# Matthew Poole on Revelation (cont. x2)



## dildaysc (Sep 8, 2021)

Robert Hawker's _Poor Man's Portion_: '"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar which was before the throne."—Revelation 8:3 My soul, behold this mighty Angel, even thy Jesus, in his priestly office. Look at him with an earnest eye of faith before thou goest this morning to the mercyseat. See his golden censer, with his much incense, and contemplate both the fulness of merit in his own glorious Person, and the fulness of efficacy in his work and righteousness for the sure acceptance of all his redeemed. Go near, my soul, having boldness to enter now into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Hear thy great High Priest bidding thee to take shelter under his golden censer, and behold him presenting thy person and thy poor offerings upon the golden altar, even his divine nature, before the throne. Yes, Lord! I would draw nigh in thee, and by thee, convinced that it is wholly from thee, and for thy sake, either my person or my prayers can find acceptance. For thee, and for thy sake, my sins are pardoned, my offerings are accepted, grace is bestowed, communion and fellowship is obtained; peace in this life, and glory in that which is to come, are the portion of thy people. Hail, thou glorious, gracious, all-sufficient, High Priest! To thee be glory in the church, throughout all ages. Amen.'









Poole on Revelation 8:3: Incense and Atonement


Verse 3:[1] And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with (Rev. 5:8) the prayers (or, add it to the prayers[2]) of all saints upon (Ex. 30:1; Rev. 6:9) the golden altar which was before the throne...




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## dildaysc (Sep 11, 2021)

'Their prayers made in faith, though smelling rank of the remains of the corruption of nature, yet being perfumed by the Intercessor with the incense of his merit, are accepted in heaven, and have gracious returns made them, Revelation 8:4' -Thomas Brooks









Poole on Revelation 8:4: The Prayers of All Saints


Verse 4:[1] And (Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:10) the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. [And, etc., καὶ ἀνέβη—ταῖς προσευχαῖς, etc.] Spoken after the fashion of the Hebrews in the place of τῶν προσευχῶν, of the prayers:[2]...




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## dildaysc (Sep 25, 2021)

A timely word...
William Symington's Messiah the Prince: 'Christ, as Mediator, executes the righteous judgments of God on wicked nations and rulers. "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son. The Father hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." The treasures of wrath, as well as those of grace, are at his disposal. We read not only of "the wrath of God," but of "the wrath of the Lamb." Nor is it merely the solemnities of the final judgment that are administered by him, but those judicial dispensations which are unfolded in the providential occurrences of the present state. Among these, the judgments inflicted on civil communities stand conspicuous. The moral character of nations, and the moral responsibility of rulers, shew the possibility of national and official sins. By cherishing a spirit of pride, self-confidence, and independence of God; by practicing tyranny, cruelty, and oppression; by indulging a perverse, ungrateful, and turbulent temper; by prostituting their power and influence to the encouragement and support of irreligion, blasphemy, and immorality; or by employing the sceptre and the sword in hostile opposition to the tenets and institutions of true religion;—civil communities may be guilty of such heinous iniquity as to call forth the retributive judgments of God. National crime, when carried to a height, operates as a conductor to draw down the lightning of vengeance from the eternal throne. And what we here wish to be remarked is, that it is the province of the King of nations to execute these judgments. He is the mediatorial Angel, described in the Apocalypse, as "taking the censer, and filling it with fire of the altar, and casting it upon the earth," causing "voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." [Revelation 8:5] These judgments, whether they consist in a dark and confounding infatuation, seizing hold of the thoughts and counsels of men in power; or in a sudden paralysing of the hearts of the people, by which they are disarmed of all their wonted fortitude, and reduced to a state of the most cowardly and effeminate timidity; or in the pressure and succession of those fearful calamities which induce ignominy, disorganisation, and ruin; or in those terrible things in righteousness, by which the Almighty speaks to the guilty and makes bare his holy arm against the workers of iniquity:—whether they be brought about by the whirlwind of war, by the blast of famine, by the withering breath of pestilence, or by the earthquake of popular commotion:—in whatsoever they consist, by what means soever they are effected, they are the doings of Him who is Governor among the nations. In general, we are assured, with regard to rebellious princes, that "He shall speak to them in wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure; shall break them with a rod of iron, and shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." "The Lord shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath; he shall fill the places with dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries." [Psalm 2:5; 110:5-6] "The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted." By whom this sentence is carried into execution, we are not left to conjecture. "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." [Isaiah 60:12; 63:1-4] Here we have the almighty Saviour executing the most awful judgments on his enemies. With regard, in particular, to those great empires, prefigured in Nebuchadnezzar's image, the Chaldean, the Medo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman, we know that it is the kingdom of the Messiah, under the government, of course, of its glorious Head and Prince, that "shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms." [Daniel 2:44] While, with respect to the judgments already executed, or yet to be executed, on the kingdoms of the Roman empire, the nations of the Latin earth, we find them directly and unequivocally ascribed to the same source. "He that overcometh," saith the Son of God, "and keepeth my words unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations (and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers), even as I received of my Father. The kings of the earth hid themselves from the wrath of the Lamb. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp twoedged sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." [Revelation 2:26-27; 6:15-16; 19:15] We are thus bound to believe that those occurrences by which guilty nations are scourged and chastised for their sins, are not merely brought about in providence, but ordered and directed by the Mediator. And whether, therefore, we behold the desolating sword cutting off the inhabitants, or the blasting mildew destroying the crops, or commercial stagnation obstructing the sources of wealth, or wasting disease stalking with ghastly power over a land, or the upheavings of popular commotion overturning the foundations of social order, we recognise the wisdom, and might, and righteous retribution of Prince Messiah, carrying into execution the divine decree, The nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish: yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.'









