The Bowl Judgements

Introduction:

What we are going to be looking at in this passage is the wrath of God continued. This is terrifying judgment, judgement of such horror that it staggers human imagination, and the hardships will increase, it won’t last forever though. The Antichrist will be defeated and his control and reign stripped from him. God does permits the forces of evil to go only so far before He intercedes.

The seven seal judgments: Seem to be a preliminary judgements, that is judgements that take place prior to the half way point of the tribulation.

The seven trumpet judgments: These seem to take place during the seven great tribulation period.

The seven bowl judgments: Seem to take place at the end of the world, at the end of the great tribulation.

There are a couple differing views: Some see these as the same seven judgements just in three different aspects. And as we will see tonight there is some truth to the three aspects.

v. 1) The Bowl Judgements

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”

Last week we saw that God sealed the temple, until these seven judgements are completes, and therefore the loud voice coming from the temple has to be God Himself.

The previous two chapters were leading us to this moment:

Revelation 15:1 NKJV

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

Revelation 14:10 NKJV

10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

There are two truths we should recognize concerning God’s judgements here:

God is just and righteous. Because of that we should be given confidence that God will right all the wrongs and injustices upon the earth.

God loves and cares for the world He created. He is not going to allow wickedness and evil to continue on and on… He is going to bring it to a halt.

As we look through these 7 bowls our minds should recall images from Exodus. There are a lot of similarities between Exodus and our passage.

And an important question some have asked is, are these plagues symbolic?

While we might not be able to full grasp the extent or the gravity of the judgements, but God’s judgment of this world is not going to be symbolic. Something that is important to grasp is that the reality behind the symbol is alway more real, and in our case more terrible then we could imagine.

Application: Through the seal judgements and the trumpet judgments there is so much grace given. God’s mercy and justice can be seen in the way He starts off through the preceeding judgments, in a sense it can be viewed as a taste of what is to come… here we have the releasing of the full wrath of God.

A point of application needs to repent earlier than later. Some people, like myself, think, “I will enjoy myself now. Later when I’ve lived my life, I will get right with God.” That type of thinking is a terrible mistake. Sin over time hardens the hearts, making for some a point of no return. The more times God’s warnings are ignored and willful sin takes place, the more serious the consequences will be. This also applies to the Christ who ignores God’s calling for them to live in obedience to His Word.

v. 2) The First Bowl: Upon the Earth

So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

Vial and bowl: we shouldn’t picture in our minds something like a test tube or a cereal bowl. The idea is of the bowls used in sacrificial offerings. This are probably more akin a large saucer, where all of its contents would be quickly and completely poured out.

This first bowl is being poured upon the earth. Foul and loathsome sores appear on those who have sided with the beast. What is being described here is:

Sores that will be harmful and malignant, open and foul; painful and putrefying, ugly and repulsive, humiliating and embarrassing.

Sores that will cause agony and torment, that will give no rest from the pain.

Sores that will be incurable and consequently will have no relief from the pain.

These sours are something like the judgment of boils that fell upon the Egyptians in Exodus 9:8-11. The prior judgement of the earth Revelation 8:7 destroyed the grass, trees, and every green thing. This time around it is dealing with those who have made a stand to reject God.

Application: Sin always comes with consequences. Temptation appeals to the flesh. It lures believers with promises of thrill, excitement, freedom, and pleasure. But the results do not live up to their promises. It only brings about guilt and death.

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

James 1:13–15 NKJV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

James 1:12 NKJV

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

Let the truth about sin open your eyes so that you can see through those lies and choose the godly way, the narrow way, not the path of instant gratification.

v. 3) The Second Bowl: Upon the Sea

Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man, and every living creature in the sea died.

For this judgement and the following, some believe that it is an isolated incident believing that what is being spoken of here is the Mediterranean sea and not all the oceans of the world. If all the oceans, the little human life left would be hard pressed to survive. Especially if there was no more source of fresh water.

Or it could mean all. I believe that it will be all, Revelation 8:8-9 shows only a partial contamination of the sea. Here that contamination is complete.

The point is that these are judgments that are quite recognizable to be the judgements of God.

The sea doesn’t necessarily become blood, but looks like blood. It will match the appearance.

There is an example of something like this happening nowadays. It’s called the red tide. It is where there is a harmful algal bloom that kills thousand and thousands of aquatic life and is dangerous to humans.

v. 4) The Third Bowl: Upon the Fresh Waters

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and spring of water, and they became blood.

Just as I have mentioned I believe that this judgment also is complete contamination in contrast the the partial (1/3) pollution of fresh waters shown in Revelation 8:10-11. Because of the severity of these judgment the second coming of Jesus has to be close at hand, because the human race cannot survive for very long.

“They thirsted after blood and massacred the saints of God; and now they have got blood to drink!”–Clarke

[Side-note] In discussions with people you might find yourself talking with someone cannot understand the principle of judgements… They question them because they do not fit in with their understanding or ideas of God. Usually to them God is too loving and kind to ever do such a thing as pour His wrath out upon the earth.

However, it seems that an angel knew that they would be objections to these judgments.

vv. 5-7) Degree: the Righteousness of God’s Judgement

5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things.

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.

7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

Apparently there is an angel of the waters.

[5-6] Even in the midst of judgment, it is right that the angel proclaims this, “You are righteous, O Lord.” Not only is God justice fair, in fact it is never less than fair. It is also pure and appropriate. There is no “vigilante justice” with God. Again God is not vindictive.

It is completely fitting that those who delighted in shedding the blood of the saints should now be forced to drink blood. They refused the Living Water, and now will be given death to drink.

The rivers of Egypt were polluted by God with something similar to what we are seeing here, polluted with some kind of blood Exodus 7:17-25.

[7] This is either an angel speaking from the altar, or the altar personified, representing the corporate testimony of the martyrs, representing the corporate testimony of the martyrs and the prayers of the saints.

Revelation 6:9 NKJV

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

Revelation 8:3–5 NKJV

3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

I want us to take a moment and really try to grasp what is being spoken of by these angels… That God executes exactly what the ungodly and evil deserve.

John 5:30 NKJV

30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

Romans 2:2 NKJV

2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

Psalm 48:10 NKJV

10 According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.

Psalm 103:6 NKJV

6 The Lord executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.

Psalm 119:137 NKJV

137 Righteous are You, O Lord, And upright are Your judgments.

Isaiah 45:21 NKJV

21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.

Application: My prayer is that we do not fall into the trap of setting ourselves up as a higher authority than God, by judging Him for His decisions. God is perfectly just and holy. We should praise Him for His righteous judgements, even when those judgements are terrible and sad to behold.

The alternative is a tolerant God who allows sin to go unchecked. The murdering of His saints allowed to go unpunished. Be careful, and do not judge God. God is the judge, you my friend are not. Behold Him for who He is.

vv. 8-9) The Fourth Bowl: Upon the Sun

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

vv. 10-11) The Fifth Bowl: Upon the Beast’s Kingdom

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.

11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

vv. 12-16) The Sixth Bowl: Upon the Euphrates River

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are spirits of demons, preforming signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his same.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

vv. 17-21) The Seventh Bowl: Upon the Air

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”

18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.

19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of he nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

Application:

10 virgins passage make sure you are ready for the coming of the Lord. Do not be unprepared for the rapture of the church. God help us.

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’