The last of God's judgment. "Great Tribulation"

Revelation 16

In the previous chapter we see the seven angels come out of the temple and are given the remainder of the wrath of God. They then make themselves ready to pour out the judgment of God.

In this chapter we witness as the seven angels pour out the last of God’s judgment. Many of the things we see in this chapter are repeat judgments seen either in the Egyptian plagues, or previously in the book of Revelation. The difference being that I believe the judgments of this chapter are more severe than those seen in the past. When Christ spoke about this time of judgment in Matthew 24 He referred to the judgment in the first half of the tribulation as “the beginning of sorrows”. To the last half however Jesus says that it will be “great tribulation.”

Let me once again say that the judgments mentioned in this chapter are very literal. Many of them have happened before in a literal form and they will be brought forth again in a literal form.

First Vial

This first judgment is a repeat from the sixth Egyptian plague, the “Plagues of Boils,” that fell upon the people of Egypt in:

Exodus 9:8-12

Boils are a result of bad blood and they reveal corruption in the body. These sores come upon men only who have received the mark of the beast. This reveals to us the corruption of not only the bodies of the people of this day but also of the corruption of their heart.

These boils will make it hard for people to simply stand up. I would imagine this would make it even more difficult to bow their knee to the image of the beast.

When God brought this plague upon the land of Egypt it was to harden the hearts of the people, and likewise the followers of the Antichrist will harden their hearts even further because of the judgment. We read in verse 9 that the people were angry with God and blasphemed His name.

Second Vial

When the second trumpet blasted in chapter 8 we saw that 1/3 of the sea became blood. The third part of the creatures in the sea died and the third part of the ships were destroyed. Under the pouring out of the second vial judgment the entire sea is affected. All the creatures in the sea will die because of this judgment.

When the sea becomes corrupt it will result in a foul odor that will prevent men from being around the water. No doubt disease and even starvation will occur.

It may be that the sea mentioned in this verse is the Mediterranean Sea, and not all of the oceans of the world. I believe many of these last judgments will be focused on the Middle East, particularly Babylon.

Third Vial

This again is a repeat of one of the Egyptian plagues, the first to be exact. When the rivers in Egypt turned to blood all the fish in them died, there is nothing said however about the fish in these verses.

As the judgment of God is coming under the pouring out of this vial John hears a voice. The voice is that of the “angel of the waters”, and calls out testifying that the inhabitants of the earth are worthy to drink blood, or that “they deserve it”. Then John hears another voice speak up and second what the first voice said. This time it is the “angel of the altar”.

These people are guilty of shedding the blood of the 144,000 witnesses. They are guilty of shedding the blood of those who refused to take the mark of the beast. Because of their acts they will reap what they have sown.

What a terrible time in which to live. Can you imagine having nothing to drink but blood? How terrible it would be to turn on the faucet at home and out comes blood. You will go to your shower but again nothing but blood. These people will be getting however exactly what their ancestors asked for when they cried, “Let his blood be on us and our children.”

Fourth Vial

Some say that this fourth vial is a reoccurrence of the fourth trumpet judgment, but I believe that is obvious that this is not the case. Under the judgment of the fourth trumpet the sun was darkened by one third. As this angel pours out his bowl of judgment we are told that the heat of the sun is intensified. The heat is so great that men are actually scorched by the heat.

“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wing; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.”   Mal. 4:1-2

All of the grass will burn up. The trees will die. Homes will catch on fire. Men and women will not be able to leave their home during the hottest times of the day because the sun is so intense that you could literally die because of the heat. There is no way that air conditioner units will be able to keep up with the intense heat. It will be miserable even in the shade. Can you imagine having to wait until night comes just to be able to leave your home?

You would think after all of this, men would turn to God in repentance, but it is obvious in these verses that they do not. Instead of repenting men and women grow angry with God. They curse God and blame Him for their trouble. I’m sure Antichrist will spin these judgments so to make it seem that Jehovah God is an angry God.

Fifth Vial

Notice that this plague immediately follows the plague of scorching heat. These people are angry with God because of the intense heat, so God completely turns the lights out. These people complained because of the intense sun, now they have no light at all. Men and women will not be able to see to go out of their home.

The effect of the darkness is so great that it causes men to gnaw their tongues for pain and for the sores they have. This shows us that some of the plagues overlap each other. It is not necessarily true that because a new judgment begins the last has to end. These people are still suffering with the boils of the first vial.

Again their suffering brings no repentance.

Sixth Vial

You will remember that the Lord opened the Red Sea and allowed the children of Israel to cross over on dry land, escaping for Egypt. He also parted the river Jordan so that they could pass over into the Canaan land.

In these verses we see that the Lord will dry up the river to allow the kings of the east and their armies to cross over and assemble themselves for the battle of Armageddon.

“And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make me go over dryshod. And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.”   Isaiah 11:15-16

John sees three demons; described as frogs, go forth to the entire world. Let me first say that they are not literal frogs. This is clear from the miracles they perform. They are spirits of demons who will go forth out the mouths of the satanic trinity gathering together the kingdoms of the world to battle.

Why then describe them as frogs? They come forth out of darkness and do their dirty work in the shadows. They creep and croak and fill the ears of the nations with their noisy demonstrations, until they eventually set the kings and armies in an enthusiastic commotion toward the Holy Land. Performing miracles they will convince the kingdoms of the world to unite against God.

Seventh Vial

At the breaking of the seventh seal, the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the pouring out of the seventh vial many of the same things happen. For example there will again be voices and thundering heard. There will be lightning and a great earthquake. During the seventh trumpet and the seventh vial there is great hail.

When the seventh seal was broken there was silence in heaven for half an hour, but when the seventh trumpet sounded and when the seventh vial is poured out there will be great voices in heaven.

The great voice in this chapter comes from the throne and it cries out “It is done.” There is little doubt whom this cry is from. As the Lord died upon the cross, the Bible tells us that he cried out “it is finished.” Now he cries out again letting us know that the judgment of God is completed.

The earthquake we see in this chapter will be the greatest the world has ever known. This earthquake will be the result of Christ setting foot upon the Mount Olivet according to the prophet Zechariah.

Zechariah 14:4-5

When Jesus steps upon the earth it will level mountains, destroy islands and change the contour of the land of Palestine. It will divide Jerusalem into three parts and Babylon will be destroyed, as we will see in chapter 18.

As the earth quakes there will be hail fall from the sky, each piece weighing one talent or 100 pounds. This is fitting for the law demanded that a blasphemer be stoned to death, and in the end of times these blasphemer will be stoned from heaven.


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