“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.’ ”
Revelation 16:1 NASB
With these last seven plagues, the wrath of God will end. In Chapter 15, we saw the Temple smoking with God’s power and glory as the seven angels each took a golden bowl from one of the living creatures. And until these last plagues ended, no one could enter the temple. (Read about it HERE.)
The First Bowl: Painful sores fester on those with the mark 666.
So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and a harmful and painful sore afflicted the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image (Revelation 15:2 NKJV).
No one knows exactly how scientists will create the mark of the beast. Could it be a tattoo or a chip inserted under the skin? Regardless, this verse tells us that those who take it will suffer from painful sores.
The Second Bowl: The seas turn into dead-smelling blood.
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 (v. 3).
Anything dead has a putrid odor, but foul blood ranks worst of all. Every fish and sea animal will die, including all vegetation. The combination of widespread death in the sea will compound the stench, and all uses for these waters will terminate. Water cannot flow into homes for baths, toilets, washing machines, or dishwashers. Most importantly, people will suffer from thirst without tap water or bottled water to drink.
The Third Bowl: The rivers and springs also turn into blood.
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood (V.4).
Did you know God has an angel in charge of the waters on earth? Interjected after this plague is an interesting exchange between that angel and the altar in heaven. Here is what they say:
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, ‘Righteous are You, the One who is and who was, 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, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.‘
Revelation 15:5-7 NASB
For every person killed for the Gospel’s sake, God now brings justice to avenge their deaths. Keep in mind that throughout God’s judgments involving blood, He never slays the wicked and uses their blood for revenge. It is the blood of the saints and prophets whom they killed that God uses against the wicked.
The Fourth Bowl: The sun scorches people with fiery heat.
And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given power to scorch people with fire. And the people 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 (v. 8-9).
Lately, there have been numerous references to sun flares and their effect on the earth. Also, global warming has been a popular topic over the years. But this bowl judgment is completely different and will not happen until the fourth angel pours out his bowl upon the sun. The heat will be so hot that men’s skin will scorch as though on fire. Still, these choose to suffer instead of repenting.
The Fifth Bowl: Darkness descends on the kingdom of the beast.
And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds (v.10-11).
Darkness descending on the beast’s kingdom reminds us of that same thing in the book of Exodus. (Read about God’s judgment on Pharoah’s kingdom HERE.) This darkness will produce horrific pain where men will chew on their tongues. Despite their pain and sores, they still refuse to repent.
The Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates River dries up.
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 (v.12).
This river is one of the four surrounding the Garden of Eden in Genesis (read HERE). Its length is 1,790 miles long, and is the longest river in southwest Asia. Beginning in Turkey, it flows across Syria and through Iraq, uniting with the Tigris River and emptying into the Persian Gulf. Read more about how the Euphrates may be drying up today HERE. We find out God’s purpose–to make a roadway for troops to move into Israel for a future war.
The Seventh Bowl: “It is done!”
Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since mankind came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled, and no mountains were found. And huge hailstones, weighing about a talent each, came down from heaven upon people; and people blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because the hailstone plague was extremely severe (v. 17-20).
A Mighty Climax
What a mighty climax to end God’s wrath! Can we imagine an earthquake of all earthquakes that will tear the earth apart? Only Jerusalem, divided into three parts, will still exist. Every city around the world will be destroyed–especially Babylon. Islands will sink like corks and every mountain will fall flat. One-hundred-pound hailstones will pummel the people left, who will blaspheme God and still refuse to repent. These hailstones may well be the ones referred to in the Book of Job: ‘And have you seen the storehouses of the hail, Which I have reserved for a time of distress, For a day of war and battle?‘ (Job 38:22b-23 NASB).
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for Your mercy and grace today. May those who don’t know You come to the cross of Christ to repent and receive the free gift of salvation. May the lost heed the warning of Your wrath described in this chapter and escape it. We agree with the altar and say, ‘Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.‘ In Jesus’s Name, Amen.
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath by Karen Jurgens Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved.