Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
they that dwell upon . . . earth--those who belong to the earth, as its citizens, not to heaven (Revelation 3:10; Revelation 8:13; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 13:8).
shall--so Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, and C read the present tense; compare Note, see on Revelation 11:9, on "shall not suffer."
rejoice over them--The Antichristianity of the last days shall probably be under the name of philosophical enlightenment and civilization, but really man's deification of himself. Fanaticism shall lead Antichrist's followers to exult in having at last seemingly silenced in death their Christian rebukers. Like her Lord, the Church will have her dark passion week followed by the bright resurrection morn. It is a curious historical coincidence that, at the fifth Lateran Council, May 5, 1514, no witness (not even the Moravians who were summoned) testified for the truth, as HUSS and JEROME did at Constance; an orator ascended the tribunal before the representatives of papal Christendom, and said, "There is no reclaimant, no opponent." LUTHER, on October 31, 1517, exactly three and a half years afterwards, posted up his famous theses on the church at Wittenberg. The objection is, the years are years of three hundred sixty-five, not three hundred sixty, days, and so two and a half days are deficient; but still the coincidence is curious; and if this prophecy be allowed other fulfilments, besides the final and literal one under the last Antichrist, this may reasonably be regarded as one.
send gifts one to another--as was usual at a joyous festival.
tormented them--namely, with the plagues which they had power to inflict (Revelation 11:5-6); also, by their testimony against the earthly.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Malachi 4:5
2 Thessalonians 2:6
Revelation 3:2
Revelation 10:9
Revelation 11:14
Revelation 12:1
Revelation 17:8
Revelation 18:9
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