Revelation Chapter 16

[Pastor Dave Honey]

 

Revelation 16:1
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

Several thousands of years earlier, God wrought ten plagues upon Egypt! They were: Plague One: Water turns to blood, Plague Two: Frogs, Plague Three: Lice, Plague Four: Flies, Plague Five: Livestock diseased, Plague Six: Boils, Plague Seven: Hail, Plague Eight: Locusts, Plague Nine: Darkness, Plague Ten: Death of firstborn.

The purpose of the ten plagues was to convince Pharaoh to release the Hebrew slaves from Egyptian captivity, but more importantly was that both the Hebrews and the Egyptians would know the Majesty and the Glory of God Almighty!

Clearly there are similarities when the ten plagues of Exodus, the trumpet  and bowl judgments of Revelation are compared. I think that it is marvelous thing that from Genesis to Revelation, God connects the dots with consistency! These seven final plagues have been a long time in the making. God does not haphazardly throw bits and pieces of His wrath at the world, on the contrary, God Has precisely mapped out every act of this wonderful play! His plan for the ages continues to unfold and now, He is bringing it all to a spectacular conclusion with seven judgments which will be poured out like fuel on an already raging fire!

Revelation 16:2
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.

Exodus 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.

Job 2:7
So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

Luke 16:21
desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

Looking at a few examples of God's use of sores or boils in both the old and New Testament, you wouldn't think that it could possibly mean something beyond an affliction of ulcerating boils. Interesting to note that in Job 2:7 the definition includes two words; boil-sores. Here, Satin has afflicted Job with "evil ulcers!" Although God has afflicted those unbelievers in Revelation 16, it is no less a calamity than when Job was afflicted in Job 2:7, or when He plagued the Egyptians with boils-sores in Exodus 9:9

Revelation 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.

Although similar to the first plague in Egypt as recorded in Exodus, chapter seven, or the second trumpet found in Revelation, chapter eight, this particular judgment is far more devastating! The entire oceans of the world have become blood, like that of a dead man! The oceans cover just less than three quarters of the earths surface, so you can only imagine what it will mean to the survivors of earth to be surrounded by so much rotting death! Not only that, but a major food source has now been destroyed!

The overwhelming stench of death will most certainly speak loud and clear just how wicked the inhabitants of earth have become!

Revelation 16:4
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

Wow! The fresh waters supplies have now turned to blood, so certainly the fish in the rivers and streams have died as well! I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 24...

Matthew 24:22
And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

These final seven judgments come in quick succession and that is a very good thing! The Lord is making ready His return just as soon as the dust settles from the seventh bowl. I praise God that new believers will not be affected during this time!

Revelation 16:5
5 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.

No matter how horrific God's judgments may be, they are just, appropriate and deserved to be received by all of those who, even to this point, continue to reject the work of Jesus Christ on the cross!

Romans 3:10-18
10 As it is written:
"There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside;
They have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one."
13 "Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit";
"The poison of asps is under their lips";
14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."
15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known."
18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

The very sad news here is how simple a truth they have missed! Their hate has blinded them and the things of the word have seduced them into believing that they have no need of God, or God's Son! However, the very good news is that the truth is simple and easy to grasp! We can easily avoid judgment by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ!

Romans 10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Revelation 16:6
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
And You have given them blood to drink.
For it is their just due."

The fresh water has become blood and it is all that is available for the lost to drink! It is more than likely that the water remains pure for the believer!

Revelation 16:7
And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."

In the last words of this over comer's song, as well as verse seven, the angel emphasizes that God is just and righteous in His judgments!

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

Talk about global warming! Imagine our sun being heated up enough to scorch men, yet not kill them! If the heat from the sun were dramatically increased, the polar ice caps would melt and the oceans of the world could rise as much as 150 feet, conservatively speaking! Imagine what would happen to cities such as Los Angeles, or New York! Not to mention the dramatic loss of life!

Revelation 16:9
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.

When Isaiah answered God's call in Isaiah, chapter six, he was told that those whom he would try to reach would not receive the word!

Isaiah 6:8-9
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?"
Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 9 And He said, "Go, and tell this people:
Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive."

