REVELATION 15 - 16
THE POURING OUT OF THE BOWL JUDGMENTS
Click here to see the "Angels of the Seven Bowl Judgments" picture
Rev 15:1
"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."
15:1
Following the vision of the removal and judgment of unrighteous Jews from off the Earth, John saw another sign, which he says was great and marvelous. Seven angels appeared having the seven last plagues. These angels will carry out the final judgments of God of the Great Tribulation for "in them" he says "the wrath of God is complete". ...............................................................................................................................................................................
Rev 15:2-4
"And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image [NU omits "and over his mark"] and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 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! 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."
15:2-4
Dr. McGee points out this final outpouring of the wrath of God begins in Heaven with a choir! The choir members are the saints from the Great Tribulation. Being both Jews and Gentiles, they can sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb as well. Since we find them here in Heaven, it is obvious that these are folk who were martyred on Earth. Yet, it is said that they have the victory. How so? Well, they aren’t dead , are they?! Nor or they sad. They are singing! They are of those whom Jesus said...
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25b -26
"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28
The day these brothers and sisters were put to death on Earth must have seemed the blackest day of their lives. But immediately after they found themselves in the most joyful and wonderful place imaginable. And now, like icing on the cake, the Lord is preparing to send his seven angels to pour out their Bowls upon the very ones who had put them to death. No wonder they are singing. It says...
2. They are seen standing on the fiery glassy sea before the Throne. May I say to you, only people who have acquired the imputed righteousness of Christ will ever be able to stand unharmed on that most holy, fiery ground. If an unredeemed sinner were to attempt to stand there, he would melt away like wax in a blast furnace. As you have it in Psalm1:4-5...
"The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous."
...............................................................................................................................................................................
Rev 15:5-8
"After these things I looked, and [NU omits "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. 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."
15:5-8
Heaven's temple is referred to fifteen times in Revelation. It is the real temple of which all the ones on Earth were mere shadows. This is a very Jewish scene. God is about to pour out his wrath on the Earth on behalf of his Jewish people. The prophet Zechariah, speaking of that day of reckoning, is very pointed.
"For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘He sent me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye. For surely I will shake my hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,‘ says the LORD. Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become my people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah as his inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for he is aroused from his holy habitation!" Zechariah 2:8-13
And again, in Genesis 12:3...
"I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
The day in Earth's history will surely come when God will avenge his covenant people on their enemies. It will begin by means of his devastating Bowl judgments. It will culminate with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ who will judge and execute all their enemies. Remember, after the Lord takes his Church out of the world, the Tribulation that follows is primarily about his people, the Jews, even though he will also save many Gentiles for his great name's sake.
Coming back to the text, John says he saw seven angels receive from the hand of one of the Living Creatures seven bowls full of the wrath of God. These angels are different ones from the seven angels of the Trumpets. These seven Bowls fall under the angel of the seventh Trumpet. After this we read, "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". Apparently, while God's judgments are being poured out on the Earth below, only his undivided attention upon his wrath will be manifested at Heaven's temple above.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE FIRST BOWL ... FOUL SORES
Click here to see "The Seven Bowl Judgments" picture
Rev 16:1-2
"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the [NU adds] seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.’ 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 worshipped his image."
16:1-2
Christ Jesus is the appointed and sole Judge of all the earth. As Peter told Cornelius...
"And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is he who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead." Acts 10:42
I take it then, that the great voice from the temple that instructed the seven angels to go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on earth, is the voice of Christ. And, since his command is simply to pour out their bowls, it follows that these judgments will occur in rapid succession without pause. They are the final judgments of the Great Tribulation and the lead in for the Lord's Second Coming.
THE FIRST BOWL ... SORES
When the first angel poured out his Bowl, a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. You will remember that the recipients of this judgment were graphically warned by an angel about the consequences of receiving Antichrist's mark (chapter 14). Having ignored his warning, they now must suffer the consequences of their spiritual obstinacy. These last plagues continue to parallel those produced through Moses at the exodus in Egypt. This one parallels the fifth plague on Egypt. As you have it in Exodus 9:8 -10 ...
"So the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. 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. Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast."
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE SECOND BOWL ... THE SEA TURNED TO BLOOD
Rev 16:3
"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."
16:3
You will remember that a third of all sea life was destroyed as the result of the second Trumpet judgment (8:8-9). All remaining sea life will be exterminated by the second Bowl. The target of this destruction, sea-life, is tragic. Here, that which God so lavishly created on the fifth day, he now unceremoniously destroys. I can't help but think of how pleased the Lord was in the day that he made all the plethora of these creatures for man’s pleasure and benefit. We read in Genesis 1:20-23...
"Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.' So the evening and the morning were the fifth day."
All of God’s beautiful sea creatures will perish at the pouring out of the second Bowl ... and all because of rebellious man.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE THIRD BOWL ... FRESH WATER TURNED TO BLOOD
Rev 16:4-7
"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, [NU omits "O Lord"] The One who is and who was [NU adds] the Holy One [omits "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. [NU omits "For"] It is their just due. And I heard [NU omits "another from"] the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments."
