; for the purity and holiness of Christ will be seen in the judgments which he will exercise, as follows:

because thou hast judged thus; or "these things"; or "them", as the Ethiopic version reads; that is, has brought these judgments upon the men signified by rivers and fountains, and made great havoc and slaughter of them, expressed by their becoming blood; the justice of which appears from the following reason.

(t) T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 68. 3.((u) Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 58. 4. par. 2. fol. 167. 4. (w) Maimon, Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 15. (x) Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.((y) Abot R. Nathan, c. 5. fol. 3. 2.