Seven Last Plagues

SEVEN LAST PLAGUES (REVELATION 16)

One of my favorite TV shows through the COVID crisis was the Chinese movie and TV series “Judge Dee” or “Detective Dee, as first popularized by Andy Lau many years ago in a 2010 movie directed by Tsui Hark. The first movie, Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame, was set in the seventh-century. The film won six awards at the 30th Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Director and Best Actress for Carina Lau.

Detective Dee was imprisoned previously by the unpopular Empress Wu for his opposition to her rule, but was released to solve a crime and to save her kingdom. After cracking the case, Dee called on the controversial and cruel queen to be kind to the people under her rule.

According to Wikipedia, “Judge Dee acts according to very strict ethics, regarding himself as duty bound to enforce justice, seek out, and severely punish all wrong-doers, high or low… Dee's colleagues might have been more lenient with a suspected murderer when he was a member of a rich family and an outstanding student of literature; or would not have exerted themselves to catch the murderer of a "small" shop-keeper in a minor provincial town; or would have thought more of lining their own pockets than of seeing justice done. … Sometimes, however, Judge Dee finds it expedient to go out incognito and carry out an investigation in disguise. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrated_Cases_of_Judge_Dee

The judgment of God is slow, speculative and even spotty, but when it comes it will be sensational, supernatural and stunning! The verb “break out/became” (ginomai) became occurs ten times (vv 2, 3, 4, 10, 17, 18 four times, 19), more than any chapter in the book.

How will God punish Satan, sinners, sceptics and scoffers? How are we to prepare ourselves come hard times, high water or heavenly or otherwise?

Trust God’s Outrage Will Be Outpoured

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. 4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; 6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve." 7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."

It’s been said:

There is no pain greater than the pain of rejection. Irish Proverb.

There is no pain greater than to be helpless in the face of a loved one's suffering."

There is no pain greater than the loss of your child.

There is no pain greater than that of a broken heart.

There is no pain greater than feelings of unrelieved abandonment.

There is no pain greater than going blind.

There is no pain greater than the pain from death.

After two chapters (Rev 14:10) of warning, the wrath of God is finally poured out, powered by the only two imperatives in the chapter – Go and pour out (v 1), and not just one bowl or vial in KJV, but seven bowls. The most obvious example how the verb is used for the Spirit’s (Acts 2:17-18) outpouring, onrushing and overflowing. Seven is complete, comprehensive and continual –thick and torturous. It stands for perfect, plentiful and potent. Pour out (ekecho) occurs 27 times in the Bible, of which nine times is in Revelation, all in this chapter, but it is in the imperative for the only time in the Bible, so the outpour is prompt, profuse and pungent - heavy and hurtful. The outpour couldn’t be any faster, forceful or frenetic. The adjective “painful/grievous” (v 2) occurs the first time and the only time in the book.

Angel Aftermath Articulation

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land

2 and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark Boils

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, 3 and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.

Now “every living thing in the sea died” (v 3).