The Vials of God’s Wrath II

Rev. 16:8-21

Introduction:  Sunday night we learned that God stepped into this sin cursed world and is bringing judgement on mankind.  They have said no to Christ for so long that now God has to step in to judge them.  The time period of each of the vials which are opened here is short and rapid.  God is orderly and the first three vials were powerful judgments.  God juged the earth, the second is on salt water and the third vial is on freshwater. 

Please notice the remaining vials in which the angels pour out God’s judgement.

I. Judgment on the sun vv. 8-9

A. The punishment v. 8

1.  God prophesied He would use the sun as a form of judgment

“They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, And with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, With the poison of serpents of the dust.”  Deut 32:24

“Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: And it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; And it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.”  Isaiah 42:25

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; And all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: And the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts,

That it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Mal 4:1  

2.  The sun in its normal state, pours out a continuous stream of high energy particles, that race towards the earth at a peak speed of 3 million miles an

hour.  The earth is surrounded by a field of radiation, the magnetosphere, which protects it from full exposure to the sun.

3.  God can remove the atmosphere or move the earth towards to sun if He chooses.

4.  Men will be scorched by great heat.

B. The response v. 9

1.  The human heart is in such rebellion to God at this point, they refuse to turn to Him.

2. Instead of repenting to the God who can eliminate the heat, they blaspheme Him.

3. This is a punishment of sin not a purification from sin.

4. They did not want to give glory to God—people would rather suffer than give God His glory.

II. Judgment on the Beast vv. 10-11

A. The instrument v. 10a

1.  God sent darkness on the Beast and his religious headquarters.

2. This goes back to the ninth plague where all the land of Egypt except for Goshen where Israel was fell into darkness.

3. The darkness that covers the earth as prophesied in Joel 2:1-2-a horrible darkness.

4. Since men have chosen the powers of darkness as their spiritual guides and have scorned the Light of the world, God them what they want-

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”  John 3:19

5. This is thick, cold, darkness, the king you can feel.

B. The reaction vv. 10b-11

1.  The men will be in intense pain from the sores which had erupted on their bodies and the pain of the heat.

2. Men will lift up their voices in cold darkness blaspheming the God who can stop all of these things.

3. The Beast whom they have exalted and worshipped is powerless against this darkness.

 III. Judgement on the Euphrates River v. 12

A. The plan

1. The prominence of the Euphrates River in God’s Word is amazing.

2. First mentioned in Gen. 2 seen as prominent in the first state of man and now it is seen prominent in the last state of man.

3. It has been called the cradle of civilization, it will also be the grace of civilization.

4. 1800 miles long which over half is navigable.

5. Euphrates is the border of East and West which will dry up allowing the armies of the nations to head towards Megiddo for the final conflict.

6. These kings of the East will invade Palestine and the Holy Land.

7. This valley of Jezreel is the sight of many events:  Barak defeated the armies of Canaan, Gideon met the Midianites, King Saul lost his life, Titus and the Roman Army used this natural corridor as did the Crusaders of the Middle Ages.

8. It appears that armies are gathering on their own but all is within Go’d plan.

B. The purpose

1. Since the beast has set up his image in the temple of Jerusalem, it is natural that this will be the place of attack.

2. God is removing the barrier for mankind so that they can accomplish this final warfare.

Interlude: vv. 13-16

The Plan of devil vv. 13-14

A.  The personalities used v. 13

1.  Three frogs-cold blooded amphibians from two worlds.

2. Some have poison in their skin and can change color at will.

3. The demons that are spewed out of the Satanic trinity are like frogs-swift paced, cold blooded, creatures of two worlds full of venom and poison for mankind.

B. The performance explained v. 14

1. Working miracles and deluding men’s minds by inciting them to war.

2. They are sowing the seeds of hate, inflaming passions, and destruction in their minds.

3. They think they can take on the armies of Christ.

The plan of God vv. 15-16

A.  His surprise v. 15

1.  Comes as a thief means He comes to the world uninvited.

2. His coming at this point is immediate.

3. The suffering saints are to be walking in line with God’s will-half naked refers to their Christian Walk and life being clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

B. His summons v. 16

1.  Christ calls His army together.

2. This battle is fought in the locate mentioned earlier

IV. Judgement on Babylon vv. 17-21

A. The announcement v. 17

1.  The vial is poured out in air refers to the entire earth-God is in control of the space-Satan is the prince of the power of the air Eph. 2:2

2. This is the last mention of the temple which means that God is sending orders from heaven.

3. It is done means that God’s salvation is over and there nothing but judgement ahead.

4. It is done refers to God ending the wickedness on the earth when He finishes His judgement.

B. The activities vv. 18-21

1.  Voices goes back to 4:5 from the throne which points to the control of God.

2. Thunder and lightnings-multiple flashes-this is serious judgement from heaven.

3. The greatest earthquake ever which will shake the earth-more than likely worldwide.

4. Satan’s religious v.17 (the harlot), his political and economic system v.18, and his military system (armies 19) are about to be destroyed-this is the end of the Trib. Period.

5. The great city which is Jerusalem will be devastated-divided into three parts-such convulsions of the earth will literally tear apart the capital city of religion.

6. The islands v.20 will be misplaced and some even disappear.

7. Added to all of this will be hailstones 114 pounds falling from the sky upon those remaining-refers back to Exo. 9:22-26-the seventh plague.

“And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.”   Lev. 24:16

8.  In spite of all this, they still blaspheme the Lord.

Conclusion:  God pours out the vials of His judgment with an interlude in the middle as He takes back His world from the devil and judges sin.