- Home
- Bible
- Revelation
- Chapter 16
- Verse 16
Revelation 16:13
Verse
Context
The First Six Bowls of Wrath
12And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.13And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.14These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
Sermons
Willie Mullan
Hans R. WaldvogelHans R. Waldvogel
George Fox
A.W. TozerSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Three unclean spirits - Perhaps false teachers, called afterwards spirits of devils, which persuade the kings of the earth by lying miracles to come forth to the place of general slaughter, Rev 16:14, Rev 16:16, Some good critics apply this to Vespasian, and his pretended miracles. See the account in Tacitus, lib. iv. c. 81.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
unclean spirits like frogs--the antitype to the plague of frogs sent on Egypt. The presence of the "unclean spirit" in the land (Palestine) is foretold, Zac 13:2, in connection with idolatrous prophets. Beginning with infidelity as to Jesus Christ's coming in the flesh, men shall end in the grossest idolatry of the beast, the incarnation of all that is self-deifying and God-opposed in the world powers of all ages; having rejected Him that came in the Father's name, they shall worship one that comes in his own, though really the devil's representative; as frogs croak by night in marshes and quagmires, so these unclean spirits in the darkness of error teach lies amidst the mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty, but it is not Gospel liberty, but license for lust. There being three, as also seven, in the description of the last and worst state of the Jewish nation, implies a parody of the two divine numbers, three of the Trinity, and seven of the Holy Spirit (Rev 1:4). Some observe that three frogs were the original arms of France, a country which has been the center of infidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. A and B read, "as it were frogs," instead of "like frogs," which is not supported by manuscripts. The unclean spirit out of the mouth of the dragon symbolizes the proud infidelity which opposes God and Christ. That out of the beast's mouth is the spirit of the world, which in the politics of men, whether lawless democracy or despotism, sets man above God. That out of the mouth of the false prophet is lying spiritualism and religious delusion, which shall take the place of the harlot when she shall have been destroyed. the dragon--Satan, who gives his power and throne (Rev 13:2) to the beast. false prophet--distinct from the harlot, the apostate Church (of which Rome is the chief, though not sole, representative), Rev 17:1-3, Rev 17:16; and identical with the second beast, Rev 13:11-15, as appears by comparing Rev 19:20 with Rev 13:13; ultimately consigned to the lake of fire with the first beast; as is also the dragon a little later (Rev 20:10). The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, "the mystery of iniquity," form a blasphemous Antitrinity, the counterfeit of "the mystery of godliness" God manifests in Christ, witnessed to by the Spirit. The dragon acts the part of God the Father, assigning his authority to his representative the beast, as the Father assigns His to the Son. They are accordingly jointly worshipped; compare as to the Father and Son, Joh 5:23; as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns crowned with diadems (Greek, Rev 13:1), so Christ has on His head many diadems. While the false prophet, like the Holy Ghost, speaks not of himself, but tells all men to worship the beast, and confirms his testimony to the beast by miracles, as the Holy Ghost attested similarly to Christ's divine mission.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For they are the spirits of devils,.... They are of their father the devil; they are acted and influenced by him, he works effectually in them, and leads them captive at his will; they do his lusts, and are murderers and liars, and false teachers, like him: working miracles; lying ones, to deceive men; this clearly points out who are meant, namely, the followers of antichrist, who, as they spread the doctrines of devils, endeavour to confirm them by signs and lying wonders: which go forth unto the kings of the earth: those who have committed fornication with the Romish antichrist, such of them as will remain: and of the whole world; as many Pagan princes as they can come at, and engage by any ways and means in their interest; they will go forth to them like the lying spirit to Ahab's prophets, Kg1 22:22 to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty; that is, they will persuade them to gather together, to fight against the saints, the Gentile Christians in the several parts of the world, and the Jewish Christians, now settled in their own land; and this will be the battle of the Lord, who is God Almighty, and it will be fighting against him; and therefore the attempt must be vain and fruitless, and issue in the ruin of those who are gathered to it, who will be deceived and drawn into it by these diabolical spirits: and this is called "the battle of that great day of God"; not of the day of judgment, for it will be before that time; but of that day of vengeance upon all the remains of his and his church's enemies, both Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan, who will for this purpose be gathered together; "which", as the Ethiopic version renders it, "God has appointed".
