Revelation 16

John T. Hinds Commentary On Revelation 16THE FIRST FIVE PLAGUES Rev_16:2-11 Rev 16:2 —And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.—This is what John saw in the vision, but what this represents as a symbol is another thing. There is perhaps no part of Revelation for which expositors have offered more different explanations than the seven bowls of God’ s wrath. That they represent punishments and calamities that were to befall the papal hierarchy is generally admitted, but the difficulty comes in trying to fix upon some historical events as the fulfillment of the symbols. If we are not able definitely to locate any event that is a sure fulfillment, we will still know that the symbols have been or will be fulfilled by some such events. The general facts about which there can be no reasonable doubt are these: (1) That a general series of calamities would befall the beast and his devotees that would culminate in his destruction.

To misunderstand these or misapply the items will not change this fact. (2) These plagues were to affect directly the man of sin— the apostate church. (3) As they were to accomplish his destruction, they would naturally begin when his power was ready to wane. This would indicate that these plagues would not begin to be poured out till after the 1,260-year period had ended. The record says (Revelation 13:4-5) that authority was given unto the beast to “ continue forty and two months.” These facts are certainly true, and would be suffi­cient for practical purposes, if no effort were made to find any historical fulfillment.

A noisome and grievous sore would be a physical malady that is particularly painful and tormenting. These words, doubt­less, are to be understood symbolically— that is, some calamities would fall upon men that would be as disagreeable as the physical plagues mentioned. Surely there would be more calam­ities befall them than just one physical disorder. But what­ever punishments were visited upon them, they would be as tormenting as a burning boil. Those to be thus tormented were men who had the “ mark” and “ image” of the beast. As already learned, this refers to those who have received the doctrines of the apostate church and practice them.

See notes on Revelation 13:15-17. Naturally this means that whatever the plagues might indicate, the events would occur in countries predomi­nantly under the influence of Catholicism, either religiously or politically, or both. It should be remembered that this beast power was united so closely in both religious and political forms that each sustained the other and a plague upon one affected the other.

As a matter of historical fact the Roman apostate church began the loss of her universal sway over the nations about the time of the French Revolution, A.D. 1789 to 1794. Of all the conflicting views presented by expositors this appears to be the most probable, and is the view of several. Elliott (Vol. Ill, pp. 351-375) gives this application of the plague in detail.

Revelation 16:2 —And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.—This is what John saw in the vision, but what this represents as a symbol is another thing. There is perhaps no part of Revelation for which expositors have offered more different explanations than the seven bowls of God’ s wrath. That they represent punishments and calamities that were to befall the papal hierarchy is generally admitted, but the difficulty comes in trying to fix upon some historical events as the fulfillment of the symbols. If we are not able definitely to locate any event that is a sure fulfillment, we will still know that the symbols have been or will be fulfilled by some such events.

The general facts about which there can be no reasonable doubt are these: (1) That a general series of calamities would befall the beast and his devotees that would culminate in his destruction. To misunderstand these or misapply the items will not change this fact. (2) These plagues were to affect directly the man of sin— the apostate church. (3) As they were to accomplish his destruction, they would naturally begin when his power was ready to wane. This would indicate that these plagues would not begin to be poured out till after the 1,260-year period had ended. The record says (13: 4, 5) that authority was given unto the beast to “ continue forty and two months.” These facts are certainly true, and would be suffi­cient for practical purposes, if no effort were made to find any historical fulfillment.

See notes on 13: 15-17. Naturally this means that whatever the plagues might indicate, the events would occur in countries predomi­nantly under the influence of Catholicism, either religiously or politically, or both. It should be remembered that this beast power was united so closely in both religious and political forms that each sustained the other and a plague upon one affected the other. As a matter of historical fact the Roman apostate church began the loss of her universal sway over the nations about the time of the French Revolution, A.D. 1789 to 1794. Of all the conflicting views presented by expositors this appears to be the most probable, and is the view of several. Elliott (Vol. Ill, pp. 351-375) gives this application of the plague in detail. France, being a strong Catholic nation, was a suitable place for the events to happen. The Standard History of the World (Vol. VII, p. 3384) thus describes the unhappy state of France in this period:

“ During the Reign of Terror, in 1793-94, unhappy France— torn by factions, rent by civil war, invaded by civil enemies, threatened by famine, suffering from bankruptcy, cursed by atheism— presented a picture beyond our powers of descrip­tion.” On page 3386 it is stated that “ infidelity and atheism reigned supreme,” and that the leaders of the Paris Commune declared they intended “ to dethrone the King of heaven as well as the monarchs of the earth.” The national convention decreed “ the abolition of the Christian religion in France and the substitution of the worship of reason instead.” The same authority, same page, thus states the treatment received by the Catholic Church: “ Gobel, the constitutional Bishop of Paris, and several other ecclesiastics were compelled publicly to apostatize from Roman Catholic Christianity and to accept the new worship of rea­son. While the cathedral at Notre Dame was thus profaned by being converted into a temple of atheism, the other Catholic churches were plundered and subjected to every kind of sac­rilege, and the mass vestments and church ornaments and im­plements were carried through the streets in blasphemous pro­cessions.” The same writer says that the Reign of Terror cost the lives of more than a million Frenchmen. If such a moral and reli­gious ulcer in the leading Catholic nation does not fulfill the demands of John’ s symbolic plague, it would be difficult to find anything in history that does. It would be remarkably strange that a situation without a parallel in history for moral and religious corruption should not be made a part of the symbolic imagery depicting the rise and fall of an apostate religion. That the papacy began at that time the downgrade which will ulti­mately end in its destruction is most certainly true; hence, it is the most probable application for the fulfillment of the first plague.

Revelation 16:3 —And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea.—John saw the second angel pour the contents of his bowl into the sea and it turned to the color of blood, and all living creatures in the sea died. It was not the warm flowing blood of a living being, but the dark coagulated blood of the dead. Very naturally this would destroy everything in the sea or upon the sea. This was only what John saw in the vision; what the symbol represents is the difficult problem the Bible student must try to solve. We have already learned (see preliminary notes on 6: 1-8) that modifying facts sometimes require certain words in a symbol to be taken literally and others figuratively. “ Many waters” (Rev 17: 1) where the harlot sitteth is said in verse 15 to be “ peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” ; but the book nowhere gives a symbolic meaning for sea. To say it must be given the same meaning as “ waters” in 17: 15 is an assumption without proof.

The words “ earth” and “ men” in the first plague (verse 2) are to be taken liter­ally; for, whatever the plague meant, it was to affect people here on earth. That is where they dwell. Some commen­tators have suggested different figurative meanings for the word sea; but, in harmony with the application offered for the first plague, it seems more probable that it is to be understood literally here. The meaning then will be: some great calam­ities would take place upon the sea which would affect the papal nations adversely, and become one of the things that would help to bring about the destruction of the apostate church. This view harmonizes with plain facts of history, even if the word sea should be given some metaphorical meaning.

Elliott’s commentary (Vol. Ill, pp. 378-380) describes the great naval war between France and England which began in the time of the French Revolution, 1793, and lasted more than twenty years. After naming about a dozen great engagements in which France and her allies lost heavily, Elliott says:

“ Altogether in this naval war, from its beginning in 1793 to its end in 1815, it appears from James’ Naval History that there were destroyed near 200 ships of the line, between 300 and 400 frigates, and an almost incalculable number of smaller vessels of war and ships of commerce. It is most truly stated by Dr. Keith that the whole history of the world does not present such a period of naval war, destruction, and blood­shed.” Such facts surely would justify the language of the symbol: the sea “ became blood as of a dead man.” Sweeping the navy of papal nations from the sea in such decisive victories is fit­tingly described by the words, “ every living soul died,” of the creatures in the sea. As Mr. Barnes so often says in his com­mentary, if the Spirit had desired to describe these historical facts in symbols, more appropriate language could hardly have been chosen. Regardless of how the plague is to be under­stood, these were heavy blows against those who had the “ mark of the beast.” Revelation 16:4 —And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood.—It should be remembered that whatever application may be given these sym­bols, the plagues represent events that were to fall upon the beast power as punishments. They would have to be where obedience to papal authority was rendered, and upon the wor­shipers in that system. As in the first two visions, the words “ earth” and “ sea” probably indicate the places where those plagues would be most heavily felt, so here rivers and fountains of waters, doubtless, refer to another place where the third plague would fall. If so, then the events indicated would hap­pen in a section where rivers abounded. The statement that the water became blood as a result shows that the plague is to be understood as referring to destructive wars. Because John saw these visions in regular order does not mean that the events signified by one had to be past before those of another could begin. Events depicted by several may have occurred at the same time in different places.

Again we refer to Elliott (Vol. Ill, pp. 382 to 388), who describes another series of wars from 1792-1805 which were fought in the territory of the three rivers, Rhine, Danube, Po, and their tributaries. It must be admitted that these wars were at an appropriate time, and of the right character, to be the ful­fillment of the symbol. If these wars do not fulfill the require­ments of the vision, then something of a similar nature would have to be located at some other time. Nothing seems more probable, and certainly this view does no violence to the symbol. Revelation 16:5 —And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge:—The expression “ angel of the waters” is not easy of interpretation. That angels were sometimes given power to use or control certain elements is clear from 7: 1; 14: 18. In the text it seems more probable that the angel referred to is the one who poured out the plague upon the waters, the thought being that the angel declared the righteousness of God in the punishments indicated by this plague. They indicated that God is a righteous Judge.

Revelation 16:6 —for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy.—It is unnecessary to give any detailed account of the persecutions which the papal beast brought upon the true people of God. That this apostate church with her political power did shed the blood of saints we would know from what the angel here says, even if history recorded not a single instance. Since simple Christians and prophets (teachers of the word) had been killed, God allowed those persecutors to be given blood to drink — to suffer terrible bloodshed in the wars indicated. The angel declared that they were worthy— that is, they deserved the punishments they were getting because of their shedding the blood of saints.

Revelation 16:7 —And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.—Under the fifth seal (6: 9-11) the martyrs were seen under the altar and they were crying with a great voice, asking how long till God would avenge their blood on those upon the earth. Here John hears another voice that appears to come from the altar en­dorsing the angel’ s statement that God’ s judgments are true and righteous. All this means that all the punishments indi­cated by these plagues that fell upon the apostate Roman church were a just and righteous retribution for sins against the church Christ established. It also placed the stamp of divine approval upon those who were martyrs for the word of God.

Revelation 16:8 —And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire.—The thing John saw was an angel pouring the contents of a bowl upon the sun which so intensified the heat that men were scorched. In the symbol the word “ sun” is used literally; but in applying the symbol it must be used figuratively, for the reason that men do not live on the sun, as they do upon the earth or sea. Christ is referred to prophetically as “ the sun of righteous­ness.” (Malachi 4:2.) In a dream Joseph saw the sun, moon, and stars bowing to him. This was explained to mean his father, mother, and brethren. (Genesis 37:9-10.) As a symbol the sun represents a leader or prominent man. The simple and natural meaning of the fourth plague is that a great leader with irresistible power would bring great distress and suffering to men that might be likened to the burning rays of a scorching sun. The facts naturally indicate that he would be a military leader, and the sufferings would come through war.

According to the view taken of the preceding plagues, this one is probably another result of the French Revolution, and would naturally be expected to follow close after them. The military career of Napoleon Bonaparte came at the exact time to fulfill the requirements of this symbol. He was the most brilliant, successful, and scorching military sun the world had seen. His military talents were first recognized in 1793. After many successful invasions of other nations, he took the government of France into his own hands in 1799, becoming first consul for life. With unlimited power he became a con­stant menace to other nations. “ Never before,” says Elliott (Vol.

Ill, p. 391), “ had there been such a subversion of old dynasties, and changes in new ones, in the history of modern Europe.” The nations that felt the scorching effect of his power were dominated by the papal system of religion. Surely no known historical event fits the symbol any better. It would certainly be remarkable if a career that so clearly affected the fortunes of the church would not be a subject to be depicted in a series of prophetic symbols. No other explanation seems as probable.

Revelation 16:9 —And men were scorched with great heat: and they blas­phemed the name of God who hath the power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.—Doubt­less it would be impossible to learn how much suffering and bloodshed occurred in these wars. The natural effect that these calamities would have upon wicked men would be to cause them to blaspheme God for allowing such misfortunes to fall upon them. They would charge that he alone had power to bring them. If they admitted that God had power to bring the plagues, and they were suffering from them, that should have produced repentance, but it did not. This shows that those with the mark of the beast were too fully steeped in false teaching to yield; so they repented not.

Revelation 16:10 —And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened;—The preceding plagues were naturally preparatory to this one, which was a direct thrust at the very foundation of the system. The word “ throne” means authority and this bowl was, therefore, intended to’ weaken the highest authority in the beast power. As the theory here accepted is that the beast represents the apostate or papal church, we conclude that the beast’ s throne means the authority of the Pope. This plague was greatly to weaken that power, but not to destroy it. That would not occur till the seventh plague had been poured out. The “ man of sin” is not to be destroyed till the Lord comes. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 2 Thessalonians 2:8.) This blow against papal authority would leave the Pope’ s sub­jects in distress and confusion, fittingly represented as spiritual darkness.

Revelation 16:10-11 —and they gnawed their tongues for pain, Revelation 16:11 —and they blas­phemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.—The words “ pains” and “ sores” seem to refer to the effects of the pre­ceding plagues, indicating that this one only intensified their distress and misery already felt from plagues suffered. Gnaw­ing their tongues signifies great suffering and deep anguish. The plague had the same effect in these particulars as the fourth had. If no fact in history could be found to correspond with this symbol, we would know that something had occurred, and the symbol was true. That events transpired during the French Revolution and soon after it that weakened the power of Rome and strengthened Protestantism is too well known to need reciting. The language naturally implies that the fifth plague was poured out not long after the preceding ones. Elliott (Vol. Ill, pp. 395-408) offers the most plausible ex­planation. Briefly stated, he refers it to the time when the “ Pope’ s temporal authority over the Roman state was abol­ished.” After victories in northern Italy in 1796 and 1797, the French army under Napoleon was rushed toward Rome. The Pope (Pius VI) saved himself with a payment of some thirty million francs, and surrendered a hundred of the finest paintings and statues in the Vatican. But he lost his tem­poral power, was taken away as a prisoner, and soon there­after died. In 1804 Pope Pius VII was summoned to Paris to crown Napoleon as emperor, or rather to give official sanction to his assuming the position. In 1801 Napoleon made an agree­ment with Pius VII by which the Roman Catholic Church was restored as the state religion of France, but Protestant wor­ship was to be allowed. In 1809 Napoleon issued a decree, declaring the Pope’ s temporal authority at an end, but allowed him the Vatican and the position of spiritual head of the church. This intensely exasperated the Pope, who excom­municated Napoleon.

The Pope was then taken a prisoner to France, and the states of the church annexed to that em­pire. These facts surely fulfill the demands of the symbol well enough to justify their acceptance as the things meant. The authority of the Roman Pontiff had been both changed and limited. Notwithstanding these sufferings, they repented not, but still worshiped the beast. Peace was restored and the Pope returned to his place in Rome in 1815. The preceding year he issued a proclamation, declaring himself “ God’ s Vicar on Earth.” Soon after his return to Rome he refused tolerance to Protestant worship in France, and issued briefs against Bible societies, declaring the Scriptures themselves, unless accom­panied with papal explanations, to be the gospel of men or the devil rather than of God. (See Elliott, Vol. Ill, pp. 418. 419.) THE SIXTH PLAGUE Rev_16:12-16 Revelation 16:12 —And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up,—Expositors are divided, in the main, between two views con­cerning the application of this plague, both appearing prob­able. As both harmonize with known facts, and either might have been the thing intended, we should not be dogmatic in our assertions. One view is that it refers to the same world power that was symbolized by the sixth trumpet (Revelation 9:13-19)— the Turkish Empire from which arose Mahometanism. The probability here is in the facts that the Euphrates River is mentioned in both passages and that the “ false prophet,” mentioned in verse 13, presumably is Mahomet, the founder of this false system of religion. Elliott and Barnes both defend this view and give historical events to indicate that Mahom­etanism about A.D. 1820 began a gradual loss of power, sig­nified by the waters of the river Euphrates drying up. Prob­ably the most plausible reason for this view is that such a great religious power as Mahometanism would hardly be left out of a system of symbols designed to portray the destinies of the church over a period when Mahometanism ruled so much of the world.

The other theory is that this plague was to affect spiritual Babylon, and this is based upon the supposed fact that the destruction of ancient Babylon furnished the imagery here. The intimation in Jeremiah 51:36 was carried out when Cyrus drained the river Euphrates and entered the city of Babylon through its bed. As Babylon in this book (Revelation 17:3-5) clearly represents the false or harlot church, the drying of the Euphrates may prefigure its gradual decline and final overthrow. In the first few words of this paragraph we have portrayed the coming of the final great struggle between sin and righteousness, error and truth, in which the right will prevail. The time covered is from the early part of the nineteenth century till the coming of Jesus. Revelation 16:12 —that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.—Again commentators are much at vari­ance about who the kings are and the purpose of their com­ing. The word “ king” sometimes stands for kingdom. (Daniel 7:17 Daniel 7:23.) Possibly it here means the nations east of the Euphrates. If so, the application to the Mahometan races may be correct, in which case the drying of the river may mean the gradual loss of Mahometan power and the consequent coming to the gospel by people in such countries. If applied to papal Rome, the same thing would be true. In either case any weakening of enemies of the truth will lend it strength and lead to final victory. This is a general fact regardless of any special views of the details here mentioned. That we are now in the general trend of events leading to the “ war of the great day of God” is evident from this paragraph, but how long will it be till that day arrives must be left to the infinite wisdom and power of God.

Revelation 16:13 —And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs:—In this vision John saw the sources from which would come the enemies of the truth that will be united against it in the final struggle. They are enemies of the truth now, but will at last unite their forces in some way in a final desperate effort to destroy Chris­tianity. Unclean spirits are in the next verse called “ spirits of demons”— that is, evil spirits. They appeared to John as frogs, for which it is not easy to give a satisfactory reason; hence, no effort will be made here. Naturally unclean spirits would come from an evil source and operate through evil means. The dragon is called the devil (Revelation 12:9) and described as the deceiver of the whole world. Whatever means or agencies are used to propagate evil, the devil is the original source; he oper­ates through them.

