Revelation 15:1-16:21The Seven Bowls
American Journal of Biblical Theology
Copyright © 2007, J.W. Carter Scripture quotes from KJV
Revelation 15:1-16:21American Journal of Biblical Theology
I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed.
Chapter 15 begins the preparation for the Vision of the Bowls. John presents us with yet another vivid picture, one more of the seven signs that He describes in his revelation. We first see a collection of seven angels, together bringing the seven last plagues that will bring about the defeat of sin and close the end of the age.
The continuity of the drama was halted at 13:18 when John looked forward, anticipating the future in its final triumph of Christ. Now he resumes from the end of chapter 13 the entire description of the third and final series of judgments, extending from 15:2 to 20:3
Here the organization of the sequence of events is described as a series of seven devastating plagues, announced by seven respective angels. These plagues would be the last, since they conclude with God's final judgment and the start of a new sinless age.
And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. 4Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."
We see a vision of the redeemed singing praises to God, an image that John keeps at the center of the events of the Revelation as a constant reminder that the state of the redeemed is sure. We are reminded that God has given to the faithful the complete and final victory over satan’s power. The redeemed are not characterized by satan’s depravity, nor even stained by it. They are no longer stained by the sin of this world. It is an amazing concept that those who place their faith and trust in God, who are immersed in this world of sin, and who continue to battle with sin all of the days of this life will come to the heavenly throne of grace free even from its stain. It is as if in this world we are immersed in a pit of black ink, yet when God lifts us out, we come out pure and spotless. Where satan and his minions are characterized by total depravity (666), the faithful have been given total victory over that power.
Note that the song of praise that is heard at the throne includes the equal context of the Old Testament and the New Testament as it draws from the messages of both Moses and Jesus, providing a validation of the work of Moses and the significance of Israel in God’s plan of grace. The importance of Israel in God’s plan of grace cannot be understated, and John continues to remind first-century Christians, many of whom were Jewish and have Jewish families, that their faith is not a replacement for their “Jewishness,” but rather the fulfillment of it.
While the seven angels of verse 1 are present and poised for their task, we find the redeemed bursting out with praise as God’s promised vindication is at hand. Though we may find it easy to sing praises to God now, imagine our attitude if we saw the depth of evil and the victory that God wins over it first hand as these are described to have done. Our praises are often subject to so much distraction, causing our focus to be on those around us, our own desires and schedules, etc. However, there is no such distraction when we will find ourselves at the heavenly throne. Devoid of our bent to sin, seeing God face to face, witnessing these things that John describes, we would be able to do little else but praise God. If our faith was complete, we would be in that state now.
We see in verse 2 the first reference to the "lake of fire," and alongside it are the redeemed, singing praises to God. We will later see how this lake of fire is to be utilized.
After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened.
Though we have not been given the impression to this point that the tabernacle of God, the place of His presence, has been closed, John makes an important point when he declares that it is opened. To the Jews the tabernacle of the Testimony refers to the Holy-of-Holies. It was considered to be the dwelling place of God where no person was to enter, with the exception of the High Priest during the annual atonement sacrifice. The opening of the temple here may remind us of the rending of the temple veil following the crucifixion of Jesus. By rending the veil from top to bottom, God opened up the Holy-of-Holies. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, all who place their faith and trust in Him have access to the throne of grace.
The context here, however, is not one of access to the Holy throne, but one of the purpose of judgment about to take place. The judgment that will come upon the wicked has a clear source: the tabernacle of God. It is going to be God who will bring the age to an end as it is He who will be bringing judgment upon those who have rejected Him.
Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
John describes seven angels coming out of the temple, each receiving one of the seven bowls of plagues about to be poured out. The bowls, the phialē, are the vessels used in the temple ministry for offerings and the burning of incense. The phailē were always handled with great reverence as they contained that which was wholly dedicated to God’s holiness. The bowls would now hold quite a different content from that which the Hebrews were accustomed, but their content is still dedicated to God’s holiness. The bowls represent the complete judgment of God upon the sin and wickedness of this earth, a judgment that will be experienced and recognized by the wicked as coming from the throne of God.
