Revelation 15-18

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

Though these bowls are called the bowl’s of God wrath but they are also warning judgments for the people of the beast to repent and turn to God (Rev 16:9, 11, 21).

The seventh bowl includes a vision of the destruction of “Babylon” (Rev 17-18) the city of world which symbolises love of power, of money; of pleasure; and of sexual sins.

God’s people are warned to “get out” of Babylon so they will not be affected by its destruction (Rev 18:4-5) for inflicting suffering, persecution and killing of God’s people who hold on to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 6:9)

Revelation 15.

Another great and awe-inspiring sign appear in heaven; seven angels with the seven last plagues; God’s wrath will be completed with them; John also saw the victors over the beast, its image and the number of its name standing on the sea of glass with their harps from God (v.1-2)

= God’s wrath completed the “fire” Jesus wanted to throw on the earth but has to go through his baptism on the cross first (Lk 12:49-50)

They sang the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb; just and true are your ways God; King of the nations; who will not hear and glorify your name? you alone are holy; all nations will come and worship before you; your righteous acts have been revealed (v.3-4)

= song of Moses praises God for the salvation in the exodus (Ex 15:1-3); song of the Lamb praises Jesus for the exodus he has won on the cross (Lk 9:30-31)

= In the OT God says that his name will be great among the nations from the rising to the setting of the sun (Mal 1:11); all knees will bow; every tongue will confess: Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:9-11)

The heavenly temple, the tabernacle of the testimony was opened; the 7 angels with the 7 plagues came out of the temple; dressed in pure bright linen; golden sashes around their chests (v.5-6)

= This is the throne of God which we are encouraged to come boldly to and receive mercy and grace to help us in our weaknesses (Heb 4:16); the golden sashes around their chests is just like the one Jesus has (Rev 1:10) which is righteousness, the armour on the chest from the the armor of God (Eph 6:14)

One of the 4 living creatures gave the seven angels the seven golden bowls filled with God’s wrath; God who live forever; the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power; no one could enter the temple until the 7 plagues of the seven angels was completed (v.7-8)

= The OT speaks of a cup of wrath in the hand of God (Ps 75:8) which is given to the unbelievers to drink (Isa 51:17). Christ drank that cup of wrath for us believers on the cross (Lk 22:42) so we don’t have to drink it again (Isa 51:22)

= God’s glory is revealed when his wrath is completed (2 Thess 1:9-10)

Revelation 16.

The First Bowl (Rev 16:1-3)

Severely painful sores broke out on people who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped its image

= Similar to the plague #6 in Egypt (Ex 9:9-11) which God promised will come upon those who rejected the word of God (Dt 28:27,35)

The Second Bowl (Rev 16:3)

Poured into the sea; turned into blood like that of a dead person and all life in the sea died

= Similar to the second trumpet (Rev 8:8-9) and plague #1 in Egypt (Ex 7:14-21) so this disaster is to punish unbelievers, those who worship the beast and his image and so do not hold on to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The aim of grieving them with this plague is for them to repent (2 Cor 7:9)

The Third Bowl (Rev 16:4-7)

Poured out into the rivers and springs of water and they became blood; the angel of the waters say: The Holy One is just; who is who was; he has passed judgment on these things; because they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets; God has given them blood to drink and they deserve it; the altar says: Yes, Lord God; true and just are your judgments

= Similar to Trumpet #2 (Rev 8:10-11) and plague #1 in Egypt (Ex 7:14-21). Here, we are told that this is God’s vengeance for killing saints and the prophets (Dt 32:35) and so the altar where the saints are martyred affirms God’s true and just judgment (Rev 6:9)

The Fourth Bowl (Rev 16:8-9)

Poured on the sun; allowed the sun to scorch people with fire; people were scorched by intense heat; they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; they did not repent and give him glory

= Trumpet #4 turns off a third of the sun, moon and stars (Rev 8:12) but this one gives the sun power to scorch people so they may repent and give glory to God (Lk 24:47; Ac 26:20)

The Fifth Bowl (Rev 16:10-11)

Poured out on the throne of the beast; its kingdom was plunged into darkness; people gnawed their tongues because of the pain; they blasphemed God because of the pain and their sores; they did not repent

