Revelation 16:1 "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."
Here we see 7 angels pouring out the wrath of God on the earth.
Go your ways - Although John does not specify the moment for giving this fearful command, the context makes evident that it will be issued soon after the close of probation but prior to the coming of Christ.
Obviously the series of calamities foretold here is still future.
Because the first plague is poured out upon men who have received the mark of the beast and who worship its image, this places the plagues after the image of the beast has been established and the mark enforced (Revelation 13:14-17), and also after the proclamation of the third angel, which warns against the beast and its mark (Revelation 14:9-11). And since the seven last plagues constitute the fullness of God's divine wrath (Revelation 14:10; 15:1; 16:1), this clearly implies that the probation of those upon whom they fall has closed (Revelation 22:11).
Since at the time of the fifth plague men are still suffering from the sores of the first plague (verse 11), this implies that the plagues are poured out successively and in a comparatively short period of time. It also appears that the judgment of mystical Babylon, which takes place under the seventh plague (verse 19), precedes the kings of the earth at the appearance of Christ.Pouring out the vials - To afflict the earth with the calamities figuratively represented by the seven bowls testifies to the authority and power of God. Both result in the defeat of men who chose to defy God, and thus in the deliverance of His people from a situation that would otherwise be without remedy. Both demonstrate the justice of God and bring glory and honor to His name.
The ten plagues upon Egypt were literally painful and each was designed to demonstrate how false the claims of their gods were, and how futile their reliance was upon false religion (Exodus 7:17; Exodus 12:12). In a similar way the seven last plagues will be literal, yet each will strike a blow at some aspect of apostate religion and have symbolic overtones. For instance, it is obvious that the first angel did not pour a literal chemical from a literal bowl upon men who had received a literal mark inflicted by a literal beast. But the angel himself is probably literal and the men upon whom his vial falls are certainly literal men, and their sufferings equally literal. The symbolic significance of the third plague is clearly pointed out in Revelation 16:5-6.
The Wrath of God
It may be asked why God would torment men in the fearful manner described in Revelation chapter 16 after the close of human probation when there will be no opportunity for repentance. Why doesn't Christ come and end the reign of sin immediately? In Old Testament times various calamities, such as invasion, famine, pestilence, earthquake and other natural disasters were often permitted by God as remedial, disciplinary agencies to bring men to repentance (see Isaiah 1:5-9; 9:13; 10:5-6; 26:9; Jeremiah 2:30; 5:3; Hosea 7:10; Joel 1:4; 2:12-14; Amos 4:6-11; Haggai 1:5-11; 1 Samuel 16:14; 2 Chronicles 18:18). Obviously the seven last plagues can serve no such purpose. However, there can be no doubt that the plagues do serve a necessary function in the outworking of the plan of Heaven. It may be noted that the first four or five plagues are in a sense a preliminary nature and lead men to realize that they have been fighting against God. But instead of repenting they curse Him more bitterly than ever and become even more resolute in their opposition (Revelation 16:9, 11, 21). So the plagues serve to reveal the spirit of rebellion which controls their hearts. The tares as it were are proved to be tares (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43), and God's justice in destroying them is made evident. Being prepared to die for another is the ultimate act of love. (John 15:13) And so the intent to take another's life marks the ultimate degree of hatred. During the last two plagues a situation develops that makes this distinction apparent. The justice of God in ending human history is made evident to men as well as angels (Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10; Revelation 16:13-14, 16-17). It will be demonstrated before the universe that the remnant people would rather die than disobey God, and that those who have chosen the service of Satan would if possible slay all who stand in the way of their purpose to control the earth. Caught in the very act of attempting to execute the death decree, they will stand without excuse before God. So the line is clearly drawn between those who serve God and those who don't, and through the unconverted Satan is permitted to demonstrate what the universe would be like if he was allowed to control it. It is interesting to note that of the 10 plagues in Egypt the first three were also suffered by the Israelites but the last 7 were only upon the Egyptians. The plagues fell on Egypt just before the Children of Israel were liberated from their slavery. The plagues are going to fall on this wicked world just before Spiritual Israel, God’s people, are liberated from the world that is in bondage to sin. And so, just before the second coming, there will be a period and I believe based on some things in Revelation and Daniel, that the period of the plagues will all fit within one year, because when you look at the severity of these things, how long can the world can go on with the fresh water supply being blood, or the oceans being blood, most of the population of the world lives either by rivers or oceans, also men being scorched with