16:4-7
When the third angel poured out his Bowl, all of the remaining fresh water on Earth was turned to blood. From that time on, earth-dwellers will have to drink blood to stay alive. Back in 6:9 at the fifth Seal, the martyrs under the altar cried out to God, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth"? Now, their question has been answered. The day of their vengeance has come. This Bowl is Christ’s chosen vindication on behalf of all of his saints and prophets of all time whose blood has been shed at the hands of wicked men. The avenging angel cried out, "You are righteous" "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets"! Then, the altar itself, that place which had seen so much blood in the sacrifices for sin that had been offered, cried out, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments"! By the end of the first three Bowls, all of the waters on Earth will have been turned to blood. This Bowl parallels Moses’ first plague.
'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. 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.’ 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.’" And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the LORD commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood." Exodus 7:17-20
May we step aside here for a moment? All unsaved mankind as well as everything else on Earth is scheduled for judgment. As you have it in John 3:36...
"He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
And in Second Peter 3:7...
"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (KJV)
God's wrath simmers today, but the day will come when it will be poured out on man and Earth alike. People find this very hard to accept, but it is true. No doubt, false and insipid preaching from many pulpits has fueled a good part of the delusion about this. People have been told that God is all sweetness and light and that he, "wouldn’t punish anyone" but the Bible tells a far different story. It is true that God is love (First John 4:4), but he is also righteous and holy and he has promised vengeance on evil doers and that he will one day vindicate his people. You can take it to the bank, there will be retribution on all those who hate his people and reject his love offered through his Son. As you have it in Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 (KJV)...
"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."
The implications of this scripture is enormous. It means that man has the opportunity, the capacity and the responsibility to know God. If they do not, they will be made to pay for it!
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE FOURTH BOWL ... SCORCHING HEAT
Rev 16:8 -9
"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."
16:8-9
Isaiah also prophesied this judgment.
"Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left." Isaiah 24:6
Malachi says...
"For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch." Malachi 4:1
Notice how men will react to this when it comes. Will they say, "uncle"? Will they repent? No. We read they blasphemed the name of God and did not repent. Hard, aren’t they? Note however, the opportunity to repent still exists even at this late hour. God’s hand of mercy is still clearly extended. The door will still be open for men and women to be saved but multitudes will have none of it. This judgment will parallel the seventh plague on Egypt.
"And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt." Exodus 9:23
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE FIFTH BOWL ... DARKNESS
Rev 16:10 -11
"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."
16:10-11
This judgment confirms that the Bowls will come in very quick succession. Notice that Earth-dwellers will be still suffering from the results of the first Bowl’s sores when the fifth Bowl is poured out upon them. Back in 8:12, at the fourth Trumpet, a third of the nights and days were darkened. Now, utter darkness spreads over the earth "twenty-four seven". This judgment will parallel the ninth plague of Egypt.
"Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days." Exodus 10:21-22
Again, we read that men did not repent of their deeds. God's tender mercy is still being offered, however. It is available for any who want it.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE SIXTH BOWL ... THE DEMON GATHERERS
Rev 16:12 -16
"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 [NU omits "of the earth and"] of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 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. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon."
16:12
When the sixth angel poured out his Bowl, the hornet’s nest of Antichrist's kingdom stormed back in great anger. However, it was not because of their anger they began to swarm toward the holy land, but rather, as the result of God's sovereign call to them. The sixth Bowl will loose demon spirits who will cause wicked earth-dwellers to gather to war against the Lamb in Palestine. Let's look at it closer. When the sixth Bowl was poured out:
16:13-14
16:15
Now, suddenly here, the account of the sixth Bowl is interrupted by the Lord's voice. He does so because, time-wise, we are at the very door of his coming. He exclaims, "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame". This is a warning from Christ that is repeated in the gospels when he taught about the Tribulation and the beginning of his kingdom on Earth. Those passages are often greatly misunderstood and misapplied. They are not speaking about the Rapture. They are addressing his Second Coming. In them, Jesus taught it was imperative that his covenant people, the Jews, be ready to meet him at his appearing or they would lose out on eternal life and his Kingdom. Those Jews who were ready when he appears will enter into the joy of their Lord. Those who are not ready will be rejected and lost.
In Matthew 25, for example, Jesus taught two parables, the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Parable of the Talents. Both are directed squarely at the Jews of this future day of his Second Coming. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus said there were 10 virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were prepared for the bridegroom's coming, having acquired oil for their lamps. Five others, however, were slothful and weren't prepared for his coming. They had made no effort to acquire oil for their lamps. Suddenly at midnight, they all heard the voice of the bridegroom coming. The five who were ready, met him gladly and went with him into the wedding but the five who were unprepared went off to see if they could find oil somewhere. Jesus ended the story...