As the devil’ s first great persecutions against the church came through pagan Rome, the dragon here, doubtless, is a sym­bol for paganism, which may also be called idolatry. This would include any and all nations under the influence of idolatrous teaching. The application of the word “ beast” in this verse depends upon whether or not the “ false prophet” is to be iden­tified as the second beast (Revelation 13:11-13), which we have already decided is papal Rome— the apostate church. If this identity be conceded, then “ beast” in this verse must be something differ­ent from the Roman Church. Apparently nothing is left but to apply it to the political Roman Empire through which papal Rome exercised its power. If so, it would probably be the emblem for any and all corrupt political governments through which Satan can exercise his destructive power against the church.

If the “ false prophet’’ may refer to Mahomet and the system of Mahometanism, then the “ beast” in this text would apply to the apostate church. Whatever may be the correct application of the three destructive forces, we are safe in saying that idolatry, corrupt political powers, and false reli­gions in the name of Christ will be the combined forces Satan will use in his last effort to destroy Christianity. Coming from the mouths of the three indicates that these evil forces will be exercised through the teaching of false doctrines.

Revelation 16:14 —for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them to­gether unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.—That these false religious powers would claim to perform miracles in support of their teachings is what would naturally be expected. It is plainly prophesied of the apostate church. (Revelation 13:11-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.) By means of their false doc­trines the nations of the world are to be so corrupted that they will be led to fight against the truth in the last war. When this time comes, which is here called the “ great day of God,” his wrath against evil on this earth will be finished. (Revelation 15:1.) When this time will be is known only to the Father himself. (Matthew 24:36-39.)

Revelation 16:15 —(Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.)— Suddenly or unexpectedly will the time arrive for this final blow— it will be at the coming of the Lord. Paul said “ the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2.) See also Revelation 3:3 Revelation 3:13. To watch for an event means to be constantly prepared for it. Those who are faithful till death (Matthew 24:13; Revelation 2:11) will be happy, for they will not be taken unprepared. To keep his garments is a figurative expression.

It probably means that as one who puts off his garments takes the risk of having them lost, leaving him naked, so one who lays aside his righteousness will find himself exposed to shame when the Lord comes. This verse is a parenthetical expression in which saints are warned and exhorted to faithfulness.

Revelation 16:16 —And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.—This verse does not de­scribe the war of the great day of God, but simply mentions the gathering together for it. It is entirely unnecessary to suppose that this language means that all forces of good and evil will meet at any one place to engage in a physical warfare. This is symbolic language and only indicates that in the final struggle the forces of good will prevail. At his coming Jesus will slay “ with the breath of his mouth” the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:8), but how many or what means he will use is not revealed. He will only have to speak the word and events will transpire. This verse mentions Har-Magedon as the place where this battle will be fought, but this is clearly a symbolic use of the term just as the final abode of the lost is called Gehenna, which literally means a valley east of Jerusalem where refuse was continually burned. Symbolically, it stands for torment and lamentation. It cannot mean that all the lost will dwell in that little place, but they will endure a continual punishment that is fitly represented by the perpetual burning in the literal Gehenna. In like manner Har-Magedon, referring to a fa­mous battlefield where decisive victories were lost and won, figuratively describes the last decisive victory over the power of evil. The name means the mountain of Megiddo, but the battles were doubtless fought in the valley near that mountain. (2 Chronicles 35:22.) There Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera and his army (Judges 5:19), and Josiah was slain (2 Kings 23:29-30.) It was also referred to as a place of great mourning. (Zechariah 12:11.) Being such a noted place of Jewish wars, it becomes, like Marathon or Waterloo, emblem­atic of any decisive battlefield; hence, appropriately represents Satan’ s final defeat in whatever way that battle may be fought.THE SEVENTH PLAGUE— THE END OF TIMERev_16:17-21 Rev 16:17 —And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air;—Other bowls were poured out upon the earth, sea, rivers, and sun. This one upon the air may be designed to show that by affecting all major parts of the material universe the complete and final overthrow of wickedness is indicated by the plagues.

In Ephesians 2:2 Satan is represented as the “ prince of the powers of the air.” From this some expositors conclude that Satan’ s defeat is the thing specifically meant. That idea, of course, is included in the other view. At any rate, this plague briefly describes the final struggle, and therefore brings the end of time. This is clearly indicated by the expression, “ It is done,” and the announcement in 15: 1 that the seven plagues will finish the wrath of God. The language of the paragraph harmonizes with this thought.

Revelation 16:18 —and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done:— This voice which John heard coming out of the temple and from the throne shows that it was God announcing the time of the end. It was so certain to occur that it was announced as if already done. This is an example of the past being used prophetically for the future. See Romans 4:17. 1. Revelation 16:18 —and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.—After the great voice announced “ it is done,” John heard voices, thunders, and the rumblings of the earthquake which, he said, would be greater than any that had ever been before. The scene was lighted up with the flashes of lightnings. Such a commotion of natural elements would fittingly indicate the end of the material world, and symbolize the destruction of that part of the religious world under the control of Satan. The end of the world could hardly be described in more force­ful words. The scene will be one to strike terror to all wicked hearts.

Revelation 16:19 —And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was re­membered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.—Babylon being men­tioned in the latter part of the verse indicates that the “ great city” refers to Babylon. John saw, in the vision, the city divided into three parts. Since the symbol refers to the end of the world, and consequently the destruction of spiritual Baby­lon also, then the three-part division of the city could hardly signify anything more than the complete destruction of the papal church, the number three indicating fullness. With this view the cities of the nations would mean all lesser religious bodies that help to make up the sum total of false doctrines. They, too, will come to an end. Ancient Babylon persecuted God’ s people and in turn was destroyed; so spiritual Babylon has persecuted God’ s church since the apostasy arose and must be destroyed. God’ s fierce wrath must in due time be poured out upon her.

Revelation 16:20 —And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.—This is but a part of the picture which John saw, and graphically portrays another feature of the final change at the end of time.

Revelation 16:21 —And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men:—This may be said in allusion to one of the plagues in Egypt. (Exodus 9:22-26.) This indicates that the distress and torment of that day will be terrible. Hail of such size would produce great sufferings, and be terrifying in the extreme. Such undoubtedly will be the case when the awful scenes of the day of God’ s wrath appear.

Revelation 16:21 —and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.—The wailing and blaspheming of the wicked at the judgment will do no good; it will be too late to reform and serve God. This chapter gives this summary statement of a succession of judgments upon wickedness in general, and the apostate papal church in partic­ular. The false religions have been weakened by the earlier plagues, but the final overthrow, briefly depicted in the para­graph, will occur at the coming of the Lord. That which has been but barely hinted at here will be more fully described in the following chapters.

Verse 1 Revelation Chapter Sixteen This is the famed chapter of the bowls; and what we have here is a “free adaptation, with modifications and amplifications,"[1] of the series of trumpet judgments depicted in Revelation 8 and Revelation 9, which “the prophet wishes to emphasize by recapitulation."[2] “These bowls are final but not complete."[3] God’s saints are not harmed by them. What they represent is the total corruption of earth’s environment, not the physical environment which is here used as a symbol, but the moral, intellectual, religious, and spiritual environment. This perversion of the moral and cultural world of mankind will be the final culmination of evil upon the earth, presenting the true saints of God with their final and most effective challenge. It is the literalism of scholars, quite unconsciously in many, it seems, that totally dismantles the efforts of some to understand this marvelous chapter. “These plagues cannot be interpreted in a literal sense."[4] “It is difficult indeed to believe that any such happenings as these would take place in history."[5] Some who see this, however, fail utterly to come up with an answer as to just what is symbolized. For example, Pieters, who enthusiastically accepted the principle that “literalism here is hopeless,"[6] " did not even hazard a guess as to what the various bowl symbols mean, declaring that, “The true interpretation has not been found, and probably cannot be found."[7] Roberson, another highly respected scholar, speaking of interpreting these bowls, wrote, “It may be that no attempt to do so will ever be successful."[8] Such views are a little embarrassing to this writer who confidently believes that a valid understanding of what is symbolized by the bowls can be presented, an interpretation that is both logical and fully in harmony with what the rest of the New Testament teaches. This will be spelled out below. These seven bowls are poured out, if not simultaneously, then nearly so; because, as Beckwith noted, “The pains and sores of Rev 16:11 (in the fifth bowl) refer to the first plague,"[9] thus showing that the plagues were operating co-extensively. We might refer to all seven bowls as ““Satan’s Propaganda Apparatus.” But does not God send this? Of course. It is the divine judicial hardening of mankind due to sin and rebellion against God which is undoubtedly in view here, as several very discerning scholars have observed. “This means that the great and final interdiction of God has come."[10] Exactly the same hardening is here which Paul discussed inRomans 1:24,26,28. “God gave them up.” This means that God darkened their minds, hardened their hearts and delivered them over to the devices of Satan whom they preferred to serve. It is impossible to understand this chapter without due attention to God’s hardening of the entire pre-Christian world, because this chapter is a prophecy of exactly the same thing happening again before the Second Coming of Christ. That is the reason that the ominous shadow of the plagues of Egypt falls over these bowls, as so many have pointed out.

See discussion of, “When God Gives Men Up,” my Commentary on Romans, pp. 38-51, and “The Hardening of Israel,” and also at pp. 392-395. The principle that God does what he allows and requires fully hardened people to do is clear.

A good New Testament example is the command of Jesus to Judas, ““Get on at once with the betrayal” (John 13:27, a paraphrase). Thus, these bowls are actually the culmination of human wickedness; but they are also, in a very real sense, the judgments of God upon the incorrigibly evil. Wicked men, hardened finally by God himself, due to their obduracy and rebellion, at last “receive in themselves that recompense of their error which was due” (Romans 1:27). When God at last allows sinful man to walk fully and unrestrained in the evil ways he has chosen, the total pollution of the moral, intellectual, spiritual, and religious environment will happen again, just like it did in the case of the pre-Christian Gentiles; and that ultimate hardening of all mankind is the dreadful eventuality symbolized by these seven bowls. The repeated mention in Revelation 16:9 Revelation 16:11 Revelation 16:21 of the absolute refusal of people to repent proves this view to be correct. The chapter deals with the final and ultimate hardening of the human race. [1] James Moffatt. Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 446. [2] Ibid. [3] William Hendriksen, More than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 190. [4] R. C. H. Lenski. The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House. 1943), p. 463. [5] Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press. 1975), p. 154. [6] Albertus Pieters, Studies in the Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954), p. 243. [7] Ibid., p. 244. [8] Charles H. Roberson, Studies in Revelation (Tyler, Texas: P. D. Wilmeth, P.O. Box 3305,1957), p. 118. [9] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919), p. 681. [10] W. A. Criswell, Expository Sermons on Revelation in IV Vols. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962), III, p. 174. And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. (Revelation 16:1) Go ye, and pour out … In the chapter introduction, it was noted that these seven bowls are poured out quickly and almost simultaneously. Criswell commented on this: The Greek indicates that these come one after the other in rapid succession. Just like that! When the judgment (or hardening) finally comes, it comes in a hurry.[11]Some interpreters apply these to the destruction of Rome, as Summers, for example, who saw them as, “The swiftly executed wrath of God … on the Roman Empire”;[12] but whatever fulfillment occurred in that does not mitigate against the application of them in a much more extensive frame of reference to the final judicial hardening of the entire race of man. The fact of the totality of these judgments (all instead of merely one third, as in the trumpets) forbids our limitation of it to pagan Rome alone. What happened in the fall of Rome is a preview of what is yet to happen, or may indeed be in the process of happening now. Furthermore, there have been many fulfillments of this historically, Pharaoh being the great Old Testament example of it; and all such occurrences are types of these seven bowls of wrath which are the final, ultimate, and “last” manifestation of the same phenomenon. Many have associated these bowls of wrath, and for very good reasons, with the French Revolution. [11] Ibid. [12] Ray Summers, Worthy is the Lamb (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1961), p. 186. Verse 2 And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his image.And the first went and poured out … The word for “sore” is “the same as that used to describe the boils and sores in the plagues of Egypt (Exodus 9:8-11)."[13] Moffatt translated it as a “noisome and painful ulcer."[14] “Noisome,” of course, means “stinking.” Before taking up the meaning of this, note that this plague fell only upon those identified with the beast. Upon the men that had the mark of the beast … “These evils (the bow]s) do not affect other men (the Christians)."[15] A mandatory deduction here is that no literal destruction of the land is meant. But what is meant? The earth itself, its populations out of which the land-beast arose, will become one vast propaganda factory advancing the teachings of the devil, with the result that all kinds of “stinking ulcers” shall spring up all over the world. Within a few blocks of where this is written, there are a dozen of them, as proclaimed by their gaudy neon signs: “Totally Nude Girls,” “Adult Theater XXX Movies,” “Bottoms Up Club,” “Sylvia Sin’s Lounge,” etc. If anyone does not believe such places are “stinking ulcers,” let him ask the police of any great city. Tragically, there is no way to stop the pornographic, liquor, prostitution, and perversion palaces which today fill half the world. An angel of the wrath of God has poured out his bowl upon the earth, not upon a third of it, but upon all of it. Scholars who think they can get rid of this prophecy by limiting it to ancient pagan Rome, or by dismissing it as, “merely a retelling of the sixth Egyptian plague of boils,"[16] need to read it again. The things mentioned above are merely the tip of the iceberg. The printing and publication industries of the world are glutted with vicious, anti-God, atheistic, subversive, immoral, and destructive propaganda of every evil kind. Every grocery store has its magazine section devoted to the secularization and corruption of humanity. The movies and entertainment business have so far been corrupted that there is hardly any market for decent and helpful material. Likewise, the art, and even the music of the world, have been lowered to a level of jungle rhythm, guttural screaming, and the mouthing of obscenities. The art forms of our day betray a ruptured, fractured, and broken culture. All over the world, evil religious cults are springing up. What are these but more “stinking ulcers”? Recently, in Houston, “The Church of Atheism” was unveiled. Satan has so perverted the laws and opinions of mankind that such monstrosities are endowed with all of the rights and privileges that should belong to righteousness and truth. The bitter delusions of Marxism are being peddled all over the earth by means of every device of propaganda and subversion ever invented by Satan. But why go on? It would take a library to describe what is meant by the bowl of the wrath of God being poured out upon the earth. How about all those learned men who see nothing here except some ancient historical event? We do not offer this interpretation as meaning that “the end of time is upon us” or that the final judicial hardening of the race of mankind has already occurred. Nor, are the things we have pointed out intended as an affirmation, for it is not true, that all art, music, literature, publications, entertainment, etc., are evil. Thanks to the God of heaven through Christ, there are still many wonderful, beautiful, and uplifting things available in every one of these fields; and it could be that the complete fulfillment of this prophecy lies yet a great distance into the future, or that the things we have understood as pertaining to the whole world could be merely the astounding perversions that mark the decline of our own isolated culture in America. Therefore, we make no claim whatever that this bowl of wrath, or any of the others, is totally fulfilled by the aberrations noted. However, our interpretation is that the bowls of wrath mean exactly the type of moral and spiritual pollution of the total human environment that we have attempted to point out. It is not merely that lust, vulgarity, pornography, violence, perversion, and obscenity are present in our culture. They have always been present in greater or lesser extent in every culture. What is alarming today is the toleration, acceptance, and justification of such things, even to the extent of their being advocated and encouraged by and political institutions; and that is what signals a frightening new aspect of such wickedness today. It could be later than we think. The festering, malignant, noisome ulcers which are breaking out over the earth are represented as hurting the worshippers of the beast, the followers of Satan. How is this true? The parasitic and destructive nature of all satanic “sores” causes them to hurt all kinds of legitimate and constructive endeavors. The “stinking ulcer” of the late Jim Jones’ Communist Camp in Guyana literally destroyed everyone connected with it. Look what communism has done all over the world. In the interpretation of this first bowl, we have also, in part, the interpretation of all seven, for they are concurrent, intermingled, mutually supported; and each one is but a part of the total corruption of mankind’s moral and spiritual environment. [13] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 126. [14] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 446. [15] Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 193. [16] Martin Rist, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XII (New York-Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1957), p. 481. Verse 3 And the second poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea.And the second poured out his bowl into the sea … This sea was the origin of the sea-beast described earlier, which was nothing other than the teeming populations of the earth. The earth of the first bowl and the sea of this bowl are therefore identical, their mention separately being due to the nature of the figure. The figure is the total physical environment (which necessarily includes the sea) symbolical in this vision of the moral, intellectual, and spiritual environment of mankind. And it became blood as the blood of a dead man … It is clearly the whole of earth’s people who are meant in all this. “Souls” do not literally live “in the sea.” The figure here is an ocean completely turned into rotting, stinking blood; but, “When the entire sea is stinking blood, what about the land which it surrounds?"[17] It is clearly the physical environment that is ruined in the figure; therefore, we look to the spiritual environment for the fulfillment. When man himself as a factor in his environment becomes popularly and generally devoted to selfishness, greed, lust, violence, and every form of evil, when the “in thing” for the vast majority is indulgence in sex, homosexuality, blasphemy, drunkenness, corruption, hatred, and irreligion, the human race itself becomes a “dead sea.” Thus, this bowl is merely another and extended phase of the first. We shall note some of the types of corruptions indicated. The universities and schools have taken up the task of preaching Satan’s lies, such as evolution, which leads undeniably to the conclusion that man is merely an animal with no more cosmic value than a worm or a rat. What has this done for the human moral and spiritual environment? Besides this, there are a thousand other evil postulations which are being swallowed, advocated and taught almost universally in our culture today, such as humanism, the self-sufficiency of man, the lie that his favorite sins of adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, criminality, etc., are in no sense sins at all, but merely diseases which society is obligated to pay for and treat! Another lie is that man is not morally responsible for what he does, that society owes every man a good living with all of the conveniences and luxuries thrown in, that man is essentially good, that he is thoroughly capable of solving all of his problems, etc., etc.

The great theological seminaries devoted unreservedly to the destruction of the Bible; the churches that ordain homosexuals, adulterers, and even atheists to their pulpits, and contradict the Scriptures in practically all that they either do or teach; the “love cult” that robs God of any other prerogative except that of loving us wicked sinners (what else is God for?) … these are just a few of the evidences of man’s intellectual environment having been polluted. An angel of God has poured out the bowl of his wrath upon the sea! ENDNOTE: [17] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 467. Verse 4 And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of waters; and it became blood.And the third poured out his bowl … The figurative nature of this is evident in the truth that with both the sea and the land already ruined, there would have been no need to bother with the rivers and fountains. What can be meant? A vast number of earth’s great cities are located upon the rivers; and just as the rivers move downward to the sea, so the influences of earth’s great cities flow downward from them into all mankind. We interpret the blight upon the rivers and fountains as the ultimate blight upon the urban civilizations of the world which will change the influences descending from those great cities into blood. People cannot worship self and sensuality without degrading, at last, their joys, recreations, and all creative activity and reducing them to lower and lower levels. “When the public taste grows corrupt, the literature, for example, will become so."[18]Are not all of earth’s great cities today in trouble as never before?

