The Bowl Judgments

Revelation 16:1 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.”

The voice of God will give the order to begin pouring out the bowls of wrath on the unbelieving world. This is literal, future, intensified pressure on earth's inhabitants who have made their final decision to reject Christ. These are plagues. True Christianity has been persecuted and almost completely purged from the earth. Ecumenical religion is at its most powerful peak. Any false belief system is accepted, just so the people outwardly worship the beast. Their lives and livelihood depend on it. Ecumenical religion controls the economy. These vials of wrath are God’s judgment upon the false religious system that has persecuted and martyred the believers in Jesus Christ. These folks under judgment are they who despise “crazy, hard-core Bible thumpers” who know there is only one way of salvation, and His name is Jesus Christ. These plagues came out from the Holy of Holies in heaven, where God’s Righteousness and Justice reside (chapter 15:5).

v2. 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.

Loss of health. Skin cancer which does not kill and will not heal, designed to make them consider the nearness of death and their need for Christ.

v3.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.

Loss of production from the sea, a major source of food which is now polluted and putrefied. Man does not live by bread alone.

 v4-7. 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!”

There is an angel who has protected the fresh water supply. All people are sustained by water. It is the grace of God. Now, the water supply is polluted with blood.

As the end of the tribulation draws near, the plagues become more intense:

V8-9. 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.

Weather catastrophe. Extreme heat. Scorching sun, with no relief. They did not wake up to the power of God to ease their misery, but they cursed Him.

v10-11. 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.

As the people continue to reject God and blaspheme Him, the whole empire becomes totally dark. They are groping in darkness with their epidemic of sores and their maddening pain, cursing God and refusing to repent.

V12-16. 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.

The Euphrates river will be dried up, creating a highway through the region from the orient. Military disaster is coming in the form of massive armies from the east. The frog-like demons John saw coming forth from the dragon, the beast and the false prophet will hastily assemble the armies of the great nations of the world. These nations are no longer sovereign, for they have given their allegiance to the beast. They will quickly respond to the call to gather in battle against the returning Christ. Those who are believers in hiding are warned to stay alert and be ready when the Lord does come in suddenly, like a thief.

Zephaniah 3:8 
“Therefore wait for me,” 

declares the Lord,

“for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. 

For my decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms, 

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all my burning anger; 

for in the fire of my jealousy 

all the earth shall be consumed.