This chapter gives us the detailed accounts of the judgments upon the “beast and its image.” The fourteenth chapter is but a summary of the events while the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth presents the unfolding of the events. The seventh seal led us to the overthrow of Paganism—the seven trumpets led us to the overthrow of the Roman Empire—Now the seven vials lead us to the overthrow of the Beast. Each one of the series of sevens leads up to the fulfillment of an epoch.
It is important to understand that the seven bowls of wrath are to be poured upon the “beast with seven heads and ten horns.” She is variously described as the harlot, the great city Babylon, the scarlet adulteress, etc. After the Reformation, which brought untold misery to the Roman Church, she still did not repent but rather asserted that she was infallible. As we look at 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 we are told that she would use signs and wonders, lies and miracles. The final triumph will come when the Lord calls her to judgment at Har-Magedon.
Unveiling God's Judgment Through the Seven Vials of Wrath
The First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
Revelation 16:1
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."
Notice that these seven angels have the seven last plagues that will be sent upon mankind. The text declares that they contain the wrath of God. These series will bring everything to a close regarding the beast with seven heads and ten horns. Do not confuse this with the end of the world.
Revelation 16:2
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.
The prophet describes a painful and malignant sore filled with foul corruption. We will look for a moral and spiritual corruption that took place at the end of the 1260-year period that will be a fitting symbol of that event. France had been the strongest and staunchest supporter of the Roman Church. In 1793 this ulcer of the French Revolution had festered and broke—the enslaved masses who were maddened into fury sent Catholic king, royal families, nobles and priests to the guillotine by tens of thousands, impelling the nation in madness and fury to declare itself atheistic. The papal power received a shock from which it has never recovered. Few events have so powerfully influenced the political and economic development of the modern world as the French revolution.
The Second Bowl: The Sea Turned to Blood
Revelation 16:3
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.
During nineteen years of almost constant war Napoleon inflicted upon Europe the most appalling miseries. In 1780 France and England were nearly matched upon the sea. With 1793 begins a contest for the mastery of the seas. It continues for 20 years. France, by Napoleon's concordat with the Pope, with Catholic Spain, Portugal, and Italy, fought with Protestant England for the masteries of the sea. In the deadly struggle 600 ships of the line (Largest war vessels) and 1,000 smaller war ships are sunk. The naval power of Catholic Europe is swept from the ocean. Once the Pope claimed dominion of the seas; now his proud claim is gone forever.
The Third Bowl: Rivers and Springs
Revelation 16:4
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
World War I was known as the Great War. Read the account of it in the history books and it will be apparent that this war was aimed at the guilty sinners in the continent over which this apostate Catholic Church ruled. It is also noteworthy to notice that a large number of battles took place on rivers and fountains of waters:
- Battle of the Marne
- Two important battles of World War I are named for the Marne River. In the first battle (Sept. 6-9, 1914) the Germans advance on Paris was halted. In the second battle (July 1918) the last great German offensive was decisively repulsed.
- Battle of Ypres
- Fought between the Scheldt River and the North Sea. The first battle (Oct.--Nov. 1914) was the last of the series of engagements referred to as the race to the sea. The second battle began on April 22, 1915, when the Germans used poison gas for the first time.
- Battles of Masuria
- The Masuria Lakes region, North Poland, where more than 2,700 lakes are located, was the scene of heavy fighting early in World War I.
- Battle of Verdun
- Verdun, located on the Meuse River, was an old, famous, influential Roman Catholic Church city. It was the longest and the bloodiest engagement of World War I.
Revelation 16:5
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;
Revelation 16:6
for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
Revelation 16:7
And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
The Fourth Bowl: Scorched by Fire
Revelation 16:8
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire.
The flag of Japan has the Sun on it. This empire had a scorching sun when two atomic bombs exploded on Hiroshima Aug 6th 1945, and on Aug 9th 1945 on Nagasaki. During the six years of World War II the most powerful weapons were used to scorch men with fire. Civilians and soldiers suffered alike in bombings that wiped out entire cities. The technique of warfare itself was revolutionized by the use of nuclear weapons.
Revelation 16:9
They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
The Fifth Bowl: Darkness on the Beast
Revelation 16:10
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony
From the time that Napoleon crossed the Alps, descended on Italy and took Pope Pius VI a prisoner into France to die, The Catholic church has been in turmoil. She has been in disarray year after year. This once all-powerful apostate church has sunk into a quagmire of darkness. She still refuses to repent of her idolatry and continues to blaspheme God.
Revelation 16:11
and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
The Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates Dried Up
Revelation 16:12
The sixth poured out his bowl on the on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
We are concerned about biological, chemical and germ warfare. This rogue kingdom at the Euphrates River with Hussain at the head claims to be the Nebuchadnezzar of ancient times. We must look for something to develop in that area of the world. When it does it will be easy to identify by Bible believers.
Revelation 16:13
Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
Notice that these are unclean spirits, spirits of demons working miraculous signs. No church on earth has so many lying wonders and miraculous signs as Catholicism. During the final plague out of paganism, Papalism, and Mohammadism will come evil spirits that will assemble nations for the final battle.
Revelation 16:14
They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 16:15
"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
Revelation 16:16
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
The final warfare will be in the Far East.
The Seventh Bowl: The Air and Great Hail
Revelation 16:17
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
Take note that the other plagues took place on land, rivers, and waters but this one will have something to do with the air. Could this have reference to space? Could this have some connection to satellites and other future space vehicles? There is little doubt that this battle will make World War I and II look insignificant. It is shaping up to happen in the near future. This is Armageddon!
Revelation 16:18
Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.
This could be triggered by atomic blasts.
Revelation 16:19
The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.
Revelation 16:20
Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.
As we have noted in previous chapters that Mountains represented kingdoms and Islands represented small nations scattered throughout the ocean. This could have reference to the collapse of governments.
Revelation 16:21
From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
Remember that John had never seen airplanes or space vehicles. He had never seen a bomb. Could this symbolize a terrible bombing raid?