great heat. Also, when we look at the time span of the plagues that fell on Job, it was just a matter of weeks when you read the context. And how long did the plagues last that fell on Egypt? Again, it was the matter of a couple months, and so for these reasons, based on those stories, the plagues will probably fall just with a few months. And it says in Revelation, "All of her plagues come within one day", and a day in prophecy is a year, therefore it looks like within a year it all happens. Revelation 16:2 "And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image." So the first angel pours out his vial or bowl on the earth, (The numerical assignment of each angel demonstrates that the plagues are successive) and those who have received the mark of the beast and worshiped the image to the beast etc. received loathsome sores. These are no ordinary sores; they are extremely painful, so painful that the scripture says the people gnawed their tongues because of the pain. In the LXX Septuagint the Greek word for "sore" is described as boils that came upon the Egyptians (Exodus 9:9-10), a "botch" that could not be healed (Deuteronomy 28:27), and of the boils that came upon Job (Job 2:7). Against this "sore" the boasted miracle working power of the spirits now working with apostate Christianity (Revelation 13:13-14; 18:2; 19:20) prove useless. The false claims that men have based on miracle working power is demonstrated in a way that they cannot deny. This is the first installment of "the wrath of God" it falls upon those who have failed to heed either the third angel's message, which warned them against worshipping "the beast and his image" (Revelation 14:9), or God's final call to come out of mystical Babylon (Revelation 18:1-4). Revelation 16:3-5 "3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus." The second angel poured out his vial upon the sea - Under the third plague the "rivers and fountains of waters" are affected in a similar fashion. The sea is primarily for international commerce and travel. It has been suggested that by the obstruction of international travel and trade, (Revelation 13:13-17; 16:13, 14; 17:3, 12) this plague demonstrates God's displeasure with respect to Satan's plan to bind the nations of earth together under his control. Compare Balaam's experience (Numbers 22:21-35). Became as the blood of a dead man - In consistency, odor and color but not necessarily in composition, however, nothing more offensive can be imagined than the coagulated blood of a dead man, every living thing, animal life as well as human life. To place all this in context, it is a medical fact that great care is required while conducting autopsies because the blood of a dead person can be toxic. When we contemplate the vast amount of life in the oceans we can understand what a horrendous calamity this will prove to be. Dead sea-life by the multiplied billions will be washed ashore; layer upon layer will lie along the coasts and clog the estuaries. Not only will the harbors, river mouths and beaches be choked with rotting sea life, but the overpowering stench will pollute the air for kilometers and make breathing a misery. An example of such an occurrence has occurred on a small local scale off the coast of Florida, as reported by the United States Admiralty and published by Australian Associated Press (AAP): Rivers and fountains of waters - In Bible times "rivers and fountains of waters" were primarily useful for everyday requirements such as drinking, bathing and irrigation. Where the second plague would no doubt result in a great inconvenience and perhaps interruption of travel, the effects of the third would be immediate and serious. Compare the first plague on Egypt: However, God is declared righteous and just in pouring out the plagues because the people receiving them have been in opposition to the law of God. Revelation 16:6 "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy." They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, they have poured out literally. This no doubt includes the unshed blood of the living saints who have been marked for martyrdom. By condemning the people of God to death, the wicked have incurred the guilt for their blood as if it had already been shed. The punishment is appropriate for the crime. Here the wicked are given blood to drink because they killed God’s people, they made war on the righteous and deserve the punishment now given to them. It is in no sense an arbitrary act on the part of God. The result of the third plague is that all the activities for which we use water will be impossible. All potable water will be red and repulsive and the natural reaction of the population will be to refuse to drink it. However the fourth plague will compel them to drink. Revelation 16:7 "And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Now the 2nd and 3rd plagues are an answer to the prayer of the saints who were under the alter, which we saw before when we studied the 7 seals. This is talking about all those who were martyred for the cause of God and it says that their blood, like the blood of Able, cries out for justice, saying; how long oh Lord? When are you going to judge? And so the second and third plagues are an answer to that prayer, saying; you are just, O Lord, in pouring out these plagues on the unrighteous. True and righteous - Or true and just (Revelation 1:5; 3:7; 6:10; 15:3). In visiting these terrible judgments upon those who have rejected divine mercy God is true in the sense that He is true to His word. He is carrying out what He had promised to do (Revelation 14:9-11 etc.). He is