The Seven Bowls of Wrath (Revelation 15-16)
I THE 7TH TRUMPET: THE CONTEXT FOR THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH
Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ … 17 You have taken Your great power and reigned. 18 The
nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time … that You should reward Your servants … and should
destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:15-18)
A. The 7th Trumpet begins the time when the empires of this world will come under Jesus’ leadership, when the saints
are rewarded and when God destroys those who destroy the earth. The 7th Trumpet initiates the events related to the
Rapture (Revelation 11:15-18). The timing of the Rapture and the Marriage Supper are curiously absent in Revelation.
Why? They are a process that occurs over time instead of being one event that happens one afternoon.
B. This sets the stage for the third and final numbered judgment series referred to as the seven bowls of wrath.
(Revelation 15;1-16:21). The three numbered judgment series are the three groups of judgments (seven seals, seven
trumpets, seven bowls of wrath) as described in Revelation 6-19. They are the judgment activities on the antichrist in the
Great Tribulation (3 ½ years) ending the Armageddon campaign. (Revelation 19:11-21)
C. The bowls are the third judgment series that is followed chronologically by Jesus’ Second Coming to Jerusalem to
end the Armageddon Campaign (Revelation 19:11-21). Jesus will release the seven bowls in a way that parallels Moses
releasing the ten plagues of Egypt. The bowls of wrath recall the plagues in Egypt released by Moses against Pharaoh
(Exodus 7-12).
D. To understand the seven bowls, we must understand the nature of the events related to the Rapture and the Second
Coming of Jesus. I think of it as a three stage process that includes many events instead of it being only one event that
happens one afternoon. In the first stage, Jesus comes across the entire earth in the sky to rapture the saints
(Revelation 1:7). In the second stage, He comes across the land (Isaiah 63:1-6) using the first five bowls to destroy the
resources of the antichrist’s worldwide empire. In the third stage, Jesus re-enters Jerusalem (Matthew 23:39) and releases
the seventh bowl that contributes to judging the armies of the antichrist and delivering Israel at the Battle of Jerusalem.
E. When ancient Israel was backed up to the Red Sea, Moses stretched forth his rod and the waters parted and God’s
people escaped by way of the Red Sea and the armies of Pharaoh were then drowned in that very sea. Again, Israel will
have their back “against the sea” in seeming defeat before the advancing forces of the antichrist (as the end-time Pharaoh).
F. The unsaved remnant of Israel will be rescued as Jesus splits the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:3-5).
Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. 4 and in that
day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives … and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two … making a
very large valley … 5 then you shall flee through My mountain valley … Yes, you shall flee … thus the LORD
my God will come, and all the saints with You. (Zechariah 14:3-5)
G. This is meant to parallel Moses parting the Red Sea. The Jews in Jerusalem will make their exodus escape through
a valley in the very mountain that Jesus prophesied would move by faith. (Mark 11:1, 23).
For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be case into the sea”, and does
not doubt in his heart … those things he says will come to pass … (Mark 11:23)
H. Jesus comes to rescue the city of Jerusalem that is surrounded by the armies of the antichrist (Zechariah 12:1-9;
14:1-5). Jesus will come in person to fight the final battle in the Armageddon campaign which will be in Jerusalem. Then
the armies of the antichrist will be drowned in the ‘sea of the seventh bowl of wrath”.
I. There will be three types of people on earth at the time of the Rapture. There will be the redeemed who will be
raptured. There will be the reprobate who took the mark of the beast, therefore, they are soon to be judged and killed.
There will be the resistors (unsaved survivors) who refused to worship the antichrist and take his mark.
II SEVEN BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH (Revelation 15-16) – THE THIRD JUDGMENT SERIES
A. In heaven there is agreement concerning the seven bowls (Revelation 15:1-4).
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. 2 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. 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.” (Revelation 15:1-4)
B. There are great works (15:3) of the great God on the great day of wrath (6:17). Eight different aspects are described
as great. John speaks of great heat (16:9), the great river Euphrates (16:12), the great day of God Almighty (16:14), the
great earthquake (16:18), the great city (Jerusalem, 16:19), great Babylon (16:19), and great hail from heaven (16:21) as an
exceedingly great plague (16:21).
C. In heaven there is preparation concerning the seven bowls (Revelation 15:5-8)
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. 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.
(Revelation 15:5-8)
D. The commission to the seven angels is in the heavenly Temple (Revelation 16:1)
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.” (Revelation 16:1)
1. God commissions the seven angels to pour out the bowls of wrath. My view is that the bowls unfold quickly because
one command releases all seven bowls to be released without separate commissions like the seals.
