Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

The stars of heaven - The gods and goddesses, demi-gods, and deified heroes, of their poetical and mythological heaven, were prostrated indiscriminately, and lay as useless as the figs or fruit of a tree shaken down before ripe by a tempestuous wind.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

"Here we have one picture of the end; all of the language is figurative."[52] All discussion of whether these passages are to be understood figuratively or literally are beside the point. "That day will spell the end of the entire universe as we know it."[53] "The atomic age has opened our eyes to the fact that such extreme language may be fulfilled with horrible literalness."[54]

[52] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 239.

[53] Michael Wilcock, op. cit., p. 74.

[54] Ralph Earle, op. cit., p. 546.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth,.... All the other inferior deities lost their esteem, worship, and honour; for the idol temples being now opened, the idols and statues were exposed to the common people, and were found to be stuffed with hay and straw, which brought them into great contempt^F12Sozomen, l. 2. c. 5. . Moreover, as stars sometimes signify the ministers of the Gospel in the Christian church, Revelation 1:20, and sometimes the priests in the Jewish church, Daniel 8:10; so they may here likewise include the idolatrous priests among the Heathens, who were discharged and removed by Constantine, and had their posts and profits taken away from them; yea, Maximinus, an Heathen emperor, or tyrant, being beaten by Licinius, who was then Constantine's colleague, killed many of the priests and prophets of his gods, which were formerly had in great admiration by him, as deceivers and betrayers of him, by whose oracles he was animated to the war^F13Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 9. c. 10. . And in like manner Licinius put to death the priests and prophets of the new idol at Antioch^F14Ib. c. 11. .

Even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind; which figs being young and green, and not fixed, fall off easily, and in great numbers, when a blustering wind beats upon them; and so the rabble of Pagan deities, and idolatrous priests, were easily, and in great numbers, removed through the power of Constantine, which carried all before it.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

fell  …  as a fig tree casteth her  …  figs — (Isaiah 34:4; Nahum 3:12). The Church shall be then ripe for glorification, the Antichristian world for destruction, which shall be accompanied with mighty phenomena in nature. As to the stars falling to the earth, Scripture describes natural phenomena as they would appear to the spectator, not in the language of scientific accuracy; and yet, while thus adapting itself to ordinary men, it drops hints which show that it anticipates the discoveries of modern science.

Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament

Her unripe figs (τους ολυντους αυτης — tous olunthous autēs). An old word (Latin grossi) for figs that grow in winter and fall off in the spring without getting ripe (So Revelation 2:11.), here only in N.T. Jesus used the fig tree (Mark 13:28) as a sign of the “end of the world‘s long winter” (Swete). Cf. Isaiah 34:4; Nahum 3:12.

When she is shaken of a great wind (υπο ανεμου μεγαλου σειομενη — hupo anemou megalou seiomenē). Present passive participle of σειω — seiō “being shaken by a great wind.” See Matthew 11:7 for the reed so shaken.

Vincent's Word Studies

Untimely figs ( ὀλύνθους )

Better, as Rev., unripe. Compare Matthew 24:32; Isaiah 34:4. Only here in the New Testament.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

And the stars fell to, or towards, the earth - Yea, and so they surely will, let astronomers fix their magnitude as they please.

As a fig tree casteth its untimely figs, when it is shaken by a mighty wind — How sublimely is the violence of that shaking expressed by this comparison!

John Trapp Complete Commentary

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Ver. 13. And the stars] Rome’s dunghill deities, together with their chemarims or chimney chaplains, the priests. Confer Isaiah 34:4; Daniel 8:10; Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

This is but another phrase signifying a great change: the whole verse is much the same with Isaiah 34:4. Literally these things were never yet fulfilled. It is a phrase signifying the fall of great and mighty men.

Alexander MacLaren's Expositions of Holy Scripture

звезды небесные пали Слово «звезды» может означать любое небесное тело, большое или маленькое. Здесь оно не ограничивается обычным значением, которое имеет в языке. Лучшее объяснение – это массивный астероид или метеоритный дождь.

