Alpha and Omega, Part 44, Revelation Part 21
The Seven Bowl Judgments of God
Revelation 16:1-21
Introduction
- Been studying Revelation together, to understand God’s plan for creation
-- REM: Redemption of sin is granted through Jesus; and yes, we have a choice
- Last time we explored God’s preparation for His final 7 judgments
-- We also saw Heaven’s response: To praise Him for who He is
-- The song of the Lamb and the song of Moses were sung before His Throne
-- We also saw those who were martyred (Rev 6) being part of the praise
- Today, we see the culmination of God’s judgment upon the Earth
-- It is a physical depiction of what happens, and why, to a sinful Earth
-- This event is after the seal judgments and after the trumpet judgments
-- It is also the hinting of the final battle between good and evil
- Read Revelation 16:1-21 / Pray
-- TR: Let’s start with the straightforward, first three bowl judgments …
Point 1 – The First Three Bowl Judgments
- Know this: The voice of God will be heard across the land! (v1)
-- Only God could give an order like this – a command to end what He created
-- Yes, He has instructed the angels to carry this out … but this is His voice
-- APP: He is showing His rule and reign -- His dominion over Creation
- See two things here:
1. God is righteous – He does what needs to be done to correct sin
2. God loves and cares for the Earth – Saw in Creation, it’s time to repair it
- His command directs the 7 angels (seen in Ch. 15) to execute His wrath
Judgment 1 – A judgment of Ulcerous Sores (v2)
- The imagery here is horrendous – sores that infect and infest the human body
-- GR: helkos; a wound, a sore, an ulcer
- But note: This is only upon those who have received the mark (Ch 13)
-- GR: echo; those who have or those who possess (very specific)
-- It is against those who willingly have turned their backs on God
-- Against those who willingly choose to worship the beast or his image
Judgment 2 – A judgment on the Sea (v3)
- Probably points to the Mediterranean Sea and not the oceans of the world
-- GR: thalassa; a particular sea or lake (singular in verbiage)
-- If it was the oceans, imagine all the life that would cease to exist
- RE: The center of the Antichrist’s power is somewhere in Middle East
-- Formally known as Babylon – this is where the judgment of God falls
-- It is logical to consider that the judgments will be centralized to him
-- (FYI) The next judgment deals with fresh water …
- So, consider, this is more like a red tide that can strike the coastlines
-- It pollutes the water, kills sea life, but it is centralized – meaning is similar
Judgement 3 – A judgment on the Rivers and Springs (v4)
- Again, this is centralized to where the Antichrist and his domain are located
-- If it were everywhere, the entire Earth would die quickly (need water to live)
-- APP: Throughout the Middle East there will be little drinking water available
- Now, something very interesting happens here in the middle of the judgments
-- An angel proclaims the might, power, and righteousness of God (v5)
-- Why? Because even here people will rebel against God
-- They will shake their fist at Him and demand He do something else
- Don’t miss: God’s angel reminds them of why this is happening:
• They (Antichrist and followers) killed the people of God (martyrs) (v6)
• It happens also because God is true and righteous; He keeps His word (v7)
- What the angel is proclaiming is that God is just in what He is doing
-- MEANING: The inhabitants of this world have brought this on themselves!
-- Always remember the judgment is God’s, not ours: Romans 2:1-3, “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?”
Point 2 –The Next Two Bowl Judgments
Judgment 4 – A judgment on the Sun (v8-9)
- The temperature of the sun will be elevated to literally scorch the Earth
-- Compounded with severe radiation … it will burn the inhabitants of the Earth
-- But see what happens? The unrepentant will STILL not repent!
- Even though they have been told it’s the only way! When? Since the OT!
-- 2 Chr 24:19, “Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen.”
- Get this: they continue to curse the name of God who had control to stop it!
-- APP: This is no different from the OT as we see it in the NT or the final days!
-- Acts 7:51, “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!”