Tyndale Open Study Notes
16:13-14 Three agents of deceit, evil spirits in the form of frogs, represent the demonic role of the evil trinity. Although the powers of evil battle against the Lord, it is God the Almighty, not any evil power, who is in control.
Revelation 16:13
The First Six Bowls of Wrath
12And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East.13And I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.14These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(Demonology) When the Church Goes
By Willie Mullan1.6K59:12DemonologyACT 16:25REV 5:9REV 6:2REV 11:1REV 15:2REV 16:13In this sermon, the preacher discusses the worship of the dragon and the beast mentioned in verse 4. He emphasizes that the devil energizes men to carry out his tactics, just like in a game of warfare. The preacher also mentions the importance of baptism and urges the congregation to come forward if they have not been baptized. He concludes by discussing the mark of the beast and how the world is beginning to wake up to its significance. Overall, the sermon focuses on the power of the devil and the need for believers to stand for truth and obey the Lord.
Holiness — Revelation 16:15
By Hans R. Waldvogel87726:01HolinessREV 16:13In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of young people learning to obey, be clean, and overcome sin. He criticizes the way children are raised, comparing it to being raised like hogs. The preacher also mentions the story of Jeremiah and how he was mistreated for speaking the truth. He highlights the call to become like Jesus and the need for believers to watch and be prepared for his coming, comparing it to a thief in the night.
Continual Praise / Revelation 16:13-15 (When Jesus Comes Unannounced, Will Your Garment Be Spotless?)
By Hans R. Waldvogel0Continual PraiseSpiritual Vigilance1JN 1:3REV 16:13Hans R. Waldvogel emphasizes the urgency of continual praise and spiritual vigilance in the face of life's fleeting nature, urging believers to keep their garments spotless for the return of Christ, who will come unannounced. He highlights the importance of living a life led by the Holy Spirit, restoring lost time and embracing a relationship with Jesus that transforms daily actions. Waldvogel calls for self-examination and repentance, reminding the congregation that true fellowship with God is found in living out His Word and maintaining a heart of worship. He warns against complacency and the distractions of the world, encouraging believers to be watchful and ready for Christ's return.
Epistle 50
By George Fox0DEU 13:11KI 22:22ISA 2:17JER 10:14JER 27:9JHN 4:24JHN 6:63JHN 14:6JHN 17:17JAS 3:15REV 16:13George Fox preaches about dwelling in purity and waiting for the power of God to preserve believers in that purity. He emphasizes knowing the seed of God in one another to overcome worldly wisdom and carnal knowledge, urging faith to stand against earthly nature and human pride. By dwelling in purity, believers can discern what is impure, have their minds guided by God, and confront their evil thoughts and desires. Fox warns against lusting, which veils the purity and leads to deception by dreamers, lying spirits, and false prophets. He encourages waiting on God in purity to receive His living nourishment for everlasting life.
