Revelation 9:20

20 The rest of the human race, all those who had not been killed by these plagues, did not turn away from what they themselves had made. They did not stop worshiping demons, nor the idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. 1

Revelation 9:20 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 9:20

And the rest of men which were not killed by these plagues,
&c.] By whom are meant the western antichristian party; and such of them as were not plagued, harassed, and destroyed by the Turks, as in Germany, at least some parts of it, France, Spain, Italy

yet repented not of the works of their hands:
their idols, their images of saints departed, which their hands had made; the goodness of God in saving them from the depredations of the Turks, should have led them to repentance for their idolatrous worship of images, but it did not:

that they should not worship devils;
or demons, a sort of deities with the Heathens, that mediated between the superior gods and men; and here design angels and saints departed, which the Papists worship, and use as mediators of intercession for them; and this is no other than worshipping of devils, in God's account, and is downright idolatry, and the doctrine of it is the doctrine of devils:

and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood;
which are the several materials of which the Popish images are made: and what aggravates the stupidity of the worshippers of these images, and of the persons represented by them, is, that these are such

which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk;
can neither see their persons, nor hear their prayers, nor stir one foot to their help and assistance; see ( Psalms 115:4-7 ) .

Revelation 9:20 In-Context

18 A third of the human race was killed by those three plagues: the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur coming out of the horses' mouths.
19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and also in their tails. Their tails are like snakes with heads, and they use them to hurt people.
20 The rest of the human race, all those who had not been killed by these plagues, did not turn away from what they themselves had made. They did not stop worshiping demons, nor the idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.
21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic, their sexual immorality, or their stealing.

Cross References 1

  • 1. 9.20Psalms 115.4-7; 135.15-17;Daniel 5.23.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.