Poole on Revelation 8:5, 6: A Neglected and Offended High Priest


Verse 5:[1] And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into (or, upon[2]) the earth: and (Rev. 16:18) there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, (2 Sam. 22:8; 1 Kings 19:11; Acts 4:31) and an earthquake. [And He took…the censer (now empty...




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## dildaysc (Oct 9, 2021)

Hope to have a new post early next week...


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## dildaysc (Oct 13, 2021)

The Trumpets, because of the brevity of their statement, are difficult to interpret. This will require extra attention.

The Illustrious Matthew Poole walks us through the options...









Poole on Revelation 8:7: The First Trumpet


Verse 7:[1] The first angel sounded, (Ezek. 38:22) and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast (Rev. 16:2) upon the earth: and the third part (Is. 2:13; Rev. 9:4) of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. [And the first, etc.] Just as the first Horse...




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## dildaysc (Oct 28, 2021)

What has been before will be again...

The Gospel had long been with the Romans. And, although nominally Christianized, Roman culture continued in its degradation. God judged, and then granted a season of mercy for repentance. No repentance was forthcoming, the judgment intensified. And so on...until there was nothing left of the Empire...

What has been before will be again...









Poole on Revelation 8:8, 9: The Second Trumpet


Verse 8:[1] And the second angel sounded, (Jer. 51:25; Amos 7:4) and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: (Rev. 16:3) and the third part of the sea (Ezek. 14:19) became blood… [A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea] Terrors and prodigies...




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## Ed Walsh (Oct 28, 2021)

dildaysc said:


> The Gospel had long been with the Romans. And, although nominally Christianized, Roman culture continued in its degradation. God judged, and then granted a season of mercy for repentance. No repentance was forthcoming, the judgment intensified. And so on...until there was nothing left of the Empire...



So far, that's the way things are going in the USA. It seems to me that many Christians are "fiddling while Rome is burning."

I am of the strongest possible opinion that if we don't get serious and collectively beg the Lord for a massive transglobal work of His Spirit, soon our country as we know, will cease to exist.

It is clear that we deserve it. And by 'we,' I mean the Church. The visible Church in the US is, for the most part, is a joke, and the world laughing. But God isn't. As I have often said, we are impacting the world around us about as much as if I dipped my finger in a cup of coffee and removed it. I am in the process of writing a lot more about our day, but the sum of it goes something like this. We are living about as far below normal as Pentecost was above normal.

I know there are exceptions among us, and I am not alone in this. But I exhort you who are likeminded to start making a holy disturbance. It is high time we stopped pointing the finger at those bad people out there that are causing all the trouble and pointing at the real problem
— 1 Peter 4:17

BTW - The paper I'm writing is titled "*Trivial Pursuit — it's Not a Game*."

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## dildaysc (Oct 29, 2021)

Ed Walsh said:


> So far, that's the way things are going in the USA. It seems to me that many Christians are "fiddling while Rome is burning."
> 
> I am of the strongest possible opinion that if we don't get serious and collectively beg the Lord for a massive transglobal work of His Spirit, soon our country as we know, will cease to exist.
> 
> ...


