Chapter Sixteen
Pouring out of the Bowls of Wrath
The contents of the seven bowls of wrath and the sounding of the seven trumpets are the same. They appear in the same order with the exception of the sounding of the first trumpet and the pouring out of the first bowl.
Chapter Eight verse 3 – First trumpet – Fire, hail, and blood.
Chapter Sixteen verse 2 – First bowl – malignant sores
8:8 – Second trumpet – The sea became blood
16:3 – Second bowl – Sea became blood
8:10 – Third trumpet – Rivers and streams became blood.
16:4 – Third bowl – Rivers and streams became bitter.
8:12 – Fourth trumpet – Sun and moon and stars darkened
16:8 – Fourth bowl – Sun given to it to scorch men with fire
9:1 – Fifth trumpet – Sun and air darkened
16:10 – Fifth bowl – Throne of the beast is darkened – Political treason against God
9:14 – Sixth trumpet – The Euphrates is breeched
“Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
16:12 – Sixth bowl – The Euphrates is breeched
“The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.”
11:19 – Seventh trumpet – Lightning, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake, a great earthquake and a massive hailstorm.
16:18-20 – Seventh bowl – Lightening, peals of thunder, a great earthquake, and huge hailstones.
These bowls of wrath represent the
“cup of his indignation” in 14:10. In the issuing of these plagues, it must be noted that these plagues were visited upon Jerusalem for the same reason God sent the plagues on Egypt – so that Egypt would know that
“I am God,” – and now, so that Israel will know that Jesus is God!
I. The First Plague is poured out upon the
earth – the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 1-2.
“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” “So, the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore (Exodus 9:9-10)
on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.”
The victim of the bowls of wrath is Jerusalem as is suggested by the reoccurring phrase
“on the earth.” Jerusalem was the
“great mountain” of chapter eight that was
“thrown into the sea” as well as the beast that rose up out of the earth. The result of the first wrath is that of plague (
“loathsome and malignant sores”) which resulted from the extended siege. Those who had the mark of the beast were all those of Israel who did not worship Jesus as Lord.
II. The Second Plague is poured out upon the
sea, 3.
8:8-9
“And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.”
16:3
“The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.”
The difference is that now, as opposed to chapter 8, the devastation is complete. All is destroyed as opposed to one third. This is the consuming or the devouring of Palestine by the armies of Rome. Rome is covered in the blood of slaughter. This is a deterioration of the social climate of the times and the picture is one of total death and destruction.
III. The Third Plague
This plague is poured out upon the
inland waters – the powers of the rulers are being dried up at the source, 4-7.
8:10-11,
“The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.”
16:4-7,
“Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying, ‘Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.’ And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.’”
Retribution is being given now to Israel because they deceived the people and slew both the saints and the prophets which included the two witnesses. Because they had shed the blood of God's witnesses, they are made to drink the bitterness of the wrath of God. God will now shed their blood, and this is righteous.
IV. The Fourth Plague
This plague is poured out upon the
sun – the ruling powers, 8-9.
8:12,
“The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.”
16:8-9,
“The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.”
Rather than repent, they add evil to themselves by blaspheming God from whom these plagues have come.
V. The Fifth Plague
This plague is poured out upon the
throne of the beast. In other words, the ruler of Jerusalem, 10-11.
9:1-2
“Then the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.” Sun = ruler, Air = political influence, darkness = spiritual blindness.
16:10-11,
“Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne (the king)
of the beast (Jerusalem)
, and his kingdom became darkened (Plunged into spiritual darkness)
; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain. (This is a common phenomenon associated with extreme starvation)
, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.”
Not even the king of Palestine was able to escape the wrath of God. He too suffered the ravages of the siege. One needs to read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-13. This is exactly what Paul was reminding the Christians at Thessalonica. God is not just passively sitting and watching Israel sink into evil. God is actively insuring their deception.