3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and there came blood as it were of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea.
4. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and the fountains of waters; and there was made blood.
5. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: Thou art just, O Lord, who art, and who wast, the Holy One, because thou hast judged these things.
6. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7. And I heard another, from the altar, saying: Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.
1. The great voice proceeding from the temple filled with the divine presence would seem to be the voice of God Himself, but the wording of the command rather opposes this interpretation: "Pour out the vials of the wrath of God." It is probably the voice of the living creature who gave the vials to the angels, thus showing that they are commissioned by the authority of the Church.
2. The first vial is poured out upon earth to inflict malignant sores upon those who follow Antichrist. This resembles the sixth plague sent upon Egypt:n which "there came boils with swelling blains in men and beasts." [1] God also threatened the unfaithful Jews in
- ↑ Exodus ix, 10.
