Verse 10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast. The previous judgments had been preparatory to this. They all had a bearing on this, and were all preliminary to it; but the "seat" -- the home; the centre of the power of the beasts had not yet been reached. Here, however, there was a direct blow aimed at that power, still not such yet as to secure its final overthrow, for that is reserved for the pouring out of the last vial, Re 16:17-21. All that is represented here is a heavy judgment which was merely preliminary to that final overthrow, but which affected the very seat of the beast. The phrase "the seat of the beast" -- ton yronon tou yhriou -- means the seat or throne which the representative of that power occupied; the central point of the Antichristian dominion. Compare Barnes on "Re 13:2"

See also Re 2:13. I understand this as referring to the very seat of the Papal powers Rome -- the Vatican.

And his kingdom was full of darkness. Confusion -- disorder -- distress; for darkness is often the emblem of calamity, Isa 59:9-10; Jer 13:16 Eze 30:18; 32:7-8; 34:12; Joe 2:2.

And they gnawed their tongues for pain. This is a "most significant expression of the writhings of anguish." The word rendered gnawed does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, nor is the expression elsewhere used in the Bible; but its meaning is plain -- it indicates deep anguish.

{e} "seat of the beast" Re 13:2-4 {f} "darkness" Re 9:2