The proliferation in many of them of a vast army of the incompetent, idle, non-productive dependents upon the public charity, the erosion of authority by the rapacious greed of godless labor unions controlled by thieving, looting bosses in league with the underworld, the spread of lawlessness, official corruption, fiscal irresponsibility, and the encroaching malignant godlessness that has spread terror like a fog over every one of them … such things appear to have crossed a boundary between what can be contained, corrected, and reduced, and to have become a demonic engine running away. As to which it is now, we do not pretend to know; but this prophecy reveals what it will be like when the angel of the wrath of god pours his bowl upon the rivers and fountains. There are today coming out of earth’s cities influences which spiritually are the blood of dead men. See comment onRevelation 11:13, above, in which the fall of urban civilization is a forerunner of the final judgment. In this context, Lenski spoke of the contamination of “such things as marriage, political science, public morals, and good taste being rivers and springs turned into blood."[19] These are only a few examples of many that could be cited. [18] W. Boyd Carpenter, Ellicott’s Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 607. [19] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 469. Verse 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, who art and who wast, thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge:And I heard the angel of the waters … It is probably a mistake to tie this reference in with the extensive angelology of the Jews. What is probably meant is merely the angel who had poured out the bowl of wrath on the waters. Righteous art thou, who art and who wast … We might have expected the phrase “and who is to come” until it is remembered that this vision reveals the state of things when the coming of Christ has already begun. Thou Holy One, because thou didst thus judge … This with the next two verses is a kind of parenthesis to show that such terrible judgments are in no sense to be construed as unbecoming or out of character in the one true and living God who gave his Son for our redemption. No! These judgments are exactly what the God of love should do. “The pouring out of the bowls is not a series of arbitrary actions, but a solemn judgment."[20] When people are fully determined and have decided that they will not obey God, nothing could be more just and honorable on the part of the Father than to turn them loose, give them up, harden their hearts, and deliver them completely into the hands of the devil whom they have chosen to obey. That is exactly the state of the situation prophesied here. ENDNOTE: [20] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 194. Verse 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and blood hast thou given them to drink: they are worthy.For they poured out the blood of saints … Violence has a way of destroying itself through the operation of the divine law of retribution. Where were the saints and prophets of God murdered? Almost without exception, they were murdered in earth’s great cities, indicating that we are on the right track in our interpretation of the rivers and fountains. God will reward ruthless, barbarous, violent cultures with a liberal dose of their own medicine. They shed innocent blood; very well, God will give them blood to drink. For they are worthy … This carries the meaning that wicked, hardened men fully deserve the divine sentence of wrath being executed upon them. Conspicuous in the present day is the blurred sense of justice. There are many now who do not believe that anyone is worthy of punishment, no matter what were their crimes. The “Reign of Terror” in Paris during the French Revolution was brought about primarily from the reluctance or outright refusal of legitimate authority to punish criminals. “Had Louis XVI been the tyrant that the extremists accused him of being, there would have been no Revolution."[21] “France had a revolution because she tolerated and invited every conceivable kind of dissension,"[22] even that of the mob murder of duly elected assemblymen of the central government! A society that is incapable of taking care of its Murats will inevitably perish. [21] Stanley Loomis, Paris in Terror (Philadelphia and New York: The J. S. Lippincott Company, 1964), p. 102. [22] Ibid. Verse 7 And I heard the altar saying, Yea, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.A voice from the altar … In connection with that altar, we remember the prayers of the martyrs for the execution of God’s judgment upon the wicked, and these bowls of wrath are the answer of those prayers. True and righteous are thy judgments … It is startling to find some commentators of the opinion that the profound condemnations and punishments of this chapter are “unworthy of the kind of God revealed in the New Testament.” Our own view is that such sentiments are unworthy of Christian commentators. People are not wiser than God, a delusion which these visions were designed to correct! Note, also, that these awful punishments of a world gone berserk in its rebellion against God are not capricious reactions of a peevish God who is annoyed with human “mistakes.” Ah no! These are the just retributions which the wicked bring upon themselves. The only way in which such wicked men can be contained and corrected by God is in removing the restraints, giving them up (Romans 1:24 Romans 1:26 Romans 1:28), and throwing the derail switch at the head of the canyon. Verse 8 And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given unto it to scorch men with fire.And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun … Can there be any doubt now, that the total physical environment of the earth is the figure here? What is the specific analogy? The sun in the physical realm is “the light of the world,” even as Christ and his truth are the true spiritual light of people (John 1:9). When that which should be light is so polluted that it will only scorch and burn with fire, then the bowl of the wrath of God has been poured upon the sun. How ridiculous must be accounted any physical, literal interpretation of this. Lactantius thought that: God will cause the sun to stand still for three days so that it (the earth) will catch on fire; whereupon the impious and hostile people of earth will suffer by excessive heat and burning.[23]“This fourth bowl has no parallel in the Egyptian plagues,"[24] which certainly stops the writers who cannot find anything in this series except those plagues. Although there are certainly overtones and resemblances here and there to the plagues of Egypt, this vision is distinctly John’s. “Strange how little commentators venture to say with regard to this bowl!"[25]All of these bowls are represented as destroying, not merely injuring, the physical environment. Any one of them would have been sufficient to that purpose, but the absolute corruption and ruination of all of it are made overwhelming by the seven bowls. That the physical environment is not meant is made evident in the promise of Gen 8:22, to the effect that the ordered seasons of day and night, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest shall not cease while the earth remains. We cannot believe that anything in this prophecy contradicts that promise. And it was given unto it … The sentence of judicial hardening is inherent in this. That the very light which should illuminate human life should be changed into scorching destruction denotes a condition mentioned by Jesus, “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:23). What does this mean? It means that institutions of learning, and even churches and religious organizations, are teaching: evolution, humanism, communism, libertinism, a new morality, atheism, and a host of other lies. It means that churches are preaching the philosophies of men, the commandments of men, the prejudices of men, and the traditions of men instead of the word of God. It means that the prophetic voice of the Scriptures no longer disturbs what few church-goers are left, the great worldwide mission of saving souls having been replaced by “social programs,” endowing the church with her new status of carrying the bedpan for the sick society, instead of proclaiming the true light of the fire of God’s word to a wicked world. Thank God, this picture is by no means true of all, but it is sufficiently true to raise the question of whether or not the angel of God has poured the bowl of heavenly wrath upon the sun. The general apostasy of Christianity is almost certainly indicated by this. Instead of being lamp-bearers of the true light, many are instead merely waving the smoking torches of human wisdom. [23] Lactantius, Of the Manner in Which the Persecutors Died, Divine Institutes, The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1951), VII, 26. [24] James D. Strauss, The Seer, the Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1972), p. 204. [25] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 471. Verse 9 And men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory.And they were scorched with great heat … The wars, revolutions, social unrest, bitterness and frustrations of our present times may only be a token of what is indicated by this. The less true light possessed by people from the word of God, the more they are scorched and burned by the fires of evil. They blasphemed … they repented not … Eller and several others viewed this and a similar statement inRevelation 16:11 as, “a possible reference to the possibility of repentance”;[26] but the more likely view is that it is intended for us to see by the final and terminal nature of these judgments that, “Not for one moment did these men think of repenting."[27][26] Vernard Eller, The Most Revealing Book of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 148. [27] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 473. Verse 10 And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,And the fifth poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast … The kingdom of the world, marshaled by Satan against God and his truth, is the object of this judgment, particularly irreligious, atheistic, humanistic states. “This throne of the beast may aptly apply to the Roman Empire in John’s day, but its position varies at different times. Wherever the world-power is worshipped, there the beast has his throne."[28] This prophesies the corruption of human governments into instruments of suppression, persecution, and destruction of God’s truth in Christ. Russia is an excellent example from our own times of what Rome was in John’s. This pouring out of the bowl upon the kingdom of the beast prophesies that the brutal godless governments faced by the first Christians will reappear at the end, or near the end-time. It should not be overlooked that the hardening of the pre-Christian Gentile nations is again to take place when “the times of the Gentiles” is fulfilled (Luke 21:24).

When history has run its course, once more the judicial hardening of impenitent mankind will occur. Romans 1 is therefore a vital comment upon what is prophesied here. And his kingdom was darkened …When men shut out the higher light, the smoke of their own candles soon obscures the whole heavens. When moral evil is mixed with intellectual light, the moral evil will be found the stronger.[29]Twice the Holy Scriptures reveal that, “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”; and the darkening of the true light, as by this bowl, results inevitably in the deterioration and ultimate collapse of godless states, always accompanied by the proliferation of woes upon mankind. And they gnawed their tongues for pain … Inevitable agony and suffering must follow the perversion of government to satanic purposes. Has such a thing happened? A government that legalizes and pays for murder by abortion, that extensively subsidizes drunkenness, adultery, bastardy, illegitimacy, idleness, incompetence, laziness, and corruption might indeed qualify as an example. Does such wisdom (?) solve the problems. No!

There’s a lot of tongue-gnawing going on right now! “The pain arises from the darkness of their minds and their misgivings as to the future."[30] Well, that’s only part of it. A state that departs from the principles of the word of God soon finds plenty of occasions for tongue-gnawing, because of the present conditions that immediately follow. “God is grimly vindicated when godless society proudly rises against the church and claims to provide a viable alternative, and then proves unequal to the task."[31]This satanic take-over of human government is but another environmental factor in the total picture. [28] A. Plummer, Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 20, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 395. [29] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 608. [30] A. Plummet, op. cit., p. 395. [31] Michael Wilcock, op. cit., p. 147. Verse 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they repented not of their works.See notes on Revelation 16:9, which is very similar. The fact of the bowl-judgments being collective is seen in this mention of their sores, which are associated with the first bowl (Revelation 16:2). Verse 12 And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.And the sixth poured out his bowl … upon the Euphrates … Pieters thought that, “The interpretation of this has not been found, and probably cannot be found."[32] Despite this, he mentioned an understanding of it that might well have the key to what is meant: Dr. Grijdamus looks upon the Euphrates as the symbolical prophetic boundary between Christendom and heathendom.[33]This must be at least a part of the correct answer. One of the most hurtful and damaging corruptions of the spiritual environment is the breaching of barriers between the church and the world. Of course, that is not exactly what Grijdamus meant, but his comment suggested it. The extent of this breach is seen when a so-called Christian church ordains a homosexual preacher, throws a drinking party in the physical plant of the church itself, or teaches adultery and fornication under the guise of their being a “new morality.” Plummer approached this view when he wrote, “It means that a barrier that wards off hostile hosts is lost."[34] The making of sin to be popular and acceptable in churches themselves would indeed be exactly that type of removing barriers. Carpenter’s perceptive comment was: There may come a time, after false principles have been taught, corrupt manners tolerated, and the light of better things darkened, when the public sentiment loses all sense of shame, and when the decorums of life, which have acted as a breakwater against the tide of outrageous evil, are swept away; then is the Euphrates dried up, and then may the hostile powers of evil, unrestrained by any considerations, unchecked by the popular conscience, cross boldly over and invade the whole sacred soil of human life.[35]Valvoord noted that, “as many as fifty different interpretations have been advanced regarding the dried up Euphrates,"[36] but we are confident that the meaning lies somewhere within the sector indicated above. That the way may be ready for the kings that come from the sunrising … When the boundary between right and wrong, between the church and the world, is dried up, “the kings of the east” will come to exploit their advantage. These are not to be understood as allies of righteousness, but as enemies of it. But they come from the east, “the sunrising.” In our interpretation, this merely means that they come from “beyond” the violated boundary. Forces of evil will enter and dominate what was once true religion. Their being called kings should not mislead us; their names are given in the very next verse. [32] Albertus Pieters, op. cit., p. 244. [33] Ibid. [34] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 395. [35] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 608. [36] Valvoord as quoted by Robert H. Mounce, Commentary on the New Testament, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977), p. 298. Verse 13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs:Out of the mouth of the dragon … the beast … the false prophet … Ah! Here are the “kings of the east” mentioned above. Their purpose in crossing the boundary will quickly appear. Three unclean spirits, as it were frogs … “Their evil influence is shown under the figure of frogs, because it was by producing frogs that the magicians deceived Pharaoh (Exodus 8:7).[37] The next verse tells us more about these frogs. “To say that they come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet is to say that their words are like plagues, unclean, empty futilities and allies of the powers of darkness."[38] The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet were accurately identified by Summers as “the devil, godless government and false religion."[39] Lange called these frogs “the modern nightingales who announce the new springtime of mankind."[40] From the dirtiness and slimey nature of the frogs, we may conclude that they are the devil’s propaganda agents, making a lot of noise like frogs, but being in themselves small, weak, dirty, and despicable. [37] J. R. Dummelow. Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 1086. [38] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 130. [39] Ray Summers, op. cit., p. 189. [40] Lange as quoted by Lenski, op. cit., p. 477. Verse 14 for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.With the barrier breached and Satan’s propagandists able to operate in the church itself, the ultimate crisis will soon arrive. They are spirits of demons … Their teaching is satanic, motivated by the hatred of God and of his truth. Working signs … Not merely the priests of the ancient emperor cult, but the Medieval apostate religion with its bleeding and speaking images, and its miracles, such as driving the snakes out of Ireland, are examples of the “signs” done by the frogs. The lying miracles of the man of sin are meant (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). To gather them together unto the war … This refers to the kings of the earth who are thus gathered. Plummer identified these as, “those who sin and delight in the possession of the pleasures of this world."[41]Thus, the frogs had the spirit of the devil, and the people had the spirit of the world. The result was a foregone certainty. They joined forces for the great spiritual battle. This brings us to the threshold of Armageddon. ENDNOTE: [41] A. Plummer. op. cit., p. 396. Verse 15 (Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.)There is no need to write this in parentheses as in our version. This warning of the Second Advent of Christ has the utility of emphasizing the spiritual nature of the conflict and the individual responsibility of Christians not to be taken unaware. This forbids our looking for any great deployment of world armies in this “war.” Absolutely nothing in this whole passage justifies the notion of massive world armies deployed in some gargantuan military conflict. The war in view here is taking place in the hearts of people. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments … This verse is the order of the day for the soldiers of Christ. It is not preparation for a literal battle of some kind, but a matter of prayer and watchfulness, and of “keeping” one’s garments of purity, morality, and fidelity to Christ. That a soldier metaphor is employed here seems certain. Bruce relates how: According to the Mishna, the captains of the temple in Jerusalem went their rounds of the precincts at night, and if a member of the temple police was caught asleep at his post, his clothes were taken off and burned, and he was sent away naked in disgrace.[42]There could be another hint of the same thing in Revelation 3:17-18. “The kind of spiritual preparedness that Christ requires is the discernment which cuts through the deceptive propaganda of Satan and his henchmen."[43] Of course, the great thrust of these verses is that, “the battle of the war” (Revelation 16:14) is a daily one in which “Christians are themselves engaged."[44] It is a war going on in people’s hearts. What then is signaled or symbolized by Armageddon? See below. [42] F. F. Bruce, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 657. [43] Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 301. [44] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 396. Verse 16 And they gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew [Har-Magedon].Note that there is no “battle” of any kind mentioned here. “Not a word is said about the Lord God’s army."[45]Why should Almighty God need an army? “There is no such place as Har-Magedon. The name is symbolic. It signifies a conflict, not carnal, but a spiritual conflict."[46] Beckwith’s comment on this, described by Strauss as “the best anywhere,"[47] states that “the name is unquestionably purely mystical, an imaginary name."[48]“John means the place of the final struggle between the powers of evil and the kingdom of God."[49] And where is any such place if it is not in the hearts of people? The entire unscriptural concept of the so-called “Battle of Armageddon” as some kind of a super-colossal showdown on some earthly battlefield is totally illogical, and contrary to the whole teaching of Christ. Even writers who generally maintain their spiritual understanding of this prophecy have a tendency to “go literal” here. Why? Could it ever be supposed that the Almighty God will fight a literal battle on earth? Remember who God is. He needs no army. Respect for the general opinions on this by many sincere people suggests that we list some of the places which have been suggested as the site of this battle: The battle is to take place in Rome.[50] All the armies and leaders are gathered in Palestine.[51] It is every battle when need is greatest, and the Lord suddenly reveals his power, as when Sennacherib was slain.[52] It will be on the greatest natural battlefield in the world, in the valley of Jehoshaphat to the north of Palestine among the hills of Megiddo.[53] Etc., etc. It is difficult to understand how such a literal earthly battle could decide either the victory or the defeat of righteousness. Even if such a battle were to take place, how could the place of a literal battle make any difference? Eller, with his usual humor, suggested that, “Some might like to know just where it is to take place in order to be able to sell tickets!"[54] No actual place of this name is known, and the term is surely symbolical."[55] “If one expects this to be a literal, material battle, he must expect Satan’s army to be headed by a committee of three frogs! Both figures are symbolical; neither is literal."[56] This battle is between the truth in Christ and the evil propaganda of Satan, and the truth of Christ will win. There is no waving of banners, no prancing of horses’ hoofs; the warfare is spiritual, so there is in sight no camp, no foe. It is a conflict that arises out of various opinions and diverse principles. It is a war of principles and of morals.[57]Har-Magedon … is the way this word appears in our ASV; and it seems to be associated with the plain of Esdraelon in Israel."[58] “There Israel achieved some of her greatest victories and suffered some serious defeats."[59] It may not, therefore, be associated with either victory or defeat. Perhaps it suggests “the place of decision.” That place, of course, is in the hearts of men, of every man, of all people. [45] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 479. [46] Frank L. Cox, Revelation in 26 Lessons (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1956), p. 97. [47] James D. Strauss, op cit., p. 266. [48] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 685. [49] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 216. [50] J. W. Roberts, The Revelation of John (Austin, Texas: The R. B. Sweet Company, 1974), p. 131. [51] W. A. Criswell, op. cit., p. 176. [52] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 196. [53] M. R. DeHaan, M.D., Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1946), p. 211. [54] Vernard Eller, op. cit., p. 151. [55] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 199. [56] Ray Summers, op. cit., p. 189. [57] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 609. [58] W. B. West, Article, Armageddon, in Gospel Advocate (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1978), February 23, p. 113. [59] Ibid. Verse 17 And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done:And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air … Let it again be noted that the physical environment of the whole earth is indicated in every one of these bowls, in their aggregate, taking in everything that is significant in that environment; but, since the great promise of God (Genesis 8:22,23) has assured the stability of that environment as long as the earth stands, we are forbidden to literalize these symbols, and must therefore interpret them as indicating the wrath of God poured out upon the moral, intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and religious environment of the earth. The vicious propaganda of the frogs, as do all the other judgments, fits neatly into this interpretation. We may not suppose, of course, that John had in mind any thought whatever of radio, television, etc.; but in his day people would merely have said that the very air people breathe was contaminated with evil, and it was true. Evil in the Roman empire at the time of the emergence of Christianity was one sprawling, intricate, well-organized system of wickedness. Marriage was corrupted; slavery was the rule everywhere, there being 60,000,000 slaves in the pagan empire; the black arts of magic and witchcraft enjoyed ambassadorial status at every great seat of authority on earth, as did Elymas at Paphos (Acts 13:8). The temples of Bacchus and Aphrodite Pandemas glorified and exploited sex, drunkenness, and other evils, as did also the other pagan temples all over the empire, supported and maintained by the clergy of the pagan priesthood. Thus, the fulfillment of this bowl upon the ancient empire must be admitted as true; and yet there is something here in addition to that and far-removed from ancient Rome. So it is not strange that these words perfectly describe the pollution of the air-waves today by the excesses of radio and television. The very air, which is an essential of human environment, is in a sense contaminated. The angel of God’s wrath seems to have poured out his bowl upon the air. If so, the total pollution of the air our children breathe may yet occur. We may only pray that the gathering storm may be dissipated and that decency and morality may replace the steady diet of violence, sex, drunkenness, frivolity, and general wickedness of the “air” programs, which many right-thinking people are rightly opposing. However it may be for this generation, the hardening of people and the pouring of the bowl of God’s wrath upon the air surely indicate the coming of a time (when, we do not know) of the near total destruction of man’s moral environment. We have now seen all the bowls poured out. What do they mean? A very perceptive person suggested that they mean that “a time will come when all the evil in the universe shall unite to oppose truth and righteousness, making it seem for a time that all is lost.” This would certainly seem to be true; but evil shall not win; right shall prevail. God’s answer to the first general hardening of mankind (Romans 1) was the First Advent of Christ; and his answer to the second and final general hardening of the human race will be the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, an event that follows very closely the pouring out of these seven bowls of wrath. A great voice from the throne … It is done … This does not refer merely to the seventh bowl. “The singular refers to the whole series of plagues now completed."[60] This signals the onset of the final judgment described at once. ENDNOTE: [60] Charles H. Roberson, op. cit., p. 124. Verse 18 and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.Lightnings … voices … thunders … earthquake … Later, John will relate a more vivid and detailed account of the final judgment. “The account here simply presents the climax of what is substantially the same event."[61] “This section ends like the preceding ones with a very vivid description of the terror of the final judgment."[62] “A brief summary (Revelation 16:18-19) is given of what actually falls as the last extremity of God’s wrath”[63] namely, the final judgment. Tenney pointed out that the phenomena cited in this verse, lightnings, voices, thunders, earthquake, etc., are “also present in Revelation 4:5 Revelation 8:5 Revelation 11:19."[64][61] Ibid. [62] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 198. [63] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 397. [64] Merrill C. Tenney, Interpreting Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1957), p. 34. Verse 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.And the great city was divided into three parts … This is the first of three very important observations revealed in this verse, and they should not be confused.