Distressing...but true...


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## dildaysc (Nov 11, 2021)

Hope to have the post on the third trumpet ready early next week...


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## dildaysc (Nov 22, 2021)

Behold the sad effects of impenitence upon a people!

The Lord's third war-trumpet sounds!









Poole on Revelation 8:10, 11: The Third Trumpet


Verse 10:[1] And the third angel sounded, (Is. 14:12; Rev. 9:1) and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, (Rev. 16:4) and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters… [And fell[2] (with violence and precipitously, for it is said to have...




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## dildaysc (Dec 4, 2021)

I hope to have the next installment, on the 4th Trumpet, out next week.

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/revelation

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## dildaysc (Dec 10, 2021)

Behold the sad effects of impenitence upon a people! The Lord's fourth war-trumpet sounds! and the lights go out!









Poole on Revelation 8:12: The Fourth Trumpet


Verse 12:[1] (Is. 13:10; Amos 8:9) And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. [Was...




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## Ed Walsh (Dec 10, 2021)

dildaysc said:


> Behold the sad effects of impenitence upon a people! The Lord's fourth war-trumpet sounds! and the lights go out!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I'm sure others have said this, but man, do you do beautiful work. Awesome stuff.

Thanks Dr. Dilday


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## dildaysc (Dec 11, 2021)

Ed Walsh said:


> I'm sure others have said this, but man, do you do beautiful work. Awesome stuff.
> 
> Thanks Dr. Dilday


What kind words! I am encouraged in the Lord.


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## dildaysc (Dec 20, 2021)

A seasonable warning...

"If less judgments do not take effect, but the church and the world grow worse under them, they must expect greater." -Matthew Henry









Poole on Revelation 8:13: Woe! Woe! Woe!


Verse 13:[1] And I beheld, (Rev. 14:6; 19:17) and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, (Rev. 9:12; 11:14) Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! [And I saw]...




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## dildaysc (Dec 28, 2021)

A translation milestone!

Matthew Poole's "Synopsis" on Revelation 8 is now available in English! free and online!

In Revelation 8, we see Christ sore provoked by the Roman world, seeking other mediators...

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/revelation


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## dildaysc (Jan 8, 2022)

Does Scripture address the rise and spread of Islam in the East?

Join us for our study in Revelation 9, with the Illustrious Matthew Poole as our guide!

www.fromreformationtoreformation.com/revelation









Poole's Outline of Revelation 9


At the sounding of the fifth angel a star falleth from heaven, to whom is given the key of the bottomless pit, 1, he opens the pit, and there come forth locusts like scorpions, who have power to hurt men for a time, 2-11. The first woe past, 12. At the sounding of the sixth angel four angels...




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## dildaysc (Jan 15, 2022)

Hope to have a new installment in the Revelation series out next weekend...


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## dildaysc (Jan 22, 2022)

Does the Bible discuss the rise of Islam in the East?

Follow this study through Revelation 9. More posts coming...









Poole on Revelation 9:1: The Origin of Islam


Verse 1:[1] And the fifth angel sounded, (Luke 10:18; Rev. 8:10) and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of (Luke 8:31; Rev. 17:8; 20:1; 9:2, 11) the bottomless pit. [The fifth Angel, etc.] The things contained in this vision almost all understand of...




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## dildaysc (Feb 5, 2022)

"The devil carries on his designs by blinding the eyes of men, by extinguishing light and knowledge, and promoting ignorance and error. He first deceives men, and then destroys them; wretched souls follow him in the dark, or they durst not follow him." --Matthew Henry









Poole on Revelation 9:2: The Thick Smoke of Delusion


Verse 2:[1] And he opened the bottomless pit; and (Joel 2:2, 10) there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. [He opened the well of the abyss] Which had been closed by the doctrine of the Prophets...




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## dildaysc (Feb 19, 2022)

Hope to have a new portion out next week...


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## dildaysc (Mar 4, 2022)

Wow! Really behind...almost there...


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## dildaysc (Mar 11, 2022)

Sorry to be so late in getting the next post done.

Just completed the revision of Poole's "Synopsis" on Exodus 19-40.

Now, back to Revelation...


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## dildaysc (Mar 22, 2022)

What is this Locust Horde, emerging from the smoke of error?

Poole explores the possibilities...









