1 I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!" 2 The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died. 4 The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 I heard the angel of the waters saying, "You are righteous, who are and who were, you Holy One, because you have judged these things. 6 For they poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this." 7 I heard the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments." 8 The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn't repent and give him glory. 10 The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They didn't repent of their works. 12 The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise. 13 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, something like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty. 15 "Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn't walk naked, and they see his shame." 16 He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, Megiddo. 17 The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came forth out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. 19 The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.
Analysis Of The Chapter
The previous chapter Revelation 15:1-8 had described the preparation for the last plagues that were to come upon that mighty anti-Christian power to which this series of prophetic visions refers. All is now ready; and this chapter contains the description of those seven last "plagues" under which this power would reel and fall. These "plagues" are described as if they were a succession of physical calamities that would come upon this anti-Christian power, and bring it to an end; though perhaps it is not necessary to look for a literal infliction of such calamities. The course of the exposition thus far will lead us to regard this chapter as a description of the successive blows by which the papacy will fall. A part of this is still undoubtedly future, though perhaps not far distant; and, in reference to this, and to some portions of the remainder of the book, there may be more difficulty in satisfying the mind than in the portions which pertain to past events.
The chapter comprises statements on the following points:
A command is issued from the temple to the seven angels, to go and execute the commission with which they were entrusted, Revelation 16:1.
The first angel pours out his vial upon the earth followed by a plague upon those who had worshipped the beast and his image, Revelation 16:2.
The second angel pours out his vial upon the sea - followed by the death of all that were in the sea, Revelation 16:3.
The third angel pours out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they become blood. This is followed by an ascription of praise from the angel of the waters, because God had given to those who had shed the blood of the saints blood to drink, with a response from the altar that this was just, Revelation 16:4-7.
The fourth angel pours out his vial upon the sun, and an intenser heat is given to it to scorch people. The consequence is, that they blaspheme the name of God, but repent not of their sins, Revelation 16:8-9.
The fifth angel pours out his vial upon the very seat of the beast, and his kingdom is full of darkness. People still blaspheme the name of God and repent not of their sins, Revelation 16:10-11.
The sixth angel pours out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. The consequence is, that the waters of the river are dried up, so that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared. The writer sees also, in this connection, three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, that go forth into all the earth to gather all nations to the great day of the battle of God Almighty, Revelation 16:12-16.
The seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, and a voice is heard answering that "it is done:" the time of the consummation has come - the formidable anti-Christian power is to come to an end. The great city is divided into three parts; the cities of the nations fall; great Babylon thus comes up in remembrance before God to receive the punishment which is her due. This terrific scene is accompanied with voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake, and with great hail - a tempest of wrath beating upon that formidable power that had so long stood up against God, Revelation 16:17-21. The detail of the actual destruction of this power is carried forward in the subsequent chapters.
The angels are commanded to pour out their vials upon the earth, Revelation 16:1. The first pours out his vial on the earth, by which a grievous sore is produced, Revelation 16:2. The second angel pours out his trial on the sea, and it is turned into blood, Revelation 16:3. The third angel pours out his vial on the rivers and fountains, and they are turned also into blood, Revelation 16:4-7. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun, and men are scorched with fire, Revelation 16:8, Revelation 16:9. The fifth angel pours out his vial on the throne of the beast, Revelation 16:10, Revelation 16:11. The sixth angel pours out his vial on the river Euphrates, Revelation 16:12. Three unclean spirits come out of the mouth of the beast, dragon and false prophet: and go forth to gather all the kings of the world to battle, in the place called Armageddon, Revelation 16:13-16. The seventh angel pours out his vial on the air, on which followed thunders, lightnings, earth-quakes, and extraordinary hail, Revelation 16:17-21.
INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 16
This chapter gives an account of the pouring out of the seven vials by the angels; their orders for it are in Revelation 16:1. The first angel pours out his vial on the earth, the effect of which is a noisome and grievous sore upon the followers of antichrist, and the worshippers of his image, Revelation 16:2. The second pours out his upon the sea; the events of it are, the sea became blood, and every living creature in it died, Revelation 16:3. The third pours out his upon the rivers and fountains of water, which thereby became blood; upon which the angel of the waters applauds the justice of God, declaring the righteousness of his judgments, and giving a reason for it; and which is confirmed by another angel from the altar, Revelation 16:4. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun, the effects of which are, scorching men with heat, their blasphemy against God, and impenitence, Revelation 16:8. The fifth pours out his on the seat of the beast, the consequences of which are darkness in his kingdom, men gnawing their tongues because of their pains, their blasphemy of the name of God because of them, and their impenitence, Revelation 16:10. The sixth angel pours out his on the river Euphrates, and what followed upon it are, the drying up of that river to make way for the kings of the east; there unclean spirits are seen, described by their original, coming out of the mouths of the dragon, beast, and false prophet; by their form, like frogs; by their internal nature, spirits of devils; by their works, doing miracles; by the errand they are sent, and go upon, to gather the kings of the earth to the battle of God Almighty, which they succeed in; but before this is done, a declaration is made of the suddenness of Christ's coming, exciting the saints to watchfulness, and to keep their garments, that they might not be naked, and exposed to shame, Revelation 16:12 Then the seventh angel pours out his vial into the air, the consequences of which are, a voice from heaven declaring it is done: other voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake; a rupture of the great city into three parts; the fall of other cities; the remembrance of Babylon before God; the flight of every island and mountain, and a great hail storm, which causes men to blaspheme God, Revelation 16:17.
(Revelation 16:1-7) The first vial is poured out on the earth, the second on the sea, the third on the rivers and fountains.
(Revelation 16:8-11) The fourth on the sun, the fifth on the seat of the beast.
(Revelation 16:12-16) The sixth on the great river Euphrates.
(Revelation 16:17-21) And the seventh on the air, when shall follow the destruction of all antichristian enemies.
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.
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