The temple is seen filled with smoke as Isaiah also saw it in his vision of a holy God (Isa. 6:4). The smoke does not here represent the incense of worship, but is rather the traditional symbol of God's holiness and presence (1 Kings 8:10-11, Ezek. 11:23), the Shekinah glory of God (vs. 8) and illustrates that God is the source of these judgments (Exodus 40:34, Ezek. 44:4, et. al.) to all witnesses. It is as though the stirring of the Shekinah cloud of God’s presence is flowing forth from the temple as God’s judgments are meted out. That holiness is about to blaze forth in fire to consume the wicked. This divine glory and power fill the temple, so that no one, even the angels, can enter the temple before the judgment is completed (Isa. 6:4, Hab. 2:20). Some have argued that this filling of the temple represents the futility of any prayers that might be lifted up to divert the judgment. God’s plan and purpose is moving forward and there is nothing that men or angels can do to change it.
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth."
The dispensation of the bowls of God’s wrath was first described by John in the three woes of the trumpets of Chapter 9:1-21 and Chapter 11:14-19 as the four horsemen are released. In this chapter we find a more detailed account of the seven plagues that are brought upon the wicked earth. Like the trumpets, the first four of these plagues are brought upon the four divisions of nature (earth, sea, rivers, and sky.) However, in the dispensation of the bowls we see the profound suffering that they bring upon mankind, a suffering that is far more complete than that heralded by the trumpets. These plagues affect only the heathen world, for the Christians who had been sealed have already been martyred. As we have seen in John’s repeated descriptions of the heavenly throne, the saints are already surrounding the throne in worship as the devastating final judgment is brought upon the earth. This is the distinguishing feature of these plagues over against the woes heralded by the seven trumpets. These judgments are directed specifically at the world system, the second beast, as punishment for its idolatry and self-worship, its rejection of God, and its persecution of the Christians.
As we review the plagues, we will be reminded of the plagues on Egypt and its Pharaoh that took place as God brought the nation of Israel out of bondage. The purpose of the Egyptian plagues was to demonstrate God’s sovereignty to a Pharaoh who sought to reject it, bringing to an end the Pharaoh’s rule over Israel. Likewise, this succession of plagues will communicate God’s sovereignty over the wicked world and will ultimately bring to an end satan’s rule over it.
The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
The first plague is brought upon the land, or earth. As a result of this plague, grievous and malignant sores break out upon the people, recalling the sixth Egyptian plague (Ex 9:10-11, Deut. 28:35). Its incidence is only on those who carried the mark of the beast and worship his image.
At this point it may be instructive to review what it literally means to carry the mark of the beast, characterized by 666, the number of his name. The number itself represents total depravity, the total lack of the Holy Spirit’s influence in one’s life, as evident by the way they see their world (mark on their foreheads) and by the sinful things they do (mark on their hands.) This is the character of all who reject God’s offer of grace, choosing instead a worldly and godless lifestyle. By placing one’s self under this godless world system, one has placed one’s self under its authority, and by so doing, worshipping it. To reject God is to worship this world, the second beast, and its authority, satan.
As we look around the world today, how many of its people carry the mark of the beast? How many people would be subject to the bowls of God’s wrath if He were to choose to bring His judgment upon the world today? Those who carry the mark of the beast today do so in ignorance. If they heard and understood John’s revelation, many could be saved. This should serve as a reminder to the faithful, both in the first century and today, that satan wins on this earth only because the message of the gospel is not being communicated upon those who remain lost. Those who worship the beast have been duped by satan’s lies. The truth that will save people from the judgment is found in God’s word, and promoted on this earth by the power of the Holy Spirit as He works in the lives of the faithful to spread the message of good news. It is the commission upon every Christian to spread the good news of God’s purpose of salvation so that people can be saved from the beast and the consequences of worshipping him.
