Revelation

16.1-21

So many of the previous demonstrations of God's wrath have brought about repentance as the mighty power of the Lord was seen by mankind. Not so in the case of the seven bowl judgments poured out on mankind in chapter 16. Because God is the only One in the sanctuary, we know it is Him speaking to the seven angels (v1) to go pour out His wrath. The first angel poured out "loathsome and malignant sores" on those bearing the mark of the beast (v2). The second poured out wrath turning the seas to congealed blood (v3). The third did the same, but to the rivers of the world, removing all remaining natural access to any source of water (v4). Verses 5-7 declare God's righteousness and the justification of His wrath. The fourth bowl judgement is reminiscent of Isaiah 24:4-6 with fiery judgement coming from the sun (vv8-9). The fifth, poured out on the throne of the beast darkened the sky and prompted the people to join the beast in blaspheming God - sealing their fate (vv10-11). The sixth was not as gentle as it seems, as it sets up the final judgement. The river Euphrates would have been overflowing from the waters expanding in response to the worldwide changes. The bowl judgement drying up these waters allows for the assembled armies of the world to gather at the valley of Armageddon for their final destruction (v16). And then it will be finished - setting up the arrival of Christ "it is done" (v17), as the seventh bowl unleashes the greatest fury the world has or ever will see. The mountains above and below the seas are flattened in such a great earthquake that all the Earth is reshaped. Jerusalem (the great city - v19) is divided into three parts, hail weighing 100 pounds falls, and men yet blaspheme God (vv17-21).

CHAPTER 16

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who have the mark of the beast and who worship his image.
3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters, and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who is and who was, O Holy One, because You judged these things;
6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.”
7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with fierce heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,
11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.
12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.
13 Then I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;
14 for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”)
16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

The Seventh Bowl

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, “It is done.”
18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.
19 And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of His rage.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And huge hailstones, about one talent each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.