= Again, this bowl contains warning judgments which is like the plague #9 in Egypt where darkness came on the Egyptians while Israel enjoyed light (Ex 10:21-23) and the aim is for unbelievers to repent and yet they refused (Am 4:10)

The Sixth Bowl (Rev 16:12-16)

Poured on the great river Euphrates; its water dried up; preparing the way for the kings of the east; three unclean spirits come out of the dragon’s mouth and from the beast’s mouth and from the mouth of the false prophets; they are demonic spirits performing signs; travel to the kings of the world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God the Almighty;

= The River Euphrates is the eastern most boundary of the Promised Land (Dt 11:24) and its water is dried up like in the exodus (Ex 14:21-22) allowing kings from the east where the enemies of Israel came; a demonic spirit comes out of the beastly trinity to assemble the kings of the world to gather battle (Zec 14:2) but they gather to Armageddon but there is no battle. Again, this is a vision of the enemies of God coming against God’s people but this is spiritual enemies (Eph 6:12)

Jesus warns: Look I’m coming like a thief; blessed is the one who is alert; and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame

= This warning in the midst of gathering the kings of the world against God tells us that this conflict is happening to us (Eph 6:11-12) and so we must not be discouraged but stay alert (Lk 12:35-38) and remained clothed in our white robes (Rev 3:4; 7:14) so we will not be shamed for everyone who believes will not be shamed (Rom 10:11; Isa 28:16), for Jesus will come unexpectedly like thief (Mt 24:43-44; 1 Thess 5:2)

So; nations assembled the kings in the place called Armageddon in Hebrew

They gathered but there is no battle. How can humans fight their Creator God? Impossible. The Battle was won on the cross (John 12:31) and continues in the spiritual realm (Eph 6:12) and that is what we shall see when Bowl 7 is poured out.

The Seventh Bowl (Rev 16:17-21)

Poured into the air; a loud voice from the temple; from the throne says: It is done; flashes of lightning, rumbings, peals of thunder; severe earthquake like no other; the great city split into three parts; cities of the nations fell; Babylon the great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup of his fierce anger; every island fled; every mountain disappeared; enormous hailstones 100 lb fell on people; they blasphemed God for the plague and the hail for it was extremely severe

= The bowl is poured into the “kingdom of the air” which is the spirit at work in those who are disobedient (Eph 2:2) and the voice from the temple and from the throne repeats what Jesus said on the cross: It is done, it is finished (John 19:30). This is another indication that the battle of Armageddon happened and won on the Cross (Col 2:15).

= The lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and the severe earthquake shows the coming of God to rescue his people from the battle of Armageddon just as he did to David (Ps 18:11-16).

= The great city split into three parts resembles what Zechariah predicts to happen when God comes down to do battle with his enemies (Zec 14:4) and cities of the nations fell for the Lord fought against the nations on the cross (Zec 14:3)

= Babylon the great which symbolises the city of this world and its love of wealth, status, pleasure and wickedness will be remembered and given the cup of the Lord’s fierce anger just as Babylon who destroyed God’s OT church was judged (Jer 51:1-2) and the islands will flee and the mountains will disappear because the Lord is coming for judgment (Isa 54:10; Jer 4:24; Eze 38:20; Na 1:5; Rev 6:14)

= The enormous 100 lb hails that fall on people is similar to plague #7 in Egypt (Ex 9:18) which is aimed at unbelievers to repent but people continue to blaspheme against God and not repent (Lk 13:1-15)

Revelation 17: The Continuation of the 7th Bowl of Wrath

One of the 7 angels of the bowls spoke with John: Come I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who is seated on many waters; kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her; those who live on earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality; so John was carried away in the Spirit to a wilderness (Rev 17:1-3)

= This is the city of this world seated on peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (Rev 17:15) committing sexual sins through the political power of this world (Rom 1:26-27); all who live on the earth are intoxicated with sexual sins like in Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:4-5); but we need to be in the Spirit to be able to see that this is the situation of the world we live (Eph 1:18-19) in the wilderness on the way to the promised land (Ex 16:1)

A woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names; 7 heads and 10 horns; the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet; adorned with gold, jewels an pearls; had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable and with the impuirities of her prostitution; on her forehead was written a name: A MYSTERY: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE DETESTABLE THINGS OF THE EARTH; the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus; John was greatly astonished when he saw her (Rev 17:4-6)

