Revelation chapter 16 describes the final seven vials of the wrath of God, representing God's punishment of sinners during the Tribulation period.

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2 Revelation chapter 16 describes the final seven vials of the wrath of God, representing God's punishment of sinners during the Tribulation period. The judgments are somewhat parallel to the ten plaques of Egypt and to the trumpet judgments of Revelation chapters 8 and 9.

3 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

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5 2a And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth;

6 2b 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.

7 Only those who have received the mark of the beast 666, will be afflicted with these ulcerated sores!

8 By rejecting Christ and accepting the Antichrist, these sinners will now display the mark of God ulcers, that will most likely cover the number of the beast.

9 Sore means an ulcer like an oozing boil. Noisome means of a bad nature, troublesome, injurious. Grievous means something that is annoying, painful, or bad.

10 These sores will be extremely painful, festering and incurable. Nothing will bring relief to the lost sinners suffering from these boils that destroy their health.

11 This reminds us of the sixth plague of Egypt in the days of Moses, when God allowed the people to suffer from incurable, painful boils all over their bodies. ~Exodus 9: 8-12

12 These festering boils are more than likely the same physical problem that Job suffered. ~Job 2:7

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14 3a And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea;

15 3b and it became as the blood of a dead man:

16 3c and every living soul died in the sea.

17 In the second seal judgment, great bloodshed was brought upon the earth. And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

18 In the second trumpet judgment, God caused a third part of the sea to become blood. ~Revelation 8:8.

19 However, this second bowl judgment includes the entire oceans of the world that covers 70% of the surface of this planet.

20 We have seen a glimpse of this plague with the recent red tides off the coast of Florida. Red algae in the water, produces a toxin that paralyzes the central nervous system of marine life, causing death. This can also cause death to people who have eaten fish that have been contaminated with the red tide toxin.

21 Every creature in the sea will perish when the water is turned to blood. Beaches will no longer attract sun worshippers and pleasure seekers, but will reek with the unbearable stench of death throughout the world that carries the potential for disease as these organisms die and decay.

22 The impact of this judgment will be devastating. Millions will face starvation as the food supply from the oceans is drastically reduced.

23 Drought of worldwide proportion will occur as the rainfall on the earth is greatly diminished because most of the rain water comes from moisture that evaporates from the oceans of the world.

24 This judgment will also interfere with commerce and shipping. The fish industry will be destroyed and people will constantly be searching for an adequate source of water to no avail.

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26 4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

27 A similar occurrence was experienced in the first plaque of Egypt when God instructed Moses to take his rod, and stretch out his hand upon the waters of Egypt that they may become blood ~Exodus 7: Men searched in vain for water to quench their thirst.

28 In Revelation 8:10-11, a third of the rivers became wormwood and many died because of the bitterness. The comet, meteor, or some other heavenly body that fell into the waters, poisoned one-third of the world s fresh water supply.

29 In Revelation 16:4, the third vial extends the destruction to all bodies of fresh water internationally. Every source of fresh water in the universe is turned to blood. There will be no fresh water to drink, only blood.

30 Our bodies can survive several weeks without food, but only about three days without water. No doubt death from disease and thirst will skyrocket during these horrible, evil days.

31 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ~John 4:14

32 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. The angel of the waters was in perfect agreement with God s divine judgment.

33 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. The angel justifies God s act with these words that explain why those who have opposed God and His people throughout the ages, deserve this punishment. It seems that blood in the water supply is punishment for the shed blood of the saints and prophets.

34 7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. The angels praise God for His wisdom in sending this judgment. The world is merely reaping what it has sown for denying Him and defiling His creation. The angels are saying, Amen! Lord God Almighty, you are right! Let them drink blood. They shed the Blood of the saints; give them blood to drink! They are worthy, they deserve it!

35 Blood has always symbolized life and salvation. The life of the flesh is in the blood. ~Leviticus 17:1 The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin. ~1 John 1:7. How ironic! It was blood that could have saved these people, and now it is blood that will kill all living creatures in the seas and rivers and probably many people. Blood now, becomes a symbol of condemnation and death.

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37 8a And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun;

38 8b and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. The power of the sun is increased until the terrific heat and blazes of fire from the sun scorch and burn the backs of men, roasting them with a great heat wave. These unrepentant men, whose mouths have already been parched from lack of water suffer even more intense thirst from the great heat.

39 This type of "heat" would also burn up all crops, cause droughts, and probably even melt all of the polar ice region.

40 The sun is some 93 million miles away from the earth. If the sun were any closer, we would be burned up. If the sun were any farther away, we would freeze to death. God placed it exactly where it needs to be.

