The Revelation of Jesus Christ
“Angels and the 7 Bowl judgments” Revelation 14-16
Review
I. PROLOGUE 1:1-20 (Things you have seen)
II. Messages to the Seven churches 2-3 (Things with are)
III. Last Days 4-22 (Things which are about to take place)
A. Heavenly worship around the throne 4-5
B. The Seven seals 6:1-8:1
C. The Seven Trumpets 8-11
D. Interlude 12-14
1. The Pregnant Woman and the Great Red Dragon 12:1-6
2. Great War In Heaven (Battle royal) 12:7-17
3. Two Beasts Rising 13:1-18
4. The Lamb and the 144,000 14:1-5
5. The seven angels from heaven 14:6-20
a. 1st angel proclaims the gospel to every nation 14:6-7
b. 2nd Angel announces Babylon’s fall. 14:8
c. 3rd angel pronounces judgment on the followers of Antichrist 14:9-13
d. 4th Angel on a cloud with a sharp sickle 14:14
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
This is a difficult passage. Who is this figure? Many identify him as Jesus. I have a bit of difficulty given the angel in verse 15 instructs him to go to work. John recognized Jesus several times already. He does not identify Jesus in majestic terms as before. The next angel is called “another angel” comparing him to the previous figure which I think was an angel. It is all angels performing this particular mission why would this be an exception. Whoever this being is, he has authority to execute judgment on the earth’s inhabitants.
e. 5th Angel calls for the reaping 14:15-16
And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
The fifth angel calls for the being on the cloud to harvest the wicked from the earth.
f. 6th angel with a second sickle 14:17
And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.
The fourth angel is joined by a sixth angel who comes out of the temple to help with the harvest.
g. 7th angel instructs the 6th angel to gather the harvest
Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe." 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles. Revelation 14:18-20
A seventh angel coming out from the altar then issues the go-ahead to gather the harvest.
Maybe this is the special angel ministering to the martyred saints under the altar. Now is the time. Operation sickle is a “go.”
We end this vision with a second harvesting picture.
First John used the image of a grain harvest.
Here we find the image of a grape harvest.
The grapes are gathered and then stomped. Together the point is the harvesting of the wicked and wickedness beginning with the fall of the driving force Babylon and ending with those who indulged in her godless philosophy and lifestyle. The description of blood flowing 4.5 feet deep for 200 miles serves to illustrate that God’s judgment is extensive and horrific. The actual execution of this judgment will find even greater detail in the following seven bowl judgments about to be poured out by angels on the inhabitants of the earth and the earth itself.
What is this “harvest”? Not to get lost in the details, I think we have here a general observation of the angel’s participation in the final judgment. We have already seen massive death from plagues and catastrophic natural disasters. This reaping represents the final purging of all the wicked from the earth.
E. Seven Bowl Judgments 15-16
1. Announcement and preparation for the final judgments
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. Revelation 15:1
John introduces another vision session. He appears to return to the chronology left off with the last trumpet judgment. His last vision focused on an earthly perspective. Now he switches back relating the heavenly perspective. He saw seven angels who supervise the execution of the last of the plagues to complete the expression of the last of God’s wrath. Along with the angels, John saw and heard survivors and overcomers of the wrath of the Antichrist.
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 "Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED." Revelation 15:2-4
They are in the heavenly throne. John described that transparent floor that looked like a glass sea. This time, it reflects fire symbolic of judgment or God’s holiness and glory. The choir consists of those who overcame the Antichrist. This is most likely a martyr’s song among whom may be the 144,000 finally killed by antichrist. They did not succumb to his devious attempts to woo them over. They stood faithful to the end.
John jumps back and forth between redemption of the repentant and judgment of the rebellious. Before a gruesome description of judgment, we hear the song of the redeemed and delivered. They belt out a song of victory. This is no lament or dirge. This is a song of victory.
The Antichrist and his followers are about to get their just end. This is a song similar to the song Moses led after Israel’s victory over Pharaoh and his army. Moses’ song can be found in Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy. They stood on the shore and gave God praise for protecting them and pounding their enemy. The means to their victory were plagues similar to the ones about to be poured out. It was also a song focused on the glory of the Lamb: their ultimate deliverer. Neither bears much similarity to the lyrics recorded here. In reality there are pieces in this song from numerous places in the Old Testament.
And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." Revelation 15:3-4
Revelation contains some of the greatest praise expressions of the New Testament. This hymn focuses on God’s works as well as His character.
Great and marvelous works
Almighty, righteous, true, King, holy, object of the world’s praise for His righteous acts
What a contrast to the nations bowing down to the Antichrist. His time in the limelight is severely numbered. John then observes the reopening of the heavenly temple. (Previously opened for all to see)
After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. Revelation 15:5-8
This scene is reminiscent of Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6. John sees the commissioning of seven angels who are given bowls containing the final expressions of God’s wrath. Their dress is symbolic of temple priests. Their commission is a holy one. The glory of God generates a holy smoke from that prevents any other activity in the temple until the final wrath is completed.
