POURING OUT OF THE SEVEN VIALS
Revelation 16
The climatic ending of the Revelation is taking place with God quickly dispensing His judgment and wrath on the Godless portion of a fallen creation. All wickedness and those who have been involved in sin are being punished. Notice that I said, “punished”. There will be no further opportunity for repentance. God is dealing now with His enemy, not as the Lord Jesus Christ, as He was referred to in the grace and church age, but as the Lord God Almighty. The swift judgment of God will be immediately poured out by the angels, one vial at a time. The commission to do such will come from the Lord God Almighty.
We will carefully analyze the way that each of these vials were dispensed and with the results of each being given. The pouring out of these vials also corresponds to the third woe as described in 11:14.
I. THE POURING OF THE FIRST VIAL RESULTED IN SORES. (Vv. 1, 2)
There is a comparison to be made while these plagues are taking place, to the plagues that happened in Egypt when Moses was asking Pharaoh to release the Israelites. During this time, God also inflicted plagues of boils (Exodus 9:8-12), waters turning to blood (Exodus 7:14-25), and darkness (Exodus 10:21-29).
Notice how the judgment of the boils fell upon the Israelites in Exodus 9:8-12:
And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
This was certainly a very grievous time in Egypt, but it was a time that eventually brought about a release of the Israelites. These plagues in Revelation, resulting from the pouring out of the seven vials, will not serve a similar purpose of bringing forth repentance as it did in Egypt, but will be only for the purpose of punishment.
A. The Judgment Came Suddenly Upon the Beast Worshipers. (Vv. 1-2a)
The Scriptures tell us that the angel “poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell…” It does not take much imagination to realize how quickly this must have taken place. The very description of the vial being flattened out like a saucer indicates how quickly the wrath of God will be poured out.
Just as the Lord has the reputation of being patient and longsuffering in regards to providing us with grace, He will have the reputation of suddenly releasing His judgment upon His enemy. The world has the delusion of fabricating its own god as being a feminine, weak, and emaciated seventy pound creature. Such is not the case and will not be the case when He judges the earth during the Great Tribulation. This is also the way that many artists portray Christ on the cross. When Christ was on the earth during His incarnation, inside an earthly body, He undoubtedly was a fine specimen of the human frame. I believe that His body was very manly developed while growing up as a carpenter. As He carried His own cross, He demonstrated the stamina that He had to endure the cross. The Lord God Almighty will be a “consuming fire”.
B. The Judgment Caused Suffering to the Beast Worshipers. (V. 2b).
Had man not sinned there would be no suffering upon the earth or a need for hell. Sin changed all of that. The excruciating pain that we feel today when facing some serious physical malady had its awful beginnings in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. The pouring out of the first vial will result in terrible suffering. We must not forget that this suffering is deserved because of man refusing God’s grace. I must call attention to this, because there is the likelihood that someone will either hear or read what is being said in regards to tribulation and needs to be saved.
This vial that affects its victims with painful sores comes upon all of the followers of the beast. This parallels to the boils that were involved in the sixth plague on Egypt (Exodus 9:9-11).
II. THE POURING OF THE SECOND VIAL REACHED THE SEA. (V. 3)
The sea has for centuries upon centuries been a vital source of food and has been necessary for travel, thus providing a means for worldwide commerce. The human race is very much dependant upon the oceans of the world. The oceans or seas are necessary for a proper ecological balance. The ocean has just enough water spaced out with the right chemistry to provide for oxidation, for environmental cleansing, for a proper mineral balance. There have been studies made to determine whether our world could survive as it is now without the proper ocean to land ratio and it could not.
When the waters of the ocean become as a dead man, it will be apparent that the world chemistry involving the oceans has been drastically changed. With this being so, the first thing that will be affected is the death of the marine life. Once this happens, there will be a terrible stench that will cover the earth. The diseases from this will be overwhelming and the natural biological processes will go into a state of confusion. The air chemistry and the land chemistry will immediately begin to change.
