15-16 Revelation

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To recap our journey to this point − Revelation 6 we see the beginning of God’s judgment of the earth with the breaking of the first of seven seals − The first four seals corresponding with the four horsemen of the apocalypse − After the sixth seal is broken, there is silence in heaven as all heaven contemplates the fate of the world − The seventh seal is broken marking the beginning of seven trumpets announcing the Day of the Lord when Jesus will return − The seventh trumpet announcing the final and most devastating wave of God’s judgment – the seven bowls − Satan is cast down to earth and we see the ultimate plan of Satan to dominate and destroy the earth − Literally all hell has broken out on earth

John witnesses three signs in the heaven − The first sign is the nation of Israel (12:1) – a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of stars − The second sign is the Satan Himself (12:3) – a fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems on his heads − In Chapter 15 we see the third sign… the Angelic Host (15:1) – seven angels having seven plagues representing God’s complete wrath

Revelation 15:1 (NKJV) 15 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

From Chapter 12 to the return of Christ there is a series of logical events that occur. − Satan is cast to earth and makes his final push for world domination and the destruction of Israel through the Antichrist and the False Prophet − But God has the final Word and the seven bowls mark the completion of God’s judgment through the Great Tribulation

Revelation 15:2 (NKJV) 2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

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A sea of glass mingled with fire represents the persecution by the Beast during the final days of the Great Tribulation − No man will be able to buy or sell without the mark of the Beast − Anyone that offers humanitarian aid to the tribulation saints will be put to death for crimes against society − However, despite intense persecution the tribulation saints will remain faithful to death and thus have victory over the beast − In the face of death they have not lost their song − Armed with the harps of God they sing a song of victory

Revelation 15:3–4 (NKJV) 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! 4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”

The song of Moses is found in Exodus 15:1-21 & Deut. 32:1-43 − It’s the song of deliverance from Egypt, representing salvation − The song of the Lamb is found in Revelation 5:9-12 − It’s the song of redemption through the finished work of the cross − These two songs combined together – the song of deliverance and the song of redemption – result in the song of victory

The focal point of this song of victory is Jesus Christ and His work − Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ in His holiness, His power, His glory and His grace and He is the focal point of history − It’s not about the four horseman or the blowing of the trumpets or the seven angels with the seven bowls of wrath − It’s about Jesus and our salvation and redemption in Him − He puts one hand in the hand of God and another hand in the hand of man and through Himself He brings man and God together

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NOTE: The worship of revelation gives us perspective − It is focused on Jesus and His works alone − It recognizes that Jesus’ way is the way of life and produces righteousness and truth − It recognizes that He is the ultimate authority − It recognizes that He is unique (holy) and deserving of ultimate respect and honor as King − It declares that all nations come to worship Jesus − It recognizes that God’s judgments are right o The root word for judgment is righteousness o His judgments are based on His righteousness o Whenever God judges, it results in righteousness o That is why the cross is so significant, o God judged sin on the cross and the result is our righteousness

Revelation 15:5–6 (NKJV) 5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.

The temple is referred to 15 times in the book of Revelation − It is referred to as the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony − The testimony that John speaks of is the Ten Commandments that are contained in the ark of the Covenant − NOTE: Here we see a temple, but we need to understand that there isn’t a temple in the New Jerusalem − WHY? Because under the New Covenant we are the temple of God − However, there is a people who are identified with a temple… the nation of Israel and Revelation tells the story of how God restores Israel

The seven angels here are different from other angels we’ve seen − These angels are clothed in pure white linen representing righteousness − Their chest girded with golden bands representing God’s eternal, divine nature

NOTE: The two characteristics of God’s law: righteous and eternal − This is why Jesus’ work on the cross is so significant − Although the law is righteous, it could never make you righteous

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− Because the law is eternal, the solution also needed to be eternal − Hebrews 10 tells us that Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins forever − One eternal sacrifice to satisfy the righteous requirements of the law

Revelation 15:7–8 (NKJV) 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Note: We said in our introduction to Revelation that the number seven comes up a lot. − Seven is the number of completion not perfection − Seven angels representing the entire host of heaven and seven plagues representing God’s complete judgment.

John mentions the temple that is filled with smoke from the glory of God… another indicator that the church is not involved at this point − NOTE: There are those that teach the church will go through the Great Tribulation. − However, the Bible tells us that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and therefore we don’t acknowledge a temple built with hands. − But there is a people who have always been identified with a temple and that is the nation of Israel. − NOTE: The seven plagues also resemble the plagues against Egypt in the book of Exodus

Revelation 16:1–2 (NKJV) 16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” 2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

Every person who has the mark of the beast and those who worship the image of the beast will be struck with sores − This is similar to the sixth plague that God sent to Egypt (boils)

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− The words foul and loathsome suggest that the sores will be oozing, incurable and painful − The specific language suggests that believing Jews will not suffer from this plague… only unbelievers

What could cause this? − It is possible that whatever constitutes the mark of the beast becomes the source of a global infection − We don’t know how the antichrist’s global identification program occurs − Based on what we know about government programs today it’s possible that it would make people susceptible to infection