Poole on Revelation 9:3: Locusts out of the Smoke!


Verse 3:[1] And there came out of the smoke (Ex. 10:4; Judg. 7:12) locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, (Rev. 9:10) as the scorpions of the earth have power. [And (καὶ/and here means for: It renders the reason why that doctrine was lamentable, for thence arose an extremely...




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## dildaysc (Apr 1, 2022)

"Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain" Ps. 76:10

A seasonable comfort for the people of God, in the images of the Apocalypse...









Poole on Revelation 9:4: A Most Wise and Powerful Bounding


Verse 4:[1] And it was commanded them (Rev. 6:6; 7:3) that they should not hurt (Rev. 8:7) the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not (Rev. 7:3; see Exod. 12:23; Ezek. 9:4) the seal of God in their foreheads. [And, etc., καὶ ἐρρέθη,[2]...




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## dildaysc (Apr 12, 2022)

Are the Locust-Scorpions of Revelation 9 the Saracens?

Matthew Poole surveys the history of interpretation...









Poole on Revelation 9:5: The Era of the Locust-Scorpions


Verse 5:[1] And to them it was given that they should not kill them, (Rev. 11:7; 9:10) but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. [And it was given, etc.] That is, permitted by God (Piscator, Ribera). Now, was...




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## dildaysc (Apr 23, 2022)

I was away from my desk for a bit. Next installment coming soon...


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## dildaysc (Apr 30, 2022)

Oh, the cruelty that frequently follows upon the darkness of error...

Poole contemplates one of history's grand examples.









Poole on Revelation 9:6: The Flight of Death from the Sufferers


Verse 6:[1] And in those days (Job 3:21; Is. 2:19; Jer. 8:3; Rev. 6:16) shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. [Men shall seek (or, wish for[2] [Grotius]) death] Because of the most grievous famine (Grotius), because of the highest...




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## dildaysc (May 14, 2022)

Locust-Scorpions! with the faces of men, and the hair of women! How striking!

Poole explores these images...









Poole on Revelation 9:7, 8: The Locust-Scorpions Revisited


Verse 7:[1] And (Joel 2:4) the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; (Nah. 3:17) and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, (Dan. 7:8) and their faces were as the faces of men. [Τὰ ὁμοιώματα, etc.] These things are taken from Joel 1:6; 2:4; Daniel 7:8...




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## dildaysc (May 27, 2022)

New installment next week...


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## dildaysc (Jun 10, 2022)

Locust-Scorpions! with the faces of men, and the hair of women! How striking!

Poole explores these images...









Poole on Revelation 9:9, 10: The Locust-Scorpions Revisited, Part 2


Verse 9:[1] And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was (Joel 2:5-7) as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. [Breastplates, etc., θώρακας, etc.] Thoraxes (or, breastplates [Beza, Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals]: A...




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## dildaysc (Jun 22, 2022)

Next installment almost done...


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## dildaysc (Jul 4, 2022)

A text that really needs no introduction...

Who is Abaddon in Revelation 9?









Poole on Revelation 9:11: Abaddon


Verse 11:[1] (Eph. 2:2) And they had a king over them, which is (Rev. 9:1) the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon (that is to say, a destroyer). [And they had, etc., καὶ ἔχουσιν, etc.] [But Grotius reads...




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## dildaysc (Jul 18, 2022)

As it has been in times past, so it is...

God yet extends the season of mercy. Let us improve it by repentance.









Poole on Revelation 9:12: An Interlude


Verse 12:[1] (Rev. 8:13) One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. [One woe has passed] Not with respect to fulfillment (for at that time these calamities were future), but with respect to the vision and description (Pareus). Finally that rapacity of the Zealots...




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## dildaysc (Jul 29, 2022)

Next installment coming next week, Lord willing.


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## dildaysc (Aug 6, 2022)

One of the reasons that Apocalyptic interpretation fails (and sometimes spectacularly!) is a lack of familiarity with Old Testament imagery.

In Revelation 9:13, we have a voice from the horns of the altar. What is the significance? (See the sermons in the "Comments".)









Poole on Revelation 9:13: The Sixth Trumpet


Verse 13:[1] And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God… [And the sixth, etc.] A signal given of new evils (Grotius, similarly Pareus). [I heard one voice (or, a certain one [Beza, Piscator], namely, God’s [Durham]; or, Christ’s...




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## dildaysc (Aug 22, 2022)

Next installment coming soon...


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