The Great Chapter Part 7

Introduction:

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

As I mentioned last week, for many, many months now in our study of Revelation, we have been talking about the wrath of God. And not a particularly common subject among preachers, not a common subject for preaching or discussion in our time today, but nonetheless one we’re bound to preach if we’re faithful to the Word of God.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

Sometimes people think the wrath of God and the judgment of God is an Old Testament theme and not a New Testament one. That, of course, is not true. In John 3 and verse 36 we read, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

Romans 3 and verse 5 talks about the God who inflicts wrath. Colossians 3 and verse 6 along the same line says it is on account of these things, that is immorality, purity, passion, evil … impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

All throughout the New Testament the wrath of God, the judgment of God is a recurring theme. When you get into the book of Revelation, it takes center stage because now we’re focusing on the end time when God’s wrath really falls. And it is not only the wrath of God that is discussed, but as I noted for you in 2 Thessalonians 1, it is the wrath of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 6:16 it is called the wrath of the Lamb … the wrath of the Lamb.

I. A Great Command (vs. 1)

II. A Great Canker (vs. 2)

III. A Great Corpse (vs. 3-4)

IV. A Great Commendation (vs. 5-7)

V. A Great Consummation (vs. 8-9a)

VI. A Great Cursing (vs. 9b, 11)

VII. A Great Cloud (vs. 10)

VIII. A Great Collection (vs. 12-17)

IX. A Great Conclusion (vs. 17-21)

This is it!

This is the final tribulation judgment of sinners.

I think, that as we ending our journey tonight through the tribulation, that we contemplate the judgment of God and the condition of the sinner.

As I have said the previous sermons in this series, if they study of prophecy does not increase your heart for evangelism than it has been a waste.

I hope, that as we have gone through these judgments together over the last couple of year really, that a family member of a friend or a co-worker has come to your mind and your heart breaks because they have never trusted Christ and these are the things that are waiting for them.

I hope this has given you a new passion to tell those people that if they have not been covered by the judgment that happened on Calvary, then they are going to experience the judgment of the wrath of God.

You will experience it either eschatologically or eternally.

Men who have never come to the cross to have their sins judged in Christ will be judged for their sins in a devastating holocaust judgment that will last for eternity.

So as we sit here and enjoy the gracious and merciful provisions that Christ has made for us, let us never forget the judgment that awaits those who reject that provision.

Now, the seventh bowl finishes up the wrath of God on sinners on the earth as we know it.

After that, of course, Jesus Christ returns and sets up His Millennial Kingdom.

Now at the end of the one thousand years there is one last judgment that Christ pours out on all those that follow Satan’s rebellion after he is loosed.

But this is the most complete and devastating catastrophe that earth will ever experience.

The Pouring of the Bowl (vs. 17a)

Revelation 16:17 AV

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.

The air encircles the globe.

This whole atmosphere will be affected by this judgment.

By the way, some have noted that is the judgment of Satan final dominion.

He is known, in Scripture, as the Price of the Power of the Air.

He and his demons throughout time have performed their acts of treachery and wickedness in the heavenlies.

There is perhaps a sense in which God is cleansing their last place of dominion, so that all that is wicked has been judged.

But I also think that the reason why we see judgment in the air is because there is going to be cataclysmic changes in the atmosphere.

What else is is going to produce hail the size that is going to be produce.

Certainly no weather pattern that we have ever seen.

So I believe that this is going to be a massive alteration of the atmosphere.

And I will say more on that as we go.

2. The Proclamation of the Bowl (vs. 17b)

Revelation 16:17 AV

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.

Revelation 17:

The term loud or great is used seven times in this bowl, everything about this bowl is great.

This voice has to be the voice of God.

It can be none other than the voice of God, the Most High, possessor of heaven and earth.

He is the one executing this final wrath.

Here is the climax of the great day of the Lord, that spreads doom over the whole face of the earth.

And when God speaks He says, “It is Done”.

By the way, this is the same kind of expression that Jesus proclaimed on the cross when He said, “It is Finished”.

That was a judgment, too, a judgment to provide grace for sinners.

This is a judgment with no grace.

“It is Done”, “γίνομαι” in the Greek and it is a Perfect Tense.

γέγονεν

“It is Done”,

γέγονεν

It means it has been and will remain done.