We must realize and also acknowledge, as honest scientists do, that the eco system of this world is God ordained. It is no accident that the land to water ratio is as it is with the proper chemistry of the ocean being as it is. All of this will immediately change when the second vial is poured out.
III. THE POURING OF THE THIRD VIAL REVENGED THE SAINTS. (VV. 4-7)
The next vial involves the turning of the rivers and the streams of water into blood, with nothing but blood to drink. Every water supply will be filled with blood. Every water fountain will pour out its blood and every bath will require showering and bathing in blood. The water puddles will be blood puddles.
If one would think for a moment that these judgments are unwarranted or too harsh, take a while and read from Fox’s Book of Martyrs. If you have any feelings at all, your soul will be gripped by what you read. It will bring tears to your eyes as you read of the faithful witnesses who suffered in so many despicable ways. They were burned at the stake, buried up to the neck with only the head exposed; they were boiled in cauldrons of oil, and stretched on the rack until their tendons, sinews and skin tour. They had their skin stripped from their bodies and they were fed to the lions. They were run over by horses and chariots and trampled by angry beasts to the delight of the over filled coliseums. The intensity of our NFL football games is already paving the way for having such a mindset for a reoccurrence of such an atmosphere. If you think that this statement is too strong, I saw a television news cast that showed soldiers just arriving from Iraq who were taken out into the streets and stomped in the face and on the body while calloused, cold hearted witnesses cheered them on.
Our Text indicates that there was righteous justification for the blood to be given to the wicked to drink because of all the blood that was shed by the martyrs. Verse number seven says, And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.”
IV. THE POURING OF THE FOURTH VIAL RESULTED IN SCORTCHING. (Vv. 8-9)
Men were being scorched with fire, but they still refused to repent. They blasphemed the name of God and refused to repent giving God the glory. In the days of Noah, the door of grace remained open with a “Whosoever will may come” message, but no one came. Finally the door of opportunity was closed and the earth inhabiters had no further opportunity to come to the Lord. When the door of the ark was slammed shut, and the judgment rains fell, there was total destruction. The earth population perished in a short matter of time. Today, the great door of salvation is wide open with a “Whosoever will” message, but in a relative sense few are coming. The tribulation at the time being described here will have those who are under the direct effects of the plagues still refusing to come
We do not learn lessons well. By association, one would think that upon being scorched by the heat from feeling the pain, that there would be a countless number crying for deliverance and peace, lest they go to the awful Lake of Fire, but they will not! Just as Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (Exodus 7:13, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34, 35), so will theirs be.
V. THE POURING OF THE FIFTH VIAL REVEALED MORE SUFFERING. (Vv. 10-11)
The satanic kingdom of the beast is ushered into darkness as the wicked gnaw their tongues in pain. The darkness will be an additional plague that will be added to the already hurting world population. They will be surrounded by darkness with no ability to communicate their hurt to anyone who could do anything to help them; their mental anguish will be unbearable as they gnaw their tongues in pain. The darkness will bring about a total state of confusion, simply because people have all become so light dependant. When the world is thrust into darkness, it very well could mean that there will be no heat being felt during that time from the sun. The sun is always shinning upon the earth somewhere which is absolutely necessary to maintain a proper thermal balance. If the total earth becomes dark for an extended period, everything immediately is thrown out of balance. This should impress upon the unbelieving world that God, who is the perfect God of order, put everything in precise balance. The seasons are totally dependant upon a proper light to darkness ratio. In our earlier studies, we commented on the effect of imbalance to our life growing needs. Proper photosynthesis in the plant world can only occur with the proper amounts of sunlight. Try laying a piece of plywood on the grass for several days while blocking the sunlight and watch the grass lose its chlorophyll and its rich green color. Then continue to let the plywood lay there and the grass will eventually die. If darkness overtakes the earth, the vegetation will soon die and without proper photosynthesis going on, there will be no oxygen being emitted and without oxygen mankind is incapable of maintaining its own metabolism. The plant and animal kingdom, including the human family, are totally interdependent upon each other.