незрелые смоквы Зимние смоквы, которые растут без защиты листьев и легко срываются с дерева ветром.

Foy E. Wallace's Commentary on the Book of Revelation

3. The stars of heaven fell unto the earth--6:13.

The downfall of Jewish authorities, rulers, and officials of government is here symbolized. The same signs are used in Isaiah 13:10 in the prophetic description of the fall of the Babylonian rulers. The princes and nobles of the Babylonian kingdom were called stars in Daniel 8:10, and were said to be "cast down"; and in Daniel 12:3 God's people were said to shine "as stars forever."

4. As a fig tree casting untimely figs when shaken by mighty wind--6:13.

The fig tree was the most familiar fruit bearing tree of scripture illustrations. The first pair clothed their nakedness with fig leaves. (Genesis 3:7) The universal benefits of the new covenant were envisioned by Malachi as "every man under his vine and under his fig tree." (Micah 4:4) The desolation of Nineveh is compared by Nahum to the ripe fig falling from the tree that is shaken. (Nahum 3:12) The dissolution of the enemies of God's people is described by Isaiah to the leaf falling from the vine and to a falling fig from a tree. (Isaiah 34:4) The rejection of the Jews was insinuated by Jesus in the cursing of the fruitless fig tree. (Matthew 21:19)

So the maledictions about to fall upon the persecutors of the Lamb's followers all symbolized by the casting, or forcible falling, of figs from the tree "when she is shaken of a mighty wind"--the wind of divine wrath. Isaiah compares the withholding of divine judgments against Ephraim as the staying of "his rough wind" (Isaiah 27:4); and Jeremiah prophesied that a "full wind" would come upon Jerusalem, "not to fan, not to cleanse," but as a judgment to execute "sentence against them." (Jeremiah 4:11-12) So this apocalyptic seal makes the casting of the fig from the tree, "when shaken of a mighty wind," a portent of the destruction that was reserved for the persecutors of the Lamb's people.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

stars, &c. See Revelation 9:1 and compare Daniel 8:10, &c.

heaven. See Revelation 3:12.

mighty = great, as verses: Revelation 6:4, Revelation 6:10, Revelation 6:17.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

Stars ... fell ... as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs - (Isaiah 34:4; Nahum 3:12.) The Church shall be then ripe for glorification, the anti-Christian world for destruction; accompanied with mighty phenomena in nature. As to the stars falling to the earth, Scripture describes phenomena as they appear to the spectator, not in scientific language: science itself has often to do the same. Yet, while adapting itself to ordinary men, Scripture drops hints which anticipate modern discoveries.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

the stars

8:10-12; 9:1; Ezekiel 32:7; Daniel 8:10; Luke 21:25

untimely figs

or green figs. of a.

Isaiah 7:2; 33:9; Daniel 4:14; Nahum 3:12

Reciprocal: Job 15:33 - shake off;  Psalm 46:6 - earth;  Isaiah 13:13 - I will;  Isaiah 28:4 - the hasty;  Isaiah 34:4 - all the;  Ezekiel 38:20 - the fishes;  Joel 2:31 - sun;  Joel 3:15 - General;  2 Peter 3:12 - the heavens

E.M. Zerr's Commentary on Selected Books of the New Testament

Stars of heaven refer to men in high places who lost much of their power by the changes that Constantine was making. Untimely figs means fruit that is not ripe, yet it was shaken loose by the revolution going on in the government.