41 The sun is so large that 1.3 million of our earths could fit inside of it.

42 The sun is a giant nuclear reactor.

43 The surface of the sun is nearly 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

44 Surrounding the earth is a band of radiation called the magnetosphere. This radiation band filters out the UV rays of the sun, allowing exactly the right amount of heat and light to enter earth s atmosphere.

45 Environmentalists and scientists tell us that people are slowly destroying the Ozone layer above the earth. If destroyed, people would die by the thousands from harmful UV rays from the sun that had not been filtered to make them safe. Like the ozone layer, it takes just a very thin coat of the shed blood of Jesus to protect us from the enemies of God.

46 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

47 One day mankind will awaken to a sun that will blaze down in flaming heat, scorching their bodies. This will be nothing compared to the pain they will feel when they are cast into Hell s fire. This is just a warning of something far more terrible to come that will be final and eternal!

48 This terrible plague is vented at the beast and its followers. These people understand that God is behind these plagues. Instead of repeating in the face of His wrath, they stand in continued defiance to Him and His will, blaspheming the name of God.

49 Like the Pharaoh in Egypt, the people s hearts have been hardened and they have no desire to give God the glory.

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51 10a And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; When this fifth bowl is poured out, this plague begins at the very throne room of the Antichrist and then spreads to cover his entire kingdom. Some scholars believe this to be Babylon, but most agree that this plague will be worldwide.

52 Jesus said in Matthew 24:22:

53 God s period for the Tribulation totals seven years, or eighty-four months, or exactly 2,520 days. Since God s plan has been prophesied and cannot be changed, how are the days of intensified heat from the sun shortened for those with God s seal in their foreheads, the elect?

54 10b and his kingdom was full of darkness; When the fifth bowl judgment is unleashed upon the world, the world is suddenly engulfed in inky black darkness. This darkness will be so severe and complete that nothing can penetrate it. This darkness represents a change in the way light reaches the planet and suggests that the power grids that we use to light the earth will be done away with.

55 This same phenomenon occurred in Egypt during the ninth plague as described in Exodus 10: The whole land was consumed in darkness so oppressive that Moses said you could actually feel it. That's the sort of thing that will come upon the kingdom of the Antichrist at this time.

56 The Antichrist may be a powerful political ruler, energized and supported by Satan, but he, like pharaoh,is also helpless to defend himself against the judgment of God.

57 This divine judgment will give a physical illustration of their spiritual darkness. This "darkness" here was not just physical darkness, which is bad enough; but this "darkness" is of the spirit, as well, bringing depression, attempted suicide, and all sorts of evil attacks on the mind. Man will no longer be able to produce electricity from the rivers and bodies of water, due to the contamination from the 2 nd and 3 rd vial judgments.

58 This supernaturally imposed darkness is also representative of the darkness that has already engulfed the world. The world has already rejected the Light of the World, the Lord Jesus, because they loved darkness rather than light, John 3:19. This world chose moral, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional darkness over the light that was available in the person of Jesus Christ and in the Word of God. They favored darkness over light and God gives them more darkness than they ever bargained for!

59 10c and they gnawed their tongues for pain, We are also told that when this darkness descends, men will literally chew their tongues because their pain is so great. The combined misery of the sores in their bodies; starvation from the ruined oceans; the lack of drinkable water and terrible burns they have suffered from the intense heat of the sun, all combine to cause the inhabitants of the earth to writhe in pain.

60 What we see here is a tiny glimpse of Hell. God is letting the Antichrist and his followers know what is waiting on them because they have rejected Jesus. Once, when speaking of Hell, Jesus said this, And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, Matt. 25:30.

61 The last time the entire earth was totally blacked out was when Jesus hung on the cross. He was paying the sindebt. He took the sinner s place... outer darkness forever. Jesus suffered all the agony, pain and misery of an eternal hell for you and me, even the darkness.

62 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. These judgments are so clearly supernatural that everyone will know that they descend from the God of heaven. But instead of falling down before Him to become the recipients of His mercy, they curse God and blaspheme His name. They do not repent, but refuse to change their ways. Those who reject the Lord do so, not because of doubts or unexplained answers to unanswered questions, but as a result of hardness of heart and love for sin.

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64 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates;

65 and the water thereof was dried up,

66 that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

67 The sixth trumpet judgment found in Revelation 9:13-19, and the Sixth Bowl Judgment are very similar. In the trumpet judgment, the four angels that were bound in the great river Euphrates, were loosed.

68 These angels were commanded by God to execute their judgment in the area of the Euphrates River where God planted the Garden of Eden.

69 It is here that God also made His unconditional covenant with Abraham and established the Euphrates River as the eastern boundary of the Promised Land. (Genesis 15:18)

70 Today, this area is located in present-day Iran, Iraq, and Syria. previously known as Persia.

71 The Euphrates begins in Turkey at Mount Ararat and flows south, through Iraq, and into the Persian Gulf. This river, which is over 1,800 miles long, has been for centuries, the dividing line between the east and the west. It forms a natural barrier against advancing armies.

