Revelation 16 introduces us to the seven bowl judgments. “The seven angels to whom were given the seven plagues symbolized in the seven vials [bowls] are now commanded to pour out their divine judgments upon the earth” (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 231). Precept Austin adds, “As each bowl is poured out, those on the earth receive a plague. Since the wrath of God is complete in these seven bowls, they span the remainder of the Tribulation period up until its end, when Christ returns and overthrows the enemies of God in the Campaign of Armageddon. This chapter concludes with the pouring forth of the seventh bowl, at which the work of God’s wrath is complete” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary).
“Pour out Your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge You- on the peoples that do not call upon Your name. For they have devoured Your people Israel; they have devoured and consumed them, making the land a desolate wilderness.”
Jeremiah 10:25 (NLT)
“While Jerusalem more than once has experienced such desolations (under the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans), these calamities in their prophetic aspect still point to that final and cataclysmic disaster that is yet to fall upon the city” (Unger, Unger’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Ps. 78:2-3). Given the current conflict in Israel, Jeremiah’s prayer in Jer. 10:25 (above) truly expresses the heart cry of God’s people today. Asaph echoes this cry in Psalm 79:10-11, “Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, ‘Where is their God?’ Show us Your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of Your servants. Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate Your great power by saving those condemned to die” (NLT). Praise God that one day, God will avenge His people in the final bowl judgments of Revelation 16.
The first bowl poured on the earth will result in “horrible, malignant sores. . . on everyone who [has] the mark of the beast and worshiped his statue” (Rev. 16:2). Fruchtenbaum says, “The first bowl judgment is clearly directed at affecting only those who have the mark of the beast in fulfillment of Revelation 14:9-11. It will result in a grievous sore upon the worshipers of the Antichrist. This sore will be some kind of skin ulcer or malignancy on the skin” (The Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 271). Walvoord adds, “It would appear that only a small fraction of the earth’s population resists the blandishments of the beast. The warning given in 14:9-11 is now reinforced in a preliminary judgment which anticipates the ultimate doom of the beast worshipers” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 232-233).
The second bowl will result in the death of all sea life due to the sea becoming like blood (Rev. 16:3). Although there are similarities between the bowl and trumpet judgments, they are distinctly different. The trumpet judgments foreshadow what is to come in the bowl judgments. “Imagine the chaos: all the dead marine life lying feet deep on the shores of the world and rotting there. The loss of marine life as a food source will be devastating after the destruction of vegetation that will occur as a result of Revelation 8:7 [the first trumpet judgment]” (Mills, Revelations: An Exegetical Study of the Revelation to John, Rev. 16:3).
The third bowl affects the rivers and streams (Rev. 16:4). “Combining the judgment of the second and third [bowls], it appears that all water is turned into blood, constituting a universal testimony to all men that God will avenge His martyred saints” (Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 234). Fruchtenbaum says, “The act elicits two declarations. First, the guardian angel assigned to water declares the righteousness of God’s judgment in this act (v. 5-6). Since men have shed the blood of the prophets and saints, mankind is given blood to drink. The second declaration (v. 7) comes from the altar, further affirming the assessment of God’s righteousness being revealed through His judgments” (The Footsteps of the Messiah, p, 271). “Even as the saints are worthy of rest and reward, so the wicked are worthy of divine chastening and judgment” (Walvoord, p. 234).
The fourth bowl will cause “the sun to scorch everyone with its fire” (Rev. 16:8). Sadly, the unrighteous men refuse to repent despite these terrible judgments. In the original language, the word for “everyone” is “Anthropos,” meaning “man, or mankind” Walvoord connects it with the same word found in verse 2. Only the specific people who receive the mark of the beast will be affected. Walvoord says, “The implication is that saints in this period who are true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will not suffer from this plague, and possibly creatures other than men may also escape” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 234).
The fifth bowl specifically targets the Antichrist and his kingdom (Rev. 16:10-11) by plunging it into painful darkness. “The darkness with which they are affected is more than just lack of light as in the Egyptian plague, but also seems to involve other means of affliction which result in intense pain, perhaps similar to that experienced at the hand of the demonic locusts” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary). The tongues that speak blasphemy toward God will be touched with indescribable pain (Seiss, The Apocalypse: Lectures on the Book of Revelation, p. 374). “With the same tongues they gnaw, they continue to blaspheme God” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary). The pain of their “sores” seems to be a continuation of the affliction received in the first bowl (verse 2).
“The Campaign of Armageddon will begin with the sixth bowl judgment, recorded in Revelation 16:12-16“ (Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 305, emphasis added). He also notes, “While the term ‘Battle of Armageddon’ has been commonly used for the campaign, it is really a misnomer, for more than one battle will be taking place” (p. 307).
