Revelation Study 20 Chapter 16
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Revelation Study 20 Chapter 16
Revelation Study 20 Chapter 16
Where did we leave off? Another “sign”, a “semeion”, a visible event intended to convey meaning beyond that which is normally perceived in the outward appearance of the event.
Which was? 7 angels with seven plagues, given 7 golden bowls with God’s wrath in them.
How do we perceive the word “wrath”? It is not temperamental, or reactionary, spontaneous or arbitrary, but rather just retribution, Lex Talionis, calculated and fair and always in response to man’s sin.
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Based on what we know from scripture, how would we finish this sentence? God is love, we must remember that. His wrath is also a response from His love.
What else do we know about God? He takes no pleasure in punishing the wicked,
Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
What else?
The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
Remember we talked about justice, the quality of being just, impartial, or fair, and dealing justly with right actions.
What has God done prior to these judgments to help facilitate repentance? Here in Revelation, but also in history.
These 7 plagues poured out as the wrath of God is the full and final judgments of God.
The sea of glass mixed with fire is the purifying effect of the judgments of God, a refinement that brings chaos into order and subdues the realms of the enemy.
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
His deeds are great and amazing
They are just and true to His word and His character
His righteous acts have been revealed.
Now on to chapter 16
Now on to chapter 16
These bowls are in groups of 4 and 3, the first four on creation and people, natural disasters and direct punishments, the last 3 are on the false trinity, his kingdom, and his alliance.
Caution before we start, literal vs symbolic. It’s hard to tell here, but safe to err on the symbolic side and allow the imagination to picture how horrific if these are literal.
Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not,
and on the peoples that call not on your name,
for they have devoured Jacob;
they have devoured him and consumed him,
and have laid waste his habitation.
English Standard Version Chapter 16
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.
A loud voice, from Jesus or from God, it’s coming from where? The temple, naos, the inner sanctuary or place of God.
Go and pour—What are we to make of this now? This is under the divine sovereignty of God and His direction, it’s the first time we clearly see He is directly punishing the earth dwellers.
These are poured out on the earth—and the earth dwellers, why tell us who this bowl will affect? Because citizens of heaven are still on the earth??
What happened when the first angel poured out his bowl? Harmful and painful sores came upon who? Those who bore the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The earth dwellers, not the sealed saints of God.
What is this punishment for? Worshipping the beast and taking his mark.
Have we heard of painful sores in judgment scripture before? In Exodus, plague #6
The Lord will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.
All of these bowls or wrath parallel the situation just prior to Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In both places, here and there, the purpose of God is to effect positive changes for good, judgment falls on the evildoers, God’s people are protected from the worst of it, God’s mighty power is displayed, and the rebellious refuse to listen and harden their hearts, thus bringing further judgment on themselves.
What happened when the 2nd angel poured out his bowl? It was poured onto the sea and it became like the blood of a corpse?
Reminiscent of the 1st plague in Egypt where the Nile was turned to blood.
But this gives the impression that it’s even dead blood, not living flowing but still stagnant blood.
This seems like a total, no longer a 1/3, but a complete destruction, all is affected, catastrophic
How about the third plague? Blood again on all the rivers and springs
There is now no source of drinkable water at least in that part of the world or globally.
But…
And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
Angel in charge of the waters—what are angels? Messengers and servants of God. In a world where “gods” where thought to have power and control over worldly elements, winds, sun, waters, John emphasizes that only our God does and has His servants do things for Him.
God is just and holy, who is and was, (not is to come), and He has brought these judgments.
God’s judgments are not arbitrary, He is just and holy in doing this. Why? Sin must be punished because of His justness and removed because of His holiness.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
Because throughout the millennia God has sent his prophets and saints to witness of His goodness, His love, His provision, His grace, His mercy, His love displayed ultimately in Christ, the ultimate witness and the “earth dwellers” have rejected them and murdered them.
Lex Talionis, blood for blood, just and fair.
I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,
and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.
Then all flesh shall know
that I am the Lord your Savior,
and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
And I heard the altar saying,
“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”
Who’s voice could this be? God’s, the altar itself (personification), or the martyrs under the altar. Nonetheless, the voice is affirming this is just and true to God’s Word and His character.
English Standard Version Chapter 16
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
The 4th angel pours out his bowl and? It was poured on the sun.
Past judgment darkened the light by a third, in Egypt the sun was darkened so no light shown, now the sun’s heat is intensified.
The sun is now “allowed” or better yet, given to or appointed to, cause. God is causing the sun to scorch the earth and its inhabitants.
What was created good and to allow life, necessary for life, is now a mortal enemy of those who worship the beast, an inescapable judgment.
