Revelation Chapter 16
With all the fury that is poured out on the earth you would think that the people would cry out to God for help, that they would repent and turn to Him. Instead, they will do the opposite, they will curse God for all that is happening to them. Their hearts are hardened.
Chapter 16 describes the last of the judgements being poured out from heaven. The wrath of God is distributed amongst seven bowls that the angels will pour out. God has been patient for a long, long time, but now His patience has ended, and the blatant sin and rejection of His Son will no longer be tolerated.
Let's Reflect
1. The first bowl is poured out and the people will experience painful sores on their bodies. Remember in the Old Testament when the devil afflicted Job with painful sores. But Job remained faithful to God. This time the people that will be afflicted with painful sores will be whom?
2. The second and third bowls poured out, is going to bring about contamination of all water sources. The stench alone from all the dying sea creatures would be hard to bear, but then going to the sink to get a drink and the water coming out being foul smelling and a red color would turn your stomach. The angel in charge of the water said something that is important. What was it?
3. The fourth angel pours out his bowl on the sun. For many years scientists have predicted that something like this would happen to our sun. Isn’t it interesting that God chose to use the very thing they talk about to be a judgement to the earth. The sun will become so hot that they will receive second and third degree burns on their skin. This will be burns on top of the painful sores they already have experienced. Surely at this point the people would repent and turn to God. What does the Bible say that they will do?
4. The fifth bowl will bring about complete darkness. We are not told how this happens, but it will be the type of darkness that you can feel. The pain and agony of the people is so great that all they can do is sit in the darkness and hear each other crying out in pain. Again, we find that they are saying what about God?
5. The sixth bowl is poured out and the Euphrates River is dried up. This great river now becoming a dirt path sets up the ease for the armies of the world to gather. John witnesses something like a frog coming out of the beast (the anti-christ), the dragon (the devil) and out of the false prophet. John said that these frog-like spirits were what?
6. The world is about to gather together to attack. They will be convinced to join forces together by the signs of the evil spirits. They will gather together as one big coalition. But Jesus has a reminder for the reader of Revelations. What does He remind us of in verse 15?
7. The place that all the world’s armies will gather is called “Har Megiddo”. Har is the Hebrew word for mount. Megiddo is a city on the west side of the Valley of Jezreel. The valley there is about 14 miles wide and 67 miles long. When the Bible talks about the battle of Armageddon it is in this valley where all the armies of the world will gather. The purpose is to destroy Jerusalem. All the world blames the Jewish people and their nation. Now they will gather to attack her. And then the seventh bowl is poured out. What does the voice from the temple say as the bowl is poured out?
8. Do you remember the meaning of Babylon – a religion and government that is self-indulgent? The self-indulgent systems of the world will now feel the wrath of God. God does not leave Jerusalem defenseless; He fights for her. And what is happening on the earth?
