Revelation Chapter 16‏‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! During this week’s fellowship time, we’ll continue our study of Revelation.

Revelation Chapter 16
 
This week we will investigate chapter 16 in our journey of the end times.

As we discussed in our last study, chapter 16 introduces the seven bowls of wrath, God’s final judgment at the end of the 7 year Tribulation period. At the command of the Almighty Yahweh, the Seven Angels will go forth out of the temple to pour out their bowls on to the earth: 

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth – Revelation 16:1

These final judgments will come in a rapid-fire, staccato fashion – each one stronger in fury and intensity. God is now bringing to an end the Great Tribulation by sending judgment upon the followers of the Antichrist. Concerning the Great Tribulation – also known as Jacob's Trouble (see Jeremiah 30:7), Jesus said:

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened – Matthew 24: 21-22

The Great Tribulation period will be so terrible that God will have to shorten it or else no human being will be able to endure it and survive.

 

Unlike the sounding of the Seven Trumpets, the outpouring of these Seven Bowls upon mankind will not be a warning call for repentance but a direct judgment of God's wrath. There is a parallel between the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Bowls. The Trumpets deal specifically with Israel for accepting a seven-year covenant to be made by Antichrist. The sounding of the Seven Trumpets is a warning call to get Israel to repent and also a warning to the world of the impending evil and judgment to come. The events that will take place at the sounding of the Seven Trumpets will be localized in the “third part” of the earth which is the geographical area of the Middle East and the European countries. On the other hand, the outpouring of the Seven Bowls will deal with corrupt mankind as a whole – especially those who will side with the Beast and its Image.

 

The First Bowl Judgment:

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 – Revelation 16:2

The expression “foul and loathsome” also translates as “bad and evil.” By the time God's indignation is poured out upon the earth, mankind will have become very corrupt. 

For those whose spirit, soul and body are one with the adversary of God and who worship the religious system and its image, God will punish them with a “foul and loathsome” affliction that cannot and will not be healed.

 

The Second Bowl Judgment:

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 – Revelation 16:3

When the Second Bowl is poured out, all the seas on earth – salt water – will be affected. Mankind in general will be judged and made to suffer the great and terrible (yet glorious) wrath of the Omnipotent God. The Lord is showing mankind the sinful corruption within them and that He hates corruption. Corruption is evil and spreads like cancer.

When LIFE is rejected, CORRUPTION sets in and DEATH is the result! The wrath of God will be felt the world over as this corruption kills all creatures that come into contact with the “blood as of a dead man” in the sea.

The Third Bowl Judgment:

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 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. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments – Revelation 16:4-7

When the Third Bowl is poured out on the fresh rivers and fountains of waters, “they became blood.” This is God's judgment on the wicked for shedding the innocent blood of His saints and prophets. He is returning to them blood for blood. This is a righteous judgment. It is as if God is saying, “You have killed My saints and My prophets and shed their blood; now drink it!”

Fresh water will be scarce in that hour and many will die for lack of it as the water of many rivers and fountains around the world will turn noxiously red.

The Fourth Bowl Judgment:

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 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 – Revelation 16:8-9

When this Fourth Bowl is poured out God will cause the sun to burn hotter, thus scorching the inhabitants upon the earth with great heat. This is to “get the attention” of Israel to repent for her coldness toward the Word of Yahweh and for their making of a covenant with the Antichrist. However, as God's accumulated wrath continues to pour out, the glorious power of God's righteous judgment also increases in magnitude.

In this Fourth Bowl He increases the heat and the brightness of the sun by as much as seven-fold (see Isaiah30:26). Instead of repenting of their sins and giving glory to God, the wicked would revile God and continue to blaspheme His Holy Name.

The Fifth Bowl Judgment:

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. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds – Revelation 16:10-11

As the Lord pours out His Fifth Bowl upon “the throne of the beast” it will cause those who worship the beast – especially through the second half of Daniel's 70th Week (the last 3 ½ years of the Tribulation) – to realize that their belief is fallacious. When it finally dawns on them that they have nothing spiritually tangible and beneficial under the dictatorial rule of this beastly system, those men and women who worship Antichrist will become disobedient and rebellious toward the him. They are the same people who will be judged with grievous sores and plagues under the first Four Bowls of God's wrath. And they will still be suffering the effects of these judgments even when the Fifth Bowl is poured out.