γέγονεν

γέγονεν

This is it.

Christ then comes and sets up His Millennial Kingdom.

And just like the finished judgment that happen at Calvary where God punctuated it will an earthquake, He is going to do the same thing here.

Only this earthquake is not going to be local, it is going to be worldwide.

And it is going to remake the earth appropriately for the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ in His universal reign.

The curse will be removed.

This is when the Lion will lay down by the Lamb.

When a child can play with a snake and not be injured.

This is when people live to be very old, if someone dies as a hundred years of age, says the prophet, then they will die child.

This is when the configuration of the world completely changes, as we will see, for the Kingdom.

Then at the end of the end of the thousand years, the whole heaven and earth will be recreated.

Here you have a renovation, after the thousand years you have a recreation.

3. The Product of the Bowl (vs. 18-21)

Revelation 16:18 AV

And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

In verse 18 is where the action starts to take place.

Now remember, this bowl was poured into the air, so whatever lightnings and thunders appear, it is not doubt a product the change in the atmosphere that the bowel caused.

Just another note.

Do you remember how the seventh seal were introduced? Let me share it with you.

Revelation 8:5 AV

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

Do you remember how the seventh trumpet was introduced?

Revelation 11:19 AV

And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

And here the seventh bowl is introduced the same way.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

It’s to show the fury coming out of the throne of God as the final event in each of the series of seven unfolds. Each of them is introduced with the elements of a storm.

And then it says that there was a great “σεισμός”, that is where we get the term seismograph, to measure earthquakes.

This is a great earthquake.

Unlike anything that mankind has experienced sense he has been on the earth.

This is going to be, imagine this, a worldwide shake.

This planet is not designed to last.

No matter how much the earth people attempt to do what they will to make it last, it will not last.

It must be restored because it is cursed.

Even the solar system and the environment around the earth is cursed, and it has to be cleansed.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

You remember already through the book of Revelation all kinds of things have been catapulting loose out of heaven, haven’t they, as the solar system has been breaking up. Huge massive chunks of the solar system crashing into the earth, and this cursed tottering imbalanced unstable shaking earth is set for a final shaking. And the final shaking, I believe, is to put it back the way it was before the curse, the Fall and the Flood.

Since when the earth was split that caused the fountains of the deep to gush fourth and formed the continents, since then there have been earthquakes.

The tectonic plates, I believe, were formed during the great flood and it is there moving that causes earthquakes.

MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2014). John MacArthur Sermon Archive. Panorama City, CA: Gra

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

And we’ve always had them somewhere in the world all the time. It’s an unstable earth. It never was designed to be the way it is. God created it perfectly and it didn’t shake, it stayed still until sin caused it to be broken up.

Psalm 104:5–8 AV

Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

Psalm 104:5–6 AV

Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2014). John MacArthur Sermon Archive. Panorama City, CA: Grace to You.

In the original creation, the earth was stable and the water was above the mountains.

Psalm 104:7–8 AV

At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.

And that God cursing the earth.

But there is even a mercy in the curse, isn’t it?

Because even in the cursed earth, there is beauty.

And I believe what you have here is the reverses of that.

Haggai 2:6 AV

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Haggai

I shook it once during the great flood and I am going to shake it again, but this time the heavens and the earth will shake.

It is really quite a unbelievable, unimaginable thing to think about the whole earth shaking.

No where to go, no where to hide.

Now notice what happens as a result of the earthquake.

Revelation 16:19 AV

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

What is this :great city?”

We have a hint to what city this is probably referring.

Revelation 11:8 AV

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Pretty good hint.

What city was Jesus Christ crucified?

Jerusalem. So this great city is Jerusalem.

says that when Christ comes that He will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem to the east, and the Mount of Olives will be split.

Now, if you split the Mount of Olives, guess what city is going to be split?

Jerusalem.

Then Zacharia describes an incredible thing.

There is going to be an earthquake, same kind of thing, and all the lights are going to go out.

Zechariah 14:8 AV

And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

Of course, the former (or eastern) sea is the Dead Sea and the Hinder (Western) sea is the Mediterranean Sea.

What’s going to happen?

