A thorough study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. 1:1)
Welcome to our study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ given unto Apostle John.
I am Phillip Smith, your host and fellow servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we continue our study in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as given to John, we begin in chapter 16.
We enter, now, the phase of the earthly punishment and judgment of unrighteousness and unrighteous mankind. The earth has been harvested of the saints, ones who have victory over the beast, his image, his mark, his number of his name. Rev. 15:2. Also, Rev. 14:14-20. They are praising God upon the sea of glass; the streets of Heaven.
The command to pour out the vials of the wrath of God has been given. The final punishments on earth for unrighteous mankind, has begun. Rev. 16:1. 16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
Here we are given the description of the various types of wrath, complete amount, ‘seven’.
Vial #1
Rev. 16:2. 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
This sore was offensive or disgusting, and injurious to the health of the recipients. It was given unto all who had the mark of the beast. They were the ones who worshiped Satan and his beast. (we will see this on the punishments of the wrath of God on unrighteous mankind)
Vial #2
Rev. 16:3. 3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
The sea became as blood, the life of human mankind. The appearance of blood represented the removal of life from evil man. It is a separation of the souls of evil man and God. It is the removal of life from earth when it melts with fervent heat. It may also represent the drinking of the wine of the wrath of God by the ones with the mark of the beast because of their love for the Whore of Babylon. (Rev. 14:8. 8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Rev. 16:19. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.)
Vial #3
Rev. 16:4-6. 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
In this passage, the last scenario of the drinking of the wine of the wrath of God because of evil man’s love for the fornications of the Whore of Babylon, seems to be the indication of the blood. God is going to fill the hearts of evil mankind with what they desired, more abominations. Sometimes the best lessons learned are the harshest. In this case, God will not relent nor forgive. (we will see this more in a few moments)
Rev. 16:7. 7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
What was in or under the altar? Rev. 6:9-10. 9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
The souls of those slain for the word of God were under or in the altar. Perhaps one or a few of them shouted, “Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” They had been rescued from their oppressors and given a time of rest. They knew of the righteous judgment of their God.
Vial #4
Rev. 16:8-9. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
In this scripture, it appears this vial of God’s wrath is after the harvest of the saints, however, with the earth warming and the sun burning mankind, with mankind not calling upon and trusting God, those burned by the increased heat do not seem to repent. Verse 9 said they repented not to give him glory. Those who stir trouble with others over climate change will not acknowledge God, nor speak His name. They try to stop all mankind from believing or hearing God to turn and repent. God has used many methods to turn the heart of sinful man to repent and regain their faith in Him. One example: Amos chapter 4.
Vial #5
Rev. 16:10-11. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
The ‘seat of the beast’ is his throne. That throne is earth. Satan has given power on earth to do the will of Satan. It is on the throne of Satan the beast sits. He ruled over all unrighteousness.
Scripture says darkness was full and came over the kingdom of the beast. This darkness represents two things; literal darkness–no form of illumination, and/or pure sinfulness–darkness, without any righteousness. If it means the second option, no righteous man is found on earth; the righteous have been removed to heaven.
When God put the grapes of the vine in the winepress, he salvaged the good and removed all darkness–that which is without righteousness. Those He took to heaven; or Paradise. The evil, unrighteous remains, He salvaged. Could this be the separation of the sheep from the goats?
Still, those found here would not repent of their deeds. Those were the ones who called good evil and evil good. They have seared their hearts to always believe that. Sadly there are many today we can identify like that.
They blamed God for their sores and their pain from biting their tongues. They are the type who will never take responsibility for their deeds and actions. The sores seem to be the ones inflicted upon them from vial #1. In all their deserved punishment, they still do not repent.
Vial #6
Rev. 16:12. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
The symbolic representation of the Holy City Jerusalem, the earthly Jerusalem, has been the place Satan wanted to control because it was the earthly city in which God dwelt with His children, the children of Israel. Remember, the seat of Satan is earth. It is at Jerusalem he wants to defeat God and never fear Him again. Perhaps God will relent and let Satan have earth to continue his kingdom. But God makes a way for the battle against unrighteousness once and for all (all evil kings and kingdoms of the earth ruled by Satan) God will not shy away from this battle because God is more powerful and will consume Satan and his minions in Hell.
God has the power to overcome Satan. Rev. 20:1-3. 20 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
God has bound Satan, that dragon, the old serpent called the Devil once for a long time–1,000 years. God will do it again permanently.
Rev. 16:13-14. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Spiritual servants for the Dragon, the Devil, Satan, send out more evil spirits working their deceptions for unrighteous mankind. These came from the mouths of the beast and Satan’s false prophet. They continue striving to deceive evil men into believing Satan shall win and rule the earth forever. Deception is needed to control these kings to gather for the great battle. Satan shall use physical mankind and his souls (evil spirits–souls) bound in hell, the grave, to fight God’s spiritual army led by Michael the archangel at the great battle called Armageddon. Rev. 16:16. 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
Inserted is this passage of hope, for we who are striving to remain righteous until this time in history: Rev. 16:15. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Jesus warns mankind he will come as a thief in the night to call mankind. This night is not a literal dark period of a day. It is a metaphor describing a time unknown and unexpected by man.
1 Thes. 5:1-3. 5 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
2 Peter 3:10. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
To the church at Sardis: Rev. 3:3. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
This warning was to all congregations who have the attitude and behavior as the church at Sardis
A saint, waiting upon the judgment, shall watch and wait upon the Lord because they know not when they will be called.
Vial #7–The Last Trump
Rev. 16:17. 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
At the last of God’s wrath, it is done. God is finished with the earth and mortal sinful mankind and their Spirits, including the evil spirits (Angels) of Satan, his beast, his false prophet and all Satan’s angels which were cast out of Heaven to earth with Satan, the old serpent the Devil.
Rev. 16:18-21. 18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
The destruction, melting of the earth, sun, moon and stars began. Large hailstones fell upon men. These evil men blasphemed God for their believed unjust punishment. Everything was divided and the fall and sins of Babylon came to remembrance. Yet, still, mankind did not repent from all the wrath and punishment God sent upon evil mankind.
[E]very island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Vs. 20. The earth began to be destroyed as God had planned. (2 Peter 3:10)