righteous or just in the sense that justice demands punishment to those who have defied Heaven. Revelation 16:8-9 "8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory." So the 4th plague is poured out on the sun, and the sun becomes extremely hot, so hot that it scorches men. The first three plagues are poured out into the earth, the sea, and the fountains and rivers of waters respectively. The next three are poured out upon the sun, the beast's throne and the river Euphrates respectively. Scorch men with fire - Or burn men with fire. The wicked understand who is pouring out the plagues, they blaspheme God for what He is doing, they know He is the one doing it, but they refuse to repent, and so the sun scorches people. Normally the sun warms and cheers men and controls plant growth, climate and many other processes necessary to maintain life. Now it sends forth an excess of warmth and energy that torments men and destroys life. Though men suffer directly from this intense heat, its worst results are no doubt severe drought and famine. It is also possible at this time that the sources of power will be inoperative and refrigeration and air conditioning unavailable. The natural and desperate response of the population will be a need for fluids to quell a raging thirst. However, regardless of the nature of the form of the liquid available, it will be blood-red, foul-smelling and repulsive. Yet because of the unrelenting, inescapable heat, people will be compelled to drink. At this present time we can resort to the beach for relief from the heat of scorching summer weather, however, near the close of history the shorelines of all continents and islands will be heaped with vast masses of rotting flesh and the accompanying stench of decay. To add to their torment forest fires will add to the heat and prevent people seeking coolness in the shade of the outdoors. No doubt this plague will destroy the food supplies of the world. Crops will fail resulting in a famine which will afflict the world as never before. The literal plague is also accompanied by a famine for God's Word (Amos 8:11-12). Throughout the land there is a vain quest for easing the suffering from the first four plagues and averting further calamities. But it is not motivated by godly sorrow, but by sorrow of the world (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). The objective is to escape the misery of the plagues and not to enter into a genuine state of reconciliation with God. And so Satan convinces the inhabitants of the earth that they are not sinners and that they have made a mistake in tolerating God's chosen people, if they take care of them it will take care of the plagues also. The wicked refuse to accept God, they refuse to follow Him, they refuse to do His will, they go contrary to the will of God, and therefore the sun scorches them, even in the face of these severe judgments that would lead honest contrite men to amend their ways (Isaiah 26:9-10) .Their hearts prove to be hardened and unsusceptible to divine mercy (Exodus 4:21; Ephesians 4:30; Revelation 16:1). But the scripture tell us that this does not happen to the righteous. God’s people are cared for and protected, the sun won’t scorch them. You and I may see this but we will not experience it. That’s what it means to be under the protection of God. When all the earth is going through this terrible experience, this terrible judgment, God still cares for His people and looks after them; they are under His umbrella of protection and care. No heat will strike them and no sun will scorch them. God promises to the righteous His care, His protection and His leading. Looking at it objectively, it could appear that the majority of the world’s inhabitants have been deceived by the leaders of Babylon and may not necessarily be in rebellion against God. Therefore subjecting them to the plagues could be deemed harsh and unjust. In light of this concern, a period of time will be essential in order to demonstrate the true spirit of the unsaved. This period of time would necessarily exceed a few days or weeks for this to be fully demonstrated. With this in mind, it is significant that during the first three plagues there appears to be no apparent reaction on the part of the unsaved against God. However during the fourth, fifth and seventh plagues the unsaved finally give vent to their true feelings. It seems likely that the first four plagues will fall upon the apostate Babylonian world. The number four in Scripture often denotes universality, or the totality of a population. The final three plagues, however, concentrate upon the leadership of Babylon. The plagues will reveal the true character and spirit of the unsaved and the justice of their punishment. Fourth plague - And they blasphemed the name of God ... and they did not repent and give Him glory (v9). Fifth plague - They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds (v11). Seventh plague - Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail (v21). The normal reaction of humans to such extreme pain would be to cry to God for mercy and relief. Finally however when the fourth plague falls upon them, the unsaved will burst forth in rebellion, blaspheming God. They do not repent. This will reveal to the universe their true condition. Though they had been misled, deluded, and hoodwinked by the religious leaders, at heart they themselves are also in rebellion against God. Revelation 16:10 "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain," The 5th plague is poured out on the seat or throne of the beast (Revelation 13:2). The seat of the beast is most likely