(“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame.”) Revelation 16:15
That is the third of the seven blessings in Revelation.
Welcome, welcome, to afaithtalk.com‘s Bible Study Tuesday. Every Tuesday a new chapter from whatever we’re studying goes live. Your presence here matters to me. Thank you for studying with me. Before we being chapter 16, let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, thank You for getting us this far in this book. I am asking, please, lead me today. I don’t know what You want me to highlight or explain here in this one, but Lord, I trust that as I work on it, You will reveal what it is. So please, come; I lay down my thoughts and ask You to work in me to complete this lesson.
Please read Revelation 16:1
Six Bowls of Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath and indignation of God.”
Ready? Trust Jesus. He knows those who belong to Him. Do not fear, you are always covered by Him.
Please read Revelation 16:2-7
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and loathsome and malignant sores came 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 turned into blood like that of a corpse [foul and disgusting]; and every living [a]thing in the sea died.
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water; and they turned into blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous and just are You, Who are and Who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; 6 for they have poured out the blood of the saints (God’s people) and the prophets, and You [in turn] have given them blood to drink. They deserve Your judgment.” 7 And I heard [another from] the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], Your judgments are true and fair and righteous.”
Make note: the “people who had the mark of the beast” that is not the faithful ones. These are those who refuse to worship.
The sea turned to blood and all the living things in it died.
The rivers and springs of water also turn to blood.
Quote the angel and the other speaker in verses 5-7…
“Righteous and just are You, Who________ and Who ________, O _____________________, because _________________________________________________________; for they have poured out the blood of the saints and the prophets, and You have given them ________________________.
They deserve ____________________.” Another said, “Yes, O Lord God, _______________________, Your __________ are _____ and _________ and ___________________.”
For He is and was and is to Come. Soon.
Please read Revelation 16:8-12
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given power to scorch humanity with [raging] fire. 9 People were [severely] burned by the great heat; and they reviled the name of God who has power over these plagues, but they did not repent [of their sin] and glorify Him.
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness; and people gnawed their tongues because of the pain [of their excruciating anguish and severe torment], 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their anguish and their sores (abscesses, boils); and they did not repent of what they had done nor hate their wickedness.
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for [the coming of] the kings from [b]the east.
Oh my was there a lot in those four verses. Did you know the sun sometimes messes with things on earth at this time? Solar Flares, is what they call them. Interesting read there. Yet these flares will be far more powerful causing people injury.
The Euphrates will be dried up meaning God is fully aware that it will make it easier for those opposed to Him to come.
He is The Almighty. Praise His Name.
Please read Revelation 16:13-16
Armageddon
13 And I saw three loathsome spirits like frogs, leaping from the mouth of the dragon (Satan) and from the mouth of the beast (Antichrist, dictator) and from the mouth of the false prophet; 14 for they are [actually] the spirits of demons, performing [miraculous] signs. And they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. [c]Blessed is he who [d]stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame.”) 16 And they (demons) gathered the kings and armies of the world together at the place which in Hebrew is called [e]Har-Magedon (Armageddon).
See, we will not be left alone, He will come. Eager Expectation, that’s the way He wants us to Anticipate His return. Those who refuse Him will be shamed. Unfortunately I think a lot of those who think themselves Christian will be among them. Your Spiritual life matters, faith is what He is always seeking. Your choices every day are what reveal it to Him. Choose well.
Please read Revelation 16:17
Seventh Bowl of Wrath
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne [of God], saying, “It is done. [It is all over, it is all accomplished, it has come.]”
It is done. The judgement has fully come. Praise be to His Holy Name.
Please read Revelation 16:18-21
18 And there were flashes of lightning and loud rumblings and peals of thunder; and there was a massive earthquake—nothing like it has ever occurred since mankind originated on the earth, so severe and far-reaching was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And God kept in mind Babylon the great, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce and furious wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and no mountains could be found. 21 And giant hailstones, as heavy as a [f]talent, fell from the sky on the people; and people reviled and spoke abusively of God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so very great.
Amazing, it will be amazing. I cannot assure you that we will all survive to see it at this point, but we will live, hold onto and grow your faith. He will have you standing and whole at the end of time. And oh how we should anticipate that day.
Footnotes
- Revelation 16:3 Lit soul.
- Revelation 16:12 Lit the rising sun. Using this phrase, or just the rising, was the ancient way of referring to the east. A dry Euphrates would enable massive armies to travel quickly from the region of Iraq (Babylonia) to territory north of Israel (Syria) in preparation for the battle at Har-Magedon (v 16).
- Revelation 16:15 This is the third of the seven promised blessings. See note 1:3.
- Revelation 16:15 These are metaphorical statements referring to a believer who is always expecting the return of Christ, and maintains a lifestyle (the clothing) of which he will not be ashamed when that day comes.
- Revelation 16:16 The name means “mountain of Megiddo” and indicates a region west and slightly south of the Sea of Galilee.
- Revelation 16:21 A talent weighs about a hundred pounds.
Can you imagine it, no mountains, no islands, no sea animals, at this point still no water because the renewal is not complete yet, but it’s going to be something you aren’t going to want to miss.
Thank You, Lord, for the words of encouragement even in this chapter of terror and wonder and judgment. Help us all Trust You.