The Seven Bowls

Revelation 16:1–21 NIV

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. 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 agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. 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. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Back when we began this sermon series, we spoke about the difference between the Eastern and Western mindset in regards to time. Western ideology views time as linear while Eastern ideology views time as cyclical. In apocalyptic literature specifically, numbers and patterns help to develop the imagery and significance of what is being told. In Revelation, there are three 7’s denoted of intentional interaction between the unseen and the seen realms. 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls.

Take note that the 7 bowls line up almost exactly with the 7 trumpets.

Plague upon the earth

Plague upon the sea

Plague upon the rivers

Plague upon the sun

Plague upon the enemy

Plague upon the Euphrates

The announcement of the Lord

It is possible that these 7’s do not describe 3 separate events, but rather describe the same event from three different perspectives. Like the gospels share the same events of the life of Christ from four different perspectives targeting 4 different people groups, the 7’s of revelation describe the events of God’s wrath from 3 different perspectives. The seals gave the perspective of the redemptive work of Christ through the judgment. The trumpets

The Tent of Testimony

Revelation 15:1–8 (NIV)

I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your deeds,

Lord God Almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

King of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord,

and bring glory to your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The ultimate reality is once again being shown to us. The scene returns to the throne of the Lord as seen in chapter 4. Joining the Lord, standing around His throne are the victorious ones who have overcome their struggle with the beast, his image and his number. The victorious ones are those who stood in their faith with the Lord and did not follow the enemy or the world. Then they sing this song, the song of Moses, the song sang as the Lord had delivered them from captivity in Egypt and had led them across the Red Sea.

Then John sees the Tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony or the Tent of Meeting. In the Old Testament, this is the dwelling place of the Lord on earth and it is the place where the law and covenant resided in the ark of the covenant. From it emerge seven angels ready to pour out the completeness of God’s wrath upon the world.

The ultimate reality that John has been and continues to point us to is that the real victory upon which we rise from is not victory over the enemy. The real battle is not good against evil; the Lord vs the army of Satan. This victory has already been determined and set in stone. The real battle being waged is the battle of death and life. This is the battle that Jesus waged war with on the cross. This is the basis for our victory and our ability to stand beside the Lord. It is through our salvation that we pass unscathed through the judgment of the Lord.

What John is showing us is that there is a greater battle that is taking place while the perceived battle of the beast v. the army of the Lord is taking place. It is like proposing at a basketball game.