Stumble Causers
By A.W. Tozer0DEU 13:1MAT 7:15MAT 24:24JHN 15:8ACT 20:292PE 2:11JN 4:1REV 16:13Tony Garland delves into the concept of False Prophets, who claim to speak for God but actually utter falsehoods, often associated with the Antichrist in the end times. The False Prophet, depicted as benign like a lamb but speaking like a dragon, performs miracles to deceive people into worshiping the Beast. Scripture warns about the danger of false prophets, who are more deadly than physical predators as they can harm not just the body but the soul. Jesus and Paul both forewarn about the rise of false prophets, emphasizing the importance of discerning them by their fruits, which reveal their true nature.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Three unclean spirits - Perhaps false teachers, called afterwards spirits of devils, which persuade the kings of the earth by lying miracles to come forth to the place of general slaughter, Rev 16:14, Rev 16:16, Some good critics apply this to Vespasian, and his pretended miracles. See the account in Tacitus, lib. iv. c. 81.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
unclean spirits like frogs--the antitype to the plague of frogs sent on Egypt. The presence of the "unclean spirit" in the land (Palestine) is foretold, Zac 13:2, in connection with idolatrous prophets. Beginning with infidelity as to Jesus Christ's coming in the flesh, men shall end in the grossest idolatry of the beast, the incarnation of all that is self-deifying and God-opposed in the world powers of all ages; having rejected Him that came in the Father's name, they shall worship one that comes in his own, though really the devil's representative; as frogs croak by night in marshes and quagmires, so these unclean spirits in the darkness of error teach lies amidst the mire of filthy lusts. They talk of liberty, but it is not Gospel liberty, but license for lust. There being three, as also seven, in the description of the last and worst state of the Jewish nation, implies a parody of the two divine numbers, three of the Trinity, and seven of the Holy Spirit (Rev 1:4). Some observe that three frogs were the original arms of France, a country which has been the center of infidelity, socialism, and false spiritualism. A and B read, "as it were frogs," instead of "like frogs," which is not supported by manuscripts. The unclean spirit out of the mouth of the dragon symbolizes the proud infidelity which opposes God and Christ. That out of the beast's mouth is the spirit of the world, which in the politics of men, whether lawless democracy or despotism, sets man above God. That out of the mouth of the false prophet is lying spiritualism and religious delusion, which shall take the place of the harlot when she shall have been destroyed. the dragon--Satan, who gives his power and throne (Rev 13:2) to the beast. false prophet--distinct from the harlot, the apostate Church (of which Rome is the chief, though not sole, representative), Rev 17:1-3, Rev 17:16; and identical with the second beast, Rev 13:11-15, as appears by comparing Rev 19:20 with Rev 13:13; ultimately consigned to the lake of fire with the first beast; as is also the dragon a little later (Rev 20:10). The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, "the mystery of iniquity," form a blasphemous Antitrinity, the counterfeit of "the mystery of godliness" God manifests in Christ, witnessed to by the Spirit. The dragon acts the part of God the Father, assigning his authority to his representative the beast, as the Father assigns His to the Son. They are accordingly jointly worshipped; compare as to the Father and Son, Joh 5:23; as the ten-horned beast has its ten horns crowned with diadems (Greek, Rev 13:1), so Christ has on His head many diadems. While the false prophet, like the Holy Ghost, speaks not of himself, but tells all men to worship the beast, and confirms his testimony to the beast by miracles, as the Holy Ghost attested similarly to Christ's divine mission.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For they are the spirits of devils,.... They are of their father the devil; they are acted and influenced by him, he works effectually in them, and leads them captive at his will; they do his lusts, and are murderers and liars, and false teachers, like him: working miracles; lying ones, to deceive men; this clearly points out who are meant, namely, the followers of antichrist, who, as they spread the doctrines of devils, endeavour to confirm them by signs and lying wonders: which go forth unto the kings of the earth: those who have committed fornication with the Romish antichrist, such of them as will remain: and of the whole world; as many Pagan princes as they can come at, and engage by any ways and means in their interest; they will go forth to them like the lying spirit to Ahab's prophets, Kg1 22:22 to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty; that is, they will persuade them to gather together, to fight against the saints, the Gentile Christians in the several parts of the world, and the Jewish Christians, now settled in their own land; and this will be the battle of the Lord, who is God Almighty, and it will be fighting against him; and therefore the attempt must be vain and fruitless, and issue in the ruin of those who are gathered to it, who will be deceived and drawn into it by these diabolical spirits: and this is called "the battle of that great day of God"; not of the day of judgment, for it will be before that time; but of that day of vengeance upon all the remains of his and his church's enemies, both Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan, who will for this purpose be gathered together; "which", as the Ethiopic version renders it, "God has appointed".
Tyndale Open Study Notes
16:13-14 Three agents of deceit, evil spirits in the form of frogs, represent the demonic role of the evil trinity. Although the powers of evil battle against the Lord, it is God the Almighty, not any evil power, who is in control.