1. The great city divided into three parts is clearly connected with the “Jerusalem-Sodom-Egypt” ofRevelation 11:13, where was prophesied the collapse of the urban world. Many have missed this. Moffatt’s view that the great earthquake “shatters Jerusalem into three parts and utterly destroys pagan cities”[65] is undoubtedly wrong. Moffatt failed to understand that the Jerusalem Sodom-Egypt of Revelation 11 is a figure of urban civilization, and the reference here can have no application at all to the literal Jerusalem. There is no prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem anywhere in Revelation.

John of course knew Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem; but when Revelation was written, the concern of the Christians regarded Rome, not Jerusalem. Incidentally, this is almost certain proof of the writing of Revelation before Jerusalem was destroyed. 2. “And the cities of the nations fell …” This explains what was meant by the dividing of the city into three parts; it also illuminates the same figure of “a tenth of the city fell” in Revelation 11:13, where it was God’s tithe of all wicked cities; here it is “a third,” a very significant part, but not the majority that fell. Both figures regard urban civilization, and ‘“the breaking into three parts means its complete breakup."[66] “The cities of civilization, the achievement of man’s demon-driven pride, will … collapse?[67]3. “And Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God …” “This is the society and the philosophy represented by the two beasts, which in due course will be called Babylon."[68] We consider this comment by Wilcock one of the most discerning encountered anywhere. The Babylon described here is not pagan Rome only, but “Babylon the Great,” embracing also that image of pagan Rome that became in time apostate Christianity. Therefore, both the land-beast and the sea-beast (pagan Rome and apostate Christian Rome) are here meant. They are here spoken of as one, since one was an image of the other, and both operated from the same seven hills. The expression “Babylon the Great” is no doubt “the symbol of the whole satanic structure."[69] Again from Wilcock, “Bowl seven sweeps away time and history, and replaces them with eternity."[70] “Both the preceding and the succeeding verses here must be referred to the judgment day."[71]To give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath … This refers to the complete destruction of the city.[72] Such awful judgments should not blind us to the fact that, “If God were not to punish unrighteousness, the concept of a moral universe would have to be discarded."[73] Although some interpreters have held that, “The utmost limit of this prophetic passage was the end of the Roman world,"[74]many of the ablest expositors have been able to see the deeper meaning that, “The fall of pagan Rome is but one illustration of the overthrow of Babylon."[75] “Each age has its Babylon."[76] We reproduce here a summary of Lenski’s wonderful comment on this as it applies to our own times: How proudly the anti-Christian propaganda builds the Babylon of today! Godless science imagines that the structure cannot fall. Its walls are granite. The Scriptures are only childish stories, myths. How can Papal Rome ever fall? It is built on Peter and overshadows the world.

The outmoded “thought patterns” of Scripture have long crumbled into dust, and the scientific religion of reason alone endures. Fall? The very idea is preposterous. But the word of the Lord says, “like the chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psalms 1:4); “the multitude of the strangers shall be as small dust; yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly (Isaiah 29:5); but the WORD OF THE LORD endureth forever."[77]We will not debate the proposition that John himself knew the full scope and depth of his prophecy, for he probably did not know. To limit the book of Revelation to the human knowledge of the apostle John is to lose sight of it altogether as “the word of the Lord”; and this is where so many fail. The prophets of the Old Testament did not understand all that they were inspired to write, as was mentioned by the apostle Peter (1 Peter 1:10-12); and it is very likely that the same was true of the New Testament writers.

We believe this prophecy to be of God through John, thus being significant and relevant to every moment of the entire Christian dispensation, first to last. See in my Commentary in 1Peter (pp. 172-175) for a discussion of the phenomena of the sacred writers not understanding what they wrote. [65] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 449. [66] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 201. [67] Michael Wilcock, op. cit., p. 150. [68] Ibid., p. 141. [69] Ibid., p. 150. [70] Ibid. [71] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 397. [72] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 132. [73] Robert H. Mounce, op. cit., p. 304. [74] G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), p. 209. [75] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 610. [76] Charles H. Roberson, op. cit., p. 125. [77] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 484. Verse 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.Every island … mountains were not found … For ages, such convulsions of nature have been understood as symbolical references to the fall of nations and governments; but in the holy Scriptures, “such things are invariably associated with the final judgment”;[78] and that is the way we understand them here. The removal of the earth itself is to be accompanied by a mighty earthquake (Hebrews 12:27-28). Therefore Ladd may have been exactly correct in viewing the last three verses of this chapter as “a renovation of the entire created order and the ushering in of a new heavens and a new earth."[79] Whatever is the exact implication of the language here, it would seem to be certain that the final judgment day itself is the occasion in view. Barnes and other historicists see in this chapter such various things as: successive historical blows by which the Papacy will fall, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic wars, the successive revolutions that came after Napoleon, and various other events, even the battle of Armageddon! To us, however, that entire system of interpretation is erroneous. Some of the things “seen” by such. interpreters in Revelation are surely there; but no blueprint of the future is to be found. Revelation has been fulfilled, is being fulfilled, and is yet to be fulfilled. Is not this exactly the meaning of what John said in Revelation 1:19? The great hail … This is to be viewed as another element in the great convulsions of nature coming at the end of time. Men blasphemed God … In the judgment? Yes. The hardened will not change, whatever may be their experience. This vision stops short of revealing what God will do with such per sons, but later episodes in the prophecy will make it starkly clear. [78] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 397. [79] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 218. Verse 21 And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.About the weight of a talent … No such hail was ever seen, nor could be it the result of ordinary natural processes; therefore, it must be related to the extraordinary phenomena attending the onset of the final judgment. At the time when mankind shall have completed his destruction of the moral and spiritual environment of the earth, God will destroy his physical environment also and summon all people to accountability before the judgment seat of Christ. Men blasphemed God … How strange is the thought that hardened sinners will not stop their blasphemy even in the judgment. How could it be supposed that the Father will accommodate to that type of persistent wickedness in any other manner than that of the final and complete destruction of it? Revelation Chapter XVI by B.W. Johnson The Seven Last Plagues Summary—The Seven Angels Directed to Pour Out God’s Wrath. The First Vial and the Grievous Ulcers. The Second Poured Out upon the Sea. The Third Vial on the Rivers. The Fourth upon the Sun; Its Scorching Heat. The Fifth Poured on the Seat of the Beast. The Sixth on the Great River, Euphrates. The Three Unclean Spirits.

Armageddon. The Seventh Vial Poured on the Air. The Great City Falls.Interpreters are not agreed whether the pouring out of the vials relates to past or to future events. Almost all, except Roman Catholics and Rationalists, are agreed in the view that they refer to a series of calamitous events which were to befall the Papal power. The reader will observe that the first vial is poured upon the earth, and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon “ the men which had the mark of the beast, and which worshiped his image;” phraseology that we have found to refer to the supporters of the worldly power and spiritual claims of Rome. See notes on Revelation 13:14-18.

The fifth vial is poured “ upon the throne of the beast,” and his kingdom is darkened. After the sixth vial, evil spirits come out of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.

After the seventh, the great city, Babylon, falls. These vials, therefore, indicate a series of judgments upon the anti-Christian powers, variously styled the dragon, the beast, the image of the beast, the false prophet, and Babylon. As these have been found to symbolize the world-power which found its embodiment in Rome, and the last two to point especially to the spiritual despotism of which the Papacy is the chief expression, we must expect the great fabric to be the chief sufferer from these judgments. As, under the seven seals, Old Pagan Rome was judged and brought to an end; as, under the seven trumpets, the Roman Empire under its new form is judged and its destruction symbolized; so, under the seven vials, we have symbolized a series of judgments which weaken and destroy Papal Rome; and, with the seventh vial, the Great City, the type of the Apostate Church, falls. There are historical events occurring within the last century which correspond so surprisingly with the symbolism that the interpreters regard them as the fulfillment. While not insisting that these are the events foreshadowed by John, and while admitting that the pouring out of the vials may be future, I incline to the opinion that prophecy is being fulfilled in “ these last days,” and I will point out certain events corresponding to each vial, which may be the things signified. Revelation 16:1-2. I heard a great voice. As in several more instances John hears the voice, but does not see the speaker. This voice comes from “ the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven,” from the abode of God. This signifies that God’s hand will shape the events symbolized. They represent his judgments. Pour out the vials of the wrath of God. Punishment sent for sins. As the plagues were sent on Egypt in order to secure the redemption of Israel, so these plagues are sent in order to redeem God’s Israel from the slavery of spiritual Babylon. See 18:4. Upon the earth. The term “ earth” is still used by John in his usual meaning of the Roman world. Revelation 16:2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth. John sees the vial poured out, and marks its effect; very grievous ulcers fall upon men; that is, upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. Those who suffer are those who listen to the lamb-like dragon, the anti-Christ, the false spiritual power, or, as has been found in chapter 14, the votaries of Rome. As the vials of the wrath of God are a series of events leading to the destruction of this false power, we must look for the first of the vials, not while it is at the zenith of its power. We have found that a number of distinct prophecies seem to point to the year 1793 as a period when its power will give signs of decay, and its hold upon the nations weaken; hence, we need not look for the first vial before this.

Let the reader note the nature of the plagues to be sent. It is described as a grievous ulcer, that afflicts those who have the mark of the beast.

An ulcer is not only a painful and dangerous sore, but is often malignant and foul with corruption. The term is often used to describe moral corruption, and the ulcers described may be moral or spiritual. Can we find aught in history about the end of the 1260 years of Papal dominion that corresponds with the symbolism? For many centuries France was the stoutest and staunchest of the supporters of the Romish Church. It was Charlemagne, the emperor of France, who bestowed the temporal power upon the Popes. It was to Avignon in France that, at one time, the Papacy was transferred for seventy years.

The ruler of France was long styled “ the eldest son of the Church.” It was France that had perpetrated the massacre of St. Bartholomew, the dragonnades of the Cevennes, and the banishment of the Huguenots.

The French nation had the mark of the beast to at least as great an extent as any other nation. In 1793, exactly at the close of the period of 1260 years, there breaks out in France a fearful moral ulcer that had long been festering. The French Revolution, the uprising of enslaved masses who were maddened into fury, sent Catholic king, royal families, nobles, and priests to the guillotine by tens of thousands, impelled the nation in its madness to publicly declare itself atheistic, leavened it with skepticism, and broke the hold of Rome to such a degree that she can never more control France. The ulcer was awfully corrupt and deadly. At one time 200,000 citizens of all conditions and both sexes were in prison, and often in Paris alone, fourscore were sent to the scaffold in a day. As the result of breaking forth of this ulcer, the mightiest Catholic nation was convulsed with civil war, every Catholic country in Europe was deluged in blood, and the Papal power received a shock from which it can never recover. The first vial, the breaking forth of grievous, painful, malignant ulcers, most fitly represents the breaking out of the French Revolution, its awful excesses, and irreparable injury done to the great spiritual despotism by the events of which it was the beginning and the cause. Revelation 16:3. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea. The first calamity has been upon the earth; the second is upon the ocean. The second angel pours his vial upon the sea. Then the waters become red as blood and in the great mortality that follows it seems to John as if every soul in the sea was dead. Again we ask if, in this series of calamities, there is one that smites the Catholic powers from the seas? Under the second trumpet a great and burning mountain fell into the sea. The Vandal power swept the Mediterranean, destroyed the Roman navy and then laid siege to the old imperial Rome.

From the sea spiritual Rome, under the second vial, is weakened. The symbolism is fulfilled in the mightiest naval strife ever known. In 1780 France and England, upon the ocean, were nearly equally matched. Among the shores of the struggling colonies of the United States sometimes the English, sometimes the French fleets, rode in triumph. At Yorktown, the superiority of the French at sea cooped Cornwallis in until Washington compelled his surrender. With 1793 begins another contest for the mastery of the seas. It continues after Napoleon sits on the imperial throne, and did not end for twenty years. France, again a Catholic power by Napoleon’s concordant with the Pope, rallies under the imperial flag with herself, Catholic Spain, Portugal and Italy, in the struggle.

Protestant England and Catholic Europe strive together upon the ocean. The old Catholic powers, those which in the past have been the vile instruments of Papal wrong, the nations whose kings have committed fornication with the great spiritual harlot, suffer the loss in this long and deadly struggle of six hundred ships of the Line, the largest war vessels that then went to sea, besides the thousands of ships of war of smaller size. At the close of the contest, the naval power of Catholic Europe had been swept from the ocean. Once the Pope had claimed the dominion of the seas, and had given away newly discovered islands and continents, but now that proud claim has gone forever. Revelation 16:4-7. And the third poured out his vial upon the rivers and the fountains of the waters. John sees the third “ vial poured upon the rivers and fountain of waters; and they become blood.” This vial will symbolize another event calamitous to Rome. The seat of the disasters is described as the rivers, and we may expect some historical events, connected in some way with rivers, that result in the injury of the Papacy. There are two marks given which help us to locate the seat where the plague of the third vial is poured. 1. It must be a region of rivers and fountains of waters. 2.

It has evidently been the scene of terrible persecutions of the people of God. When the judgment is inflicted the angel of the waters exclaimed, “ Thou art righteous, O Lord, who art and wast and shall be, because thou hast judged thus.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets and thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.” A land of persecution is to become the scene of calamities which are justly visited upon it for its sins. (1) The river system of northern Italy, we have seen, was indicated under the third trumpet. If the reader will look upon the map he will find it crowded with rivers. The streams rush down from the Alps and haste away to the sea. The river region of Italy has always been a battle ground where the fate of Italy has been decided. Here Attila the Hun, the “ blazing Star,” the wormwood of the rivers, laid Rome prostrate at his feet. See Revelation 8:10-11.

This vial seems to point to the same locality by the use of the same language. (2) But the locality marked must have been the scene of persecutions (verse 6); none more terrible, more bloody or more continued, have been known in the dark history of Rome. This very region was the home of the Albigenses.

Against them the Papacy had hurled its fanatical legions from generation to generation. The blood of the Protestants of the Alps had for centuries dyed the rocks and streams with crimson. (3) In the year 1796, a general, aged 27, led a French army across the Alps. On the river system of Italy, on the Rhone, the Po and its tributaries, he battled with the Austrians and their allies. It is remarkable that every one of his great conflicts were fought upon the rivers. The battle of Lodi was fought on the Adda, Arcola on the Adige, Marengo on the Bromida. I will briefly give the results of the struggle. In 1796 Bonaparte entered Italy. The next year his armies took the city of Rome and proclaimed an Italian Republic.

Previously an armistice had been granted, for which the Pope paid 21,000,000 francs and gave up a hundred masterpieces of art to be carried to Paris. In 1798 Pope Pius VI. was carried as a prisoner into France to die. His successor was not elected in Rome, which was still in the hands of the spoiler, but in Venice. Other results that follow from this invasion will be given under the fourth vial. Ah! how triumphantly the long persecuted Waldenses, as they saw the Pope carried a prisoner into exile, must have joined in the voice from behind the altar: “Yes, O Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments!” Revelation 16:8-9. The fourth poured out his vial on the sun. Since these vials of the wrath of God are “ poured into the earth” (verse 1), the sun must be used as a symbol. It is a symbol of a supreme ruler— a ruler or king. Any one who becomes a great light and occupies a pre-eminent position, may be indicated by this symbol. The Saviour is described as the Sun of Righteousness.

