Revelation 16:10-11; The Seat of the Beast – Darkness

Revelation 16:10-11 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

The first four plagues were poured out on God’s creation: the earth, the sea, the rivers, and the sun. But the fifth plague affects the throne of the beast, namely, the seat of Satan’s spiritual empire. Also, the last three plagues in this series of seven are sent directly to the followers of Satan. These followers blaspheme the God of heaven (v11), are deceived by the false prophet (v3), and are shaken by the forces of nature and see their world collapse (v18–21).

Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. 

Revelation 16:18-21 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. 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. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 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. 

The seat or throne of Satan is mentioned with reference to Pergamum as representative of Rome (Revelation 2:13; see also 13:2).

Revelation 2:13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feetof a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 

There emperor worship had its center and there the first Roman administrative center in the province of Asia was located. … Whereas the first four bowls affected nature, the fifth one acts upon a spiritual realm. The throne of the beast is a spiritual throne described as the pit of the Abyss (9:1). Also, the rule of the Antichrist is not limited to a given era or a particular place. Wherever God rules on the face of this earth, Satan establishes his throne and claims authority (Luke 4:6). Last, all the citizens in the kingdom of the beast are stricken with fear, despair, and pain.

Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 446). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.