= the woman is the city; the beast is the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1) who is going to destruction (Rev 17:8); the 7 heads are seven kings of whom the beast is the 8th king (Rev 17:13); the 10 horns are ten kings who are yet to received kingdoms (Rev 17:14)

= They represent political powers set up against God and his people because they are drunk with the blood of God’s people (Rev 17:6) who have been martyred for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 6:9)

The woman is the city called Babylon the Great which is a title take from King Nebuchadnezzar’s boast on how Babylon embodies his power, his wealth, his glory (Dan 4:30) and so is the city of this world (Ezek 28:13)

The angel asked John about his astonishment and said he is going to explain the mystery of the woman and the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns that carries her (Rev 17:7)

= John is astonished by the vision of the woman and so the angel is going to explain it to him, and so he begins:

The beast who is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction

= the beast whom those who live on earth whose names are not written on the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see: calls for the mind that has wisdom (Rev 17:8)

= This is the beast from the sea (Rev 13:1) who is embodied by the political authorities against God and his people (Rev 13:6); the people of the beast will be astonished by its appearance; probably because of the healed wound on its head (Rev 13:3).

The 7 heads = 7 mountains on which the woman is seated = 7 kings; 5 have fallen; 1 is; the other has not come; when he comes he must remain for only a while; the beast is the 8th king; it belongs to the 7 going to destruction (Rev 17:9-11)

= The 7 mountains represent Rome which is the political authority of John’s days but together it’s the fullness of political authorities against God but they are heading towards destruction just like Babylon who destroyed God’s church in the OT (Jer 51:13)

The 10 horns = 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for 1 hour; these 10 kings have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast; they will make war with the Lamb; but the Lamb will conquer them for he is Lord of lords and King of kings; those with the Lamb are called, chosen and faithful (Rev 17:12-14)

= These are political and religious authorities setting up against the Lamb and his people (Mt 10:19-20) but they will be victorious over them since they have been called, chosen and are faithful to him (Mat 10:22) and though they suffer in this world but the Lord will restore them (1 Pet 5:10)

The waters where the prostitute was seated = peoples, multitudes, nations and languages (Rev 17:15)

= This waters represent the people of this world; both secular and religious who loves wealth (1 Tim 6:9) like the Pharisees (Lk 16:14-15) and suppress the truth of God with ungodliness (Rom 1:18)

The 10 horns and the beast will hate prostitute; they will make her desolate and naked; devour her flesh and burn her with fire; God has put into their hearts to carry out his plan by having one purpose; to give their kingdom to the beast until the word of God are fulfilled (Rev 17:16-17)

= God’s plan is for the Lamb and his people to triumph over the beast and his political manifestations, the woman (Dan 7:21-22). It appears that evil is self destruct just like the evil of Judas in betraying our Lord destroyed him (Mt 27:3-5)

The woman = the great city that has royal power over kings of the earth (Rev 17:18)

= representing the city of this world as Babylon the destroyer of the temple of God in the OT that was destroyed by God (Jer 50:28; 51:11)

Revelation 18. The Continuation of the 7th Bowl of Wrath

Another angel with great authority coming down from heaven; the earth was illuminated by his splendor; calling out in a mighty voice:

= This angel appears like the watchers that Daniel saw who came down and decreed the deposition of King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:23)

Babylon the Great has fallen; and has become a home for demons; a haunt for every unclean spirit; a haunt for every unclean bird and despicable beast; all nations have drunk the wine of her sexual immorality; which brings wrath; the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess (Rev 18:1-3)

= Like the Babylon of old, the present city of this world with all its glory, power, wealth, pleasures and wickedness will fall because it lived for sexual immorality, wealth and sensuality (Rom 1:18-32) and hated God’s beloved people (Isa 13:20-22; Mal 1:3) for holding on to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 12:17)

Another voice from heaven said: Come out of her my people so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues; her sins are piled up to heaven;

= God’s people are to live in the world but not to belong to this world (John 17:16) nor to love this world (Jas 4:4); they are set them apart from unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14-16). The same message was given to the church of the OT regarding the earthly city of Babylon (Jer 50:8; 51:6, 9, 45).