Hanserd Knollys' Commentary on Revelation

Revelation 6:13

Revelation 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

By

heaven

here, we are to understand the Roman pagan empire in its glorious state, with their temples, altars, idols, and worship. { Isaiah 34:4-5}

And by the stars of that heaven,

is meant, the kings, princes, dukes and earls (who wear a golden Star), also the arch-clams, clams, and all the orders of the pagan priests ( Revelation 6:14-15; Read Ezekiel 32:7-8; Joel 2:10; Jeremiah 13:9-11; Matthew 24:29). The fall and ruin of the Roman kings and priests, are here fitly resembled by

a fig-tree that casteth her untimely figs when it is shaken with a mightily wind;

that is the dispensation of the wrath of almighty God. { Daniel 2:34-35; Daniel 2:44-45}

Ernst Hengstenberg on John, Revelation, Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel & Psalms

Revelation 6:13. And the stars of heaven fall to the earth, as the fig tree casts its unripe fruit, when shaken by a strong wind. Every thing mighty is in Scripture transferred to heaven; see on ch. Revelation 12:9. But the stars of heaven, in particular, are so natural an image and symbol of the greatness and splendour of worldly rulers, that the employment of them in this sense is found among almost all nations, and pervades also nearly all Scripture, from Numbers 24:17 onwards (see my work on Balaam there.) In Isaiah 34:4-5, Isaiah says in words, from which those here are principally taken, to which also those of our Lord in Matthew 24:29 refer, "And all the host of heaven is dissolved, and the heavens are rolled together as a scroll; and all their host falls down, as a leaf falls from off the vine, and as that which is withered from the fig-tree. For my sword is bathed in heaven, behold it comes down on Idumea." It is the same thing in meaning that is expressed in Isaiah 34:12, "Their nobles! there is none whom one calls to the kingdom, and all their princes have come to nothing." The heaven is the princes-heaven, the entire order of kings and nobles. The stars are individual princes and nobles. The "in heaven" of Isaiah 34:5 puts this beyond a doubt, as heaven stands there for the region where the sword rages, which could not be said of heaven in the proper sense. Michaelis remarks, "That this prophecy cannot be understood immediately of the last day, is clear from the circumstance, that the desolation of many regions follows this rolling up of the heavens." In Isaiah 24:21, "And it comes to pass on that day, that the Lord will visit the host of the height in the height, and the kings of the earth on the earth," the second member is explanatory of the first. No trace is to be found anywhere else in the Old Testament of a punishment of "the bad heavenly powers." The whole chapter has to do only with judgments on the earth. The height occurs in Isaiah 24:4, Isaiah 26:5, in undoubted reference to the heights of the earth. In Isaiah 14:12, the now fallen and prostrate king of Babylon appears under the image of the morning-star falling from heaven. In this book itself, ch. Revelation 12:4, in imitation of Daniel 8:10, mighty kings appear as the stars of heaven, and their overthrow is represented as the falling down of these to the earth. In ch. Revelation 8:10 a great star of heaven denotes a mighty ruler.

In regard to the image of the fig-tree we may apply what Bengel says of the book in the next verse, "When Scripture compares something very great to what is very small, the majesty and omnipotence of God, before which the great is as the small, is thereby magnified, Job 38:9." To the "strong wind," corresponds the mighty storm of the divine judgments; comp. ch. Revelation 7:1.

In the verse before us, therefore, we are told, that those who have been the leaders in the conflict with the kingdom of God, in the persecution of his church, shall first experience his avenging hand; that the abuse of their power must draw after it the shaking and the absolute loss of that power: an announcement, the truth of which is realizing itself anew. With devout wonder we see before our eyes, how the stars of heaven are falling to the earth, precisely as a fig-tree, when violently shaken by the wind, casts off its unripe fruit. But the immediate fulfilment was the overthrow of the possessor of the old Roman power, the bright morning-star, that shone in heaven at the time the Apocalypse was composed.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

13.Stars of heaven fell—On the optical falling of the stars by the commotions of the earth and heaven see our note on “the stars shall fall from heaven.” Matthew 24:29.

Untimely figs—Winter figs, which usually drop off in spring.

Shaken of a mighty wind—A vivid figure of the rush of divine power sweeping the earth in the day of doom.