This shows the cumulative effects of the outpouring of the Bowls. Yes, the Antichrist will lose his grip and the whole beastly “kingdom became full of darkness“ as the wrath of God increases. There will be utter chaos and confusion around the world as God gets ready to destroy this Antichrist system and the Image of the Beast.

This is God giving Satan his due punishment by returning “darkness for darkness.”

The Sixth Bowl Judgment:

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. 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. 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 – Revelation 16:12-14

The Euphrates river divides the Middle East from the Far East. It also serves as the border of the Old Roman Empire. Being 1,800 miles long, about 3,600 feet wide in some places and about 30 feet deep, it was practically impossible, in ancient days, to move an army across the waters quickly and safely. Of course, modern armies are not hindered by this great river of water or any difficulty created by natural topography around it. In a literal sense, the river Euphrates is actually drying up at this present time. As the protective layer of ozone, which blankets the earth, is broken down by chemical pollutions in the air, there are drastic changes in the atmosphere. Hence, rainfall is less abundant with each passing year. Also, in recent years, dams have been built on the upper part of this river near the mountains. Such action reduces the flow of water downstream.

Biblically speaking, the great river Euphrates simply symbolizes a hindrance to the power of the Far East coming into that region of the world. Of course, its drying up symbolizes that “the way of the kings from the east might be prepared” to engage the west and the rest of the world in the “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” – a great confrontation.

Unlike the “Holy Trinity” – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – which has the sharp two-edged sword of Truth and grace proceeding from their mouths, the “unholy (Satanic) trinity” – the dragon (Satan), his beast and his false prophet – has “unclean spirits like frogs” coming out of their mouths. Frogs generally look loathsome and repulsive. Even their guttural croak sounds unclean, offensive and ominous in the dark. 

The “three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon“ depicts the breath (spirit) and the speech of the “unholy trinity” which are of evil intents and influences. They are demonic spirits going forth to do false miracles. But these are not true miracles of healing the sick or raising the dead. These are false miracles which will bring about a concentration of powers and hosts of evil for a wicked purpose. Through these three great enemies of God the nations of the world will be deceived and drawn into the great battle to come. Nations that are at odds with one another will unite or align themselves together. The kings of the east, especially the communist nations which will not be much affected by the power of the Beast, his Image or his Mark, will join forces together.

A PROPHETIC WARNING!

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 – Revelation 16:15

This warning is given to the people of God. The Mystery of both the First and the Second Advents of Christ are hidden from the eyes of the wise and the prudent. Assuredly, as Christ was revealed to a small group among the chosen people of Israel during His First Advent, so will Christ reveal Himself to a “little flock” among the Christian people prior to His Second Advent. Therefore, let him who has received the revelation of Jesus Christ “watch and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” for we are living in a generation of great spiritual darkness!

And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon – Revelation 16:16

Yes, the unclean spirits will gather the kings of the east for the final battle – the Battle of “Armageddon.” “Ar-Magedon” means “City of Slaughter” or “Har-Magedon” means “Hill of Slaughter.” The Battle of Armageddon will not be fought in a city or on a hill, but rather “by the waters of Megiddo” (see Judges.5:19) and “in the valley of Megiddo” (see Zechariah 12:11). These words characterize a great slaughter where blood will flow like waters in a great valley. The battlefield of Armageddon will cover an area spanning Megiddo on the north (see Zechariah 12:11) to Edom on the south (see Isaiah 34:5,6 & 63:1), a distance of 1,600 furlongs or about 200 miles and from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the hills of Moab on the east, a distance of nearly 100 miles. It will embrace three important valleys — the Valley of Esdraelon (part and parcel of the Valley of Jezreel), the Valley of Megiddo (see Zechariah 12:11) and the Valley of Jehoshaphat (see Joel 3:2,12). And at the center of the entire “war zone” will be the City of Jerusalem (see Zechariah.14:1,2).

The Seventh Bowl Judgment:

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!” – Revelation 16:17

“It is done!” All the plagues have been poured out - The end has come!

The final effects of the Bowls will be felt after the last one is poured out and heightening God's judgment on the Antichrist and all powers that withstand God's plan concerning His kingdom. “It is done!” expresses the comprehensiveness and the finality of God's judgment, fulfilling the words of Hebrews:

Whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain – Hebrews 12:26-27

Once again John saw much excitement in Heaven and on earth:

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 – Revelation 16:18

A great earthquake – an earthquake that mankind have never experienced before – strikes the earth, dividing the great city:

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 – Revelation 16:19

The “great city” is Jerusalem. God will shake this city and cause some wreckage but it will not fall. The cities of those nations around the world, which are in league with the Babylonian system, will fall from the effects of this “great earthquake.” They will lay in ruins. The divine intent is to make Babylon drink “the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” The judgment of Babylon is described in greater detail in the subsequent visions to the Apostle John later in Revelation chapters 17 and 18.