his headquarters. The beast here primarily represents the Papacy in its revived state and not so much its religious aspect but in its assumed role of a world power, dominant over world powers (Revelation 13:1-2, 10; 17:3, 8-9, 11). Except for the small remnant that still resists his supremacy, Satan numbers the world as his subjects and it is through the revived Papacy in particular that he seeks control over the entire human race (Revelation 19:19). It would therefore appear that for the duration of this plague the entire world is enveloped in darkness. So while men grope unrepentantly for light in a spiritually dark world (Revelation 16:8-9), God sends literal darkness on them symbolic of the deeper spiritual night that is yet to enshroud the earth. The entire clause reads literally, his kingdom became darkened. The Greek implying that it remained so for a period of time. This is literal darkness that would bring cold and misery. The absence of light and heat would be all the more difficult to bare after the intense heat experienced under the fourth plague. Thus the reasons they gnawed or kept biting their tongues out of pain, and probably intense cold accompanied the prolonged darkness. Not all of the wicked will receive all of the 7 last plagues, if they did then all the wicked would be destroyed, and we know from God’s word that the wicked will still be alive to see Christ come, but they will receive at least one or more. Revelation 16:11 "And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." Again the wicked blaspheme God because of the pain they are suffering, but they don’t repent, they don’t change. It’s strange how some people just will not repent. Revelation 16:12 "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared." Now this 6th plague is very import because a lot happens when the angel pours out his vial or bowl on the great river Euphrates. It reminds us of the fall of the ancient city of Babylon, where Cyrus, the general of the Medes and Persians, came and surrounded the city. The people in Babylon felt their city was impregnable, so they went up on the top of the wall, threw down food and laughed at Cyrus. So Cyrus took his men and marched them down the Euphrates River and at a certain spot they dug canals and they diverted the river into these canals, and the river Euphrates was dried up. And so Cyrus and his men marched along the muddy bottom of the river and found that the gates into the city had been left open (just as the scriptures had predicted – Isaiah 45:1) and they marched in and took the city of Babylon and in effect freed the children of Israel from captivity who were being held there in bondage. When it says that the river Euphrates is dried up, that water represents people, nations and languages, and so it’s saying that these civil powers that are at war with God and His people are dried up, so that Christ can come. When it speaks about the kings of the east, it’s referring to Christ and His people, they are the kings of the east, and they prepare the way for God to set up His everlasting kingdom. Revelation 16:13-14 "13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Babylon is divided into three entities, you have the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, who are in league with one another, they are a confederacy of evil, that send out the spirit of demons to gather all the people for the battle of God Almighty, or the battle of Armageddon. The dragon represents the devil, and also paganism. The false prophet represents the United States and also Protestantism. The beast represents Catholicism. All these are in opposition to God, but their water is dried up, to prepare the way for the coming of Christ. Revelation 16:15 "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." What this is saying is that when the 6th plague is poured out, Jesus is coming back. Jesus is saying that during the 6th plague He’ll be coming back and will put an end to all this. Suffering will be no more. God will bring it to an end. But what does it mean when it talks about walking naked and seeing his shame? In Old Testament times, to be naked or to be uncovered was shameful, it was considered an insult, it was an embarrassment. Remember when David had become king of Israel, one of the Pagan kings had been good to David, and so David out of kindness and wanting to show his respect, sent some of his soldiers to that king to express his appreciation. But when the soldiers arrived, some of the king’s counsellors convinced him that the soldiers had come to spy out the land, and it says that the king tore their garments and removed half of them, leaving them half naked, and shaved half off half of their beards, and that’s how they were sent back to David. The king was showing that he despised David, and it caused the soldiers to be ashamed. When they reached Jericho they were too ashamed to go any further, and so David told the soldiers to remain in Jericho until their beards had grown back. By doing all of this the king was demonstrating his contempt for David. You and I don’t want to face the Lord shamefully. We don’t want to find ourselves in a place where we have not done what He wants us to do. This is what its saying, don’t be ashamed, we need to walk with the Lord and follow Him and do what He wants us to. Revelation 16:16 "And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." All the world has come arrayed before God and the battle of Armageddon is there. God is victorious. Christ is the King of kings, Lord of lords, and He rules over all. Now unlike what many people believe, Armageddon is not a literal