# 10 2022 Dev. Rev. 16:1. God’s Wrath! Read all of Rev. 16 first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think and interact with it. This is God’s story. How will it affect your story? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Rev.16:7 “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
Intro. This vision that John sees are not actual events but will come to pass at one time or another from the time of John’s writing and will be repeated in increasing intensity until the end. The vision is put into the words of men so that those who believe will understand by the power of the Holy Spirit. What is being described here is from eternity to eternity. God, who is outside of time, operates in the eternal present, represents to us what is about to happen in time, as long as time lasts.
Rev.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’”, continuing the scene from Ch.15. Take note that these plagues are meant to punish the people who have the mark of the beast.
V.2 “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out…” This harks back the the 6th plague on Egypt.
V.3 “The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea” this harks back to the 1st plague on Egypt, the sea turns to blood, every living thing in it dies. Take note that the oceans today are polluted with plastic and many other items. Also, the punishment of the bowls is complete while the trumpets only effected a third.
V.4 The third angel polluted the springs and rivers. Not only the oceans, of today, but many rivers and streams are polluted as well.
Vs.5-7 Another angel speaks, he is “in charge of the waters.” There is an intermission to praise God for His actions, so to speak, he says: ‘You are just in these judgments, O Holy One’. This is retribution, ‘for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets.’” This was going on at the time of John’s writing and it is still going on today. Look at Russia; the head of the Orthodox Church is in league with Putin, there are many sincere Orthodox Christians in Russia, but the religious leaders and the political leaders are the beast we are reading about in Revelation. Are we reading the religious leaders in the West correctly? “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” Bring your judgment to bear on the “beasts” of today!
Vs.8-9 “The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun…” people were scorched but they refused to repent and glorify God. Global warming may be a preview.
Vs.10-11 “The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.” That was the ninth plague of the Exodus. It was so dark that it could be felt. Still no repentance, only cursing God, it is the way of the world.
Vs.12-14 “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up…” The river is considered the boundary between the people of God and the world. Three frogs (frogs are mostly harmless, not these frogs) appear from the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet. “They are demonic spirits”, to influence the world to war. Is that what we are looking at right now? Yes, most wars are between good and evil, certainly this one in Europe is. It is a preview of what is coming.
V.15 Here there is a quick pause of assurance. “Look, I come like a thief!” Paul said that to the Thessalonians, talking about the “day of the Lord”. I believe Jesus is speaking here, telling us to always be prepared spiritually, that day will come when everyone is saying peace and safety, Paul tells us, that day comes when we least expect it.
V.16 They gathered the kings at Armageddon, the frogs. A place where Israel has had many a battle in history.
V.17-20 “The seventh angel poured out his bowl onto the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” God said that as He finished Creation, Jesus said it from the Cross, and God says it here, at the end of judgment. He will say it only one more time. The scene described here is devastating, all of creation is destroyed. But we wait in the assurance of the promised land, the New Heaven and the New Earth. That is what the people in Ukraine are looking for, better days ahead. The end of the world may not be upon us yet. May God bring comfort to His and to all the people. Pray for peace!
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