72 In Revelation 16:12, one witnesses a miraculous drying up of the Euphrates River in order that the kings of the east might cross over unhindered, leading an army of two hundred million.

73 The Euphrates River possibly dries up because of the building of dams along the waterway and problems caused by some of the past bowl judgments. When the oceans and fresh waters are turned to blood, the amount of rainfall is reduced. This will bring drought that will allow these armies from the east to come into Israel on dry land.

74 This fearful army of 200 million will cross the Euphrates River to participate in the greatest Mideast confrontation ever the battle of Armageddon, the conflict fight against the Lord and His hosts that will be detailed in Revelation 19:

75 Several countries today have the ability to build an army of 200 million. This includes China and the Muslim world.

76 Following World War II, the United Nations took Palestinian lands and gave it to the displaced Jews that survived the Holocaust as a home.

77 Ever since, there has been conflict in that region between the Arab nations that surround Israel as they repeatedly try to oust the Jews from Palestine, failing in every attempt.

78 This great hostility could cause a Muslim army to possibly declare Islamic jihad (meaning Holy War) against countries supporting Israel.

79 13 And I saw 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.

80 Verse 13 reveals three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouths of the unholy trinity, controlled by the power of evil spirits: 1. The dragon (Satan) 2. The beast (Antichrist) 3. The false Prophet (head of the world church)

81 The symbolism of like frogs speaks of uncleanness, just as the plague of frogs in Egypt produced a stench that filled the land with indescribable odors and filth (Exodus 8:14)

82 14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

83 These "spirits of devils" will have power to perform supernatural miracles as part of their deception, just like the Egyptian magicians copied some of Moses' miracles.

84 These evil spirits are so deceiving, that they convince these armies to come against Israel. They willingly come to the battle against God Himself, believing they will win.

85 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.

86 We see here that Jesus comes unexpectedly. He tells the surviving Tribulation believers to be watchful and alert for His Coming.

87 In Christ s day, it was custom to wear a onepiece garment during the day and remove it at bedtime. The warning is to be prepared, both physically and spiritually, to avoid being found naked and ashamed.

88 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

89 Satan may think that he is in control of these events, but the real Ringmaster is God Himself. He gathers the nations of the world in the valley of Megiddo so that He might engage them and destroy them in one moment of time.

90 Verse 16 identifies the place of the final battle as Armageddon, from the Hebrew Har Megiddon (the Hill of Megiddo). The hill country of Megiddo and the adjacent valley of Esdraelon. Armageddon runs through the middle of the Holy Land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. It is approximately two hundred miles long and ten miles wide.

91 Armageddon has been a place of slaughter down through the ages and was the great battlefield of the Old Testament. Armageddon means to cut off, and that is exactly what God will do in that great hour!

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93 17 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.

94 Satan is the the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). This is why we wrestle... against spiritual wickedness in high place. (Ephesians 6:12)

95 The seventh angel, in pouring out his bowl into the air, destroys the last traces of Satan s abiding place. The battle of Armageddon also destroys every nook and cranny where Satan has had a resting place.

96 When Christ bore the judgment for sin on the cross, He cried, It is finished. Now, mankind will pay the price for not repenting and allowing Christ to bear their burdens. A voice from heaven again cries, It is done. This 21 st judgment will be the final judgment.

97 18 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.

98 The seventh outpoured bowl produces thunders, lightnings, and the most devastating earthquake ever to occur upon earth, as predicted by the prophet Haggai. (Haggai 2: 6-7)

99 This final bowl judgment does not bring about the end of the world. Instead, Jesus will return to establish His earthly kingdom, and rule for one thousand years. However, this will be the end of civilization as we know it today.

100 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

101 This destruction divides the great city Jerusalem into three parts and causes every major city in all nations to fall.

102 The worst judgment is reserved for Babylon, which receives the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Details of Babylon s demise will be studied in Revelation 18.

103 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

104 In addition to the destruction, every island flees away and mountains become dislocated, even to the point of disappearing into the oceans.

105 21a And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent:

106 The judgment climaxes with the raining down from heaven of hailstones weighing from 86 to 120 pounds.

107 The Greek talent weighed 86 pounds, the Troy talent 96 pounds, and the Jewish talent 120 pounds. Whatever measurement is used, this hailstorm will literally pulverize everything in sight.

108 21b and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

109 In spite of this plague, the inhabitants of earth continue to blaspheme God. Stoning was the Old Testament punishment for one who committed blasphemy! (Leviticus 24: 16) God s judgment of hail was fair and just for these unrepenting people.

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