2. I view them all happening after the seventh trumpet which occurs 1,260 days after the abomination of desolation.
The loud voice (for emphasis) is from the heavenly temple (Revelation 16:1, 17). This is referred to by Isaiah. (Isaiah 66:6)
III FIRST BOWL: LOATHSOME SORES TO ANTICHRIST WORSHIPPERS (Revelation 16:1-2)
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. (Revelation 16:1-2)
A. The sixth plague of Egypt was sores or boils:
Take … handfuls of ashes … let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It will become
fine dust … and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt
… 11 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians
and on all the Egyptians. (Exodus 9:8-11)
B. Satan chose boils as the way to strike God’s servant (Job). God will use boils on satan’s kingdom.
Satan … struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (Job 2:7)
C. Moses warned the people that rebellion toward God would bring God’s judgment of severe boils.
The LORD will strike you … with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the
top of your head. (Deuteronomy 28:35)
D. These sores will be foul which means revolting or horrid and having an offensive odor (as foul meat is rotten or
putrid). These sores will also be loathsome in being so painful that men will loath and abhor them. Only the antichrist
worshipers receive these sores. There is no historical fulfillment of these prophecies.
E. Only during the seals and trumpets does John mention believers having a divine seal of protection (Revelation 7:3;
9:4). John did not mention a seal of protection with these bowl judgments (which are the most severe judgments in history)
because the saints will be with Jesus on earth for most of this transitional 30 day period.
From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the Abomination of Desolation is set up, there shall
be 1,290 days. 12 Blessed is he who waits, and comes to 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:11-12)
IV SECOND BOWL: DESTROYING ALL THE SEAS WITH BLOOD (Revelation 16:3)
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. (Revelation 16:3)
A. The seas became something like the thickened blood of a dead man. The stench will be unimaginable.
B. There will be complete destruction of marine life as compared to 1/3 destruction (second trumpet).
C. The sea, like the Euphrates River (Revelation 16:12) is literal in Revelation (Revelation 5:13; 7:1, 2, 3; 8:8, 9;
l0:2, 5, 6, 8; 12:12; 14:7; 16:3; 18:17, 19, 21; 20:8, 13; 21:1) unless it says it is not (Revelation 13:1; 17:1, 7-9, 15). For
those who take the sea as being symbolic of the nations, they must answer when every living creature “in the nations” died.
V THIRD BOWL: POISONING ALL THE EARTH’S FRESH WATER (Revelation 16:4-7)
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 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 I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” (Revelation 16:4-7)
A. The third trumpet (Revelation 8:10) and the third bowl are similar. The third trumpet made the waters bitter resulting
in people dying. The world will be in a terrifying panic with all of the drinking water defiled.
B. There will be occasions when water will flow miraculously, like it did from the rock with Moses in the wilderness.
People who cry out to God and especially the captives of Israel returning from the nations, will experience supernatural
water supply. The OT prophets often prophesied of the miracle of streams flowing in the desert and on mountain tops.
C. The first plague of Egypt struck the Nile killing the fish making it impossible to drink the water.
Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over
their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. There shall be blood throughout
all the land of Egypt … 21 The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not
drink the water of the river. (Exodus 7:19-21)
D. God judges the drinking water to repay those who were accomplices to killing the martyrs. The two angelic prophetic
oracles in this passage, agree that it was right for God to release these judgments (Revelation 15:3-4; 19:2). God gives us
the reason for this terrible judgment on the antichrist’s worldwide empire. God answers blood with blood (Revelation 16:6).
Divine justice pours out blood because they did. God makes them drink the very thing they thirsted for: blood.
E. We agree with the angels and proclaim what they proclaim. Namely that, God’s judgments are “true and righteous”
– they are not too severe. The principle of judgment: God uses the least means to reach the greatest number of people at
the deepest level of love without violating anyone’s free will in training the future rulers of the earth. The remaining
judgments of the bowls are punitive in stopping the antichrist’s terrorizing of Israel and going forth as one last appeal to
the unsaved resistors of the antichrist to turn to Jesus.
F. The title the angels emphasize points to the God of eternity or the big picture. This is the only place that we can
understand God’s judgments.
G. The altar is the place intercession has power to change history.
H. One can interpret the blood of the saints as literal, but the blood of the rivers as symbolic. Blood is literal in every
instance throughout Revelation (Revelation 1:5; 5:9; 6:10, 12; 7:14; 8:7, 8; 11:6; 12:11; 14:20; 16:3, 4, 6; 17:6; 18:24;
19:2, 13).