At last, this precious earth has travailed long enough:

Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 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 – Revelation 16:20-21

Prodigious hailstones – “the weight of a talent” – weighing about sixty times heavier than those known to men, will strike the earth causing severe destruction in their paths. Being unrepentant, “Men blasphemed God” with their last breath. With a great and powerful earthquake that mankind has never experienced before, our Lord Jesus Christ will reshape the earth – as mountains fall down and islands disappear! With that final blow, He will bring in a new age, the 1000-Year Millennial Kingdom, where He will be the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

What we see here is God's wrath and it will not stop until He has raised the Godly dead who died as martyrs during the Great Tribulation. Then He will judge the living wicked persons of the earth, and cleanse the earth for the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Day of the Lord is quickly approaching.

Time is running out...

 

After the Seven Bowl Judgments of God are complete – it is done and there is no more wrath...

With this information as a foundation for your studies, please read through Chapter 16 of Revelation.

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate chapter 17 of Revelation…

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><

Revelation Chapter 15‏‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! During this week’s fellowship time, we’ll continue our study of Revelation.

Revelation Chapter 15
 
This week we will investigate chapter 15 in our journey of the end times.

Chapter 15 introduces the seven bowls of wrath, God’s final judgment at the end of the 7 year Tribulation period. The scenes described in this chapter give a pictorial summary of the preparation for the outpouring of the seven last plagues prophesied in chapter 16 which will come in a rapid-fire, staccato fashion – each one stronger in fury and intensity. 

A vision of the great multitude of – the Great Tribulation – saints consisting of Gentiles and Jews was once again shown to the Apostle John. However, this time the Tribulation martyrs were seen standing upon “a sea of glass” before the Throne of God in Heaven. Then a vision of the temple in Heaven – as seen earlier in chapter 11 – followed. But here, the temple had become filled with “smoke” and the Ark of the Testament could no longer be seen. When God starts pouring out the “seven last plagues”, He will have left the Mercy Seat and He will cease to show any more mercy…

 

We begin chapter 15 with the third and last great “sign in heaven” that the Apostle John had seen of the many visions God showed him on the Isle of Patmos:

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 – Revelation 15:1

This third “sign” found later in chapter 16 will show what is to be accomplished by the “seven last plagues” which are God's great and final wrath being poured upon the ungodly opposing forces of the Dragon, his Beast, his False Prophet and all those who worship him and his image.

The Prophet Zephaniah also prophesied:

Therefore wait for Me, says the Lord, until the day I rise up for plunder;  My determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all My fierce anger; all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy – Zephaniah 3:8

Therefore, the “seven angels having the seven last plagues” will fully accomplish the intended purpose of the wrath of God as we also see noted in the Psalms:

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name – Psalm 79:6

The “sea of glass” as seen here “mingled with fire” is the fire of the Great Tribulation and “those who have the victory over the beast“ and who are “standing” on it are the “Great Tribulation Saints”:

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 – Revelation 15:2

They are purged and perfected by the “fire” of the Great Tribulation. They came through the “fire” when the Beast was given the power to make war and to overcome them during that terrible period of time described in chapter 13. But they died willingly for their faith, as the Beast could only overcome them physically. Therefore, they “had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name”. And they have the “harps of God” which symbolize their victorious joy as they stand before His throne in the Heavenly Tabernacle. This was the same “great multitude, which no man could number” that John saw in his earlier vision in chapter 7.

 

Next we see two different songs mentioned – the “song of Moses the servant of God” and the “song of the Lamb”:

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! – Revelation 15:3

This passage reveals that there are two groups of people saved out of the fire of the Great Tribulation. The Jewish group will sing the “song of Moses” and proclaim “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!” for they believe in Yahweh – the Lord God Almighty. But to the Gentile group, Jesus Christ is the King of saints and of the nations and they will sing “Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” As the Jewish group stands before the Throne of God, they will come to the revelation that the Jesus Christ of Nazareth – whom their forefathers had crucified – was truly their Messiah! 

