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REVELATION 16: 1-16
16:1 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."
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v1 - These are bowls of final judgement, not like the
trumpets which were warnings. God first warns man through the
trumpets but if these are persistently ignored then he sends his bowls of
wrath, we should also remember that throughout the period of the warning
trumpets the witnessing church has been at work. The seven bowls are also called
the seven plagues. The wrath of God is poured out over the earth which is a
fairly common idea in scripture
Psa 69:24 Pour out
Your indignation upon them, And let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.
Psa 79:6 At Your
rebuke, O God of Jacob, Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep.
Ezek 20:8 But they
rebelled against Me and would not obey Me. They did not all cast away the
abominations which were before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of
Egypt. Then I said, 'I will pour out My fury on them and fulfill My anger
against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.'
Jer 10:25 Pour out
Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You, And on the families who do not
call on Your name; For they have eaten up Jacob, Devoured him and consumed him,
And made his dwelling place desolate.
Zep 3:8 "
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.
They
follow the same pattern as the seven trumpets: four (affecting creation: earth,
sea, water, cosmos); then two (affecting the beast); then the final one in
which the cities of the nations collapsed. The first four affect the land, sea,
springs of water and sun, i.e. God’s creation as announced by the first of the
three angels,
Rev 14:7 saying with a loud voice,
"Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come;
and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."
The
voice from the temple will be God’s voice,
Isa 66:6
The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of
the LORD, Who fully repays His enemies!
The
bowls are poured out on to God’s creation, they affect man indirectly through
his environment. There then follow two further judgements, which concern the
beast, followed by the final judgement. Man is judged personally later. Mounce
makes the point that
2 Thess 1:7 and to give
you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven
with His mighty angels,
8 in
flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do
not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 These
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power,
is about
to be expanded in detail, that is when Christ comes again 'He will punish those
who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus'.
Bowl 1
is poured out on the land and it effects the people who had the mark of the
beast and worshipped his image.
Bowl 2
is poured out on the sea, everything in the sea died.
Bowl 3
is poured out on the rivers; this kills mankind
Bowl 4
is poured out on the sun, which burns mankind, men cursed God
Bowl 5
is poured out over the throne of the beast, men cursed God.
Bowl 6
is poured out over the Euphrates
Bowl 7
is poured out into the air, men cursed God.
We
should notice that the first four bowls affect the created order as announced
by the first angel who commands those who live on the earth to ‘Worship him who
made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water’ (14:7). Because
they refuse to worship Him but worship the beast, the first four bowls affect
the created order: the land, the sea, the waters and the sun. But unlike the
seven trumpets that only affect the created order the bowls affect man directly
as well. Three times the earth dwellers curse God, who controlled these plagues
and they also refused to repent (fourth plague 16:9, fifth plague 16:11, and
seventh plague 16:21).
28.1. First bowl (16:2)
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16:2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the
land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of
the beast and worshipped his image.
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v2 - The
first bowl is poured out on the land but it affects man directly, God afflicts
man first, unlike the first four trumpets which affect the world directly, only
the last three trumpets affect man directly. The first bowl affects all people
who worship the beast and who have therefore given their allegiance to him
rather than God. They refuse to worship God and therefore their hour of
Judgement has come (14:7). See the similarity with the sixth plague on Egypt,
Exo 9:9 And it will become fine dust in
all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man
and beast throughout all the land of Egypt."
in which
festering boils break out on the men and animals. Those who receive the mark of
the beast are marked by God (Mounce). Notice that the bowl is poured out on the
land, yet people are affected, contrary to the first trumpet which did not
affect people,
Rev 8:7 The
first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they
were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all
green grass was burned up.
Just as
Satan afflicted Job with boils (Job 2:7) so the followers of the beast are
afflicted with painful and ugly sores. In
Deu 28:35 The
LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which
cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.
painful
boils were to be the judgement on those who disobeyed God. They had the mark
and they worshipped the beast instead of God, they are idolaters cf, Rev. 9:20.
In Rev. 14:7 we are commanded to worship God or face judgement. The mark of
idolatry through which people seek to escape affliction is now matched by a
sore that brings affliction (cf. Rev.13:16 Koester). Note that God's wrath is
directed at idolaters (also Rev. 21:8,Rev. 22:15) and not the people of God,
who worship God. We have turned from idols to God and to Jesus who rescues us
from the coming wrath
1Th 1:9-10 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry
we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God,
10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He
raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
1Th 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
28.2. Second bowl (16:3)
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16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and
it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the
sea died.
