Revelation 16:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By the permission of God, the River Euphrates may be diminished in its waters, in order to give passage to pagan kings for the destruction of one another and of men.

We think they will rise from the Scythian regions, the place of Gog and Magog, as Revelation says further on.

But perhaps the antichrist, being of the Jews, will come from the eastern part of the Persian land, where the tribe of Dan is. With other kings and nobles who have inherited the royal name, he will cross the Euphrates.

He will bring upon men the death of soul and body: upon some because of their patience and faith, and upon others because of weakness and lack of courage.

The sixth angel made the River Euphrates shallow, perhaps by drying up some of its tributaries, so that it became easy for the kings to cross it.

By diabolical action and by the permission of God, a multitude of kings gathered for battle against one another. For the Lord said that at the end of the world there would be wars (cf. Mt 24:6-8).

The waters dried up in order to prepare the way for the coming of the king from the east, that is, Christ. Of Him we read: “Behold the Man, the East is His name.” For Him the way is prepared, so that He may execute judgment.

Furthermore, by the name of the river Euphrates, and also by the sea, rivers, fountains of waters, sun, and throne of the beast, upon which the angels are said to pour out their bowls, unclean men are signified.

“And its water dried up.” That is, none of the people will have anything green within himself that is not destined for the fire of the approaching judgment.

Just as above he said that the harvest dried up in ripeness and the gathering of the grapes had come, so here he says figuratively that the water of the river dried up.

Nothing living remained in it. Rather, all was destroyed by the fire of divine justice, by which the ungodly are consumed like dry grass, while the saints are tested like gold.

The word Euphrates means abounding in fruits, or strongly fertilizing.

When the once full-flowing river of the Grace of the Holy Spirit withdraws from men, the spirits of malice, deception, and corruption draw near. But men themselves have driven from their midst the one who until now restrains them (cf. 2 Thess. 2:7).