Revelation 16:17-21 Series

Revelation 16:17-21

The Seventh Bowl

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”

“It is done” or “it is finished”

As I read through this last section in this chapter I can't help but to notice in some ways the similarities between this and Jesus' crucifixion.

At the cross Jesus took on the sins of all those who would believe in Him as lord and Savior and repent of their sins. Jesus also took on all of the many horrific and brutal beatings, humiliation, and sufferings ending with the last torture of the cross itself. Combined, these things were the full payment for every sin you and I have committed.

God, has done things a little differently here though. Payment for sin and rebellion against God now has to be paid for by the people who committed these crimes against Him. The unbelievers who have already passed are paying in hell, but these who remain alive will pay on earth and then in hell.

This torturous pouring out of these seven bowls onto unbelievers is Gods way of dealing with them. Justice will fall on sin and unbelief, and the full wrath of God is their punishment. “It is done” There is no mercy here, there is no grace here, and I would say there is no love here. What there is is a righteous hate from God for these sinners.

About God:

Psalm 5:5 ~ The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

Malachi 1:2-3 ~ I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated

18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.

In Matthew 27 we see as Jesus is dying darkness and earthquakes as God's wrath is finished on His Son. Here it is much the same, God is exhibiting Himself in a way that says I am God and yes I have done this. But this time the severity of this earthquake is like at no other time, it will be of epic proportions.

19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

The words “the city split into three parts” says more about the severity of the earthquake and is not really and indication of there being three actual parts. That's how bad the earthquake was that it tore the “great city” apart.

The cities of the nations falling is I would say an indication of God destroying everything that has control and authority on a national, state and local level, that is governments for sure but could be anything that has authority. Governments in which God had told us once to obey, God has now destroyed because of their evil and sinful ways.

What we see is God taking back full control of the entirety of his creation.

Babylon in my opinion is not a single place but a reference to all these cities that this verse is talking about. Again they are corrupt and God is draining the last but most likely the worst of his wrath out on them.

It is the cities that control us out here in the country, they are the ones who set the tone for the rest to fall to evil with their unjust and un-biblical laws. God is holding them responsible most for the evil that had been created. But the country is far from perfect as well.

20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.

Think of an earthquake so strong that islands had sunk and mountains had come down it had leveled everything. A world wide earthquake of this magnitude would leave little left.

21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

These stubborn sinful unbelievers will curse God right to the end, there is no hope for them because they have never had any desire to turn from their ways and to God.

2 Peter 2:1-10 ~ But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.