-- GR: aperitmétos; uncircumcised … it’s the word for “heathen” in Acts 7:51
Judgment 5 – A judgment against the Throne of the Antichrist (v10-11)
- This bowl judgment will plunge the city of the Antichrist into total darkness
-- GR: thronos; a throne
-- GR: thérion; a wild beast
- Imagine an entire nation going dark in the middle of the day
-- This will be more than an eclipse, but a sudden change in everything
-- Suffering from the heat of the 4th plague, visibility is now at zero percent
- RE: Many nations will be cooperating and planning with the Antichrist
-- They are guilty by association in their dealings; and their punishment is here
-- This particular judgement falls solely on those who follow the Antichrist
- Joel predicted this darkness: Joel 2:1-2, “Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem! Raise the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is upon us. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again.”
- Jesus also told us in Matthew 24:29, “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”
-- APP: Both are a warning, a call to understand, to know what is coming!
Point 3 – The Final Two Bowl Judgments
Judgement 6 – A judgment on the Euphrates River (v12-16)
- Why this river? v16 tells us: To prepare the nations and armies for battle
-- BUT! This is a judgment of deception, not one of affliction and punishment
-- We know that Armageddon is the last great war that happens on Earth
-- It occurs in the Jezreel Valley, in the Valley of Megiddo
- Euphrates River: 1,780 miles long, 300 to 1200 yards wide, 10 to 30 feet deep
-- It is a great avenue for commerce today from the Persian Gulf
- This drying up will now allow the armies of the East to invade Israel
-- Fact: If you want to win a war, foot soldiers are always going to be needed
-- You can only do so much from the air/sea – bldg. to bldg. is needed
-- Note: Thank God for our veterans and for those who willing defended us
- Now, check this out …
-- Every now and then we get to see something of the supernatural in the Word
-- John sees three spirits – three demonic spirits – who control everything
-- They are shown to empower the Antichrist, False Prophet, and outward
-- Their function is to deceive, probably w/ visions of grandeur and victory
- John shows us a physical description of their ability to maneuver
-- They are shown to leap from the mouth of the dragon, beast, false prophet
- Consider: How easy is it for a frog to get into your yard?
-- APP: Evil can enter your life just as easily and as quickly if you allow it
- The result is the amassing of an Army in a place called Armageddon
-- GR: Harmagedón; the place of the final battle of good and evil
- But look what God does … in His word, He even warns us (them) to beware!
-- In v15 we clearly see Jesus remind us of His prediction to come
-- Matthew 25:13, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”
- APP: He is such a good God, that even reading of His judgment, He warns us!
-- He gives us an opportunity (even now) to know, to repent, and turn to Him!
Judgement 7 – A judgment on the air we breathe (atmosphere)
- I love what comes as a shout from the throne of God at the end
-- But this is not tetelestai, but it IS translated into the same meaning
-- GR: ginomai; to come into being, to happen
- The final thing that man needs to breathe is infected and polluted!
-- APP: The very air we need and was created in Gen 1:6 - is now ruined
- After this, nature breaks loose and unleashes an unbelievable show of power
• Thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed
• A great earthquake struck, the worst one ever seen since man
• The city of the Antichrist was split into three sections, cities of nations fell
• Every island disappeared and every mountain was laid flat
• A hailstorm consisting of 75-pound hailstones fell on humanity
- And yet … look at what humanity does!! Read verse 21B! PAUSE
BIG IDEA
- Consider for a moment, having witnessed the destruction of God and …
-- Humanity’s response is to curse Him and become even angrier with God
- Maybe this is where you find yourself? Are you waging war vs. God today??
-- Are we shaking our fists at Him in anger because of life’s challenges?
-- Are we refusing to repent and seek Him out because of how we feel?
- We’ve seen the immense anger to come … why would we want to participate?
-- Why would we willingly think we might be able to win against that?
- Perhaps, we have our own evil spirits that keep us from repenting?
-- Maybe today might be the day that we lay them down and surrender to Him?
- Let’s pray together … Thankfulness / Salvation
