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The Seven Bowls of Wrath
I. The seven bowls of wrath are similar to the breaking of the seven seals and the sounding of the seven trumpets, but the intensity and magnitude are far greater.
A. They also roughly parallel the ten plagues on Egypt, when God punished the Egyptian nation to free His people from bondage.
B. The first bowl - malignant sores - Rev 16:1-2
1. The voice comes out from the temple where God’s presence had fallen. Showing the actions were authorized by God.
2. The bowl is poured on the earth, where the land beast (emperor worship) came from
3. It only fell on those who were sealed to the empire and its worship
a. Unlike the earlier warnings, the bowls immediate effect mankind from the very beginning.
4. Not literal sores, this is symbolic language, but they festered with inner rottenness probably due to their sins.
C. The second bowl - sea turns to blood - Rev 16:3
1. The sea is the troubled mass of humanity
2. This is where the sea beast (the empire) came from.
3. Humanity has become dead spiritually, leaving further corruption behind.
a. Life is in the blood - Lev 17:11
b. But the life has gone out, leaving the dead behind.
D. The third bowl - the river and springs turn to blood - Rev 16:4-7
1. God is taking the vengeance that is his right - Rom 12:19
2. It is declared to be righteous or fitting retribution by the angel of the water and the altar itself.
a. The empire spilt the blood of God’s people
b. The empire is forced to drink blood
c. They reaped what they had sown - Gal. 6:7-9, Obad 15-16
E. The fourth bowl - scorched by the sun - Rev 16:8-9
1. The Egyptians suffered darkness, but here God uses the sun to scorch the earth
a. Ps 97:3, 7
b. Isa 47:13-14 - The astrologers will suffer from their supposed god.
c. Isa 9:19 - Through God’s wrath the land is burnt.
2. Instead of quaking, men cursed the God who was punishing them
a. Much like the response of Pharaoh
F. The fifth bowl - darkness on the throne and pain - Rev 16:10-11
1. This was directed at the seat of the empire.
2. Much like the corruption of the Gentiles - Rom 1:21
3. Great pain to the blasphemous tongues, but they continue to blaspheme God.
4. Notice that these people are still suffering from the first bowl. This shows the events are occurring in rapid succession.
G. The sixth bowl - the Euphrates is dried up - Rev 16:12
1. Preparation for invading armies from the east
2. This is where the major enemies of Israel came from when God overthrew Israel and Judah for their sins.
II. Interlude of three unclean spirits - Rev 16:13-16
A. They come from the mouth of the dragon (Satan), the beast (the Roman government), and the false prophet (the religion of emperor worship)
1. They are described as frogs, which were unclean beasts under the Old Law - Lev 11:9-12
B. They are the spirits of demons performing false wonders
1. I Tim 4:1-2 - Deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons
2. II Thess 2:9 - The use of lying wonders
3. They gather the unrighteous in preparation for battle
C. God’s people are warned to keep watch
1. Matt 24:42-44; 25:13
2. I Thess 5:2
3. II Pet 3:10
D. We are to keep on our garments
1. Be prepared as the Israelites were to leave Egypt at the first passover.
2. The Christian’s garment is our faithful living
a. Rom 13:12-14
b. Gal 3:27
c. Eph 4:24
3. In other words, remain faithful
E. The gathering place is Har-Magedon (Armageddon or Mountain of Megiddo)
1. This is a reference to Megiddo, in the valley of Jezreel where many decisive battles were fought by Israel against invading armies.
a. This is the place where Deborah and Barak overthrew Sisera (Judges 5:19-21), where Saul was defeated by the Philistines (I Samuel 31), where Jehu slew Ahaziah (II Kings 9:27), and where Josiah perished at the hands of Pharaoh Necho (II Kings 23:29-30).
b. However, this Megiddo is a valley, and John refers to a mountain. Such a mountain doesn’t exist, but this is symbolic. We are alluding to a place where wars have been won and lost, but we are not talking about a physical place on earth.
2. No war is actually fought, Satan is seen gathering his forces for a war in the future. (Described in chapter 19).
III. The seventh bowl - Rev 16:17-21
A. The bowl is poured on the air.
1. This is often referred to as the abode of Satan - Eph 2:2
B. A completion of the judgment
1. Again the mighty voice of God speaks, such as the world has not heard before.
C. The empire is divided
1. When Jerusalem was destroyed, it was described in three parts - Ezek 5:2-3
2. It was a complete and thorough destruction.
D. The empire is put into complete chaos.
1. No place for refuge, for the islands and mountains are gone.
2. Similar to the fall of Tyre - Ezek 26:17-18
3. No ordinary hail falls, these weigh about 100 pounds.
4. God has used hail for divine judgement, but never on this order before.
E. Notice that this is not the final judgment because there are still those blaspheming God.
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