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.”
loud voice– Must be of God since no one is allowed into the temple since it is enveloped with a great cloud.
the temple– The temple is the same as from chapter 15.
Go– There is no more waiting all of the scriptures has led to this point in history.
These are the third and final pouring out. A quick recap of revelation timeline
-Rapture –>Peace treaty with anti-Christ -> seals are opened first 3 ½ years -> setting up the image, anti-Christ, prophet war against Israel -> sign of the beast -> trumpet judgments -> now we are near the end of the 3 ½ years and we have the bowl judgments.
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.
and a foul and loathsome sore– (exodus 9, 6th plague) this is a physical punishment on the wicked. A direct result for rejecting God.
upon the– This bowl specifically attacks a select group of people. It is not everyone just those who have rejected God.
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.
second angel poured– there seems to be little time in between pourings.
bowl on the sea, and it became blood–(Exodus 7, 1st plague(Rev 8 1/3 of water)) This one is not localized or partial but all the salt water.
every living creature– This is total 100% the devastation this would cause is unfathomable. This will cause mass starvation, sickness and death, not to mention the stench and disease that will result in this. This does not appear to take time but fast acting.
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:
Now there is no drinkable water. Today we have water purification products but nothing that would take care of the whole world. This too will cause mass death and destruction.
“You are righteous, O Lord,
The One who is and who was and who is to be,
Because You have judged these things.
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.”
Righteous– Even in all this he still and always will be righteous 15:3
Their just due- This is a direct result of their sin.
7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
If there were any doubts of his righteousness, even in the midst of this death and destruction we are reminded from the alter, the holiness of God, that his judgments are righteous and true, meaning they are deserved.
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 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.
on the sun (rev 8 4th trumpet) unlike the trumpet that caused darkness, this one is causing great heat, such that is burning people. It is unlike anything we are experiencing today. In these 4 plagues all of nature and climate has been affected.
They blasphemed the name of God- They understood who was causing these plagues yet they still did not repent.
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. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Beast- This bowl is again very specific. It is against the government of the beast and all that he controls
Darkness– (exodus 10, 9th (trumpet 5th trumpet rev 9)) this is more then darkness though.
gnawed their tongues because of the pain– They are enraged to the point of biting their lips and tongues. Everything they built ( the false kingdom of god) is destroyed and done so in a painful non reversible way.
They blasphemed the God– instead of humility they choose pride.
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.
great river Euphrates–This is the natural border between Asia and the middle east. Right now there are 5 dams on the river but when the time comes for the battle of Armageddon, these will not matter, the river bed will be dry and a natural path to Israel.
kings from the east– Asia (48 countries right now) God is preparing for the battle, everything is falling into place, on his time table, his planning.
****Pause the bowls and we see in the midst of the bowls Satan starts his battle of the bulge. ****
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. 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.
–Vs 13 is explained in vs 14. Satan, the anti-Christ and his prophet. Why because they need them to agree to go to war with God.
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.”
15- 1 Thess 5:4, as believers we should be ready for the rapture living a godly life, so too the tribulation saints should be ready also, though they will have a rough timeline to follow.
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
The great battle is ready.
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. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 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.
It is done- the wrath of God has been poured out.
great earthquake- Nothing like this will ever happen until the end of the world.
great city- this is Babylon, mentioned later in the verse. This is the cause of great sin.
Then- after the earth quake, all islands and mountains are gone.
hailstone about the weight of a talent-100 pounds
Men blasphemed God- with all this people still stood in rebellion to God
These bowl judgments come at the end of the second 3 ½ weeks of the tribulation. These are happening right before the 2nd coming.
First Baptist Church Delmar 