God is going to split Jerusalem.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

He’s going to split it, according to verse 19, into three parts. And then there’s going to be a spring that God creates right on Mount Zion that’s going to gush permanently through the Kingdom and Jerusalem will be the divide, its elevation being I think a mile high or more, and the water will flow both directions, east toward the Dead Sea, west toward the Mediterranean, gushing river of waters all year long through the entire Millennial Kingdom.

So listen, the earthquake is not going to judge Jerusalem, it is going to enhance it.

Because if there is anything over there that they need, it is what?

Water!

You say, “Well, why does God not judge Jerusalem?

Revelation 11:13 AV

And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

What is that?

I believe that is the salvation of the remnant of Israel.

So there is no need to judge Jerusalem in the seventh bowl because Jerusalem has already been what?

Saved.

Jerusalem already had their judgment.

A tenth of the City fell, 7,000 people killed and the rest repented.

I think that this is the fulfillment of what the Apostle Paul said concerning all of Israel being saved, I believed that happened Chapter 11.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

It is that great city that is first affected by the earthquake, but the effect is good. It splits, it creates a valley and a fountain of water that flows permanently. So the city of Jerusalem is not diminished, it is enhanced.

Psalm 125:1 AV

They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

You see, Mount Zion is not going to be moved, it cannot be moved.

It is going to be reconfigured but it is not going to be destroyed.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

You want to know something interesting. Mount Zion which is just split and becomes the fountain for the streams that flow east and west may become the highest point in the earth, the pinnacle from which the Messiah will rule.

Micah 4:7 AV

And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

Psalm 48:2 AV

Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

You know what happens to Jerusalem? It’s just made more glorious, more wonderful, more beautiful, getting ready for the arrival of the King whose feet touch the mountain and create the spring.

Revelation 16:19 AV

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

The cities of the nations fell.

Every city is smashed and all the unsaved perished.

All over the world citied just crumble as the earth shakes like it has never shaken before.

The only city that is mentioned here other than Jerusalem is Babylon.

Revelation 16:19 AV

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

More details of the destruction of Babylon will come in Chapters 17 and 18.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

In fact, a lot of details because Babylon is a city rebuilt, it’s already been rebuilt, hasn’t it, by Saddam Huessein(?). It will become the capital city of the Antichrist’s empire.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

It will become the capital city of the Antichrist’s empire. The term Babylon will refer not only to that city but the whole empire. But the city is mentioned here, Babylon the great, the capital city of Antichrist’s empire is going to be destroyed. Now the destruction of Babylon was predicted many, many centuries ago by Isaiah the prophet. I won’t read it, but Isaiah 13:6–13 is a text where Isaiah predicts the destruction of Babylon.

The term Babylon will refer not only to that city but the whole empire. But the city is mentioned here, Babylon the great, the capital city of Antichrist’s empire is going to be destroyed. Now the destruction of Babylon was predicted many, many centuries ago by Isaiah the prophet. I won’t read it, but is a text where Isaiah predicts the destruction of Babylon.

MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2014). John MacArthur Sermon Archive. Panorama City, CA: Grace to You.

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

The term Babylon will refer not only to that city but the whole empire. But the city is mentioned here, Babylon the great, the capital city of Antichrist’s empire is going to be destroyed. Now the destruction of Babylon was predicted many, many centuries ago by Isaiah the prophet. I won’t read it, but Isaiah 13:6–13 is a text where Isaiah predicts the destruction of Babylon.

Revelation 16:20 AV

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

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

The topography of earth is altered drastically. Every island fled away. You know what islands are? What are islands? Mountains in the water, aren’t they? They’re just mountains in the sea. And the mountains are going to flatten out, the islands are going to disappear. That’s pretty frightening for people who live on them to think about. And mountains are going to flatten out.

Revelation 16:21 AV

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Revelation 17:21

John MacArthur Sermon Archive The Seven Bowl Judgment, Part 3

Huge hailstones, about a hundred pounds. Actually that’s a term in the Greek that is intended to express the heaviest weight possible. And the way they expressed it was to conceive of the most weight that a normal man could carry.

The term may identify anything weighing between 90-135 pounds.

And still, man is so severely fallen and wicked that they are still blaspheming God.

Revelation 16:21 AV

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

That is the end, except for one more thing.

The armies that have gathered from the east for the last great battle.

That is going to be exciting to see.