And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. “(v.17)
The Holy Spirit here uses the narrative mode of Inversion in visual terms. Before the seven angels with trumpets would sound we have this for a starter. “And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.”(8:5) The same narrative mode of the Advent of the Son in the fulness of time holds another reverse action, it was in his Ascension. Similar inversions we see in many sayings of Jesus, For instance, “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.”(Matt.20:16)
In response to the seventh angel, there was response ‘from the throne, saying, It is done.” This is one book end. The actions we follow here, which are elaborated in following chapters, are closed within another announcement, “For the former things are passed away./ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful./ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.” It is clear Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. He says, “it is done” twice, within these the judgment of the ungodly must be finished. (See note under v.21)
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
” And the great city was divided into three parts,”
The adjective ‘great’ is used here ironically as ‘the great river Euphrates’ in v.12. The river is dried up ‘That the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. ‘ A brief explanation must be in order.
The river is to be understood spiritually. In the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus we have this colloquy between Abraham and the rich man. “But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented./ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.’ (Luke 16:25-26)
Apart from the narrative mode of Inversion used here we shall compare the significance of the gulf between the blessed and the damned. What the Spirit is directing our attention is preparing the way for the kings of the east. Who are they? They are ‘the kings and priests unto God, and his Father’.(1:6). The river must be dried and where would the waters go? We have a clue: “And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.”(12:16) The earth abides forever. ‘The angels of the waters’ are there to help the left behind church for whom a place has been found.(12:14).
Coming back to the great city of Jerusalem, we have this passage from the Book of Zechariah, to help us. “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle./ And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” (Ze.14:1-4) The cardinal direction mentioned here are with reference to the throne of God and not with reference to geographical directions. For instance, “All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up,” (Ze.14:10). This elevated place refers to New Jerusalem and not literal Jerusalem and the earthquake mentioned in v.18 refers to the breaking of ‘the great city.’ Number Three is a command number referring to the Son.
GuidetohisWord 
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