"Afterward, came also the other virgens, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matthew 25:11-13 (KJV)
His teaching is clear. When he appears at his second Coming, only those Jews who are prepared to meet him will gain entrance to his Kingdom. This is the same theme as the Parable of the Talents. There, the unprofitable servant, who hid his talent and had done nothing to prepare for his Master's return, was just out of luck! Of this man, Jesus said...
"And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 25:30 (KJV)
The Lord has bestowed a tremendous amount of gifts and talents (resources), on his people (the Jews) that he will surely hold them responsible for one day. As you have it in Romans 9:4-5 (KJV)...
"Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen."
If they get caught at the Second Coming, having done nothing with these great blessings, having not even received God's great gift to them of salvation in his Son, Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23), their fate will be outer darkness. The voice of Christ that interrupted the sequence of the Bowl judgments exclaimed, "Behold, I come as a thief." This is the last warning in the Word of God to his covenant people. The hour is late. He is at the door. After he appears, all souls who are unprepared will be lost forever.
16:16
"Proclaim this among the nations: ‘Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near, let them come up.’ Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, 'I am strong.’ Assemble and come, all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to go down there, O LORD. Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will diminish their brightness. The LORD also will roar from Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; the heavens and earth will shake; but the LORD will be a shelter for his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So you shall know that I am the LORD your God, dwelling in Zion my holy mountain. Then Jerusalem shall be holy, and no aliens shall ever pass through her again." Joel 3:9-17
Jeremiah speaks of it as well.
"Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will roar mightily against his fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise will come to the ends of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations; he will plead his case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD." Jeremiah 25:30 -31
Isaiah said...
"Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?; ‘I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.’ Why is your apparel red, and your garments like one who treads in the winepress? ‘I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me. For I have trodden them in my anger, and trampled them in my fury; their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, And I have stained all my robes. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, and I wondered that there was no one to uphold; therefore my own arm brought salvation for me; and my own fury, it sustained me. I have trodden down the peoples in my anger, made them drunk in my fury, and brought down their strength to the earth." Isaiah 63:1-6
We learn from these scriptures that although the battle of Armageddon will begin in the north at Mt. Megiddo, it will run to its final conclusion far to the south at Bozrah, the ancient site of the chief city of Edom. At the end of the conflict, Christ will return from there with his glorious garments stained red with blood.
...............................................................................................................................................................................
THE SEVENTH BOWL ... EARTHQUAKE AND HUGE HAILSTONES
Rev 16:17-21
"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!‘ 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. 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. 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."
16:17
Because of the rapid succession of the Bowl Judgments, during the time when the armies of Earth are in the process of gathering to Armageddon, the seventh angel will pour out his final Bowl striking the Earth with a worldwide earthquake of mammoth proportions. This earthquake will destroy Babylon, Antichrist’s capital city along with his entire worldwide empire. The utter annihilation of Antichrist’s kingdom by the seventh Bowl is described in detail in chapter 18.
When the Lord returns to Earth, as set before us in chapter 19, the armies of all the nations will have arrived to do battle with him. Time-wise, when the seventh angel pours out his Bowl, immediately thereafter Christ will descend from Heaven upon the armies gathered at Armageddon. That is why, when this seventh Bowl was poured out, John says, "a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done’". This is the same Greek word that Jesus uttered on the cross saying,"it is finished", tegonen (tegonen) (John 19:30). The remedial and punitive judgments of God on earth will be complete with the pouring out of the seventh Bowl.
Let’s examine this all-important final Bowl a bit closer. The central part of the seventh Bowl judgment will be a worldwide earthquake of an extent never before experienced by man. In the "for what it's worth" department, there are four earthquakes prophesied in Revelation. They are as follows:
2. The earthquake at the breaking of the Seventh Seal when the angel took fire from the brazen altar and cast it down upon the earth (Rev. 8:5)
3. The earthquake that will occur at the resurrection of the two witnesses which will knock down a tenth part of the city of Jerusalem (Rev. 11:13)
4. And here, the granddaddy of them all, at the pouring out of Seventh Bowl (Rev. 16:18)
No Richter scale will be able to measure this quake. The text says the cities of the nations fell and great Babylon was remembered before God. The pouring out of the seventh Bowl is the coup de grace for the Babylon system. She, along with all the rest of the cities of Earth, will be smashed to piles of rubble. The devastation this final Bowl will bring is unimaginable! We read that the islands will sink and every single mountain on the face of the Earth will be leveled. And on top of that, we read that in fierce rage, the Lord will cast one hundred seventeen-pound hailstones upon remaining, blaspheming mankind below. This is not be the first time God has cast such hailstones on his enemies, by the way. When Joshua and the armies of Israel were conquering the promised land, a king named Adonizedec gathered an army of confederate kings to repel them. We read in Joshua 10:11...
"And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the LORD cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword."
Isaiah, quoting the Lord, prophesied the coming of these hailstones of the seventh Bowl as well saying ...
"Also I will make justice the measuring line, and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place." Isaiah 28:17
The pouring out of the seventh Bowl will be the end of Antichrist's global kingdom on Earth.
NEXT