Just Are You: Daily Thoughts from Revelation (Revelation 16:1-16)

There was, in recent days, a challenge people were giving to one another to film themselves pouring iced water over themselves for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise funds for finding a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It was a great fundraiser and part of the attraction of it was seeing people’s reaction to what seems like a tame challenge. The experience was more like shock.

This is the experience the world will have when God’s angels pour out bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. It will be for a good cause, but the recipients will not think it so.

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”   And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

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. 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 like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:1-16 ESV)

Six bowl judgments are poured out and though some of them resemble previous seal and trumpet judgments they are greatly intensified.  In the middle of the judgments there is a heavenly declaration from an angel and from the altar that God is just in His judgments.  What He is doing is fair because these people have shed the blood of His saints and prophets.

The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates so that the armies of the east can make their way to Jerusalem.  They will march through the massive plain in Israel called Megiddo, assembling near the mount of Megiddo (in Hebrew, Har [mount] Megiddo or Armageddon).  Demonic spirits are sent to draw the armies of the world to this place.  They think it is to finally finish the conquering of the world, but it will actually be their last stand as they fight against Jesus himself. Revelation 19 will depict this.

Oh, what an awful time this will be for those who do not know the Lord! The proof that they deserve this judgment will be their unwillingness to repent when it comes upon them. If they did, they would be forgiven and spared. But, as a whole, they will not. God’s judgment is always an opportunity to change course. Perhaps some will choose to repent on that day.