 

These two songs celebrate two great redemptive events:

• Deliverance of Israel by God from Egypt through Moses
• Deliverance of sinners by God from sin through Jesus Christ

God’s holy and perfect character inevitably demands that He judge the sin of man. After God’s righteous judgment is complete, He will set up Jesus Christ’s 1000-Year Millennial Kingdom on the earth and the elect from every nation will come and worship Him. Notice the words used by all the Great Tribulation saints as they glorified God:

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 – Revelation 15:4

At this point, almost everyone in the whole world will have bowed down to the Beast. The message of the 144,000 gave strength and courage to these Great Tribulation saints for them to remain faithful to our Lord – even unto death. It gave them the peace, patience and persistence to hold on to their faith until they had found their rest accompanied by the deeds they had done for and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Of course, after the Great Tribulation on earth when the Lord God “distorts its surface” with His wrath, there will be a few people who have survived from every nation left upon the “empty” earth:

Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants – Isaiah.24:1 & 6

As we discussed in our last study, these people will be judged before the 1000-Year Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ begins. Those who are found worthy will live and repopulate the earth during the one thousand years:

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left… Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels…’ – Matthew 25:31-33, 41

Truly, as the Great Tribulation saints had proclaimed, they would have to go and worship the Lord in Jerusalem, just as the words of the Prophet Zechariah declared:

And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles – Zechariah 14:16

Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Peoples shall yet come, inhabitants of many cities; the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord, and seek the Lord of hosts. I myself will go also.” Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord.’ Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” – Zechariah 8:20-23

The Prophet Isaiah also declared:

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore – Isaiah 2:2-4

The opening up of the tabernacle into the Holy of Holies speaks of the ending of God's plan of redemption as “Mercy” leaves the “Ark of the Covenant” and becomes the “Wrath” of God. Unlike the vision of Revelation 11:19, in which the Ark of the Covenant was seen to show that mercy was still available. However, this vision shows the end of mercy!

After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 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. 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 – Revelation 15:5-7

By this time, mankind has rejected the Word of God and now they will have to face His wrathful judgment. God’s full “wrath” came forth out of the temple via the “seven angels” who had the last “seven plagues” and who were “clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands”. These “seven angels” were arrayed as such to show that the Word (Urim) and the Breastplate of Judgment (Thummim – which the High Priest wore when performing his service in the temple) is now ready to judge the world in righteousness. There will be no more mercy – for they will be given “seven golden vials full of the wrath of God” at this future time of judgment.

 

In our closing verse, notice that it was “smoke”, not a “cloud” that represents the glory and power of God:

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 – Revelation 15:8

Throughout the Scriptures, the “cloud” signifies “grace” as we also find in the following Old Testament passages:

• Exodus 40:34-36
• 1 Kings 8:10-11

However, in these Old Testament passages “smoke” signifies “judgment” and/or “destruction” from God:

• Exodus 19:18
• 2 Samuel 22:9
• Psalm 74:1
• Deuteronomy 29:20
• Isaiah 6:1-4

So, we see that the “seven angels” proceed from the temple with the “seven golden bowls” of God's wrath – signifying the glory and the power of God! We see here that God is magnifying Himself in His saints as He judges the world in righteousness with the outpouring of these horrifying plagues. 

 

During this devastating period of time, no one can enter into the temple and no one can approach God till the intended wrath of God – His indignation – has been fully executed on the earth. Similarly, we read in the account recorded by the prophet Samuel:

Then He struck the men of Beth Shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck fifty thousand and seventy men of the people, and the people lamented because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter – 1 Samuel 6:19

Of course, the “temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven” in verse 5 does not refer to a literal structure in Heaven. Rather, it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ in the assembly of His saints who are the Testimony of His Word – The Truth is now with them! 

 

As we have discussed, at the Rapture, the Word – Jesus Christ – and the Bride – His Church – will eternally be together as one! While the unbelieving world comes under the power of the Antichrist, the Lord Jesus Christ and His saints are glorified and honored together in Heaven during the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. As this glorious event closes out, God finally begins to judge the world. Mercy will be available no more, for God’s “wrath” has taken its place. His “smoke” fills the temple – for the wrathful Judgment of God has finally come!

 

As we can see, there will be much activity taking place in Heaven once God's wrath and judgment are cast upon the earth…

With this information as a foundation for your studies, please read through Chapter 15 of Revelation.

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate chapter 16 of Revelation…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
 

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <><