Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg and the Second woe

The following is a commentary by E. W. Hengstenberg  on the second woe of Revelation 9.

Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, The Revelation of St John. Vol. 1. pp. 442-456.

200 million horses of the second woe

Austin Farrer referred to the “astonishing elaboration of imagery” that John employed in the prophecy of the second woe. Metaphors overlie other metaphors like layers of clothing. In his book A Rebirth of Images: The Making of St. John’s Apocalypse [SUNY Press, 1949. pp. 235-236.] Farrer wrote:

F. D. Maurice on the second woe

The following is a commentary on the prophecy of the second woe, by F. D. Maurice, from: Fredrick Denison Maurice. Lectures On The Apocalypse. Macmillan And Co. London. (1861) pp. 163-168.

Henry M. Morris and the second woe

A unique feature of the interpretation of the second woe by Henry M. Morris was that he invoked the special creation of 200 million horses with lions’ heads and serpent tails.

Henry Madison Morris, The Revelation record: a scientific and devotional commentary on the book of Revelation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1983. pp. 168-170.

George Eldon Ladd and the second woe

G. E. Ladd’s interpretation of the prophecy of the second woe is quoted below, accompanied by my annotations. [George Eldon Ladd. A Commentary on the Revelation of John Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. 1972. pp. 135-139.]

J. A. Smith and the second woe

Justin Almerin Smith (1819-1896) discussed the second woe of Revelation chapter 9 in his Commentary on the Revelation. [American Baptist Publication Society. Philadelphia, Pa. 1884. pp. 131-139.]

Smith attempted to apply the prophecy to historical events. He believed the prophecy foretold the centuries of warfare between Mohammedanism and Christianity.

Henry Bechthold and the second woe

In his article on The Seven Trumpets Of Revelation, Henry Bechthold proposed a unique interpretation of the cavalry of 200 million horses and horsemen of the second woe. He claims that both the horses and horsemen of the sixth trumpet, and the two witnesses, represent the church, and God’s end-time servants.