battle between Israel and the United States, or between Israel, the United States and Russia. It’s none of those. This is talking about God’s controversy with the nations, the people who have gone contrary to God, that have not walked with Him, that are opposed to God and to His people and to what the word of God teaches. This is what the battle of Armageddon is. Armageddon is understood to be primarily the climactic struggle between the forces of Christ and those of Satan at the end of time. As the Euphrates River is dried up, this is what prepares the way for the battle of God Almighty. These people will make war with the Lamb, they will fight against Christ. And this doesn’t mean with literal military weapons, it simply means they are opposed to God, they go contrary to God, and they don’t follow Him or do His will. But all those who are called and chosen and faithful, they follow the Lamb, in other words they do what He asks them to do. Here you have the dragon, the beast, the false prophet and the ten kings, these are all civil powers, and the scripture says that these have all given their support to the woman – she’s riding on the back of the beast, she receives their support. But there comes a time in this relationship when they all turn on the woman. The woman here represents Babylon, and Babylon represents a counterfeit system of worship which the whole world has gone along with and accepted. And evidently it reaches a point where it no longer works and so they turn against the woman, and it says they will hate her and will destroy her. This is what happens in the drying up of the Euphrates River, its part of that process. Revelation 16:17 "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." The seventh plague completes the punishment and fall of Babylon. A loud voice comes out of the template saying; it’s over, it’s completed, it’s finished. All sin and suffering will be finished and will be no more. Revelation 16:18 "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." This is down at the very end of time, Jesus is coming back, and it says that there’s a great earthquake, like this earth has never seen. Now this world has seen some earthquakes as high as 8 points on the Richter scale. But the destruction of this last great earthquake will be almost unimaginable; it will be completely off the scale, like no one has ever seen before. Revelation 16:19 "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." The great city is Babylon. She has made the world drink the wine of her fornication. Now God is going to give her the wine of His wrath to drink. Revelation 16:20-21 "20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." There will be a great earthquake, and hail will fall, every hail stone will be about the weight of a talent, that’s somewhere between 50 and 100 pounds, some authorities say that it’s 57 pounds. Can you imagine hail stones falling that weigh 57 pounds? Those become missiles that go right through buildings and will cause unbelievable destruction. Verse 17 tells us that Christ says; it is done. Three times He says this: Jesus said this when He was hanging on the cross. This is what we just learned about in relation to the seven last plagues. The wrath of God is poured out. This is when the earth has been purified by fire, and God has recreated it new for His people. In the original language the word "finished" is the same as the word "done". In other words, it’s over, sin no longer exists; it has been eradicated from the universe. The great earthquake that takes place at the end of the plagues will cause everything on the earth to be shaken or destroyed. The plagues will have done their work. And now Christ can come back, claim His people and set up His kingdom. This is what He says to you and to me. We have this promise that we can depend on, that God will be our shelter through every time of trouble, and that He will care for us, even to the very end of the world. The plagues in order:
• Grievous sore The blood of God’s people will be shed in the coming time of trouble, but only prior to the close of probation. After probation closes none of the saints will suffer martyrdom or death. This is because martyrdoms are only permitted by God for the purpose of witness, to convince those who view the martyr’s stand for the truth of God and to lead them also to Christ. After the close of probation no one remains to be convinced. All have made their final decision and the day of salvation has ended. Further martyrdoms, consequently, would be pointless. At this time Michael (Christ) delivers His people (Daniel 12:1). However, the death decree is issued and a world-wide attempt is made to rid the earth of righteous dissent. While the unsaved will not be permitted to take the lives of the saints after the close of probation, God will nevertheless regard their intention to kill the saints as seriously as if they had achieved their nefarious aim. By condemning the people of God to death they have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood, as if it had been shed by their hands. God's love is represented in our day as being of such a character as would forbid His destroying the sinner. Men reason from their own low standard of right and justice. They measure God by themselves. They reason as to how they would act under the circumstances and decide God would do as they imagine they would do. However, the scriptures show God as He is. God is a God of righteous justice.
• Sea became as blood
• Fountains of waters; became blood
• Sun Scorch men with fire
• Kingdom full of darkness
• Mighty earthquake
• Hail out of heaven