Revelation 16:3 (NKJV) 3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

The second plague turns the ocean waters into blood − This is similar to the first plague that God sent to Egypt − This is much worse than it sounds

Let’s look at Egypt as an example − 96% of the people live on 4% of the land − The reason is simple. 96% of the people live along the Nile River − When God turned the Nile River to blood it affected 96% of the people

The Oceans makes up 71% of the earth’s surface − That means nearly ¾ of the earth will be turned to blood − The stench of death and decay will fill the whole earth o With death and decay come disease o What a picture of sin… it fills the whole earth with death, decay, disease and a stench… − Food supplies will be impacted – The ocean provides 12% of the the world’s food supplies and 50% of the world’s oxygen − Water supplies will be impacted – The oceans provide 84% of the water vapor to the atmosphere that returns to the earth in the form of rain and supplies the worlds lakes and rivers

Which leads to the third bowl… Revelation 16:4–7 (NKJV)

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4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” 7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

This plague is similar to the third trumpet… but more severe − At the third trumpet only 1/3 of the water supply is affected − Here 100% of the water supply is affected

INTERESTING: John mentions the angel of the waters − We get a glimpse of how the angels function − It appears that there are angels that are over different parts of creation − John mentions another from the altar − The angels declare the righteousness of God and His judgments

Revelation 16:8–9 (NKJV) 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

The fourth bowl affects the sun − The sun that was created by God to provide light, warmth and energy is now being used to bring unbearable heat, pain and suffering − I guess Al Gore will finally be able to stand up and say he was right!!! − One potential explanation would be the sun going NOVA − A nova is when there is a sudden increase in the star’s output of energy

Isaiah says the sun’s output will increase seven times Isaiah 30:26 (NKJV) 26 Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun,

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And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days,

A Nova is caused by a helium fusion reaction in the sun that occurs from a build up of helium deep within the sun − Once the helium is used up, the sun will go back to normal − Surprisingly, mankind responds by blaspheming God and refuses to repent.

Commentator Lehman Strauss said… If a man rejects the kindness and love of God, then what makes us think that the judgment of God will change his heart either?

The Fifth Bowl brings darkness and pain Revelation 16:10–11 (NKJV) 10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

− I remember seeing my very first total eclipse where the sun was darkened… it was an eerie feeling − Here darkness comes upon the throne of the beast and his kingdom − The darkness will be a direct assault on the antichrist’s government − This is similar to the ninth plague where darkness covered Egypt − The darkness could be caused by a total eclipse or a global thunderstorm that could be caused by the melting of the snow packs and ice caps because of the sun’s increase in energy

Revelation 16:12–16 (NKJV) 12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

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15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

The Sixth Bowl results in the drying up of the Euphrates river − The Euphrates is first mentioned in Genesis 2 and now in Revelation − The waters of the Euphrates start from Mount Ararat and flow down into the Red Sea. − With the snow caps of Mount Ararat melted, the Euphrates would no longer have a source of water… the river would dry up − This provides a clear way for the armies of the East to move rapidly on dry ground through Armageddon to Jerusalem

INTERESTING: The cradle of man’s civilization will also become the grave for man’s civilization EX: Roxie and I visited the Valley of Megiddo or Har-Magedon. Napoleon said it was the greatest and most natural battlefield on earth. It has been the site of many major battles in history because of it’s strategic location. It’s the connection between the Mediterranean and all the countries that lie to the East. The Bible says it will be the location for battle to end all battles

− Ezekiel 38 gives a picture of the nations that will gather against Israel… − NOTE: Today these nations are controlled by Muslim governments − The battle will be led by the trinity from hell – three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon (Satan), the beast (Antichrist) and the False Prophet. − These demonic spirits will awaken the nations of the world against God and will gather at Armageddon to destroy God’s people once and for all − The sixth bowl is NOT the battle of Armageddon, but a preparation for the battle of Armageddon − I love what Jesus says, Behold, I am coming as a thief… it’s almost time

Revelation 16:17–21 (NKJV) 17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not

______THE REVELATION occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

Let’s recap where we are… − The first bowl is poured out on the earth, Second bowl on the oceans, Third bowl on the waters, Fourth bowl on the sun, Fifth bowl on throne of the antichrist, Sixth bowl on the Euphrates River − Now the seventh bowl is poured into the air and a voice from heaven says… it is done − When Jesus died on the cross He said it is finished and the earth shook − Now God the Father says to Satan, it is finished and the greatest earthquake in history occurs − The magnitude of the earthquake will alter the topography of the earth − The city of Jerusalem will be split into three − Babylon will be destroyed − Islands will disappear and mountains will be leveled − It’s as if God is demolishing everything before He rebuilds the earth − Hail the weight of a talent will fall from heaven − The size of the hail would be 19.8 inches across (the size of two basketballs side by side) and would weight 75 lbs. traveling 370 mph − The storm cloud it would take to form these hailstones would sustain winds of 3171 mph − It’s as if God is personally stoning humanity for their evil − What are men doing? Repenting? They continue to blaspheme God

INTERESTING: What is the penalty for blasphemy? Leviticus 24:16 (NKJV) 16 And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death.

Don’t be deceived. God is not mocked. Whatever you sow you will reap.