“The Euphrates is one of the oldest rivers of history, being one of the four rivers which was fed from Eden in the pre-flood world (Gen. 2:10). The Euphrates was one of the boundaries of the Promised Land which God gave to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 15:18; Deut. 1:7; Jos. 1:4)” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary). Some prophecy watchers have noticed the Euphrates River showing signs of drying up in 2023. Although this may be true, it does not mean that the sixth plague has begun. Always remember the timeline Revelation gives us. The 6th bowl does not happen until after the 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and the first 5 bowls. Knowing what God teaches about these times can give us correction and insight into modern-day observances.
Many confuse “the kings of the east” with the two hundred million army mentioned in Revelation 9:16. Fruchtenbaum says, “The ‘two hundred million’ are in a Trumpet Judgment, whereas the kings of the east are in a Bowl judgment. Furthermore,. . . it was shown that the two hundred million are demons and not men. . . Everywhere else in the Scriptures, the East always refers to Mesopotamia (Assyria and Babylon). Consistency demands that this, too, would be a reference to Mesopotamia and not to China (e.g., Mat 2:1)” (The Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 316). Walvoord adds, “Some suggest these to be kings from the Orient, but this is not required by the text. All that is indicated is that they are kings representing nations east of the Euphrates” (The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Rev. 16:12).
The “unclean spirits like frogs” in Rev. 16:13-14 refer to demonic spirits coming directly out of the mouths of the Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the dragon himself (Satan), which perform signs to deceive the whole world. Precept Austin says, “The manipulation [of the Beast and False Prophet]. . . will be so complete that they themselves will think they are following their own will, but it is the demons who drag them forward. Even then, every step has been determined by God.” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary).
We are reminded in Revelation 16:15 that the Lord is coming unexpectedly and blesses those who watch for His coming. “Jesus comes for those who are watching in the Rapture of the Church prior to this time (John 14:1-3). He comes as a thief in the night in the judgments which usher in the Day of the Lord, culminating with His personal arrival in judgment at the Second Coming to conclude the Campaign of Armageddon” (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary). The same blessing for watching applies to both groups (those taken in the Rapture before the Tribulation and those who witness the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation). This hope we have is a purifying hope that Christians of both groups experience as they keep their garments clean so as not to shrink back in shame at His coming (see 1 John 2:28).
“The demons gather the kings from nations all around the globe. Whatever the structure of the world will be at that time, the ‘kings’ of the earth and of the whole world will gather for battle” against Almighty God (https://www.preceptaustin.org/revelation-16-commentary). Fruchtenbaum adds, “Revelation 16:12-16 views the event from man’s perspective, and it looks merely like a military gathering called together by the Antichrist” (The Footsteps of the Messiah, p. 308). But this is much more serious than that. He goes on to say, “Although the nations will assemble to carry out the program of the counterfeit trinity, they will actually accomplish the purpose of the Triune God” (p. 309).
A loud voice will accompany the seventh bowl announcing that the wrath of God is finally finished (Revelation 16:17-21). The earth will experience the worst earthquake in the history of mankind, and Jerusalem will be split into three sections. Your translation of Revelation 16:19 might refer to the “great city” as Babylon. But in the original language, Babylon is not mentioned until later in the verse. The “great city” here seems to be referring to Jerusalem (see Rev. 11:8). Wiersbe says, “The ‘great city’ (Rev. 16:19) is probably Jerusalem (see Rev. 11:8). The Prophet Zechariah prophesied an earthquake that would change the topography of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:4)” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. 2, p. 611).
The seventh bowl includes the fall of the physical cities of Jerusalem and Babylon in preparation for Christ to set up His kingdom on earth. Over the next two weeks, as we finish Part 3 of our study, we will learn more about Babylon and her destruction. Studying prophecy in light of the current events of Israel is stunning. I recently saw a map showing tiny Israel completely surrounded by nations that want to destroy her.
We are watching the uproar of nations today as demonic, anti-Semitic protests and rallies are being held across the world. This is only the beginning of a much worse scenario that will take place during the last 3.5 years of the Tribulation. God has a plan for Israel that includes her salvation. He will not be mocked! Don’t be asleep in these last days. Remember Jesus’ exhortation in Revelation 16:15b, “Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame” (NASB1995). The idea here is to keep our garments clean and unstained by the world so that we are not ashamed at His coming.
Week 6 Homework Reflections:
- Read Revelation 16 and list everything you learn about the 7 bowls and what is included in each bowl.
- What specifically do you learn about the Battle of Armageddon in verses 12-16?
- How does this compare with what you learned in Revelation 14:17-20?
- Read Psalm 2 and record everything you learn about God and how it relates to the final battle in Revelation 16:12-16.
- Read 1 John 1:9; Rev. 3:4-5 (speaking of the Church at Sardis but applicable to us today); 1 Peter 1:6-8; 1 John 3:1-3; and Romans 12:1-2. What are ways we can keep our garments clean as we watch for Jesus’ appearance?
- Take some time and pray for Israel. Pray for the remnant who will be saved. As you go to the Lord in prayer, pray that He will reveal ways you’re not keeping your garment clean. Is there anything He wants you to confess?
Simply Persuaded 