Teks -- Revelation 11:6 (NET)

11:6 These two have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain rain during the time they are prophesying. They have power to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - To shut the heaven

To shut the heaven ( kleisai ton ouranon ).

First aorist active infinitive of kleiō . As Elijah did by prayer (1Ki 17:1; Luk 4:25; Jam 5:17).

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - That it rain not

That it rain not ( hina mē huetos brechēi ).

Sub-final use of hina mē with the present active subjunctive of brechō , old verb to rain (Mat 5:45), here with huetos as subject.

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - During the days

During the days ( tas hēmeras ).

Accusative of extent of time. In Luk 4:25; Jam 5:17 the period of the drouth in Elijah’ s time was three and a half years, just the period here.

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - Of their prophecy

Of their prophecy ( tēs prophēteias autōn ).

Not here the gift of prophecy (1Co 12:10) or a particular prophecy or collection of prophecies (Rev 1:3; Rev 22:7.), but "the execution of the prophetic office"(Swete).

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - Over the waters

Over the waters ( epi tōn hudatōn ).

"Upon the waters."As Moses had (Exo 7:20).

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - Into blood

Into blood ( eis haima ).

As already stated in Rev 8:8 about the third trumpet and now again here.

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - To smite

To smite ( pataxai ).

First aorist active infinitive of patassō , used here with exousian echousin (they have power), as is strephein (to turn).

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - With every plague

With every plague ( en pasēi plēgēi ).

In 1Ki 4:8, but with reference to the plagues in Egypt.

Robertson: Rev 11:6 - As often as they shall desire

As often as they shall desire ( hosakis ean thelēsōsin ).

Indefinite temporal clause with hosakis and modal ean (= an ) and the first aorist active subjunctive of thelō , "as often as they will."

Vincent: Rev 11:6 - To shut up the heaven

To shut up the heaven

As Elijah, 1Ki 17:1; Luk 4:25; Jam 5:17.

Vincent: Rev 11:6 - That it rain not

That it rain not ( ἵνα μὴ βρέχῃ ὑετὸς )

Lit., that the rain may not wet .

Vincent: Rev 11:6 - To turn them into blood

To turn them into blood

Compare Exo 7:19.

Vincent: Rev 11:6 - To smite

To smite ( πατάξαι )

Used by John only in Revelation, here and Rev 19:15. Compare Mat 26:31; Mar 14:27; Luk 22:49, Luk 22:50; Act 12:7, Act 12:23.

Vincent: Rev 11:6 - With all plagues

With all plagues ( πάσῃ πληγῇ )

Singular number. Rev., correctly, with every plague . See on Mar 3:10. Not merely with the plagues with which Moses smote Egypt.

Wesley: Rev 11:6 - These have power

And they use that power. See Rev 11:10. To shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophesying - During those "twelve hundred and sixty days." And have power over the waters - In and near Jerusalem.

Wesley: Rev 11:6 - To turn them into blood

As Moses did those in Egypt. And to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will - This is not said of Moses or Elijah, or any mere man besides. And how is it possible to understand this otherwise than of two individual persons?

JFB: Rev 11:6 - These . . . power

Greek, "authorized power."

JFB: Rev 11:6 - it rain not

Greek, "huetos brechee," "rain shower not," literally, "moisten" not (the earth).

JFB: Rev 11:6 - smite . . . with all plagues

Greek, "with (literally, 'in') every plague."

Clarke: Rev 11:6 - These have power to shut heaven

These have power to shut heaven - As Elijah did, 1 Kings 17:1-18:46

Clarke: Rev 11:6 - To turn them to blood

To turn them to blood - As Moses did, Exo 7:19-25. They shall have power to afflict the land with plagues, similar to those which were inflicted on the Egyptians.

Defender: Rev 11:6 - days of their prophecy

The "days of their prophecy" are 1260, the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation. Just as Elijah called for 3 1/2 years of no rain in ancient Israel (Jam 5:17), so the two prophets will now invoke 3 1/2 years of drought on the whole world. Furthermore, there will be no wind (Rev 7:1), so that even though waters continue to be evaporated from the world's oceans, they cannot be translated inland to fall as rain. They will probably continue to rise until they reach near the stratosphere, there to spread around the globe to reestablish the antediluvian "waters above the heavens" (Psa 148:4; Gen 1:6-8), with all their ameliorative effects on the earth's future millennial climate and longevity.

Defender: Rev 11:6 - all plagues

The plagues being sent as the Lamb opens the seals and the archangels blow their trumpets are associated on the earth with the invocations of the two witnesses (Rev 11:3). As they proclaim that these are God's judgments, many will "learn righteousness" (Isa 26:9) and believe on Christ for salvation, even though it may mean almost certain martyrdom for them. Those who refuse to believe will soon come to blame the two witnesses for all their problems, and many will seek to kill them, but will be totally unsuccessful (Rev 11:5), until the end of the days of their prophetic witness."