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v3 -
Blood is used to denote death, everything died in the sea compared with the
trumpets in which only a third died, Rev 8:9. Note that in the Egyptian plagues
it was literal blood. The two witnesses also have the power to turn the waters
into blood, 11:6. See the similarity to the first plague on Egypt,
Exo 7:17 Thus
says the LORD: "By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will
strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and
they shall be turned to blood.
in which
the Nile turns into blood. This also reminds us of the lake of blood from the
winepress of God’s wrath in Rev 14:19. Every living thing in the sea died
compared with the second trumpet in which a third of the living creatures in
the sea died, and third of the ships were destroyed (8:8-9).
28.3. Third bowl (16:4)
v4 - The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of
water, and they became blood. - Just as
the second angel made the sea turn into blood so now the third angel turns the
rivers and springs into blood (Psa 78:44). Blood is indicating death rather
than literally, the blood is the punishment for shedding the blood of the
saints and prophets v6. Compare this plague with first plague on Egypt
Exo 7:17-19 Thus
says the LORD: "By this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will
strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and
they shall be turned to blood.
18 And the fish that are in the river shall die,
the river shall stink, and the Egyptians will loathe to drink the water of the
river." ' "
19 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Say to
Aaron, 'Take your rod and stretch out your
hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over
their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood.
And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of
wood and pitchers of stone.' "
in which
the fish in the river die and the water becomes undrinkable even in the wooden
buckets and stone jars. Compare this also with the third trumpet in which a
third of the waters became bitter and many people died, Rev 8:11. One should
assume that the blood indicates that many people died.
v5 - Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are
just in these judgements, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you
have so judged; - Notice
that God is described as the one who is and was, he is not described as the one
who is to come because he has already come in final judgement upon the world,
compare with the seventh trumpet (Rev 11:17) in which he has come. Here is the
angel in charge of the waters, in 14:18 we found an angel in charge of the
fire. Some might say that God was harsh in his judgements, but in relation to
the sins that man had committed he is not. The next verse tells us the reason
why God is just in his judgements.
v6 - for they have shed the blood of your saints
and prophets and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve - The
reason for the judgement is given here, they shed the blood of the saints, one
of the most heinous crimes that man can commit, 1 Tim 1:13. The punishment fits
the crime, they shed blood so they must drink blood, this is similar to the
Levitical code 'life for life'
Lev 24:17 'Whoever
kills any man shall surely be put to death.
18 Whoever
kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal.
Gen 9:5 Surely
for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I
will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother
I will require the life of man.
6 "
Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of
God He made man.
Just as
John uses the expression 'drunk with the blood of the saints' in 17:6,
indicating that the harlot had murdered the saints, so here to drink blood
indicates that these people died as a just punishment for murdering the saints
Psa 79
Isa 49:26 I
will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk
with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the LORD,
am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob."
In the plague on the Egyptians all drinking
water was turned into blood even in the wooden buckets and stone jars
Exo 7:19, They
will come, and all of them will rest In the desolate valleys and in the clefts
of the rocks, And on all thorns and in all pastures.
John takes this and uses it to show that the
persecutors of God’s people must now drink blood because they have shed the
blood of the saints. Prophets are included here because of the tradition of
prophets being persecuted
Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you.
Mat 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the
prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather
your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you
were not willing!
Luke 11:49 Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them
prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,'
The two witnesses were prophets and were
killed (11:7, 10) and in 18:24 it says that in Babylon 'was found the blood of
prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth'.
Note: ‘as they deserve’ is literally ‘they are worthy’ contrast this with the
Lamb who is worthy because of his shed blood. Also ‘shed the blood of your
saints’ literally poured out the blood, echoing the pouring out of the bowls
(Sweet).
v7 - And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and
just are your judgements." - Under
the altar are the martyrs, whose blood has been shed, Rev 6:9. The martyrs cry
for their spilt blood to be avenged is at last fulfilled as God judges the
inhabitants of the earth, it is also later fulfilled by the fall of Babylon,
see Rev 19:2. See Psa 79:10 Why should the nations say, "Where is
their God?" Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge
the outpoured blood of your servants.
28.4. Fourth bowl (16:8)
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Rev 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun,
and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 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.
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v8 - The fourth angel
poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people
with fire. - Notice
that the angels sphere of influence extends to the sun and not just the earth.
There is no corresponding plague on Egypt, although the fourth trumpet affects
the sun, the sun is darkened, Rev 8:12, this plague seems eschatological. This
is the heavenly counterpart to the beast out of the earth who caused fire to
come down from heaven in full view of men and deceived mankind (13:13-14).
Compare with Deu 28:22; ‘The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with
fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and
mildew, which will plague you until you perish’.
v9 - 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. - They were seared by the intense heat of the
sun, this is in contrast to the saints who will not be scorched by the sun, Rev
7:16, compare with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were not scorched by the
blazing furnace. Notice the explicit statement that these plagues are under the
control of God. The indictment of man is that they refused to repent and
glorify him. The angel had already given mankind one last chance in Rev 14:7 to
repent before these plagues. Note that they cursed the name of God, they had
taken on the character of the beast who is covered in blasphemous names, Rev
13:1, 13:5-6, 17:3. Despite this mankind still refuses to repent and glorify
God. They did at least recognise God as the ultimate cause of these plagues but
not the immediate cause in their own sin (Sweet). Just as the saints are told
in 7:16 that 'The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.' So now
their persecutors are scorched by the sun's heat (Osborne).