In the dream of Joseph, his father Jacob, the patriarchal ruler, is represented by the sun. Among the orientals it is the well-known symbol of a king or ruler. The fourth vial is poured upon this sun, and power is given it to scorch men with fire. Fire, the instrument of bitter pain, is a symbol of suffering.It is therefore evident that the ruler, symbolized by the sun, shall be the means of inflicting great suffering upon men. As we have found that these calamities are directed against the Papacy, it would follow that the sufferers are those who have received the mark of the beast. Though these adherents of Rome are in great anguish from the calamities that befall them, still they do not repent of their crimes.

Like ancient Egypt under the plagues, Rome will still persist in her wicked deeds, still refuse to liberate the people from her spiritual slavery. In 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte became the ruler of France, and soon became the virtual ruler of all Papal Europe. Spain, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and Austria were at his feet and either ruler by his satraps or at his dictation. No such scorching sun had arisen in the political horizon for more than a thousand years, and I do not know that the world has ever seen so great a scourge of man. From 1796 to 1815 he was engaged in war without a moment’s cessation. He converted Europe into a great camp and every nation was blackened and torn with wars. In his wars it is estimated that 2,000,000 men perished by the sword, and none can tell of the want and misery and despair that brooded over the bleeding and desolated lands that were tracked by his armies.

This scorching sun, which parched, burnt and blackened the earth, exerted a most baleful influence on the power of the Papacy. In 1796 Bonaparte entered Italy; in 1797 his armies entered the Papal dominions, and a peace was made by which the Pope was not only shorn of half his provinces, but was compelled to buy off the invader by the payment of large sums of money.

The next year the French armies entered Rome, tore the Pope from the Vatican, sent him a prisoner to France to die, and robbed Rome of its hoarded wealth. The imprisoned Pope died in captivity. The next Pope was elected in 1799, not in Rome, which was held by French soldiers, but in Venice. In 1800 he was permitted to return to his desolated capital as the dependent of France. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte determined to have placed upon his head the old imperial crown as emperor of the Romans, and the Pope was compelled to journey by land to Paris in order to gratify his master by serving in the ceremonial. Four years later Pius VII. was dragged from his palace, as his predecessor had been, and sent a prisoner into France.

His states of the Church were confiscated. The grant made by Charlemagne nearly 1200 years before was resumed, and, until the fall of Napoleon, the Pope was without temporal possessions. Napoleon had broken the spell of Rome. He taught the world that the power of the Popes might be successfully dared; a noteworthy service to the human race. The Pope, from that time, ceased to be a powerful factor in the control of nations. But, notwithstanding these scourgings, the Papacy has not abated its exorbitant and blasphemous pretensions. “They repented not to give God glory.” Revelation 16:10-11. The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast. By the throne of the beast must be meant the seat of his power. There are few students of the Bible, whether Catholic or Protestant, who deny that Italy and Rome are the throne of the great world power of which the seven-headed beast is the symbol. Then, the scene of the calamities of the fifth vial will be Italy and Rome. That has been the seat of the beast for 1300 years. In the very seat of his power the beast shall receive a blow that will fill his kingdom with darkness, and those who worship him with anguish. Something shall occur that will cause great dismay and anguish to the Roman priesthood and devotees. Have any changes occurred in Italy and Rome which have caused them to gnaw their tongues in pain? In the year 1848 the people of Rome arose in rebellion to the Papal authority and drove Pius IX. into exile. A few months later he was restored by a French army. Nor did he dare remain when restored, save under the protection of French bayonets. With a French garrison he continued to rule his circumscribed territory until 1870. In that year France was compelled to withdraw her soldiers to defend her soil from German invasion. That was the opportunity of Italy.

The Papal army was scattered by the soldiers of Victor Emmanuel; the Pope shut himself in the Vatican, and Rome became the capital of new Italy. The temporal power of the Pope is gone forever. The Italian government has seized upon the overgrown possessions of the church. The lands it claimed have been confiscated, monasteries and convents have been closed, and universal religious toleration declared. Protestant churches and schools are founded in Rome itself, and statues have been erected under the shadow of the Vatican to martyrs whom the Papacy had slain. It is said they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not.

What better illustration of this than that the Pope has been declared infallible! That the reader may see that there is beyond doubt something in the symbolism which points to such a fulfillment as has been suggested above I will quote an old work cited by Albert Barnes, written by Robert Flemming and published in 1701, nearly two hundred years ago. It is called the Apocalyptic Key, and contains the following on the fifth vial: “ The fifth vial which is to be poured out on the seat of the beast, or the dominions which belong more immediately to, and depend upon, the Roman See; that I say this judgment will begin about a.d. 1794, and expire about a.d. 1848.” As a matter of fact Bonaparte invaded Italy in 1796, and in 1848 the Pope was driven from Rome. Since that date, though returned and protected by the French until 1870, his temporal power has been at an end. Revelation 16:12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up. The angel of the sixth trumpet is connected with the river Euphrates (Revelation 9:14). There a movement is symbolized which ends in the overthrow of the Eastern Roman Empire, the old Roman world power. Here a movement is probably signified which will work to the same end in the case of the Roman dominion revived in the Papal world power. The river Euphrates was the seat of the great city which once oppressed Israel and carried God’s people into captivity.

It was taken by Cyrus, God’s chosen agent, and the means employed was the drying up of the Euphrates. Cyrus turned the river, which ran through the city, unto new channels, dried up the old bed, then marched in this bed under the walls where they crossed the river on arches, and took the city. In some way the drying up of the Euphrates shall overthrow, or tend to overthrow, spiritual Babylon. Possibly this may be accomplished by the exhaustion of the resources of that power. The nations which once supplied them have been falling away. That the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising.

In the infancy of the Christ, the wise men of the East, also called kings in the Psalms, came to offer homage to the kingly child. The prophecy implies that when this obstacle is removed, the way of the inhabitants shall be opened. The drying up of the Euphrates will, in some manner, open the way for those that are signified to come to Christ, as those of the old did to the manger. Revelation 16:13-16. I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon. Let the reader observe there is an alliance of three powers described as the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. From their mouths came three unclean spirits, like frogs, who go forth to the kings of the earth, rally their forces under the banners of the three allied powers, and march them to the battle of the great day of the Almighty. We have met these three powers before, and know that these are really one, animated by one spirit, but appearing in different forms. The dragon, the Satan (chapter 12), wars against the woman, in the form of old Pagan Rome; he then (chapter 13) transfers this warfare to the seven-headed beast, the political world power shown both in the form of Imperial and Papal Rome; this power was supported, reanimated when about to perish, by the lamb-like dragon who is the false prophet (Revelation 13:11).

As it were frogs (Revision). Unclean, loathsome, suggesting the plagues of Egypt. Revelation 16:14. For they are the spirits of devils. The Greek is “ demons.” They are demoniacal influences, and will show forth false miracles by which to deceive men. Unto the kings of the whole world. They will marshal their forces for the last conflict. The conflict that shall then take place will decide the fate of Babylon. The drying up of the Euphrates will prepare the way for its destruction. For an account of the battle of that great day, see 19:11, 19. Revelation 16:15. Behold, I come as a thief. This is interposed in order to give a place for exhortation to be always ready. The Lamb comes when men do not see him. Revelation 16:16. They gathered them (Revision). The three unclean spirits. To a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. If this is a literal conflict of arms the place where it will take place is probably indicated. Probably the conflict will be moral and spiritual.

The place named is not only Hebrew, but is a famous spot in Hebrew history. Armageddon means simply the hill Megiddo. Upon the Hill Megiddo was fought the battle in which King Josiah was slain. It was in the midst of the battle-ground of Israel. The plain of Esdraelon, the depression between Judea and Galilee, was tracked with armies. If Ezekiel 37:8-17 is understood literally, it signifies that Palestine will be the theatre of this struggle, but of all these passages I am inclined to believe that they have a spiritual signification.

The Israel of Ezekiel represents the church, the true Israel. Armageddon, the battle-ground of Israel, is used metaphorically to describe the great conflict of the Israel of God. Revelation 16:17-21. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air. From Ephesians 2:2 we learn that the air is the region of the power of evil The fifth vial was poured upon the seat of the beast; the seventh on the seat of the dragon. Came a great voice. The voice so often heard but not seen. Whether the divine voice or not, it speaks the divine will. It is done. It is finished. The work is complete. The seventh vial brings the work to an end. Revelation 16:18. There were voices, and thunders, etc. See Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:19. These features accompany the tremendous movements of the divine will. A great earthquake. A mighty agitation, and rupturing such as was never seen before. Society will be upheaved to its very foundations. Revelation 16:19. And the great city. The great spiritual Babylon, the woman that sitteth on the beast (17:5). Was divided into three parts. It was broken asunder, and shaken into pieces by the great upheaval. It is difficult to settle what is meant by three parts. Perhaps the three “ evil spirits” (verse 13), which represent the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, are henceforth parted from each other. If this should be signified, it would mean that worldly government would henceforth be rescued from Satan’s influence, and that spiritual powers would never henceforth give homage to the world. Great Babylon came in remembrance. The wrath of God is poured out because of her sins. Revelation 16:20. And every island fled away. Islands and mountains denote earthly powers. Perhaps the meaning is that the old lines between states and nations shall pass away, and that henceforth there shall be one nation, one kingdom, one people, that of Jesus Christ. Revelation 16:21. There fell upon men a great hail out of heaven. Upon the men who were judged and punished. Hail is a symbol of God’s judgment. Hailstones of such weight signify awful judgments. The men blasphemed God. Not all men, but the men punished. In verse 9 and 11 it is declared that they repented not, and here it is again implied that they were incorrigible. The thought is that they perish in impenitence. It might be added that Robert Flemming, who in 1701 so accurately forecasted the fate of the Papacy (see statement in notes on the fifth vial) places the seventh in a.d. 1900..

“THE BOOK OF "

Chapter Sixteen In this chapter the full outpouring of wrath upon the enemies of God is depicted. The seven angels with the seven bowls pour out “the seven last plagues” (Revelation 15:1). Notice that these are not partial judgments, as with the seven trumpets described earlier (chs. 8-11). In the pouring out of these plagues “the wrath of God is complete” (Revelation 15:1).

In the first four bowls, God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, the sea, the rivers and springs, and the sun. Affected by these plagues are those who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

God’s judgment upon them is proclaimed righteous and just, because they had been guilty of shedding the blood of saints and prophets. Amazingly, their response is to blaspheme God, and refuse to repent and give Him glory (Revelation 16:1-9).

The fifth bowl is poured out on the throne of the beast and his kingdom, resulting in darkness. The painful suffering of the wicked continue, as does their blasphemy and refusal to repent of their deeds (Revelation 16:10-11). The sixth bowl is poured out on the river Euphrates, preparing the way for the kings from the east. John then saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. Described as the spirits of demons, they perform signs and gather the kings of the earth to the place called Armageddon, for the battle of the great day of God. At this point Jesus speaks both a warning and blessing, for those who watch and keep their garments will be blessed, as He is coming as a thief (Revelation 16:12-16).

The seventh bowl is poured out and a loud voice from the temple in heaven cries out, “It is done!” The declaration is followed by thunderings, lightnings, and a great earthquake. The great city was divided into three parts, and cities of the nations fell. Great Babylon was remembered by God, to give her the cup of the wine of His wrath. Every island fled away, the mountains were not found, and great hail from heaven fell upon men. The latter caused men to blaspheme God, unwilling to repent of their evil deeds (Revelation 16:17-21).

The seven bowls of wrath depict a judgment upon pagan Rome that is more final than the judgment depicted earlier with the seven seals and seven trumpets against unbelieving Jerusalem (Revelation 6-11). While God would not destroy unbelieving Jerusalem completely, the judgment against pagan Rome as a world empire would be total.

Chapters 17-19 will elaborate upon the judgments upon the beast, the false prophet, and Babylon, identifying them in more detail, and describing their ultimate downfall.

POINTS TO PONDER

• What happens when the seven bowls of wrath are poured out

• Upon whom the seven bowls are poured, and why

OUTLINE I. THE (Revelation 16:1) A. BY A LOUD VOICE FROM THE TEMPLE (Revelation 16:1 a) B. TO THE SEVEN ANGELS TO POUR OUT THE BOWLS OF WRATH (Revelation 16:1 b) II. THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH (Revelation 16:2-21) A. FIRST BOWL: SORES (Revelation 16:2)1. The bowl is poured out upon the earth 2. Loathsome and foul sores came upon those who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his image

B. SECOND BOWL: SEA OF BLOOD (Revelation 16:3)1. The bowl is poured out on the sea, turning it to the blood of a dead man 2. Every living creature in the sea died

C. THIRD BOWL: RIVERS AND SPRINGS OF BLOOD (Revelation 16:4-7)1. The bowl is poured out on the rivers and springs, turning them to blood 2. The angel of the waters declares God’s justice a. His judgments are righteous b. For it is just due upon those who shed the blood of saints and prophets 3. Another voice from the altar also proclaims God’s judgments as true and righteous

D. FOURTH BOWL: MEN (Revelation 16:8-9)1. The bowl is poured out on the sun, giving the fourth angel power to scorch men with fire 2. Men were scorched with great heat a. They blasphemed the name of God who had power over these plagues b. They did not repent or give glory to Him

E. FIFTH BOWL: PAIN AND (Revelation 16:10-11)1. The bowl is poured out on the throne of the beast, his kingdom became full of darkness 2. Men gnawed their tongues because of the pain a. They blasphemed God b. They did not repent

F. SIXTH BOWL: AT (Revelation 16:12-16)1. The bowl is poured out on the great river Euphrates a. Its water was dried up b. Preparing the way for the kings of the east 2. Three unclean spirits like frogs appear a. Out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet b. Which are spirits of demons, performing signs c. Who gather the kings of the earth to the battle of that great day of God Almighty 3. Jesus offers both a warning and a blessing a. He is coming as a thief b. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked and others see his shame 4. The unclean spirits gather the kings of the earth to the place called Armageddon

G. SEVENTH BOWL: GREAT ; THE GREAT CITY DIVIDED AND BABYLON ; EVENTS (Revelation 16:17-21)1. The bowl is poured out on the air a. Followed by a loud voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, declaring, “It is done!” b. There were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and a mighty earthquake unlike any before 2. The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell 3. Great Babylon was remembered, to receive the cup of the wine of the fierceness of God’s wrath 4. Great cataclysmic events occur a. Every island fled away and the mountains were not found b. Great hail fell upon men, and they blasphemed God because of the hail

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- The pronouncement (Revelation 16:1)

• The seven bowls of wrath (Revelation 16:2-21)

2. What did a loud voice from the temple say to seven angels? (Revelation 16:1)- “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth”

3. Upon what was the first bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:2)- The earth; foul and loathsome sores came upon those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image

4. Upon what was the second bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:3)- The sea; it became blood as of a dead man; every living creature in the sea died

5. Upon what was the third bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:4)- The rivers and springs of water; they became blood

6. Why did the angel of the waters proclaim God’s judgments as just? (Revelation 16:5-6)- Because they had shed the blood of saints and prophets

7. Upon what was the fourth bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:8-9)- On the sun; men were scorched with great heat

8. Despite these judgments, how did men respond? (Revelation 16:9)- They blasphemed the name of God, and did not repent and give God glory

9. Upon what was the fifth bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:10)- On the throne of the beast; his kingdom became full of darkness, and people gnawed their tongues because of the pain

10. What again is said about the response to these judgments? (Revelation 16:11)- They blasphemed God because of their sores and pain, and did not repent of their deeds

11. Upon what was the sixth bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:12)- On the river Euphrates; it was dried up, so the way of the kings from the east might be prepared

12. What did John see next? (Revelation 16:13)- Three unclean spirits like frogs coming of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet

13. What were these, and what was their mission? (Revelation 16:14)- Spirits of demons, performing great signs

• To gather the kings of the earth to the battle of the great day of God Almighty

14. What warning and beatitude did Jesus give at this point? (Revelation 16:15)- Behold, I am coming as a thief

• Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame

15. Where were the kings of the earth gathered? (Revelation 16:16)- To the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon

16. Upon what was the seventh bowl poured out? What happened? (Revelation 16:17)- The air; a loud voice from the temple of heaven, from the throne, proclaimed, “It is done!”

17. What then occurred? (Revelation 16:18-21)- There were noises, thunderings, lightnings, a mighty earthquake

• The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell
• Great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath
• Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found
• Great hail from heaven fell upon men

18. How did people respond to the plague of the hail? (Revelation 16:21) - They blasphemed God, because the plague was exceedingly greatQuestions by E.M. Zerr on Revelation 161. From where did John hear a voice?

2. What did they say to the seven angels?
3. Tell what followed the first one.
4. Upon whom did it fall?
5. On what did the second angel pour his vial?
6. How did it then become?
7. State the effect this had.
8. On what did the 3rd angel pour his vial?
9. With what effect?
10. Whom did John hear speaking?
11. Ten what he said.
12. Why did he praise the Lord?
13. Whose blood had been shed?
14. By whom bad it been done?
15. What had they been given to drink?
16. From where did Jobn bear another voice?
17. To whom did he speak?
18. What praise did he ascribe?
19. On what did the 4th angel pour his vial?
20. This gave him what power?
21. What did this cause the men to do?
22. Over wbat did He bave power?
23. What did these men refuse to do?
24. Upon what did the 5th angel pour his vial?
25. What became dark?
26. Tell what their pain caused them to do.
27. What did they do toward God?
28. Because of wh&t did they do so?
29. Did this bring repentance?
30. Where did the 6th angel pour his vial?
31. What did it do to the waters?
32. For what people was this an advantage ?
33. How many spirits did John see?
34. What kind of spirits were they?
35. From where did these spirits come?
36. Of what beings are they the spirits?
37. What was their work?
38. To whom do they go forth?
39. To what event were these to be gathered?
40. In what manner will Christ come?
41. What is promised to the one who watches?
42. And what must he keep?
43. Lest what?
44. To what place did the spirits gather the people?
45. Where did the 7th angel pour his vial?
46. What came out of the temple?
47. From what part of the temple?
48. What did the voice say?
49. Ten what else could be hea.rd.
50. What also happened at this time?
51. Compare it with former ones.
52. What happened to the city?
53. Tell what happened to other cities.
54. To what place was Babylon brought?
55. For what purpose was this?
56. What happened to the islands and mountains?
57. Tell what fen upon men.
58. What did it cause them to do?

