Openbaring 16:5

5 En ik hoorde den engel der wateren zeggen: Gij zijt rechtvaardig, Heere! Die is, en Die was, en Die zijn zal, dat Gij dit geoordeeld hebt;

Openbaring 16:5 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 16:5

And I heard the angel of the waters say
So we read in Jewish writings ^F20 of an angel that was (amyd arv) , "the prince of the sea", and of angels that were over the waters, and others over fire ^F21; though here is designed not one of the (Mym ykalm) "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 ^F23, 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 ^F24; and in the same office was Nicodemon ben Gorion ^F25, 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 68. 3.
F21 Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 58. 4. par. 2. fol. 167. 4.
F23 Maimon, Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 15.
F24 Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.
F25 Abot R. Nathan, c. 5. fol. 3. 2.

Openbaring 16:5 In-Context

3 En de tweede engel goot zijn fiool uit in de zee, en zij werd bloed als van een dode; en alle levende ziel is gestorven in de zee.

4 En de derde engel goot zijn fiool uit in de rivieren en in de fonteinen der wateren; en de wateren werden bloed.

5 En ik hoorde den engel der wateren zeggen: Gij zijt rechtvaardig, Heere! Die is, en Die was, en Die zijn zal, dat Gij dit geoordeeld hebt;

6 Dewijl zij het bloed der heiligen, en der profeten vergoten hebben, zo hebt Gij hun ook bloed te drinken gegeven; want zij zijn het waardig.

7 En ik hoorde een anderen van het altaar zeggen: Ja, Heere, Gij almachtige God! Uwe oordelen zijn waarachtig en rechtvaardig.