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
The second plague, like the first, is directed at the physical world with profound ecological consequences. God will bring some form of cataclysm upon the seas turning them into what appears to be like congealed blood, resulting in the death of all life in it. This recalls the first of the Egyptian plagues (Ex 7:17-21), but that instance only the Nile river is stricken, brining ecological devastation to the region under Pharaoh’s rule. The plague was temporary, and life soon returned to the Nile. This is not the nature of the final plague on the sea. All life in the sea dies, brining no opportunity for its replenishment. Before these final plagues are done, all animal life on earth will die. This identifies the end of the earth as we have known it, quite different from the testimony of the Jehovah’s witness who teach that they will remain on the earth among the plants and animals in a world-wide Eden.
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; 6 for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve." 7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
The third plague moves the contamination from the sea to the waters of the rivers, streams, and wells of the land. It is evident that the reason the rivers and springs turn to blood, or turn as red as blood, is to demonstrate in the event a graphic and powerful testimony to the blood of the messiah and all of the martyrs who were persecuted for their faith in God, a clear vindication for the suffering experience by the Christian church at the hands of its enemies. This plague will result in the death of all animal life and usher in a time of an epic struggle for man’s very survival. All of the things of this world that seem to have so much importance will suddenly pale in importance to the simple task of obtaining drinkable water. Rev. 6:5-6 described the coming time when the economic system of the world would fall when the supply of staple goods would be dramatically depleted. The dispensation of this bowl will usher in this time. As we will see shortly, there will be no shortage of violence on the earth as nations deploy their armies against one another as they vie for depleted natural resources.
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.
The fourth plague is characterized by the scorching heat of the sun. The ecological balance between the heat produced by the sun and that which is absorbed by the earth is extremely fragile. A difference of heat output from the sun of only a few percent would result in dramatic climatic change. Today’s conflict over the veracity of arguments for global warming will be rather moot when the sun’s heat will become dramatically scorching. Such heat and dry conditions would produce tremendous winds that would drive unstoppable wildfires, burning up that which is not destroyed by the contaminated water supply.
When we experience cataclysms today it is common for people to turn to God in prayer, seeking His deliverance. However, this response is highly driven by the local culture and its understanding of God. With the faithful safely around the throne, there are few (if any) people remaining who give any deference to the Holy Spirit in their lives. Seeing God's wrath, rather than repent and ask his forgiveness, the people curse Him for His actions. Rather than ask for mercy and deliverance, the people blaspheme the name of God. Given an opportunity to repent and glorify God, even in these dire circumstances the people prefer to hold on to their love of the world, the beast, and the destruction that the choice to reject God will bring upon it.
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.
The fifth plague brings darkness upon the throne of the Beast. The throne is the center of one’s dominion, and satan’s one dominion is this wicked world. The world will be cast into darkness. If the searing heat produced world-wide wildfires, it would only follow that the skies would become black with ashes, blocking the sun’s rays. Beneath the clouds of ash the world would be in hot, dry misery. The destruction of the world’s water supply would only be intensified by the caustic rain that ash clouds would produce. As only the faithful were the victims of the fifth seal (6:9), so only the followers of the Beast are afflicted by the fifth plague. Perhaps the darkness of the kingdom is to be interpreted from the Woe described in 9:2ff, when the smoke from the abyss darkened the sun, and demonic locusts tormented men, so that they longed for death.
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.
The sixth plague starts by drying up the river Euphrates, removing the natural protection that Palestine and the Mediterranean nations had against the advance of the eastern nations. Certainly, the drying up of the contaminated rivers would be a natural result of the previous plagues, including the searing heat from the sun. To the ancients, rivers were natural barriers since there were no bridges across large bodies of water. The rivers provided a protective barrier between nations, and when the river dries up, no such barrier of protection exists. The neighboring armies are free to cross the rivers and attack. The depletion of natural resources and the demand for the simplest of staple necessities for living will lead nations to war among themselves, adding to the world-wide trauma brought on by the plagues.
Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 "Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." 16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
We were introduced to the unholy trinity of three evil spirits in Chapters 12 and 13 as John introduced the main characters in this apocalyptic drama. Up to the point of the plagues, their character was attractive to this wicked world. The people of the world worshipped the beast and his name. They saw the Antichrist as one who was attractive and charismatic. However, the dispensation of the bowls and the chaos that results serves to expose the spirits for who they really are. What comes out of their mouths is what defines them for who they truly are. Instead of producing words of light, their mouths produce frogs. Frogs, in ancient near-eastern religious traditions, were the gods of plagues and death. Satan’s hold on and authority over this world is being seriously challenged as God is demonstrating his true sovereignty over it. In a struggle of desperation, the three unclean spirits, the unholy trinity, use their influence in this world to place in motion a final battle for dominance as they gather the nations together for the purpose of war, the decisive conflict of God with the World. In doing so their true evil nature is exposed. John is stating to the early church that even the evil world that worships the beast will see the beast for its true evil.
Clearly, the scene is to be the battlefield of Israel. To this point in the conflict, the plagues and their impact are world-wide. However, as satan rallies his powers to battle, he must choose a physical location for this to take place. Satan has no power over the Holy Spirit, or over any of the agencies of God. He must use his influence over mankind to use them as his tools of destruction. Just as God’s redemption of mankind was brought through the nation of Israel and was completed on the Cross of Calvary outside Jerusalem, the final battle would also be centered around that Holy City that for so many years came to be known as the center of God’s presence on earth. Many of its epic battles took place on the plains of Megiddo, outside of Jerusalem. At Megiddo, Deborah and Barak had overthrown Sisera (Judg. 5:19), and there Neco had overthrown Josiah (2 Kings 23:29). However, John is not referring to the plain of Megiddo, but rather the mountain of Megiddo, the meaning of HAR-MEAGDON in v. 16, the scene of this final battle. This has a much broader meaning than the location of one isolated battlefield. The concept is of a great battle that will take place on an immense scale, but with its roots in Jerusalem of the Middle-East. This location brings satan’s battle full-circle, as the battle for the world is still the battle for Israel, satan’s effort to discredit and destroy the influence of the one true God: the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
The seventh plague is a most devastating earthquake accompanied with monstrous hailstones. The submersion of the islands and the leveling of the mountains lend some credence to the magnitude of the geological cataclysm. It is so great in its magnitude that the weather systems are upset to the point of causing terrific storms, a reasonable response. This is not the first time in scripture that we encountered the description of this event. Ezekiel describes the Battle for Israel in chapter 38 of his prophesy, a battle that shows the entire world that it is God who will come to the deliverance of His people. Ezekiel describes the gathering of all of those who desire to overthrow the power of God, a great collection of the worlds armies as they gather on the mountains, prepared for attack. However, the battle does not take place between the people of satan and the people of God. The battle is taken over by the LORD as he demonstrates His power, using a cataclysm like the world has never known, a disaster that destroys God’s enemies in a way that the world clearly sees that it is God who is the victor. The cataclysm of Ezekiel 38 appears identical to the cataclysm of Revelation 16:17-21 as God Himself fights the battle for Israel. Just as satan is powerless against God when confronted by the power of the Holy Spirit, his human armies are powerless against God as He unleashes His own forces in this world.
In light of the next events that take place just prior to the description of the events surrounding the millennium, not all men die of these plagues. The worldly kings are still in power and will be gathered together with the multitude to wage war against God's last army. If all of the sea and water systems are rendered useless, the time frame of the following chapters is probably quite short. It will be evident that there will be much suffering and response typical to that which would result from such a plague. Yet, it may be instructive to remember that God never changes, and His redemptive purpose never changes. Even during the dispensation of the seven bowls, all of mankind is given the opportunity to repent and turn to God in saving faith. However, it appears from the scriptural context that this period is not one of spiritual revival as the people continue to blaspheme God and hate Him for the consequences of the judgment.
We should be reminded that the time for response to the bowls of God’s wrath is now. It would best serve the lost of this world if they were given the opportunity to repent now while it is still light and not wait until the darkness of Armageddon when it is virtually too late.