What is unique now in these verses of chapter 16? It would seem that these judgments were redemptive, meant again to bring repentance.
But… they cursed the name of God, and they did not repent and give Him glory. Still worshipping the name of the beast and giving him glory and joined him in cursing/blaspheming God.
Who had power, authority, control over the plagues, nothing, not even evil, can operate outside of God causing or allowing.
But God is good, so good will come from these plagues. What good? justice and ultimately His kingdom fully come.
The fifth angel pours out his bowl and it is poured on the throne of the beast, what is the result? Its kingdom, his throne and seat of power, his system, the kingdom of the beast is plunged into darkness.
The 9th plague in Egypt, a darkness that can be felt, eerie, evil, causing a supernatural terror.
Darkness—the absence of light, completely outside the presence of God.
so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
What is the effect on the people? They gnaw their tongues in increased anguish, agony and?
In spite of that, They curse the God of heaven for their pain and sores, they did not repent of their deeds, their wicked works because of their worship and allegiance to the beast.
This is it for the judgments on the people, the next two are prep for the culmination of the Kingdom of Heaven, the 2nd Coming of Jesus.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
This is to prepare the way for what the kings of the earth believe to be the battle of the ages, one they think they can win.
The armies of the east, the east biblically symbolizes away from God, an enemy of God
For the early reader this would be nations from the east joining Rome for the utter annihilation of the people of God.
For our future, it is a joining of seemingly enemy world powers to come against and destroy the people of God.
If the bowls were not in a sense symbolic, this would be impossible.
They come with demonic power, gathered by the evil spirits of the dragon, the beast 1 and beast 2, the false prophet.
And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.
Out of the mouth is symbolic for spoken and sent.
For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
The deception coming from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, causing enemies to align and leading many to the slaughter, this will be no battle.
(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)
Who is speaking here?
What does this verse remind us of?
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.
But remember the verse right before, 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Properly clothed, acceptable to the Lord because you are clothed in Christ.
(“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)
What is the warning and who is it to? Or is it an encouragement??
And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
A valley, Jezreel valley, a place of some battles in the O.T.
But unlikely it’s literal.
Meant to symbolize the massive amount of people assembled for this “final battle”. A mountain of people in a place of war.
This is not the last great showdown between good and evil, it is the assembling of the forces of evil for a final judgment.
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Jesus’ words on the cross, it is finished. He won the victory, bore the judgment and wrath, now it will be finished and finalized. Those who have rejected His life and death on their part will now have to bear it.
God from His throne, His kingly ruling throne, it is finished, it has come, His kingdom, well not yet. But the judgments are done.
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
V18—the presence of God, just like on Mt. Sinai
Earthquake, like in Sardis, split the city into 3 parts,
The cities of the nations fell—the man made accomplishments, the representations of the global affect of the demise of satan.
God remembered Babylon the great, God does not forget, so this must mean that it would now be His focus and on “who” He’d act.
For them it would be Rome, for us?? Remember in 11:8 it was Jerusalem but called Sodom and Egypt. Always the symbol of evil power and the system opposed to God.
To make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. This sounds intense, not just pouring out His wrath, but draining, every last drop, all will be expended on “Babylon”.
Every island fled away, from the earthquake, mountains crumbled like in the 6th seal.
Great hailstones (like the 7th Egyptian plague) about 100 pounds each fell on people, from heaven, from God
The largest hailstone discovered in the U.S. fell in Vivian, South Dakota in July 2010. The roughly volleyball-size hailstone weighed 1.9375 lbs, measured 18.62 inches in circumference, and measured 8 inches in diameter.
A 100 lbs hailstone is around 29.8 inches in diameter.
The hailstone would arrive at sea level traveling 284 miles per hour.
The hailstones’ diameter would be larger than the diameter of an average mountain bike wheel.
Imagine how much damage a 29.8-inch diameter 100 lbs hailstone would cause when falling on people and objects at 284 miles per hour!
The treading of the winepress analogy in Revelation 14:20 is fitting.
The hailstones landing on people will have the same effect a person’s foot has when he or she lands on grapes.
The hailstones would absolutely crush anyone or anything that got in their way.
They cursed God for the hail because it was so severe—that is sin, it’s consequences are never what we anticipate, the punishment seems to severe are the words of the unrepentant and selfish, narcissist.
Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
They refuse to look at their own rebellion, sinfulness, deserving of this punishment, realize the God of the Heavens, and bow before Him.
This is the end, full and final judgment, the heavens and the earth have been dismantled and ready for a new heaven and a new earth.
But in chapters 17 and 18 we will see details, a different perspective, on how Babylon is judged and falls.