I. There is an angel with power over waters (ocean, rivers, streams). Different angels have different assignments in
God’s world. Revelation speaks of angels over winds (Revelation 7:10, the angel over the bottomless pit (Revelation 9:11),
the angel over fire (Revelation 14:18), and the angel over water (Revelation 16:5).
VI FOURTH BOWL: SCORCHING HEAT AND FIRE FROM THE SUN (Revelation 16:8-9)
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. (Revelation 16:8-9)
A. The fourth bowl releases power over the sun to make it more intense. The fourth trumpet was opposite in making
the sun less intense, even taking the light away and giving men darkness. This judgment affects the sun, but it is not at all
the same judgment.
B. This is a supernatural act of burning men by the sun, not a natural one. In other words, God has power over this
judgment. This is God’s act not the devil’s.
C. Men blasphemed God and refused to repent revealing the mystery of lawlessness (verses 11, 21). These men are
demonized and thus accuse God’s character in this instead of taking responsibility for their sin. They acknowledge God’s
power and role in this judgment. They understand that God is the source of this terrible judgment. He has power over it.
1. Yet they have no revelation of their sin as the reason the righteous God releases the heat. They did not
repent (9:20-21; 16:9, 11).
2. The people weeks earlier seemed to repent in context to the Jerusalem earthquake (Revelation 11:13).
VII FIFTH BOWL: DARKNESS ON THE ANTICHRIST’S GLOBAL EMPIRE (Rev 16:10-11)
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast (antichrist), 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. (Revelation 16:10-11)
A. The fifth bowl like the other bowls focuses on the antichrist’s governmental structure. The antichrist’s throne is his
seat of government as referred to in Revelation 13:2. The antichrist has a specific geographic governmental center. His
throne seemed invincible (Revelation 13:4). The antichrist is manifest as helpless before Jesus as was Pharaoh
(Exodus 10:21-23). God will turn all the lights out in the antichrist’s empire. The antichrist’s authority is worldwide, thus we
know that this darkness is worldwide.
B. The darkness is natural, but with spiritual power in demonic activity heightened in the darkness (9:2). The unsaved
remnant of Israel will probably have light during this time.
C. The antichrist’s worldwide senior leaders gnawed their tongues because of unceasing pain. They will be filled with a
spirit of hopelessness and despair. The darkness brings pain because of heightened demonic activity. They experience
pain with the darkness (Revelation 16:10) as well as with sores (Revelation 16:2). This is unprecedented darkness and
pain will cause chaos in the nations.
D. The ninth plague of Egypt caused darkness for three days.
Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which
may even be felt.” 22 … there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see
one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in
their dwellings. (Exodus 10:21-23)
E. The people blasphemed God (Revelation 16:9, 11). Their blasphemy shows the fullness of their hidden hatred of
God. As God’s judgments increase, their hatred and blasphemy will also increase.
VIII SIXTH BOWL: DEMONS LURE THE NATIONS TO ARMAGEDDON (Revelation 16:12-16)
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 I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth
of the dragon (satan), out of the mouth of the beast (antichrist), 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. 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 They
gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)
These will make war with the Lamb … for He is Lord of lords and King of kings (Revelation 17:14)
I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat
on the horse and against His army. (Revelation 19:19-21)
A. The sixth bowl is the assembling of the nations to come to Jerusalem to fight Jesus not the Jews. Jesus is on the
ground at this time.
The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they
will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds … with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30)
B. The kings of the earth saw the supernatural sign of the Son of Man in the sky, but wrongly interpreted it as a demonic
sign of a false messiah coming to disrupt the kingdoms of the earth. Thus, they join their efforts with the antichrist’s to fight
a common enemy. Both armies are accustomed to supernatural activity, thus the antichrist’s armies believe they will win
against a supernatural foe. Many false christs have appeared to deceive many (Matthew 24:5, 11), so the nations see Jesus
as another powerful deceiver.
C. Israel will witness the bowls of wrath just as they witnessed the ten plagues of Egypt. As Israel witnessed the
destruction of the Egyptians in the sea, so Israel surrounded by the nations will see Jesus execute God’s judgments.
D. The sixth bowl has wrath in allowing men to be seduced into the final battle of the Armageddon campaign. The
demon spirits succeed in recruiting the kings of the earth to the cause that mutually threatens them all. The unclean spirits
deceive the governmental leaders of the earth with supernatural signs (Matthew 24:24; Revelation 13:13-14;
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). The demons deceive, yet it falls into God’s higher purposes to expose the heart of the nations
(Revelation 17:17).
