When God has had Enough, Pt. 1

Turn to Revelation 16. Last Sunday we were introduced to the final seven plagues of Revelation. Today we begin looking at them in detail. As I studied this passage, I began to search for the theme of the chapter, not trying to force it, not trying to inject my own opinion here or there. I simply wanted the Lord to speak to me through the passage and show me the purpose in all this destruction. And there it was. The theme I was looking for right in plain sight. Look at Revelation 16:17

Revelation 16:17 (KJV 1900)

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Those three words: “It is done” that is the theme of this passage. The judgments written in this passage are the result of God’s wrath that has been stored up for two thousand years on sinful mankind. Can I put this phrase in my own words? God is saying, “I have had enough”.

How many times have you asked God, “When is it going to be enough? How much longer until you return?” My friends, there is coming a day when God will have had enough and He will pour out His righteous anger on those who have rejected Him.

When God has had enough, I want you to see, His righteous anger will be...

Aimed in the Right Direction

Let me be clear on this point, this is a righteous anger. This not God losing control of His temper, this is not God lashing out, this is not God throwing an emotional fit, this is God allowing His anger to come forth, represented by these angels pouring out the seven vials.

There are times when we get and it is justified. More often than not, however, our anger is directed at the wrong people. Something happens at work, you get upset, you get angry, you come home and take it out on your spouse or your children. They are not the reason you are angry, they do not deserve your harsh words, yet more often than not they are the ones who suffer. Not with God. Read verses 2-11...

God in His righteous anger directs were it belongs. You will notice two things about God’s anger…

The Beast and his followers are singled out

Notice a pattern:

Revelation 16:2 “2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.”

Revelation 16:6 “6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.”

Revelation 16:8–9 “8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.”

Let me point out some words of interest:

Men, they, and them

These are descriptions of a particular group of men, those who worship the beast and follow him.

These are the ones who face the judgment of God in these verses., but my friends, let me remind you, God is good! Through all this...

The saints of God are spared

This judgment is for the unsaved, those who are against God and His people.

If we think this world is a bad place now, just wait!

By the time the vials are being poured out being a Christian won’t just be illegal, it’ll be a capital offense.

I don’t know how He will do it, but it appears that God will spare His children from these plagues.

How can you say that pastor?

It’s pretty clear that the judgments are on the unsaved.

Becasue God is holy, righteous, and all powerful, He will be more than able and justified in punishing ONLY those who follow the beast

I’m glad today that I serve a God who can and who will direct His anger in the right direction! Why will God direct His anger at these people in the first place? Church, He doesn’t want to. He has already directed His anger on Jesus! That is what Jesus did on the cross, He took the wrath of God for us! Yet men reject Him. The will have nothing to say when God directs His anger toward them. Why not? Because God’s anger...

Affects Those Who Deserve It

Have you ever been around someone who receives bad news, or faces a difficult situation and heard them say “I don’t deserve this”? That’s true, in fact what they deserve is much worse! What I deserve, what you deserve, more than anything is to be in hell right now! If wasn’t for the mercy of God that is where we would all be! If you’re glad Jesus saved you, say amen!

These people deserve what is coming because they have heard the gospel, heard of the grace of God, the mercy of God and have rejected it! They will get what they deserve in these judgments, and then face eternity in the lake of fire.

This judgment will affect them completely, it...

Affects their bodies

There are “grievous sores” v. 2

Let it be understood that while this judgment specifically mentions the beast followers, all the judgments following are directed at the same group.

The sores are painful, too painful to be imagined, and what is worse, there is no relief

As soon as the first plague begins, the second and third follow affecting...

Food and water

While this may sound like the trumpet judgment, it is different.

That was an isolated events that affected only 1/3 of the fresh and saltwater

These judgments affect all the sea and all the fresh water

Then right on the heels of the plagues on the water comes...

Scorching heat from the sun v. 8

Talk about global warming!

Forget the sunblock, nothing will prevent this plague

Everyone and everything will be scorched

One commentator suspects that the heat will be so intense it will result in 3rd degree burns

To put that in perspective, a sunburn is considered a 1st degree burn, when you are burned and begin to blister, that is a second degree burn. 3rd degree burns involve deep tissue burns with damage to the nervous system.

All this from going outside.

Why don’t they stay inside? They’ll cook like they were in an oven.

No doubt they will look to shade trees for relief…good luck with that! Imagine getting third degree burns from being under a shade tree!

There is no escape from the physical pains of these final judgments. They affect not only the body, but the...

Affects their senses

V. 10 mentions darkness, tangible darkness

Not over the entire earth, but specifically over the “seat of the Beast”

Seat = throne

Most likely this plague will be centered on Jerusalem, where the Beast will set up his throne in the newly constructed temple.

Imagine being in total darkness, you are covered in boils, you are thirsty from the extreme heat, suffering from burns like never before, but you can’t cool yourself with a glass of water or cool your wounds with sterile water.

Imagine being in so much pain you begin to gnaw your tongue to take your mind off the rest of your body! This is an indicator that this plague also...

Affects their minds

They can’t see.

The pain is unbearable.

The thirst is unquenchable.

The torment is inescapable…all sense and logic is gone. Rather than repent, or at the very apologize for their sin, they instead double-down and blaspheme the name of God.

If you had any questions about the righteous anger of God being aimed in the right direction or affecting those who deserve it, then the reactions of the beast followers...

Alleviates Any Doubt

Let me draw your attention to Revelation 16:1

Revelation 16:1 (KJV 1900)

1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

From where did John hear the voice?

This is the voice of God Himself. Twice we are told that the followers of the Beast cried out in their pain, and twice we read they know exactly who is responsible for their situation and twice we read that they refuse to repent and instead blaspheme God.

Revelation 16:8–11 (KJV 1900)

8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 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,

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

Yet we read in Revelation 16:5-7

Revelation 16:5–7 (KJV 1900)

5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

These judgments leave no doubt that they are from God Himself, and they leave no doubt that they are righteous judgment. None of those afflicted in this day deny that they deserve what they are getting, and they understand as well God’s intention behind these plagues.

Do these plagues sound familiar at all?

The darkness and gnawing v. 10-11:

Matthew 22:13 KJV 1900

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30 KJV 1900

30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The burning and the pain v. 2,

Mark 9:43–48 KJV 1900

43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 44 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 46 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

The thirst and the inability to quench it v. 4:

Luke 16:24 (KJV 1900)

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

The plagues inflicted on these men who reject the Lord and follow the beast will be terrible, but they are merely a foretaste of what is to come in eternity.

Conclusion: I want you to listen to me now. I pray that everyone here today knows Jesus as their Savior. I pray that everyone here today KNOWS they have a home in heaven waiting on them, but in room this size, there may be someone who does not know this for certain.

“Why should I be afraid? This is in the future still.” My goal today was not to frighten you, but make you aware of awaits those who reject Jesus. Listen, the rapture could happen today, and I pray it does. But if the rapture happens and you don’t know Jesus, then you could find yourself on the wrong end of the righteous anger of God. His anger could one day very well be aimed at you, it will affect you then because you deserve it, and the worst part of all is, you would have no doubt that you deserve it and that God is justified in carrying out His will.

“Pastor, is there a way I can avoid the anger of God?” Yes! God doesn’t want you to face this judgment, He has already poured His anger on His Son Jesus, and by placing your trust in Him today, you can know that you will NEVER have to fear the anger of a righteous God. Let’s bow for prayer.

Ask Gwen to come forward, give the invitation, and dismiss.