28.5. Fifth Bowl (16:10)
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16:10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne
of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their
tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and
their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
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v10 - The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and
his kingdom was plunged into darkness - Man
prefers darkness to light so this is what he gets. Man now experiences the
reality of Satan's kingdom, the absence of all good. Having rejected the
goodness of God they get the evil they prefer (xxxx). Satan's kingdom is the
kingdom of darkness. Compare with the ninth plague of Egypt,
Exo 10:22 So Moses
stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the
land of Egypt three days
in which darkness covered the land for three
days. Caird makes the point that darkness represents the political
disintegration of the kingdom of the beast. Sweet points out that Satan’s
throne, which he shared with the beast (13:2), was at Pergamum (2:13), the
Roman provincial capital. It suggests destruction of the central administration
of the empire - something like the chaos of the civil wars of AD 68-69 (Sweet).
v10 - Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven
because of their pains and their sores, - The
effect of the first plague was still in effect (xxxx). For the second time as
in the fourth bowl they curse God. This is again in contrast to the saints for
whom there will be no more pain, Rev 21:4. Compare this with the agony caused
by the stings of the locusts in the fifth trumpet (9:5). If we compare the
fifth seal, fifth trumpet and fifth bowl we find affliction: in the fifth seal
affliction for the church; in the fifth trumpet the locusts torment those who do not have the seal of God on their
foreheads and in the fifth bowl we see the agony of those people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped
his image. Osborne compares the effects of the bowls here, in which they ‘curse
the God of heaven’ with 11:13, when the two witnesses ascend to heaven, where
the earth dwellers ‘glorify the God of heaven’.
v11 - but they refused to repent of
what they had done - The
indictment of man is that despite these bowls they still refused to repent, see
also the fourth bowl, verse 9. Like Pharaoh they were hardened beyond
repentance. Paul’s comment in Rom 9:17-18 is instructive, Pharaoh was raised so
that God could display his power and that his name might be proclaimed in all
the earth.
28.6. Sixth bowl (16:12)
v12 - 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. - There
is a famous incident in history in which Cyrus the Persian king captured
Babylon by diverting the Euphrates river that runs through the centre of
Babylon, his army then went into Babylon through the dry river bed (Barclay).
There is prophecy against Babylon in
Jer 50:38 A
drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is the land of
carved images, And they are insane with their idols.
‘A drought on her waters! They will dry up.
For it is a land of idols, idols that will go mad with terror’. Just as the Red
Sea and the Jordan were dried so that the Israelites could escape Egypt
Josh 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up
the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did
to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan,
Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.
and enter the promised land, so the Euphrates
river is dried up to make way for the kings of the East. Some commentators see
a distinction between the kings of the East and the kings of the whole world,
v14. The Euphrates marks the boundary between Israel and her enemies (Gen
15:18). Note the similarity between the sixth bowl and the sixth trumpet 9:14
in which the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates are releases and
their troops kill a third of mankind.
NASA Report
NASA studies
recently have indicated that the Fertile Crescent region in the Middle East is
losing fresh water at a rapid rate. The water flow in the important
Euphrates and Tigris Rivers has decreased as a result of this trend and
formerly arable land in the area has become cracked and dry. The Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers are drying up, and these are the very rivers that were
once a critical part of the Cradle of Civilization in ancient Mesopotamia 2000
years before Christ. The decrease in water primarily has resulted from a
major drought in 2007 and the loss of snow pack in the mountains to the
north. The image map from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the
National Center for Atmospheric Research shows the vast decrease in fresh water
in 2008, which continues today. This loss has occurred over the last
decade and amounts to over 144 cubic kilometers of water lost from these
ancient river basins, which include vast areas in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and
Iran.
v13 - Then I saw three
evil 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. - This is the first mention of the false
prophet who is the beast out the earth, because he is the one who performed the
miraculous signs on behalf of the beast 13:13, cf. 19:20 and deceived the
inhabitants of the earth 13:14, and is destroyed in 19:20. We again see here
together the unholy trinity of Satan, beast and false prophet. The beast and
false prophet gather the kings of the earth to make war against the rider on
the white horse and his army in 19:19, they are thrown into the lake of burning
sulphur in 19:20. Satan gathers the nations for battle against the camp of
God’s people in 20:7, he joins the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire,
20:10. Three evil spirits come out of the mouths of these three, by coming out
of the mouth it probably indicates that these are lying deceiving spirits, cf.
the river of lies coming out of the mouth of the dragon (12:15) and contrasts
to the sword of the Son of man (1:16, 19:15). Frogs are connected with plague,
compare with second plague on Egypt
Exo 8:3 So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which
shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the
houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading
bowls.