Revelation 16:1

Revelation 16:1. The great voice was out of the temple. That means it was from God, for we have learned in the preceding chapter that no man was able to be in the temple at this time. The seven angels have been given the vials of divine wrath, now the voice bids them empty their contents in the places deserving such treatment.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceRev_16:1 Introduction.VIITHE SEVEN VIALS OF WRATH(Chapter 16)The visions of chapter sixteen carry the scenes of the execution of the seven plagues, and the pouring out of the woes, in the recapitulation of the events enfolded in the seven seals and trumpets of the first series, which ended with chapter eleven. The symbols of the plagues of this chapter envisioned the same successive and progressive developments of the events surrounding the war against the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem; with additional visional scenes and intensified symbols of calamity and devastation; in the execution of the consuming judgment of God upon the beast, the false prophets, and the idolatrous worshipers of the imperial image. The principle of the recapitulation of the first part of Revelation, from chapters one to eleven follows through this series. There was a consistent correspondence between the seals of the first series and vials of the second, but with the enlargement and intensification of the symbols of retributive judgment. An example of it was in the plague of sores-the subjects of the Roman beast received his mark by the worship of the imperial image, and God marked them in retribution with the noisome sores. The delineations of these penalties and punishments were concealed within visional folds, reserved for symbolic disclosure. The entire structure was metaphorical, which renders literalism impossible. A preliminary survey of the chapter is essential to bringing the signs and symbols of the chapter into its apocalyptic focus. VIIITHE SEVEN PLAGUES OF PENAL WOES(Chapter 16 Con’t)The introduction of an extensive excursus on the Destruction of Jerusalem, foretold in chapter fourteen of the prophecy of Zechariah, was the occasion for the interruption in the course of comments, and the reversed order of the verses in the dissertation of this chapter on the plagues and the woes, the symbolic imagery of which reverts to a continuation of chapter sixteen. There was a very certain continuity in the imagery of the first and second series of visions in the striking analogy between the seven trumpets of the first part and the seven vials of the second part–showing the symbolism of the same period and events in a recapitulation with an enlargement and intensification of the signs. For an example there was the darkening of the sun in the symbolism of the first part, but of intensified heat in the same symbolism of the second part. Both series were apocalypses of the crises of two cities–Jerusalem and Rome–one in siege and destruction, the other in political government and imperial authority, but they covered the same period of events. The object of the apocalypse was not Rome, but the apostate and harlot Jerusalem. Rome was only collateral to the apocalyptic narrative as the power by which the symbolism was executed and accomplished. The affinity of events in the two series is apparent in the correspondence between the objects of the trumpets and the vials. The first vial like the first trumpet produced an effect upon the earth; the second alike caused an effect on the sea; the third in each symbol made bloody the fountains and the rivers; the fourth of both changed the normal function of the sun; the fifth sign in each imagery operated on the seat of imperial power; the sixth in similarity dehydrated the Euphrates; and the seventh of both vial and trumpet transfused the air. All of these potent signs were descriptive of the order of events which removed the evil powers of Judaism and heathenism from the path of the church and cleared the way for the expansion of the kingdom of God. IXTHE ROMAN WAR AGAINST AS JESUS CHRIST(Matthew 24:1-51) The parallels and comparisons between the signs of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew and the symbols of Revelation have been repeatedly mentioned. In order to support this parallel a full discussion of Mat 24:1-51 is here inserted from GOD’S WORD:The idea that “signs of the times” portend the coming of the Lord and the end of all things is based on a misinterpretation of the 24th chapter of Matthew. (1) The two questions answered.Matthew 24:1-51, Mark 13:1-37, and Luke 21:1-38, are parallel chapters. Jesus was in the city of Jerusalem with the disciples, viewing the temple. The disciples, like all of the Jews, admired the temple buildings. Looking upon the massive stones of the mighty structure of Solomon’s temple, Jesus amazed the disciples with the declaration: “There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” The disciples naturally thought that when such a stupendous thing as that happened, it would be the end of the world– the end of all things. So the two questions: “When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming?“Answering the question–” What shall be the sign of thy coming.?” Jesus told them plainly there would be none. “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” There would be no signs of his coming.

No man knows the time of his coming; the angels do not know; and Mark 13:32 adds “neither the Son” –the Lord in his state of humanity had not been shown the things of the future that belonged only to the Father. The Son’s enlightenment and illumination on all things were subject to the time that it was the Father’s will to show him– John 5:19-20; but “no man” could ever by any “signs of the times” know the time of the Lord’s coming. In proof of this I need only to call your attention to the expression: “So shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” So shall “be” the coming–it will be that way when he comes. No man will know until he comes. Yet, men in their audacity have the gigantic gall and colossal cheek, in the face of a statement like that, to say that they do know. The answer of Jesus disillusioned the disciples regarding signs of his coming and pointed to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. (2) The fall of Jerusalem.In his answer to the question, “When shall these things be?” Jesus mentioned the signs of the impending siege of Jerusalem, the destruction of the city, the demolition of the temple and the end of the Jewish state. When he answered the question as to the time of his coming he said that “no man knows”–there would be no signs. When he answered the question on the destruction of Jerusalem, he mentioned and described in detail the signs. The indication that the siege of Jerusalem is the subject of the Matthew 24:1-51 discourse is to be seen in the application of the numerous expressions peculiar to prophecies and apocalypses of the Old Testament concerning the destruction and desolation of ancient cities and nations, which are used throughout this chapter, and the parallel chapters of Mark and Luke.

1. The abomination of desolation mentioned in verse 15, taken from the prophecy of Daniel, was said by the Lord to be fulfilled when the Jews should see the presence of the signs and symbols of the Romans “standing in the holy place,” as stated by Mark. This is the Lord’s own interpretation and explanation both of the prophecy of Daniel and the fulfillment in Matthew 24:1-51.
2. The exhortation to flee to the mountains with haste, with no opportunity or means to arrange for the carriage and transport of personal belongings and supplies, when they beheld the Roman armies in full march, indicates the beginning of the siege.
3. The distress and tribulation that would accompany the prolonged and bitter siege, confirmed by eye witness historians such as Josephus and Pliny in appalling descriptive detail, can be given no other application.
4. The reference to pseudochrists and imposters, pretenders claiming to be the Christ, with deceptive signs such as the magical wonders of Simon Magi, shows that the effort to imitate the Messiah was widespread, thus identifying the time with the works of Jesus belonging to that age and generation.
5. The mention in Luke’s narrative of the distress upon the land of Judea, the mass massacre of the inhabitants by the sword, the carrying away of the captives into all the surrounding nations, the encompassing of the city by foreign armies, and the trodding down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles permanently–all of these things can be descriptive of only one event of history: that final crisis of the ages concerning Jerusalem, in which transition from the dispensation of Judaism to the age of Christianity became published through all the world. The complete and final overthrow of the Jewish capital and temple, representing the cult of Judaism, and the consequent expansion of the new kingdom of Christ, are seen in these evidences to be the main subject of Mat 24:1-51 –the conquest and establishment of Christianity in all the world.
6. The climax of all the statements of the whole chapter, to settle the question of time, is in the declaration that all the things indicated by the signs would have fulfillment in that generation. The narrative of Luke adds to the strength of Matthew’s statements: “So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away till all be fulfilled”– Luke 21:28-31. Matthew’s account reads, “till all these things be fulfilled.” Notice the expression: when YE see, know YE, and, I say unto YOU, statements which identify the people of that generation with the fulfillment of the events depicted. A significant statement is made by Luke in verse 31.

He says, “When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” Mark’s account adds, “even at the doors”– Mark 13:29. The obvious meaning is: that in the midst of these ominous developments the believing disciples need not be frantic because the kingdom was with them, nigh at hand, and even at the doors: and the Lord was as near to them as the kingdom which hovered over and surrounded them with all the divine assurances of the Lord’s own presence. The truth of this is further seen in verse 28: “When ye see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” It is here evident that redemption meant their deliverance from the siege, and it is given the same application in this context with the phrase “the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” In this connection the two expressions have the same significance. The kingdom was nigh at hand in the same sense that redemption or deliverence was even at the doors.The teaching of both the old and new testaments concerning the kingdom of Christ is: that it contemplates the full length of time from his ascension to heaven after his resurrection to his descension from heaven at the end. “For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet” – 1 Corinthians 15:25. The overthrow of Jerusalem and the temple was the final sign to the world that he was seated “on the right hand of power,” as he had declared in Matthew 26:64 to the high priest of the Jews; and as further announced to this Jewish official that he and his fellow officials of the Sanhedrin should thereafter see it. Methinks they did–at the destruction of their capital city and their national temple. (3) The end of the Jewish state.1. “After the tribulations of these days.” The millennialists teach that “the tribulation” will be at the time of the rapture. The saints, they say, will be caught up in the rapture, and while the saints are in the rapture, “somewhere in the heavens,” the tribulation period will be in process on earth; but the saved will be spared the tribulation, for the saints will be up in the heavens somewhere with Jesus in rapture until the tribulation period is over, when with the Lord, they say, will return to earth for the millennium. But Matthew 24:1-51 does not fit the picture. The record says that the disciples were told to flee to the mountains when this tribulation begins. According to the millennial theory there would be no disciples on earth to flee–they would all be up in the rapture ! 2. “Pray that your flight be not in the winter, nor on the sabbath.” The law would be nailed to the cross, the sabbath abolished; Christians would not be observing it, but the Jewish authorities would be enforcing it. Why pray that the flight be not on the sabbath? Simply because the gates of the city would be closed, and the enforced restrictions of the sabbath would hinder their flight. The reference to winter–“pray that your flight be not in the winter”–shows that Jesus was referring to hindrances to flight. The Jewish state did not end until the destruction of Jerusalem. Hence, the Jews maintained their state and enforced the law.

That fact furnished the ground for the Lord’s warnings on hindrances to their flight. He surely did not mean that “winter” was a holy season or that the sabbath is a holy day, which could not be violated even in an emergency of life or death. Women “with child,” or nursing babes, would be subject to delay, temporal privations, and increased trouble and hardship, besides the difficulty of providing for actual needs of subsistence itself. In the winter their infants and children might perish with cold and hunger. 3. “The day of visitation.” That expression also has to do with the things that occurred in connection with the destruction Jerusalem. “The things which ye behold,” is the key to it all. Mark and Luke must be regarded as faithful reporters, along with Matthew, and the application of the language, therefore, must be in harmony with all three records. A comparison of the three reports clearly places the events in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the Jewish state. The two questions, as recorded by Matthew, read: “when shall these things be? and what are the signs of thy coming and of the end of the world ?” Mark’s record says: “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” Then Luke’s record reads: “Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?” The answers of Jesus to these questions were the augurs of total destruction to the ears of men who had been taught that their temple and city would abide forever. Many of the figures of speech used in Matthew 24:1-51, in reference to the destruction of Jerusalem were used in Isaiah 13:1-22, in referring to the destruction of Babylon. Note Isaiah 13:10 : “For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.” Similar language is used is reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, similar symbolic language was used. When it says that “the sun shall be darkened” and “the moon shall not give her light” and “the stars shall fall from heaven,” people are wont to believe these expressions denote the second coming of Christ; but the same figures of speech were used in the Old Testament description of the destruction of Babylon, when Isaiah said of that event that the sun should be darkened and the moon should not give light. The reference is to the darkness that would settle over the Babylonian state in Isaiah 13:1-22, and the Jewish nation and the city of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:1-51. The language cannot be taken literally in either case, but as representing the end of the Babylonian nation and of the Jewish state. Thus Jesus disillusioned the disciples on both of their questions, showing them that he was prophesying the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the Jewish state, rather than of the second coming of Christ and the end of the world. When Matthew 24:1-51 is taken from millennialists, the argument for the imminent return of Christ based on signs of the times is destroyed. (4) The signs–verse by verse.1. False teachers–verse 5. “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” Jesus simply warned the disciples that false teachers would be numerous, more than ever before. Josephus, the historian, verifies the fact that near the time of Jerusalem’s fall, many false Messiahs appeared, claiming to be the Christ. He says these became more numerous before the siege of Titus. Luke, the historian, records such pseudo-signs and false wonders as the magical deceptions of Simon Magus– Acts 8:1-40 –which were employed on an accentuated scale before the destruction of Jerusalem by the professional deceivers mentioned in the Lord’s predictions. 2. Wars and rumors of wars–verse 6: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.” Many smaller nations were at war with the Romans at that time, enemies at war with each other and rumors of war in abundance on every hand, and from every quarter as the destruction of Jerusalem drew near. Josephus verifies the fact that from every part of the empire wars followed in succession, and in waves of revolt, like the swells of the ocean, to the final dissolution of the empire. 3. Famine and pestilence–verse 7: “For nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” In the days of Claudius Caesar, before the destruction of Jerusalem, there was an unparalleled famine –the greatest famine the world ever knew occurred. The record of Mat 24:1-51 is corroborated by the Spirit in Agabus, the prophet, as reported by Luke in Acts 11:28 : “And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.” Again Josephus testified that the famine actually occurred before the destruction of Jerusalem, and the fulfillment is a matter of historical record. 4. Earthquakes–verse 8: “All these are the beginning of sorrows.” That great earthquakes occurred during the reign of Nero is a historical fact, and the testimony of Jesus is added to that of Josephus of an unusual number of earthquakes occurring in various countries, before the destruction of Jerusalem. Many cities of Asia Minor were destroyed by earthquakes. 5. Delivered to death–verse 9: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” Paul, Peter, and James, and James the Less were all put to death before the destruction of Jerusalem. 6. Apostasies–verse 10: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” This is the Lord’s warning of many apostasies, when the faith of the disciples would fail, as under pressure of persecution many should become offended. Such apostasies were everywhere in evidence prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, the evidence of which are not only mentioned in the sacred text, but in parallel secular history. The most valuable of such historical evidence is the testimony of Josephus, who was an eye-witness to the destruction of Jerusalem. 7. The gospel to all of the world–verse 14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.” Within this period of gospel history the sound of the messengers’ feet had been heard all over the Roman world– Romans 10:15 –and the gospel was, in fact, preached to the whole creation before the destruction of Jerusalem. Read Colossians 1:23 : “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; for which I Paul am made a minister.” Hence, before the death of Paul this “sign” was actually fulfilled–literally enough, indeed, to satisfy a most exacting literalist. Eusebius says “the gospel was like the sun, enlightening the world at once.” It was universally published; the Gentile nations were illuminated with Christianity, providing the events to correspond with the prophecies, a fact so striking as to be convincing without disputation. 8. The end of the Jewish world–verse 14: “Then shall the end come.” Here, at once, with one accord, the millennialist jumps to the conclusion that this “end” means the end of the world–“then shall the end come”–but the end of what? The end of Jerusalem; the destruction of the temple and the end of the Jewish state and the end of Judaism. 9. The abomination of desolation–verse 15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (who so readeth, let him understand:) " This description refers to the heathen symbols and the Roman standards raised in the temple. Every orthodox Jew looked upon the temple as sacred and holy. When the Romans conquered the city, and entered it, the Roman soldiers marched into the temple, hauled down the ornaments and images of the temple, and raised instead the symbols and standards of paganism and Romanism. That is what was called the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place. The “abomination of desolation” was fulfilled when those Roman standards and pagan symbols were seen in the holy place “where they ought not to be.” 10. The disciples flee–verses 16-18: “Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.” The destruction of Jerusalem was regarded by all pious Jews as pestilence and desolation and was taken as a sign that the time for them to escape had come–to do what Jesus had warned them to do–to flee to the mountains. The disciples did as Jesus said-they heeded the warnings and fled. From the flat roofs of their houses in the city or from their fields in the country, they saw the Roman army in full march, there was no time to go inside for goods or raiment. Life was more than personal property. When they saw the sign of the standards and symbols of the Romans in the temple, they remembered that Jesus had warned them of that very thing, and at the news of the Roman approach they fled to Pella, the northern boundary of Perea. It is a remarkable but historical fact that Cestius Gallius, the Roman general, for some unknown reason, retired when they first marched against the city, suspended the siege, ceased the attack and withdrew his armies for an interval of time after the Romans had occupied the temple, thus giving every believing Jew the opportunity to obey the Lord’s instruction to flee the city. Josephus the eyewitness, himself an unbeliever, chronicles this fact, and admitted his inability to account for the cessation of the fighting at the time, after a siege had begun. Can we account for it? We can. The Lord was fighting against Jerusalem– Zechariah 14:2 : “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” The Lord was besieging that city. God was bringing these things to pass against the Jewish state and nation.

Therefore, the opportunity was offered for the disciples to escape the siege, as Jesus had forewarned, and the disciples took it. So said Daniel; so said Jesus; so said Luke; so said Josephus. And so it was–it was left for Titus, the Roman general, to execute the siege, after the faithful disciples had fled.

Verses 19-22: “And woe unto them that are with child, and them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” These verses deal with the hindrances to flight from the besieged city, the tribulation of the siege, and the lifting of the siege for the escape of the disciples.