In this darkened state, mankind will no longer be able to properly communicate and carry on normal life activities. In addition to the inconveniences of having no light, the oxygen level will begin to drastically drop causing people who have moderate breathing or heart problems to immediately go into cardiac arrest and into respiratory failure. Those who are robust and strong will struggle and gasp for air. It will be a very painfully depressing world in which to live, but the wicked will still refuse to repent and bring glory to God.
So much of our present technology requires light to operate. Machines like this, which are light dependant, will become only worthless pieces of junk. I can imagine with you the problems that will continue as the plagues are being poured out, but will simply say that it will be an unprecidented awful time like this world has never before seen.
VI. THE POURING OF THE SIXTH VIAL ROUSED UP SATAN. (Vv. 12-16)
This next section of Scripture mentions the name Armageddon as it appears only one time in the Bible. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia defines Armageddon in this manner: “This name is found only in Revelation 16:16. It is described as the rallying-place of the kings of the whole world who, led by the unclean spirits issuing from the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, assemble here for "the war of the great day of God, the Almighty." Various explanations have been suggested; but, as Nestle says (HDB, s.v), "Upon the whole, to find an allusion here to Megiddo is still the most probable explanation." In the history of Israel it had been the scene of never-to-be-forgotten battles. Here took place the fatal struggle between Josiah and Pharaoh-necoh (2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chronicles 35:22). Long before, the hosts of Israel had won glory here, in the splendid victory over Sisera and his host (Judges 5:19). These low hills around Megiddo, with their outlook over the plain of Esdraelon, have witnessed perhaps a greater number of bloody encounters than have ever stained a like area of the world’s surface. There was, therefore, a peculiar appropriateness in the choice of this as the arena of the last mighty struggle between the powers of good and evil.”
The sixth vial is poured out and then miraculously the great river Euphrates dries up permitting the armies from the east to march towards the land of Israel. Verse number 13 and 14 tells how froglike unclean spirits 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 to perform their satanic miracles for the purpose of luring them into a climatic battle on that “great day of God Almighty.
The reference to frogs is very appropriate when one understands the symbolism of the frog. To the Jew, the frog is despicable and very repulsive. To the Egyptians, they reverend the frog even having a frog goddess. I can not imagine why anyone would want to give worship to the ugly frog. Yet, this indicates just how low sin can take one. These spirits coming from the unholy trinity are making a last effort attempt to further deceive the world and by doing so they are organizing for the great Battle of Armageddon. This battle will prove to be the battle of the ages.
VII. THE POURING OF THE SEVENTH VIAL REELED THE SURFACE. (Vv. 17-21)
With the pouring of the seventh vial a voice comes from the throne in Heaven saying, “It is done”. With that statement being made, the judgment pertaining to the Great Tribulation will be over. This announcement will come with “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.”
Then, “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.” When Babylon is brought to remembrance, it will be a reminder of the way that man began to establish his own government in preference to God’s government. The more wicked that government became, the more like Babylon it was in turning from God. The religious, economic and governmental system that will be in effect at the time of the pouring out of the seventh vial will be totally governed by Satan’s unholy trinity. God will completely destroy both him and his system. Chapter 17 will detail how this will be accomplished.
Another indication of how severe the judgment will be is indicated by the fact that “every island fled away and the mountains were not found”. One can only imagine how intense this judgment will be upon the entire earth. Also, the weather patterns will be entirely different including supernatural hail that weighs 60 to 100 pounds. Men all over the earth will be crushed by the hail, even as they continue to blaspheme God. The Bible describes this final plague as being “exceeding great”.
Dear reader, I trust that if you have never repented and trusted the Lord as your savior that you will before it is eternally too late. May God bless!