Frogs are unclean animals,
Lev 11:10 But all in the seas or in the rivers that
do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing
which is in the water, they are an abomination to you.
The evil
spirits come out of the mouth, note the word for spirit is pneuma in Greek which is also the word for breath. Caird points out
that from the mouth of the beast came blasphemous pretensions to deity (13:6),
from the mouth of the false prophet came the seductive propaganda of the
imperial cult (13:12-15) and from the mouth of the dragon came the river of
lies with which he tried to overwhelm the church (12:15). Paul calls false
teaching the doctrine of demons
1 Tim 4:1 Now
the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith,
giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
Unholy trinity of Satan
We again see here together the unholy trinity of Satan, beast and false
prophet. The beast and false prophet gather the kings of the earth to make war
against the rider on the white horse and his army in 19:19,
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And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against
him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
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At
the end of the war they are thrown into the lake of burning sulphur in 19:20
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And the beast was taken, and
with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he
deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that
worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning
with brimstone.
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Satan gathers the nations for battle
Satan gathers the nations for battle against the camp of God’s people in
20:7, he joins the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire, 20:10.
Three evil spirits come out of the mouths of these three.
Deceiving spirits
By coming out of the mouth it probably indicates that these are lying
deceiving spirits, cf. 1 - The river of lies coming out of the mouth of
the dragon (12:15) and
cf. 2 -
contrasts to the sword of the Son of man (1:16, 19:15).
Frog – unclean Animal
Frogs are connected with plague, compare with second plague on Egypt (Exo
8:3). Frogs are unclean animals, Lev 11:10.
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And all that have not fins and
scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of
any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto
you:
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The evil spirits come out of the mouth, note the word for spirit is pneuma
in Greek which is also the word for breath. Caird points out that from the
mouth of the beast came blasphemous pretensions to deity (13:6),
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And he opened his mouth in
blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them
that dwell in heaven
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from the mouth of the false
prophet came the seductive propaganda of the imperial cult (13:12-15) and from
the mouth of the dragon came the river of lies with which he tried to overwhelm
the church (12:15)
v14 - They are
spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, - The miraculous signs are
caused by demons, and performed by the beast out of the earth, Rev 13:13, who
is here identified with the false prophet. They perform miracles in the same
way as the coming of the man of lawlessness will, 2 Thess 2:9.
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Even him, whose coming is after
the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
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v14 - and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them
for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
This is the battle of Armageddon, v16, it is again referred to in Rev
17:14
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These shall make war with the
Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of
kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
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Rev. 19:19
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And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and
against his army.
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This is one example of parallelism in Revelation.
This battle precedes the Second Coming, which is referred to in v15. For other
references to the last battle see also Zech 14
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For I will gather all nations
against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses
rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into
captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
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This
is also a reference to Psalm 2:2, 'The kings of the earth take their stand and
the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One'.
v15 - Behold, I
come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with
him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." –
Rev 3:3 I come like a thief!
This
interjection is a warning to the church, that Christ is coming soon, c.f. the
warning to Sardis to wake up in 3:4
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Thou hast a few names even in
Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in
white: for they are worthy.
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Being
awake when Christ returns is a common theme in scripture, meaning being
spiritually prepared for his coming, Mat 24:43, 1 Thess 5:1, 2 Pet 3:10, Rev
3:2. His Second Coming comes during this battle, hence its unexpected mention,
Rev 19:19-20 see also Zech 14:4,5. This
is the third of seven blessings in the book. The church in Sardis had to wake
up 3:2, the martyrs were given a white robe, and there were some in Sardis who
had not stained their clothes 3:4. The clothes are the garments of salvation.
Those who lost their clothes could refer to back-sliders. Those who go shamefully
exposed are people whose sin is seen, c.f. the naked Laodiceans who are counselled
to buy white clothes to wear to cover their shameful nakedness (3:17-18).
v16 - Then they
gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. –
This is again referred to in Rev 19:19 and Rev 20:8, another example of
parallelism in the book. Armageddon or Har-Magedon, Magedon is normally
connected with Megiddo, the Har meaning mountain. Megiddo is the place
where the enemies of Israel are routed led by Deborah (Judg 5:19). Armageddon
is the symbol of every battle in which, when the need is greatest and believers
are oppressed, the Lord suddenly reveals His power in the interest of His distressed
people and defeats the enemy (Hendriksen). This last battle is referred to here
and other places in Revelation (17:14, 19:19, 20:9, cf. also 11:7 ff. 13:7).
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