E. The demonic frogs are sent to the kings of the earth with miracles because of the supernatural sign of Jesus in the
sky. The kings of the East join the Battle of Jerusalem to battle against Jesus, not merely the armies of Israel. They will not
come to Israel because they will be threatened by a small poorly armed Israeli army. Israel’s army will undoubtedly not be
allowed to build up their military while in a peace covenant with the antichrist (Daniel 9:27; Isaiah 28;15-18).
F. Demons will deceive the kings of the earth to come to Armageddon. God will dry up the Euphrates River to allow them
to be convinced and to allow their armies to come against Israel.
1. The kings of the East will need to be convinced with miracles to join this battle. Why would the antichrist
prioritize this? Why would the kings of the East deploy hundreds of thousands of soldiers at billions of dollars to fight
a weak Israeli army? Why would they suddenly be motivated to help the antichrist (whom they had not formed an
alliance with)?
2. Why did the antichrist need supernatural miracles to motivate them? The answer is that the kings of the East
and the kings of the whole world came to Israel to fight Jesus not the Israeli army. They will think of Jesus as a human
Jewish king with demonic powers who can be defeated. In other words, they will view Jesus in the way that we view the
antichrist.
G. The kings of the earth will feel threatened by this Jewish King who is reportedly raising an army and marching up to
Israel from Edom with great victories because of His unusual power. The kings of the earth will understand that Jesus clearly
has supernatural power, yet they assume that it is demonic power that can be defeated. The antichrist convinces them with
demonic miracles that defeating Jesus is necessary and doable and thus they gather to make war with Jesus. The nations
will make war against Jesus with the same mind set that the Church has in warring against the antichrist, viewing him as
having a supernatural dimension, but one that will surely be defeated.
H. Jesus interjected that He was coming as a thief (Revelation 16:15). This is primarily directed to the Body of Christ to
understand before the broad Day of the Lord activity starts. The Church will not be taken unaware after the 19 judgment
events of the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the first five bowls. Jesus is pausing in His revelation to John before
giving him the final event in the Great Tribulation. It is a sober dramatic pause as in Revelation 15:8 since the mystery of
God in full judgment is to be complete.
I. The dried up river will probably be interpreted by the kings of the East as a miracle done by the hands of the Antichrist.
It emboldens them to charge on to Jerusalem to aid the antichrist. The Euphrates was dried up so that the way for the kings
might be prepared to join in the battle (verses 14, 16). Isaiah prophesied that God would dry the Euphrates (Isaiah 11:15).
J. The sixth bowl is poured out on the Euphrates River which is the eastern boundary of the ancient Roman Empire as
well as the land promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 11:24). The city of Babylon will be rebuilt on the
Euphrates River. (In the sixth trumpet, the four angels who kill a third of mankind are bound at the Euphrates River,
Revelation 9:14).
K. Jerusalem is the place of the final battle to end the Armageddon Campaign (Joel 3:1-2, 9-17; Zechariah 12:1-8;
14:1-3, 12; Zephaniah 3:8).
L. In Revelation 16:13-16, the kings of the East are motivated by demonic miracles.
M. From the mouth of satan, the antichrist and the false prophet are three unclean spirits like frogs. Their ‘mouths’
are emphasized to point to the words of these three that entice the governments of the earth. The antichrist has a dynamic
speaking gift (Revelation 13:2, 5, 6; 17:3; Daniel 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 11:36). Three unclean spirits are released as they speak
to the masses.
N. Revelation 16:15 Jesus personally speaks to His people as He did to the Church in Sardis (Revelation 3:3) and at
Laodicea (Revelation 3:18). Jesus warns His people that things will get so out of hand that anyone not fully for Him will get
deceived in siding with those against Him. Spiritually being shamed with nakedness speaks of the shame of revealing ones
hidden compromise to all (Isaiah 47:3; Ezekiel 16:37; 23:24-29; Hosea 2:10; Nahum 3:5).
O. Jesus warns that the broad Day of the Lord pressures would start suddenly (His coming as a thief) so they must
now develop a root system before all the crisis begins. He who watches and keeps his garments – to actively encounter
God and
to do deeds of righteousness before the labor and danger is inherent in staying steady. Revelation 3:18 points to the
possibility of a believer being naked and filled with shame.