It is amazing to me that with such incredible evidence of God's plan to redeem man unto Himself that man would curse Him and reject Him! Ministry has been difficult since the very beginning! Remember?

Genesis 3:12
Then the man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."

From the beginning we have been rebellious towards God and unwilling to own our deficiencies, so we have blamed God as well as others for the discomfort we feel as a result of our own sin!

Revelation 16:10
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.

From the throne of the Antichrist to the far reaches of the globe, darkness will spread and engulf his entire kingdom, which for just a short time longer, is the whole earth! As the darkness extends from the throne of Antichrist, there will be no question as to it's origin, but the lost, unrepentant sinner will continue to curse the One who came to take away the sin of the world!

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

Hate is an amazing foe! When it grips our heart, we will seek out others to agree with our hate and then we will support each other by adding hateful fuel to each others fire, making true the saying; "Misery loves company!" At this stage of tribulation, sinners will be so deceived that their hate and rebellion will run so deep that it will look much like a time when Lucifer rebelled and caused one third of God's Holy Angels to fall and become Unholy Demons!

Revelation 16:12
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.

These kings of the east are not the two hundred million demons from Revelation, chapter nine. They are a subset of the kings of the whole earth who are collectively marching towards Armageddon. God will supernaturally dry up the Great River Euphrates which will most likely be overflowing it's banks as the increased heat from the sun has melted the snow and ice in the slopes of Mt. Ararat.

Revelation 16:13
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.

These slimy demon beings are more than just evil beings! These unclean spirits are spawned out of the mouths of an unholy trinity, made up of Satin the dragon, Antichrist the beast and his associate side kick, the false prophet!

Revelation 16:14
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.

Their mission is to draw the kings of the whole earth to an invasion of Palestine at Armageddon with supernatural signs and wonders. You've most likely heard the phrase "mother of all wars" regarding previous wars. The "Battle of that great day of God Almighty" is referring to the final Battle of Armageddon which will prove to be the bloodiest battle ever fought in that region!

Revelation 16:15
"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."

 

I can't help but think of the Parable of the Ten Virgins;

Matthew 25:1-13
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

More than once has Jesus warned us to watch and wait, to stay awake and sober. He places importance on His command to watch by offering a crown to anyone who "Loves His Appearing!"

One of my favorite verses which doesn't directly teach us to watch, but my heart receives that message, is Psalm 46:10.

Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God...

I have learned great value in watching and waiting upon the Lord! It has revolutionized my life and it can do the same to your life!

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

Napoleon referred to the Valley of Megiddo as the greatest battlefield he had ever seen! So many battles have been fought there, but the battle of Armageddon is a battle that has been anticipated for centuries! It will be the end-all of wars! Jesus will make His Glorious Appearance at this battle as He rides in in majesty and victory and establishes His Millennial Kingdom!

Revelation 16:17-19a
17 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!" 18 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. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.

Jesus cried out from the cross; "It is finished!" The beginning of the end of Sin and Satin!

The voice of God Himself, announces that His judgment is accomplished! This immediately precedes the "Second Coming of Jesus Christ!" God's exclamation point is a dramatic earthquake! The most powerful earthquake in the history of the world!

Zechariah 14:4
And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
Which faces Jerusalem on the east.
And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,
From east to west,
Making a very large valley;
Half of the mountain shall move toward the north
And half of it toward the south.

God completes His judgment with a grand crescendo of His voice from His throne in heaven, thunderings and lightnings, the return of His Son and a devastating earthquake! God divides Jerusalem into three parts, not as judgment, but rather a remodel!

Revelation 16:19b
And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

Babylon, the seat of Antichrist's kingdom will now receive all she was promised!

Isaiah 13:6-13
6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, every man's heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine.
11 "I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger.

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

 

As a result of the devastating earthquake at Jesus' return and touch down on the Mount of Olives, the whole earth will be changed in a seen that will appear as powerful and dramatic as the days of creation must have been! God will use huge hail stones, weighing up to 80 pounds each in His final act of judgment!

 

For God so loved the world.......

 

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