The Final Judgments Poured Out
Notes
Transcript
After seeing things from another angle in Chapters 12-14, we are back to our original storyline. At the end of Chapter 11, we saw that the angel blew the seventh trumpet. Within the seventh trumpet are the seven bowl judgments. Here in Chapters 15-16, we are going to see these seven bowls poured out onto the world and the horrible devastation that results from them.
Chapter 15 is going to give us what is commonly referred to as “The Prelude to the Bowl Judgments”, and then in Chapter 16, we will see the seven angels pour out these bowl judgments upon the earth.
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.
Here, John is telling us what is about to happen. Seven more angels are about to come forth, and with them are the seven last plagues. These plagues are called the last plagues, because in them, the wrath of God is complete. This means that once these seven bowls have been poured out upon the earth, the wrath of God against the sin of man will be complete. God’s wrath will have come in full measure and the time of the end will be at hand.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”
As John looks on, he sees this beautiful crystal clear floor, that would almost be see-through, if it were not for the fact that its color was mingled with the fire of God’s judgment which was about to be poured out upon the earth.
Those tribulation saints, who were redeemed and then killed for their faith during that time, are standing there. These are the ones who have the victory over the beast. Some might believe that the beast overcame them, but it is actually the other way around. Because they did not worship his image or take his mark or number, they will be the ones who stand victorious. They stand there not only to look on as God avenges them, but also to give Him praise.
They have harps in their hands, and they sing the song of Moses, which is actually the song of the Lamb. In this song, these saints point out that God’s works and ways are perfect and true, and because of that, He will receive the worship that is due unto Him.
5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.
7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
1 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.”
Once the song is initiated, it will be time for the final judgments to begin. John sees the temple...opened, and out of the temple comes the seven angels who are to pour out these seven last plagues. These angels are clothed in pure bright linen, and have their chests girded with golden bands, which represents their purity.
It is one of the four living creatures that actually gives them their bowls of judgment. We first saw these four creatures back in Chapter 4. They fly around the throne of God continuously giving Him praise as well as guarding the throne. It is one of these creatures to whom God has entrusted these final plagues to be delivered.
At this time, the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power. This almost sounds like something out of a storybook, but it is very real. It is hard for us to fathom such a thing, but only because we have never witnessed anything like it before. The presence of God Almighty is truly an overwhelming thing, and one day we all will witness that great power in person. For now, we must trust that John is giving us the best illustration of that power imaginable.
This power was so great, that it says no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. Though this is a time of great praise as the martyred saints lift up their songs to God, it is also a time of great magnitude. The final judgments are to be poured out and the weight of this event is upon all of heaven.
The angels are finally told that it is time to go forth and pour out these final judgments upon the earth.
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 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.
This first bowl is not only brings about pain, but it tells us who these bowls are directed at: the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. God’s wrath is being poured out upon the sinful and His wrath will be great against them.
Both fowl and loathsome come from two different Greek words for evil (kakos and poneros). Used together, they emphasize the evil nature of these sores. These are not mere bruises or minor irritations upon the skin, but rather sores that are deep, infected, and painful. Some have even said that there will be no cure for this sores and that many would die from the infections. The depth of their sin will be symbolized in these deep sores, and the agony that they have caused others will be repaid unto them.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns To Blood
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns To Blood
3 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.
This may not seem as if it is such a horrible plague, but rest assure that it is. With much of the world being upside down still from the first part of the tribulation, sea animals will quickly rise to the top of the food chain. They are one of the animals who have not been affected so much by the other plagues. But with this plague, all of the creatures of the ocean will die. This will wipe out a very large portion of the world’s food supply at once and will be truly devastating.
Third Bowl: The Fresh Water Turns To Blood
Third Bowl: The Fresh Water Turns To Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
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.”
Once the oceans have been turned to blood, the fresh water comes next. This third angel does the same with the rivers and creeks. Now all sea life across the globe has been extinguished.
The angels go as far as to tell us that this plague actually has symbolism built into it. Verse 6 tells us that because of the amount of righteous blood they shed, now they have been given blood to drink, only blood to drink.
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched By The Son
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched By The Son
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.
The fourth angel does not pour his bowl out upon the earth, but rather upon the sun. He is given the power to turn up the heat, so to speak. So he does just that and brings about severe burns upon those who have worshiped the beast. It is so bad, that they even blaspheme the name of God, but yet they still refuse to repent.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
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.
The fifth angel will pour out darkness upon the earth. This darkness will spread throughout all of the beasts kingdom, which in turn will be pretty much the whole world. In this darkness, people will cry out in pain. Their sores and burns are killing them and there is no water to treat any of them with. Now it has become dark so that no one can see to even do anything without some from of manmade light.
This will truly be a dark and dreary day.
Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates River Dries Up
Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates River Dries Up
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, performing 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 shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
The sixth angel destroys the last bit of water upon the earth. The Euphrates river will dry up, which is a major river in the use of travel, shipping, fishing, and many other things in the Middle East. But… it also served as a barrier separating the East from the West. Apparently travel was not so simple with the river in place, but now that the water is dried up, the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.
The dragon (Satan), the beast (Antichrist), and the false prophet each release a demon at this point to go throughout the world and gather the armies of Satan. This battle will take place at a place called Armageddon, or Mount Megiddo.
The stage has been set, the armies have been gathered, and the end is finally upon them.
Seventh Bowl: The Whole Earth Is Shaken
Seventh Bowl: The Whole Earth Is Shaken
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 the 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.
This last bowl is poured out into the air. As a result, there were noises and thunderings, and lightnings. Great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. This is somewhere between 57 and 75 pounds, depending on which talent from which time period you use. This last judgment of God brings about natural disasters on a scale never witnessed before.
There will also be a great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. This earthquake will divide cities and nations, cause the islands to disappear, and even level the mountains of the earth. The physical form of the earth will be all but destroyed in this earthquake and no doubt countless lives will be lost as a result.
In this final plague of God upon the unredeemed, Babylon will be remembered before God, and He will give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And once it has been poured out, God speaks from His throne and says that “It is done.”
Those who remain will continue to blaspheme God because of His wrath that is poured out upon them, failing to realize that it is their own sinfulness that caused it all.