11. Pseudo-signs–verses 23-26: “Then if any ma n shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Here was the Lord’s warning against deceivers, fake prophets, false alarms and fraudulent signs–the forewarnings to enable the disciples to discriminate between the spurious and the genuine. “Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” These warnings observed by the disciples of the Lord enabled them to escape the traps incident to the approaching siege.
12. The eagles and the carcass–verses 27-28: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.““The coming” here refers to the approach of the Roman armies. The Jewish nation was the carcass which the Roman eagles were sent to devour. These verses describe the swiftness of the events and the suddenness of all the occurrences connected with the land of Judea.
13. After the tribulation–verse 29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” After the tribulation of these days–that is, after the things that occurred during the siege. The siege began August 10, A. D. 70, six hundred years after Nebuchadnezzar’s siege and destruction of the first temple. All of the houses and underground chambers were filled with putrified corpses. One million one hundred thousand people perished, and the remnants were scattered. Think of it–in only two months with only two armies fighting in the limited areas around Jerusalem, one million one hundred thousand people perished. Every building was filled with perishing bodies; famished people ate the putrified flesh of human carcasses; mothers ate the flesh of their own babies. And outside the besieged city the families of the expatriated race of Jews in many places throughout the empire were slaughtered. Josephus, the historian, verifies the fact that there was never anything like it before or since, nor ever shall be. The signs in the heavens, the darkening sun and falling stars, refer to the falling of Jewish dignitaries, casting down of authorities and powers, long established, and signified the darkness that settled upon the Jewish state. The sun of the Hebrew temple was darkened, the moon of the Jewish commonwealth was as blood, the stars of the Sanhedrin fell from their high seats of authority. Isaiah and Joel describe the ruin of both ancient Babylon and Jerusalem in similar description, in Isaiah 13:1-22 and Joe 2:1-32.
14. The coming of the Son of man–verse 30: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.“The sign of the Son of man in the heaven was a signal, the evidence of divine visitation and intervention in the downfall of the Jewish authorities and in all the transpiring events. The mourning of all the tribes of the earth refers to the lamentation of the Jewish families all over the world because of the destruction of their city and their temple and their state. The coming of the Son of man in the clouds of heaven is not a reference to the second coming of Christ but to the coming foretold by Jesus to Caiaphas in Matthew 26:64 : “Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Jesus told Caiaphas that he would see it, he would be a living witness to these events. The reference to the Son of man coming “with power and great glory” and “sitting on the right hand of power” is emphasis on the magnitude of the things that occurred. The Son of man came in power in the transpiring events.
15. Sending forth his angels–verse 31: “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Here is the grand announcement of the world-wide success of the gospel, the universal expansion of Christianity after the destruction of Jerusalem. The angels of this verse were messengers, emissaries of the gospel. The gathering of the elect from the four winds meant that these messengers would carry the gospel to every nook and corner of the inhabited world. This is the history of what occurred. With the downfall of Judaism the greatest foe of the church was removed, the path cleared of the chief obstacle, resulting in the universal sweep of Christianity. The knowledge of God covered the earth as waters cover the sea.
16. The signs that it was near–verses 32-33: “When the branch is yet tender . . . ye know that summer is nigh . . . so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” The signs of the approaching events would serve as portents to all faithful disciples that the things of which they were being warned would be near. The disciples would recognize these signs up to the time of the siege, and would know that it was “near, even at the doors.” It is here that Luke’s account says: “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh” – Luke 21:28. The providential means for the escape of the faithful was divinely prearranged and when they should see these things “begin to come to pass” they were told to “look up” and “lift up” their heads in full confidence that their redemption, their deliverance, was at hand. This redemption extended beyond the mere escape from the siege– it was a greater deliverance from the persecutions of the Jewish authorities and the oppositions of Judaism, brought to an end by the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish state. To say that the expression “it is near” refers to the end of the world, the end of time, or a “rapture” theory is contrary to the context of Mat 24:1-51. When these signs appeared the Lord said, “Let them which are in Judae flee”– and they did. “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh”–and they did know it. If it meant the end of the world, why say “let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains”? And why say, “let not them that are in the country enter thereinto”–into Jerusalem? These sayings show clearly that the whole thing is a description of the destruction of Jerusalem. Reverting in verses 41 and 42 to these surroundings the Lord said that where two would be “in the field,” or “grinding at the mill”–one would be taken and the other left–that is, the believing disciple would recognize the signs and take flight, while the unbelieving companion would remain and perish in the siege. The statement that all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, as has been previously explained, is a reference to the Jewish families scattered all over the Roman empire– they would mourn the downfall of Jerusalem and the end of their Jewish commonwealth.
17. All these things fulfilled–verse 34: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” In Luke 21:31-32, the Lord said: when YE see, and know YE, and, I say unto YOU–so here is the Lord’s own statement of the period to which “these things” belonged and during which they would all be fulfilled. All of the “signs” mentioned in Matthew 24:1-51 are mentioned above verse 34. After having mentioned these signs, Jesus then said, “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Notice–“all these things”–not some of them –all of them would be fulfilled before that generation passed. But we are told that “this generation” meant that race–meaning only that the race of the Jews would not pass till all this was fulfilled. The Lord would not be guilty of such a truism–telling the Jews what would happen to their race, and then saying that the race will not pass away until everything that will happen to the race happens to it! A truism would not be the word for that. It is sheer nonsense to have Christ say that certain things would happen to the Jewish race, but the Jewish race would not pass away until what would happen to the Jewish race happened to it! No, Jesus said “this generation”–the generation living then–would not pass “till all these things be fulfilled.” The Lord’s use of the same language after pronouncing the woes on the Pharisees in the previous chapter of Matthew shows clearly the reference was to their own time. There are nine woes pronounced upon these Jewish officials in Matthew 23:1-39, which are followed by verse 36: “Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation.” Immediately following this statement is the pronouncement on Jerusalem in verse 37, “0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” and the verdict of verse 38, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” There is but one conclusion, and it is clear–all the woes of Mat 23:1-39 and all the signs of Mat 24:1-51 referred to that generation of time and span of life, and were all fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, and immediately thereafter.
18. Words shall not pass away–verse 35. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” The vouchsafement of the word of Christ is the surety of the fulfillment of “all these things” in the period that he designated as “this generation.” His words are the seal. And upon the integrity of his word another stupendous fact is predicted: that is, heaven and earth shall pass away. The “shall” and “shall not” are equally significant: his word concerning the signs and events is as sure as the fact that heaven and earth shall pass away. And it is here that the transition in the subject of the context of Mat 24:1-51 takes place, from the destruction of Jerusalem to the second advent of Christ.
19. The coming of the Son of man–verses 36-51. The expression “that day and hour” in verse 36 connects with the pronouncement “heaven and earth shall pass away” in verse 36–that day and hour being when heaven and earth shall pass away, and is therefore related to the coming of the Son of man. In 2 Peter 3:10 it is declared that “the day of the Lord shall come . . . in the which the heavens shall pass away . . . the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Thus the passing away of heaven and earth, mentioned in verse 35 of Matthew 24:1-51, shall be an event accompanying “the coming of the Son of man” in verses 36 and 37, and with these verses the Lord’s discourse turns from the destruction of Jerusalem to the second coming of Christ. It is of that day and hour, respecting the time, that neither men nor angels know, and of which there shall be no impending signs to portend its imminence. It is not a subject for revelation, it belongs to the Father alone, excluding the Son while he was on the earth in the flesh of his incarnation; in the state of humanity.

It is on this point that Mark introduces the phrase “neither the Son” which Matthew omits. “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”– Mark 13:32. The statement of Joh 5:20 that the Father “showeth him all the things that himself doeth” evidently did not apply to the time of his fleshly humiliation; for it is positively stated by Mark that the time of the coming of the Son of man was not known by the Son himself. “Neither the Son, but the Father.” But having now returned to the Godhead, no longer clothed with humanity, God has shown to the Son all the things that he will do. “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”– Colossians 2:9 . The fact stands that of that day and hour no man knows now, and no man shall ever know beforehand– for “so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” It shall so be when he comes. Meanwhile in verses 37 to 39 the Lord says that the course of human society shall be as it was “in the days of Noah” before the first destruction of the world by the deluge. “They knew not until the flood came.” In 2 Peter 3:3-10 the apostle compares this past universal flood with the future universal conflagration, when the world “reserved for fire against the day of judgment” shall be brought to the end. Here is the passage: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” The comparison of this passage with Matthew 24:36-39, shows that the references are to the second coming of Christ and the judgment, at the end of time. The point of emphasis established is this one thing: of that day and hour no man knows, and there shall be no portents as that phraseological anachronism “the signs of the times,” so prevalent in religious parlance, would means. 20. One shall be taken and the other left–verses 40-51. In reference to the destruction of Jerusalem, the disciple of Jesus who believed his warnings, recognized the signs and fled to the mountains, as the Lord has admonished; while the unbelieving Jew beside him remained to perish in the siege. The same is true of the Lord’s coming. Though there will be no signs to usher his return, for “ye know not what hour your Lord doth come,” and “in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” But when he descends to take the living righteous, they shall ascend to meet him, while the living wicked shall remain to perish in judgment with the wicked dead. Pertinent to this point are Paul’s comforting words to the 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 : “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” The apostle here states that the righteous who shall be alive at the coming of the Lord shall not “prevent”–precede– the righteous dead in the ascension to meet him; but the dead in Christ shall rise first—that is, before the living in Christ are caught up; and together the ascending saints shall meet the descending Saviour; and “so shall ever be with the Lord.” As for the resurrection and judgment of the wicked, other passages teach that the wicked will be raised and judged at the same last day upon which the righteous will ascend to meet the Lord–the difference exists not in the time of the resurrection but in the retribution and the reward.

The parable of the faithful and wise servant, in verses 43-51, contrasted with the evil servant, provides the example for the practical application of the Lord’s teaching in reference to his future coming. He would make the wise and faithful servant “ruler over all his goods”; but the evil servant he would “cut asunder”–a reference to the method of punishment among the orientals, the Greeks and the Romans, a form of which was referred to by Jesus in Luke 13:1. The reference to the faithful servant being made “ruler over all his goods” is not a rulership in a millennium, which some of that persuasion have interpreted it to mean; for the unfaithful shall at the same time be cut off and consigned to the infernal region of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Consequently, there would be none over whom the faithful could rule–unless millennialists are willing the yield to the inconsistent consequence that weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth will be a prevailing condition during the millennium! That would be a freak millennium to anticipate. The parable is, of course, only illustrative of the opposites in retribution and reward; and of the fact that at the judgment of the last day God will cut off the unfaithful and appoint their portion to the realm of “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” a phrase that is suggestive of the utter despair which is beyond the power of all language to describe and deplore.

It is incumbent upon us all, and immediately imperative, that we heed the Master’s behests, as did the disciples who took warning and fled the siege, that we may be “that servant, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

As for the signs of Mat 24:1-51, the generation that despised the Christ beheld with their own eyes these events of judgment. It was only thirty-seven years from the crucifixion of Christ to the coming of the Roman armies to initiate the events in which all these things were completely effected.–GOD’S WORD, pp. 233-260.Verse 1 (1) A prologue to the plagues–16:1-14.

1. The voice of verse one is not that of an angel but of God himself. The seven angels were commanded to Go your ways-each had a special and separate work to perform, to pour out the vials of wrath. The vials corresponded with the cup of his indignation in chapter 14:10, the contents of which were the components of the penal woes which were to descend on the subjects of God’s wrath. It was during this period of divine wrath that no man was able to enter into the temple to appear in the presence of God for the prayer of intercession to avert the destruction of old Jerusalem and the devastation of the old temple.

Revelation 16:2

Revelation 16:2. Noisome and grievous indicates something extremely objectionable and damaging. It should be remarked that the judgments against the wicked leaders in the corrupt institution were suffered immediately. They felt it through the humiliation of seeing their places of evil rulership brought down through the effects of the Reformation. But this was destined to be only a foretaste of the final judgment that will be pronounced upon them at the last day. The mark and image of the beast have been explained at Revelation 13:14. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 2.2. The subjects of the plagues were the adherents of the Roman empire in Palestine; and the judgments which commenced with verse two were commensurate with the Roman beasts and the worshipers of his image who were the recipients of his mark.The significance of the seven plagues may now be summarized as follows: (1) The noisome sore upon the adherents of the imperial beast: “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image”–Revelation 16:2. The object of this first plague was the people in Judea and other provinces of Palestine who had submitted to the imperial decree of the emperor of idolatry in the form of his image-worship, which was the mark of the beast. The effect of this plague was signified by a noxious malodorous sore, a stench in the nostrils, the symbol of the civic posion of idolatry; and it was grievous as a spiritual contagion, being inimical to the ultimate degree to Christianity. In this role the emperor was the veritable embodiment of the antichrist of 1 John 2:18 and 1 John 4:3 and 2 John 1:7. The mention of “the last time” by John in this connection was comparable to Paul’s “present distress” 1 Corinthians 7:1-40, and similar allusions in other epistles in the same sort of reference to the grievous times connected with the end of Jerusalem and of the Jewish state.

Revelation 16:3

Revelation 16:3. Blood of a dead man. When a man dies his blood dies with him and becomes poisonous. That which would come in contact with it would be killed. The blood of Christ was dead when it was poured out, hence it will kill the sins of the world if brought into contact with them. (See 1 John 1:7.)

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 3.3. The plagues followed the pattern of the experiences of the Israelites in Egypt, as indicated in verses three through four; and Pharaoh Rameses, the oppressor of Israel, parallels Nero Caesar, the imperial persecutor of the church. It again presented the comparison of the old testament and new testament people of God–Israel and the Church. (2) The sea of dead blood which putrified the society of imperial idolatry: “And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.”–Revelation 16:3.In accordance with the definitions of the symbols in the first section, the sea represented society in various descriptions- tossed and troubled, or placid and peaceful. Here the sea became as the blood of a dead man–signifying the complete dissolution of the emperor-beast and his subject.

Revelation 16:4

Revelation 16:4. The mention of the earth and other parts of the creation are to represent them as symbols, denoting the completeness of God’s judgments against evil men. That is why rivers and water fountains are named in this verse.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 4.(3) The conversion of the rivers and fountains of waters into blood: “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” –Revelation 16:4.The pollution of the fountains and streams of water resulted in epidemics of deadly disease. The sickening figure of the total contamination of the streams of water by the effluence of blood was symbolic of retribution for the blood of the martyrs. In Revelation 6:10 the souls under the altar of martyrdom cried: How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? This plague symbol was the answer to the martyr-cry. It was the squaring of the account in this symbolic retribution of blood, the avenging of the martyrs.

And verse six so declares: For they have shed the blood of the saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. The statement “for they are worthy” means that they deserved the recompense of blood for the blood they had shed. A similar pronouncement of judgment upon apostate Jerusalem was made by Jesus in Matthew 23:37 : “0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!“The plague meant that they were figuratively made to drink the blood which they had made to flow from the mass murder of the saints.

Revelation 16:5-6

Revelation 16:5. Angel of the waters is the one in the preceding verse. These angels form a unit (seven) and hence any principle held by one goes for all of them. The angel commended the action of the Lord for the righteous judgments inflicted upon the servants of the beast. Art, and vast and shalt be is the same as saying that God had no beginning and will have no end. Such a Being cannot do wrong hence his judgments against His enemies are bound to be just.

Revelation 16:6. The first part of this verse is literal, for the agencies of both Pagan and Papal Rome caused many righteous servants of God to shed their blood. Given them blood to drink is figurative and refers to the legal executions imposed on the wicked.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 5-6.4. Each apocalypse had a separate attending angel in the superintendence of the scene enacted, and each angel personified the vision he represented, as verses five to six exemplify, in the angels of waters of the sea, and of the altar of the martyrs; in each symbol the one represents the other.

Revelation 16:7

Revelation 16:7. This angel repeated the same commendation of God’s judgments that was expressed by the one in verses 5 and 6.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 7.5. The angel of the altar in verse seven reverted to the altar of martyrs in Revelation 6:9-10 and was in the role of sending the judgment which the martyrs petitioned, and of satisfying their avenging cry.

Revelation 16:8

Revelation 16:8. The sun is a part of the creation which was commented upon at verse 4. It is specified in the present group of symbols because of the particular item it contributes to the welfare of humanity when it is used normally. It is the source of light and heat without which man could not live. But it is now used as a symbol of torment of fire by increasing the volume of the rays upon men. In Malachi 2:2 the Lord was making threats against some of His ancient people for their wickedness in which he says “I will curse your blessing.” The thought is similar to the one of our verse. The sun is normally a blessing to the people of the earth, but it is used as a symbol of cursing.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 8.(4) The smitten sun that scorched blasphemous men with fire: “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire”–Revelation 16:8.This plague was the symbol of the punishment inflicted on the persecutors who had blasphemed God in the assumption of the powers and prerogatives of God by compelling the worship of the emperor’s image; and had thus branded the mark in the hands and on the foreheads of all who bowed in submission. This symbol portended the end of the activities of the emperor and his colleagues.

Revelation 16:9

Revelation 16:9. The intense heat caused men to blaspheme the name of God because of their suffering; that was because they recognized Him as being the cause of the affliction. But the very motive that caused them to blaspheme Him, should have had the effect of making them repent, for they must have known that a Being who can bring such tremendous revolutions in the universe is worthy to be feared and served. Comments by Foy E. WallaceNone

Revelation 16:10

Revelation 16:10. The seat of the beast means his throne or headquarters. The darkness is figurative and refers to some confusion or disarrangement of the affairs of the government. To gnaw the tongues for pain would be a natural or literal performance, but it is another one of the many symbols used in this book, and represents the intense disappointment and humiliation of the leaders in Rome when they see their structure of oppressive power tumbling about them.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 10.6. The power of the persecution was represented as broken in verse ten, when the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast–the seat of authority for action in Palestine, which came from the emperor. The kingdom of the beast was full of darkness in Palestine. The same metaphor was used by Isaiah (Isaiah 13:10) to describe the fall of ancient Babylon; and Jesus adopted the same figure of speech (Matthew 24:29) in foretelling the darkness that settled over the Jewish state in the fall of Jerusalem. The same use of the symbol was made here in verse ten.(5) The vial of wrath poured upon the seat of the beast that darkened his kingdom: “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain” -Revelation 16:10. The king of the kingdom mentioned in this verse must be identified with the great red dragon of Rev 12:9, personified as the devil and Satan.The seat of the beast here was on the same principle of Satan’s seat, or throne, in Pergamos; mentioned in Revelation 2:13. It referred to his base of operations through his imperial agents. His kingdom was darkened by the exposure of the deceptions of his lying wonders, which resulted in his ignominious end. The subjects of this Satanic beast, who repented not of their deeds of idolatrous worship of the emperor-image, by which they blasphemed the God of heaven, suffered the same consequences.

Revelation 16:11

Revelation 16:11. This is similar to verse 9 and shows the effect that pride can have upon men. Repented not can be accounted for only by thinking of their stubbornness which is a form or manifestation of pride.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 11.7. The realm of the persecutor’s operations, by the wrath poured out of the vials, was subjected to the calamities narrated; and the minions of the emperor gnawed their tongues for pain–the symbol of retribution for the lies of deception and seduction their tongues had spoken; which was the method employed to brand the subjects of their deceit with the mark of emperor-worship. And in evidence of entire allegiance to the beast-power verse eleven declared that these representatives of Rome blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

Revelation 16:12

Revelation 16:12. The great river Euphrates has played an important part in God’s dealing with his people in their relation with the nations. The city of Babylon was situated upon its banks. When the time came for the overthrow of the first of the “four world empires” (the Babylonian), it was accomplished by diverting the stream from its regular channel. When that was done the water was lowered (was dried up) so that the soldiers of Cyrus (kings of the east) could march into the city and slay the man on the throne. All of this describes a literal event in history, but it is used to form the phraseology for the overthrow of another Babylon (“Mystery Babylon the Great”), which had been brought into existence by the union of church and state. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 12.8. In the history of Israel the armies invading their lands had come from the river Euphrates, and that historical fact was used in verse twelve as the symbol of Judea being over-run from that quarter. The drying of the river Euphrates that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared represented the removal of all barriers which hindered the progress of the powers to strike the final blow of the war against Judah and Jerusalem. It was related in symbolism to the feat of Cyrus in the military operation to divert the same river Euphrates for the capture of the old literal Babylon. This historical basis may be reasonably regarded as supplying the outline of this imagery. (6) The smiting of the Euphrates which evaporated its waters: “And the. sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” –Revelation 16:12.It has been noted that the symbol of this verse was based on the history of Israel’s enemies invading Judea from beyond the Euphrates in their western aggressions. The drying of the river by the pouring of the sixth vial symbolizes obliterating all deterrents to the hordes overrunning Judea and besieging Jerusalem. An allusion to the Israelites crossing over the emptied bed of the Jordan was not outside the imagery, in which application judgment was executed on the nation there victorious but here apostate. The verses that follow (Revelation 16:13-16) from thirteen to sixteen, describe the gathering armies for the final battle in the overthrow of Jerusalem, with the spiritual overtones of the conflict between the forces of Judaism and heathenism on one side, and Christianity (the church) on the other. Previous comments in Revelation 16:16 on Armageddon make further discussion here unnecessary. It is sufficient to add that the sixth plague was descriptive of the battle which destroyed this symbolic Babylon– the apostate harlot Jerusalem, causing great mourning for Jerusalem among the Jewish tribes everywhere.