TSK: Rev 11:6 - power // have power over

power : 1Ki 17:1; Luk 4:25; Jam 5:16-18

have power over : Ezek. 7:1-12:28, Eze 12:14; Psa 105:26-36

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Rev 11:6

It is plain that here is an allusion to Elijah, who prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months, Jam 5:17 ; see the story, 1Ki 17:1 : and to Moses, who turned the waters into blood in Egypt; and after was an instrument to smite the land of Egypt with plagues. But what power analogous to this the ministers of the gospel have had, or have, is not easy to determine. It is certain, the apostles had a miraculous power, but they rarely used it, but in doing good to men; Ananias and Sapphira indeed were struck dead upon their word, Act 5:1-11 ; and Elymas the sorcerer was struck blind by them; but this power is long since ceased. Mr. Mede understands this power of the keys of doctrine and church censures the ministers of the gospel should be intrusted with; so as they should not preach the gospel unto such as contemned their ministry; by the withholding of which means of grace, also, they would be deprived of the dew of heavenly grace. And, indeed, this seemeth more proper than to understand it of the keys of discipline; for what power of this nature have ministers over those who are without? I take a general explication to be the best. If any hurt them, God shall revenge their cause, not only by spiritual, but by temporal judgments, bringing all manner of evils upon their adversaries. They are said to have power to do it, because God will do it in the revenge of the injuries done unto them.

PBC: Rev 11:6

Power given unto men under both covenants:

Under the Old Covenant we learn of these things. " Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months" . {Jas 5:17} Moses, at God’s bidding, caused the plagues to come upon Egypt.

Under the New Covenant: The apostles were given power to work all kinds of miracles which showed the power of God.

Prior to, and during, the destruction of Jerusalem spiritual death reigned regarding the covenants. They had crucified Jesus and evil men reigned over the temple worship. God had taken away the benefits of the Old Covenant from these evil Jews. The beast had ascended out of the bottomless pit to strive to overcome the power of both covenants. {See Re 11:7} —Eld. Charles Taylor

Gill: Rev 11:6 - These have power to shut heaven // that it rain not in the days of their prophecy // And have power over waters to turn them to blood // And to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will

These have power to shut heaven,.... For these have the keys of the kingdom of heaven given them, and whatever they bind or loose on earth is bound or loosed in heaven; or in other words, having the true key of knowledge in matters, both of doctrine and discipline, given them, whatever they declare, according to the word of God, to be doctrines fit to be received or rejected, and to be the ordinances of God, and matters of worship to be attended to, and what are not, should be so: and in particular,

that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; that is, on their enemies, the antichristian party; for otherwise it must rain on those to whom they minister, their prophecy itself being rain in a spiritual sense: so rain is explained of prophecy in the Targum on Isa 5:6, which paraphrases the words thus;

"I will command the prophets that they do not prophesy upon them prophecy:''

for this is to be understood not literally, since the days of their prophecy, or preaching in sackcloth, are 1260, that is, 1260 years, and which is the term and duration of antichrist's reign: wherefore, if this was the case, there must be a famine and great distress, during this long space of time; but as this is not matter of fact, so it would not comport with that plenty, luxury, and deliciousness, in which the whore of Babylon is said to live: but the words are to be taken in a spiritual sense, and to be understood of the Gospel, and doctrines of it, or the word of God, which is sometimes compared to rain, Deu 32:2. God is the author and giver of rain, and he only; none of the vanities, or idols of the Gentiles, can give it; has the rain a father? it has, but not on earth, only God who is in heaven; and so the Gospel is of God, and it is he only that can make men able ministers of it; the rain comes down from above, from heaven, and of the same original and descent is the Gospel, it is the voice speaking from heaven; the rain falls, according to divine direction, in one place, and not another, on one city, and not another; and so the Gospel is sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another; it is forbid here, and ordered there. Showers of rain moisten and soften the earth, and make it susceptive of seed; and the Gospel is the means of softening hard hearts, and of making them capable of receiving suitable impressions: rain refreshes the earth, revives the plants and trees, and makes them fruitful; and so the Gospel, attended with a divine blessing, refreshes drooping saints, revives the work of God in them, and is the means of filling them with all the fruits of righteousness. Now the withholding of this rain denotes a famine, not of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord; and as it is a judgment on a nation, or on a city, not to be rained upon, so it is a spiritual judgment upon a people, when God commands his clouds, his ministers, to rain no rain of the Gospel on them; and it is one of the judgments upon the antichristian party, that they have not the Gospel preached unto them, nor any dew of powerful and efficacious grace distilled on them, but are left to their blindness, darkness, and hardness of heart: and these witnesses carrying the Gospel along with them, where they prophesy and preach, is called a shutting up heaven, so that it rain not on the followers of antichrist, from whom they separate themselves, or by whom they are cast out; and this is ascribed to them, and is owing to their removal or ejection; much in the same sense as the night and darkness are to the sun's remove; that is, these follow upon it. The allusion is to the withholding of rain in the times of Elijah, one of the types of these witnesses, because of the idolatries of Ahab and Jezebel, 1Ki 17:1. In like manner is the rain of the Gospel withheld during the reign of antichrist, because of the idolatry and superstition of the apostasy.

And have power over waters to turn them to blood; by "waters" are meant people, multitudes, nations, and tongues, and particularly those over whom antichrist reigns, Rev 17:15, and turning of them into blood designs the confusions and wars raised among them on account of the prophesying of these witnesses, and the persecutions and bloodshed which followed upon it; which eventually are the end and issue of preaching the Gospel; see Mat 10:34. The allusion is to one of the plagues of Egypt, and to Moses and Aaron, who were types of these witnesses turning the waters of Egypt into blood, Exo 7:20; and answers to the second and third vials, Rev 16:3.

And to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will; alluding to the plagues of Egypt, one of the names of Rome, or the Roman jurisdiction, in Rev 11:8, and which is meant by the earth here; and referring to the rest of the seven vials poured out by these witnesses, signified by seven angels; and their having power so to do as often as they will, is to be understood of these plagues being inflicted on the inhabitants of the earth, or followers of antichrist, in answer to their prophecies and prayers, which are made according to the will of God, and so always have their effect, being such.