There will be horrendous devastation during the last 3.5 years of the tribulation when Antichrist takes over.
So far we have seen wars, increase in homicides, world famine and disasters wiping out a fourth of the population, earthquakes, meteor showers, volcanic eruptions, darkened sun and moon, a third of the earth burned with fire, along with a third of the trees and grass, a third of the sea polluted and sea life destroyed, a third of the world’s ships, a giant meteor, a third of the fresh water polluted, worldwide demonic attack, another third of mankind killed.
All of this created worldwide chaos and opportunity for a world leader to step up and promise peace and a single governmental power to restore order.
God is about to unleash the final judgment that is similar to the former but closer together and more intense.
2. Seven Bowl Judgments
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." 2
Bowl 1 -- Painful sores
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant (literally - bad and evil) sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. Revelation 16:1-2
This is a persistent painful sore that appears to last through the rest of the tribulation. It parallels the sixth plague recorded in Exodus. Ever since the first rebellion, disease and problems with health have plagued mankind. Find a cure for one, another pops up. God told the Israelites that if they would follow Him none of the diseases of Egypt would affect them.
I have a feeling that this last plague will trump all the rest. I am wondering about how such persistent pain and incurable disease affects the already strained disposition of the people.
Bowl 2 – Sea turned to blood (polluted)
The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. Revelation 16:3
This is a similar plague as the first Exodus one. Only a third of the sea was affected before.
This one touches the whole sea.
Bowl 3 – Fresh water polluted
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. Revelation 16:4
Again this plague affects a greater part of the ecosystem than before. Justification for these two plagues is offered by the angel in charge of water.
Heavenly commentary and praise
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." 7 And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments." Revelation 16:5-7
Justice is executed on those who persecuted and killed God’s servants.
Bowl 4 – Scorching heat
The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9 Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory. Revelation 16:8-9
What a horrible plague to follow the pollution of drinking water. Scorching heat with a shortage of good water. Still people will not repent and submit to God’s authority.
Bowl 5 -- Darkness
Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds. Revelation 16:10-11
This is reminiscent of the ninth plague and the fifth trumpet judgment. It seems that only the Antichrist’s capital city. Perhaps a blackout or a divinely causes extended eclipse of the sun.
Bowl 6 – Dried up Euphrates
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. Revelation 16:12
Perhaps due to the scorching sun and polluted waters, the great river dries up. It’s drying up will enable a coalitions of armies to gather together for an assault on Israel at which time God will wipe them all out.
Call to Armageddon
And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief. 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.") 16 And they gathered them together to the place which in
Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. Revelation 16:13-16
The name comes from the Hebrew word Megiddo which means place of troops or place of slaughter. The actual battle takes place in chapter 19 at the return of Jesus.
Bowl 7 -- Final catastrophes
Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done." 18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe. Revelation 16:17-21
The hailstones also appeared earlier and in the Exodus plagues. The earthquake appears to break the Antichrist’s capital city into three parts along with other major cities. This is the third mention of men’s refusal to repent and their belligerent attitude toward God. It shows that in the final days, mankind will be settled in their determination to reject God. All will have been given ample opportunity to repent and cry out to God. Even today God gets blamed for the evil things in our world. We are slow to look inward.
The center of control of earth’s rebellion is a political system referred to as Babylon. The Dragon empowers a coalition of nations headed by Antichrist (beast) who is also supported by the false prophet who perpetuates this system of godless materialism. John reports the demise of this system along with those who perpetuated it in the next two chapters and the return of the true King of all the earth.
POINTS TO PONDER
• Remember who is in charge – trust Him
All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. Isaiah 40:17
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been declared to you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. 23 He it is who reduces rulers to nothing, Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless. 24 Scarcely have they been planted, scarcely have they been sown, scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth, But He merely blows on them, and they wither, And the storm carries them away like stubble. 25 "To whom then will you liken Me That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes on high And see who has created these stars, The One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing. Isaiah 40:21-26
• Remember He is also a God of righteous judgment and wrath – praise Him.
"Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed
We focus a lot on love and grace and mercy but without holiness, righteousness, truth, justice, wrath and judgment, there could be no bright future. There would be no heaven. There would be no kingdom where righteousness dwells. Things would go on as they are now. So praise God for His holiness and righteous judgment.
• Make sure you are right with God – surrender to Him and receive Him.
Even though He is an absolutely holy and just God, He has made provision to be reconciled to Him and part of His eternal unshakable kingdom. He is not willing that any perish but that all will come to repentance.
He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:11-13
• His return is sooner than we think – be found serving when He returns.