Revelation 16:13-14

Revelation 16:13. Frogs are slimy, loathsome creatures and are used to represent three very loathsome powers and individuals. They are the dragon (Satan, chapter 12:9), the beast (Rome) and the false prophet. The last phrase is singular in grammatical form but does not refer to any particular one of the false prophets. It means the group of evil workers who used their deceptive tactics to mislead the people all over the domain or the dominions of Rome.

Revelation 16:14. Devils means the demons by which the apostate church imposed upon the victims of their treachery. Working miracles is explained at Revelation 13:14, and it is the same that Paul predicts in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 as follows: “Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” Revelation 16:1. The great voice was out of the temple. That means it was from God, for we have learned in the preceding chapter that no man was able to be in the temple at this time. The seven angels have been given the vials of divine wrath, now the voice bids them empty their contents in the places deserving such treatment. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 13-14.9. The incidents of verses thirteen and fourteen are an apocalypse of the prevailing conditions before and during the siege of Jerusalem–the symbolic description of the pervading influence of seducers, deceivers, false prophets, and pseudo-signs, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect, as narrated in Matthew 24:11-24, and verified in the histories of Josephus and Pliny. These demoniac spirits of seduction which were like frogs came out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. The frog has ever been a symbol of magical signs and that amphibious creature was here employed to signify the combined effort of the imperial minions to deceive and seduce the dwellers of Judea and Palestine. It was this same demoniac spirit of verse fourteen that inspired the kings of the earth (the provincial kings of Palestine) and of the whole world (the imperial rulers) to gather their armies for the battle of that great day of God Almighty. All the evidence necessary to sustain the claim that this day of God referred to the destruction of Jerusalem is the comparison with the prophecy of Zechariah (Zechariah 14) on the destruction of Jerusalem. The chapter begins with reference to the day of the Lord, and the entire chapter was a description of the siege and devastation of the city and the employment of high metaphors of peace and blessing that followed. In further support of the parallel between Zechariah 14:1 and Revelation 16:14, the analysis of the Zechariah chapter from the author’s book, GOD’S WORD, is here inserted : We shall not here read the chapter, but rather refer to its contents verse by verse. Zechariah 14:1-21 is almost universally used as “a second coming of Christ chapter” but it is a “destruction of Jerusalem chapter” instead. Verse 1: “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.” The symbolic “day of the Lord” here is the same expression precisely that is used in Isaiah 13:9 in reference to the destruction of Babylon. If the destruction of Babylon could be called “the day of the Lord,” why not the destruction of Jerusalem? That expression does not mean the second coming of Christ in either of these passages. Compare Isaiah 13:1-22 as a prophecy against Babylon, Isaiah 17:1-14 as a prophecy against Damascus, Isaiah 18:1-7 as a prophecy against Ethiopia, Isaiah 19:1-25 as a prophecy against Egypt, with Zechariah 14:1-21 as a prophecy against Jerusalem, and it can be seen that the assertions of the millennialists that Zechariah is prophesying the second coming of Christ and the millennium are wrong. Verse 2: “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.” The historical accounts of the siege of Jerusalem by Josephus, Pliny, Horne and Clarke fulfill Zechariah’s descriptions. Reference to “nations gathered for battle” is a description of besieged Jerusalem, the houses rifled and the women ravished. The same description is found in Isaiah 13:15-16, concerning the fall and destruction of Babylon. The comparison is forceful. Verse 3: “Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” Factually, all the nations were represented in the Roman army, and God afterward fought against them by means of the Northern nations. Read Zechariah 9:14-15 : “And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south. The Lord of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and subdue with sling stones.” The visitations are figurative, of course, but nevertheless significant of the fact that all the nations referred to “against” whom the Lord “fought” were destroyed. Verse 4: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” The prophetic declaration that “his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem,” does not refer to the second coming of Christ but rather to the siege of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ stood with his feet on the mount of Olives when he uttered the doom of the city. The Roman general stood on the mount of Olives when Jerusalem was besieged. The formations of the battle lines, entrenchments and redoubts, the circumvallations of the Romans, all enter into the graphic description and portrayal of the prophet that the mount should “cleave in the midst” and “toward the north” and “toward the south.” Verses 5-7: “And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.” Obviously, these verses are a metaphorical description of the mixture of divine mercy with justice. After the visitation there would be light–the diffusion of divine knowledge. This did follow the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish state. Verses 8-9: “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.” The only consistent application of this language is a spiritual fulfillment in the gospel of Christ and the church. Who is ready to deny that the clause “in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one,” refers to the present dispensation? There is one Lord, his name is one, and the Lord is “king over all the earth.” It finds its fulfillment in the church of Christ where there is neither Jew nor Gentile, but all one in Christ, and one Lord over all. Verses 16-17: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.” If these verses are not figurative, if they are to be taken literally, then all nations and families must literally go up to Jerusalem and literally offer animal sacrifices and keep the Passover, restore Judaism with all of its literal ceremonies, in order in fulfill the prophecy. That would be a complete re-establishment of old Judaism and everything that characterized it, all of which was taken away. But if these verses are not literal, then the application made of the whole chapter by the millennialists loses its force. These last verses refer to the expansion of the blessings of the gospel dispensation after the destruction of Jerusalem. Upon all who received the gospel, its blessings descended as rain; but to the unbelievers who rejected the gospel “upon them shall be no rain”–all such are barred from its promises and privileges. The simple truth of the matter is that as Isaiah 13:1-22 is a prophecy on the destruction of Babylon, Zechariah 14:1-21 is a prophecy on the destruction of Jerusalem. It does not teach millennialism in “a sentence or a syllable.”–GOD’S WORD, pp. 246-9. Thus the downfall of Babylon in Isaiah 13:1-22, and of Jerusalem in Zechariah 14:1-21, Matthew 24:1-51, and in Revelation were described with identical symbolism. The evidence is preponderant that the gathering for the battle of that great day of God portended the over-running of Judea and the onslaught against Jerusalem by the Roman armies, set forth in numerous visional developments; which included the uprisings, insurrections and rebellions that diverted the powers of evil from the afflictions of the church.

Revelation 16:15

Revelation 16:15. This verse is in the nature of a parenthesis because it speaks of the coming of Christ, at which time all things on the earth will end. But the preceding verse mentions a battle that is to continue until that event, and the verse following our present one will go back to the beginning of that battle as to its coverage of time.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 15.(2) A parenthesis of beatitudes–Revelation 16:15.Among the portents of persecution and catastrophe of the apocalypse, there are to be found declarations of consummate bliss and blessedness in a series of beatitudes. This cluster of precious and promising assurances to besieged, encompassed and beleaguered Christians shine through the text of Revelation with the brightest luster, like diamonds that flash and send forth a thousand rays as the sun falls upon them. These apocalyptic beatitudes, seven in number, are collated with comments in Revelation 22:14. One of these scintillating assurances mingled with ominous overtones is in this verse: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.“The warning words of verse fifteen are the interposition of another parenthetical beatitude comparable to Revelation 1:3 and Revelation 14:13.

A blessing is pronounced on all that watch, for God would come in these events as a thief. The phrase as a thief does not indicate the element of surprise, but rather of preparedness. Jesus gave the signs of these events in Matthew 24:25 : “Behold, I have told you before”; and in Verse 33, “so likewise ye, when he shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” This same event must have been the object of Paul’s exhortation to the 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, in reference to “the day of the Lord,” saying that they were “not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief”– that is, having knowledge of it, they would abide in preparation for the ominous events.

Revelation 16:16

Revelation 16:16. Armageddon is the Greek word of the original text spelled with English letters. The literal meaning of the word as defined in Thayer’s lexicon is “destruction.” It is the action referred to by “battle” in verse 14 which means war in general, not merely a single fight. This will be commented upon at length at chapter 20-

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 16. (3) The gathering forces of Armageddon–Revelation 16:16. The outpouring of the seventh vial into the air, verses sixteen and seventeen symbolized the sphere of life and influence in contradistinction with the earth as the place of nations, and with the heaven, which denoted the ruling authorities. In this context the great battle of Armageddon was envisioned: And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. The name Armageddon was derived from mount Megiddo, which was located in a valley now known as the plain of Esdraelon. It was the battlefield of nations in Jewish history. It was in this valley of Megiddo that Deborah and Barak overthrew Sisera and annihilated the hosts of Midianite oppressors. (Judges 5:19) It was in “this valley of Jehoshaphat” where he triumphed over the ambushments of the combined armies of Ammon and Moab and “the fear of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel.” (2 Chronicles 20:22-30) In this valley (designated in later history as the plain of Esdraelon) the Jews and the Saracens and the Egyptians, the Druses and the Turks and the warriors of many hostile nations, pitched their battles; and thus the battlefield of mount Megiddo became a universal proverb. Under the word Armageddon, the original Bible Dictionary of Philip Schaff states that it was “a name used figuratively in Revelation 16:16, and suggested by the great battlefield noted in the Old Testament and now known as the Plain of Esdraelon.” This figure in the text of the apocalypse was employed not for the physical location but for the battle imagery. The deepest affliction of Jerusalem could be symbolized in no stronger terms of mourning, as prophesied by Zechariah in Zechariah 12:11 : “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.“The personage designated Gog in connection with this battle imagery, was the king of a country that sustained relations of hostility to Israel. The names Gog and Magog were used identically and are associated in Revelation 20:7-9 as a type of the enemies of Christ. It becomes evident that the symbolic adaptation of Armageddon rises above the physical slaughter that overwhelmed Jerusalem and Judah to the hostile forces of evil surrounding the church, personified as Gog and Magog. It was therefore symbolic of the battle against Christianity–the forces of Judaism on the one side and of heathenism on the other. But the Rider of the white horse was the Conqueror; the Son of man appearing on the white cloud was the Victor; the saints robed in white garments were the Overcomers; in all of the symbols and imagery of the visions and in surviving the persecutions, the church emerged in victory to make the kingdoms of this world (Revelation 11:15) become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ by the universal sway of the gospel. This is consistent with the repeated emphasis of the early chapters of the apocalypse in the letters addressed to the seven churches, that the period through which they were passing was the tribulation era of the church.

Revelation 16:17

Revelation 16:17. The seventh angel was the last of the group that was to pour the vials out upon the earth. The voice came out of the temple which signifies that it was a voice of authority. The voice made the brief announcement that it is done, meaning that the revolution signified by the “seven last plagues” was accomplished. The great revolution thus symbolized was the Reformation of Luther and his fellow workers that resulted in breaking up the union of church and state.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 17. (4) The voice from the throne–Revelation 16:17. The great voice from the temple-throne that ordered the plagues, understood to be that of God Himself, now declared the end in verse seventeen–it is done–that is, the plagues had been accomplished, the mission of the seven angels had been fulfilled. The pouring out of the vial into the air symbolized that the sphere of the influence of the wicked nations was destroyed by the wrath of God in the seventh vial–it was the destroying of them that destroy; and is the same of apocalyptic characters as Isaiah 26:13-14, prophesying the decease of the wicked lords who had oppressed Israel: “O Lord our God, other lords have had dominion over us . . . they are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise; therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.” No clearer explanation could be made of the visions in Revelation in the pouring out of the vials of wrath upon the nations that persecuted the Bride of Christ, the Lamb–his church. (7) The last vial poured into the air, causing voices, thunders, lightenings and a great earthquake: “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake; such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great”–Revelation 16:17-18.As defined before, the symbol of the air represented the sphere of life and influence of the wicked nations. In Ephesians 2:1 Satan was named the prince of the power of the air– not the actual exercise of power, but of influence–the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.In this symbol the great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne was not the voice of an angel, but of the Great God Himself. The great voice said: It is done. The time for the end of the judgments had come; the time for fall of the Harlot City; and the time for the punishments to follow on both Jewish and imperial persecutors of the church; all of which was signified by the distant rumbling of voices, thunders and lightnings. The earthquake everywhere used in the apocalypse symbolized the shaking of nations; and the effects of the fall of Jerusalem were not limited to Judea and the Jews–the mighty influence of the terrible events had a solemn impact of worldwide significance. With the removal of Judaism from the path of the church the way was opened for the universal expansion of Christianity, and the Lord’s words in Matthew 24:31 were fulfilled: “And he shall send his angels (emissaries) with a great sound of a trumpet (the proclamation of the gospel), and they shall gather together his elect (those converted by the gospel) from the four winds (every direction), from one end of heaven to the other (the remotest bounds of the habitation of men). And it was done.”

Revelation 16:18

Revelation 16:18. Thunder, lightnings and earthquake in symbolic language refers to great commotions in the public affairs. Such a mighty movement as the dissolving of church and state was enough to bring forth these demonstrations about the temple, for it meant so much to the interests of the cause of God who occupies the temple.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 18.(5) The fall of Jerusalem and citadels of oppression– Revelation 16:18-21.The upheavals of verse eighteen in the visions of voices, and thunders, and lightnings . . . and a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the face of the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great, were the symbols of the fall of Jerusalem and the attending effects of the devastation of Judea, all of which resulted in the shaking of the nations of the empire itself; and though Jerusalem had fallen, the thunders and lightnings and earthquakes were not over until the persecuting nations received full measure of divine wrath from the cup of his indignation.History verifies the revolutionary reactions in governments symbolized by thunders and lightnings, culminating in wars between the nations of the empire in the coup d’ e tat of the conflict for power between the rulers, as in the wars of Nero Caesar. There is no need of leaving the ten epoch period of the persecutors signified in chapter 2:10 for the fulfillment of these symbols. As was true of the signs in Matthew 24:34, it was true of these symbols also: This generation shall not pass till all these be fulfilled.As the prophecy of Zec 14:4 foretold the city of Jerusalem as cleft in the midst before its fall, so verse nineteen sees that the great city was divided into three parts. It envisioned the partitioning of the city by the circumvallations of the Roman armies, as in Zechariah 14:1-21; and as suggested in the comments by Adam Clarke on the Zechariah prophecy and verified by the history of Josephus. The further statement that the cities of the nations fell signified the collapse of the citadels of oppression and the strongholds of evil influence in the operations of the beast and false prophet in their lying wonders and pseudo-signs of deception and seduction. The great Babylon that came in remembrance before God was the apostate Jerusalem, that faithful city turned harlot of Isa 1:21 designated in Revelation 11:8 as the spiritual Sodom and Egypt where also our Lord was crucified. In the remembrance of her apostasies God gave unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath in divine retribution for her harlotry. In the process of this unrelenting succession of inexorable judgments, verse twenty declared that every island fled away, and the mountains were not found–that is, all the seats of authority and power of the Jewish theocracy faded away and disappeared. The fall of Jerusalem and the demolition of the temple effected the complete abrogation of Judaism and the abolition of the Jewish state. In the ultimate dispensation of judgment on the city and the land of the Jews and their state, verse twenty-one stated that there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven . . . and men blasphemed God because of the plaque of hail. This downpour of hail was preternatural–for the plague thereof was exceeding great–it was beyond normal evulsions from the elements; it was strange and inexplicable in its proportions. It signified the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation –described in the prolepsis of Rev 14:10. But the adherents of the satanic beast were not moved to repentance by any of these manifestations of divine judgment; rather, in complete allegiance to the evil powers they blasphemed God in steeped and stubborn resistance to His will.

Revelation 16:19-21

Revelation 16:19. The great city means the institution composed of the union of church and state, as it is used here and some other places, not merely church or state singly. It is in that sense that the name Babylon is used in this verse, because the literal city of Babylon had been destroyed centuries before (Isaiah 13:19-22), and the apostate church of Rome as a religious institution is not to be destroyed until Jesus comes again (2 Thessalonians 2:8). But Babylon as the union of church and state was dissolved by the Reformation never to be restored. Divided into three parts. This partial destruction has been indicated a number of times and has been explained to mean that God does not completely extinguish every institution He condemns.

Came in remembrance before God means he remembered the evils that city had done to His people. Give unto her the cup, etc., is the same figurative sense of wine that has been commented upon in chapter 14:19, 20.

Revelation 16:20. Island in symbolic language means inhabited spots and mountains denotes units of government. John saw these flee away in the vision which was symbolical, and the meaning is on the same subject that has been under consideration through many of the passages, namely, the downfall of the political power of Rome.

Revelation 16:21. Weight of talents varied according to the different standards and they were at least fifty pounds on an average. To drop a hail stone of that weight as a symbol of God’s wrath would give some impression of the greatness of that wrath. Blasphemed God means they spoke very evil words against Him, because of their disappointment and humiliation over the loss of their political power. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 19-21. The statement of verse nineteen that Jerusalem was divided into three parts, had a further significance than the partitioning of the city by the Romans as described by Zechariah 14:1-21. The apparent application of the symbol was to the three sources of Jerusalem’s afflictions: pestilence, sword and exile. The prophecy of Ezekiel on the siege and destruction of Jerusalem described these three parts in the following words: “Thou shalt burn with fire (pestilence) a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part and smite about it with a knife (sword): and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind (exile); and I will draw out a sword after them.” There could be no closer relation between the fulfillment of a prophecy and an apocalypse than Ezekiel 5:2 and Revelation 16:19. Again the Old Testament and the New Testament furnish accumulative evidence that the symbols of Revelation were fulfilled in the lives and experiences of the people to whom the apocalypse was addressed.