God has remembered her crimes; pay her back the way she also paid; double it according to her works; as much as she glorified herself and indulged in her sensual ways; give her much torment and grief; for she says in her heart: I sit as a queen; I’m not a widow; I will never see grief; so, her plagues come in just one day; death, grief and famine; she will be burned up with fire; because God who is judging her is mighty (Rev 18:4-8)

= The city of this world will be judged just as Babylon in the OT for not showing mercy on God’s people (Isa 47:6-7) and for thinking they are secured in their wickedness and being boastful about their wickedness (Isa 47:9-10)

= She will burned with fire because that is the final judgment of this creation order (2 Pet 3:12) and that God is a mighty judge.

The kings of the world who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning; they will stand far off in fear and torment saying: Woe, woe the great city Babylon, the mighty city, for a single hour, your judgment has come (Rev 18:9-10)

= The kings of the world will mourn for loss of their means for getting wealth just as in the OT when the merchant city of Tyre fell (Ezek 26:16-17)

The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her; no one buys their cargo any longer; the gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all kinds of fragrant wood; objects of ivory, objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, grain, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, human lives; the fruit you craved for has left you; your splendid and glamorous thing are gone never to be found again (Rev 18:11-14)

= The wealth of this world will be useless on the day of God’s judgment will come upon both the seller and the buyer as with the unbelieving church of the OT (Ezek 7:12-13)

The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand far off in fear and torment weeping and mourning saying: Woe, woe, the great city; dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels and pearls; in a single hour; such fabulous wealth was destroyed (Rev 18:15-17)

= wealth will not be able to save the great city when God’s destruction come upon her (Ps 49:6-7); her destruction come in a single hour since everything she has is destined for fire (Hab 2:13)

And every shipmaster, seafarer, sailors and all who do business by sea stood afar off; watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out: Who was like the great city? They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping and mourning: Woe, woe, the great city where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth; in a single hour was destroyed: Rejoice over her heaven; you saints, apostles and prophets; God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you (Rev 18:18-20)

= These are the workers who benefitted from the wealth of the city, they will mourn for their wealth is gone (Pro 11:28); the wealth they so trusted in is all gone in one hour and so we believers must not trust in wealth (1 Tim 6:18-19)

= God’s judgment on the city of this world comes because of shedding the blood of God’s people (Rev 6:9); the justice of God will be realised (Lk 18:6-7)

Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone; threw into the sea saying: In this way Babylon the great city will be thrown down violently; never to be found again;

= The same destiny was pronounced on Babylon in the OT by the church of God that was under Babylonian captivity (Jer 51:59-64) and so all the more reasons for us believers not to give in to the deceptiveness of wealth (Mk 4:19) but to trust in the provision of our heavenly Father (Matt 6:32)

sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, trumpeters will never be heard in you again; no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; sound of mill will never be heard in you again; light of lamp will never shine in you again; voice of groom and bride will never be heard in you again; all this will happen because your merchants were the nobility of the earth; all nations were deceived by your sorcery; in her the blood of prophets and saints were found; all those slaughtered on the earth (Rev 18:21-24)

= Just as Babylon was judged for destroying God’s temple in the OT (Jer 50:28; 51:11) so also the city of this world with all its wealth and wickedness will be judged for shedding the blood of prophets and saints (Rev 6:9) who constitutes the temple of God which they destroyed (1 Cor 3:16-17)

= the source of enjoyment, the source of wealth will be removed and will be replaced with mourning and torment from God’s judgment for the peace and the faithful love of God will be removed from this world and from the unbelieving church of God (Jer 16:5, 9)

Summary:

These bowls are suffering and torment for those who worship the beast, that is, those who do not hold on to the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 12:17). God gives them opportunities with these punishments to turn to him but they refuse. This shows that our God does not want the death of sinners but desires for them to turn and live (Ezek 18:32). Bowl 6 in connection with Bowl 7 shows that Armageddon was the battle on the Cross where Jesus says, “It is done” (John 19:30). Bowl 7 continues in the judgment of the city of this world Babylon for persecuting and slaughtering believers. Yet even this is a vision of the final destruction of the glory, power, wealth and wickedness of this world to warn us believers that we do not love this world and give in to the deception of wealth and wickedness for we are not of this world (John 17:12) and to separate ourselves from unbelievers (2 Cor 6:14-16) so we do not suffer the punishment reserved for them when Jesus returns (2 Thess 1:9-10)