P. In Revelation 16:16, they gather to a place called in Hebrew Armageddon. Gentile believers (churches of Asia Minor)
needed John to interpret Hebrew words for them (Revelation 9:11). The transliteration of Harmagedon or Har Magedon,
means the Hill of Mount of Megiddo or Armageddon (in English). Hebrew (har) menas “Hill-country”, thus, Har Magedon is
the “hill-country of Megiddo”. Megiddo is a town in the valley of Esdraelon which is in the plain of Jezreel. The plain of
Megiddo is the military staging zone. The 200 hundred miles (Revelation 14:20) from the far north of Israel to Bozrah is the
focus of the Armageddon Campaign.
IX SEVENTH BOWL: WORST EARTHQUAKE 100 POUND HAIL STONES (Rev. 16:17-21)
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 occurred since men were on the
earth. 19 Now the great city (Jerusalem) 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. (Revelation 16:17-21)
A. The seventh bowl is poured out into the air. The air is necessary for the sustaining of life. The bowls grow in intensity
as they start with sores (16:2), the food and sea trade (16:3), the drinking water (16:4), the scorching heat (16:8-9) then
darkness and gnawing pain (16:10-11), then demonic allurement into international war (16:12-16).
B. The loud voice of God comes from the Throne which is in the Temple in heaven.
C. “It is done” echoes when Jesus on the cross cried out, “It is finished” on the cross (John 19:30)
D. A thunderstorm breaks out with spiritual and natural manifestations at the conclusion for each of the three
numbered judgments (Revelation 4:5; 8:3-5; 11:19).
E. The greatest earthquake ever destroys part of Jerusalem, Babylon and the cities of the nations. The city of Babylon
on the Euphrates River in Iraq (50 miles south of Baghdad) will be restored and will be one of the antichrist’s headquarters.
F. The great earthquake will come on God’s enemies in the End-Times (Isaiah 29:5-8). The earthquake and hail bring
men’s hatred to the surface yet again. John wants us to be clear that no earthquake in history will be the “big one”. This
great earthquake is such as has not happened in history. The earthquake sequence in Revelation (Revelation 6:14; 8:5;
11:13; 16:18-20) ends with the last one as the big one (Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21; 13:13; 29:6; Ezekiel 38:19; Haggai 2:6, 21:
Zechariah 14:4-5; Hebrews 12:26-27)
G. There are two great cities in Revelation. All history from God’s point of view is a tale of two cities – Jerusalem and
Babylon. Jerusalem is also called the “great city” (Revelation 11:8) in God’s End-Time purpose. Babylon is the great city
(Revelation 14:8; 17:18). However, the specific reference to Babylon also in the text makes clear that it is distinct from the
other great city.
H. Jerusalem will be struck hard by an earthquake so that one tenth of the city falls (Revelation 11:13), making three
distinct areas of Jerusalem. The antichrist’s leaders are in the city.
I. Babylon the great was remembered before God to give to her the cup of the wine of the anger of His wrath. There
are different stages in Babylon’s judgment (Revelation 17:16; 18:8). The ten kings burned the harlot religious system in the
middle of the seven years and replaced it with the antichrist religious system based in part of the city of Babylon that was not
permanently destroyed. Thus Babylon’s offense before God went to another level of severity. Babylon was burned then
re-established as one of the antichrist’s headquarters, then utterly destroyed by God in the seventh bowl as Berlin was
destroyed in May, 1945. Revelation 14:8 speaks of the double fall of Babylon. Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city
(Revelation 14:8). Revelation 17-18 describes the two falls of Babylon, with the first in middle of week and the second fall
at end of the Great Tribulation.
J. The cup of the wine of the anger of His wrath uses both of the common words for God’s wrath (thymos, anger)
(orge, wrath). Revelation 14:8-10 prophesied this outpouring of wrath on Babylon.
K. In Revelation 16:20, the last earthquake causes every island to flee (sink in the ocean) and the mountains to not be
found. The earthquake will impact every city on earth as great sky scrapers collapse causing fires.
L. From heaven falls 100 pound hailstones (weight of a talent). The people hide in shelters that were being shaken by
earthquakes. God uses hail in His judgments (Joshua 10:11; Isaiah 28:17; Ezekiel 38:22-23). Hail was used by God in the
seventh plague with Moses (Exodus 9:23-24). Hail also was released in the first trumpet (Revelation 8:7).
M. Men blasphemed after both the fourth and fifth bowls (Revelation 16:9, 11) even knowing that God sent them. Men
do not blaspheme God for being hit with symbolic or figurative hail.
N. The next events following the bowls are recorded in Revelation 19:11-21.