Tribulation Special The Bowl Judgments Lessons 9 

	Introduction: The bowl judgments are different than the previous judgments of the trumpets. They are different in nature, in duration and intensity. They are different in nature in that they are judgments in themselves, not warnings. They are very painful and cause all kinds of disruptions in life. They put the world’s population on survival mode. People are scrambling to survive. There will not only be terror but panic, incredible stress. The duration is continuous. This comes with the greater intensity of no letting up or end in sight. 
	It is one major judgment after another, stacking on each other. Misery upon misery. The world is on the steps of the wrath of God being totally unleashed with the Second Coming. 
The unbeliever population goes from hell on earth to hell in eternity. 

	The seventh trumpet opens the way for the events of the second half of the tribulation including these bowl judgments. Now to better understand why these are so severe and final we need to take a few moments and see what happens at the beginning of the middle of the tribulation. 

	We go back to the beginning of the third woe and the seventh trumpet. The seventh angel blew his trumpet; an announcement of the coming kingdom is made (11:15). But before that there is a final intense period of rage, wrath and judgment. Wrath and judgment is coming on the unbeliever and reward to the saints. Heaven is opened followed by sights and sounds of a storm signifying judgment is about to fall on the earth which starts the next wave of judgments.  

	Rev. 12 gives us a heavenly scene that helps us understand what is going to happen on earth. Basically, Satan and his demons are now confined to earth where he and his minions will carry out their most fierce assault yet on Israel and Christians. Satan’s goal is to rid the world of  all believers, all Jews and all faith. The Israelite remnant of believers is sent into the wilderness to take refuge for 1260 days (3 1/2 years). 
Having lost access to the believing Jews in Israel, he turns in rampaging anger towards Christians world-wide. His “final solution” is to leave the Lord Jesus Christ no one to come back to. He will do this with his beast-antichrist. 
	
	In Rev. 13, the beast-antichrist makes war on the saints with the power of Rome II in his hands and is given power over the earth’s population demanding worship from all of them. Believers are warned of captivity and death but also the importance of endurance during this difficult time. The false prophet will be at his side doing miracles as the antichrist rules for forty-two months (3 1/2 years). The image is set up and given life. If one does not have the mark of the beast, he is not to do any business or buy anything. Basically, turn himself in or starve to-death. 

	Rev. 14 presents the next scene in heaven where we see the 144,000 singing a new song. An angel makes a world-wide proclamation of the gospel. A second angel announces the fall of Babylon that is coming. A third angel warns of the coming wrath upon the beast-worshippers which anticipates the bowl judgments coming shortly. Believers are again reminded of the importance of endurance that will be needed during this time of great persecution. Then a preview of the victory of the lamb and judgment as a harvest. 

	In chapter 15, a heavenly scene introduces us to seven angels with seven plagues. 

	15:1  Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, 	seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, 
	because in them the wrath of God is completed. 

	Envisioned is a “sea of glass” symbolizing martyred believers at peace with God. It is mixed with fire indicating judgment. So while there is assurance for the martyred faithful safe and secure in heaven, judgment is about to fall upon the earth and take out the beasts and their worshippers.
These worshippers celebrate the victory in song and worship.
	Then heaven opens and out come seven high ranking angels with seven plagues. 

	15:7  Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven 	angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who 	lives forever and ever,

	The temple is then temporarily closed while God’s glory is present and judgment is poured out. No creature can be there (15:8).
	The heavenly preparation is finished and in chapter 16 brings on the final plagues, the bowl judgments which lead up to the Second Coming of Christ. 
	 
	The world scene— The image of the beast is in the temple. The Beast/Antichrist claims to be God. The beast/false prophet 
demand that everyone on earth worship him and take the mark of the beast. Christians are being imprisoned and executed. The remnant of Jews are in refuge in the wilderness.

	The Timing and Duration of the Bowl Judgments

	There must be time for the establishment of the antichrist’s rule, his religion, economic system and its effects to take place. This includes the pursuit of Israel and the world-wide persecution of believers. It best to give this at least a couple years. Furthermore, the first four bowl judgments are worldwide, spoiling basic provisions for the survival of mankind, water, food, too much sun then lack of sun on the beast’s kingdom. For this reason alone, they must come toward the end of the tribulation— otherwise no one would survive. They would start one after the other terminating at the Second Coming. It appears that most everyone takes the mark except believers and a minority who have refused both faith in Christ and following the beast and that includes Jews.  
	Like the trumpets, there must be time for these plagues to get started and have their effect. There will also be a call for the armies of the world to mobilize and assemble for the final battle of Armageddon with the sixth bowl judgment. The moving of troops and establishing of supply lines would take months. 
	For each plague to get going, take effect, one after the other and as stated being late in the tribulation, the earliest it seems they would start is towards the end of the second year of the three and a half year “Great Tribulation” or the beginning of year seven. 

	The Order to Start Pouring the Bowl Judgments

	16:1  Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to 	the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the 	wrath of God on the earth.”

	The pouring out, is viewed as a sacrifice of service to God. In this case, wrath. 

	First Bowl -- Painful Sores Come Upon the Beast 			Worshipers

	16:2  So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the 	earth; and harmful and painful sores came upon the people 	who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his 	image.

		harmful kakos evil, pernicious, dangerous

		painful  ponēros evil, painful, virulent

	Both words have a basic meaning of evil and wicked indicating how painfully bad they are-- probably the worst possible pain from a sore.  Open festering sores are particularly messy and difficult to deal with — taking constant attention and continuous pain. Little relief can come from whatever salve or medicine is available because they are said to bring pain and pernicious harm. This is punishment from God. 
	Any serious type of human relief seems unlikely. One should add all the additional troubles— time for treatment, lack of movement, complaining and crying, care for the young— psychological effects, resentment, conflict, etc. The list goes on. 
	These sores only come upon the beast worshippers and they do not go away. The sores stay with them. (cf. 16:11).

	Second Bowl--   The Sea Becomes Blood

	16:3  The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and 	it became blood like that of a corpse and every living thing 	which is in the sea died. 

	it became blood like that of a corpse
	Blood once exposed if normal [without some chemical in it] will coagulate— starts to congeal— it becomes solid. Add to that as it decays, it emits a foul odor. 
	Every living thing in the sea dies. 

	In the meantime . . .
	Fuel is rapidly running out, shipping has stopped— food resources, medicines, everyone is sick with sores. How difficult it would be to do much of anything, including travel.   
		
	Third Bowl-- Fresh Water Becomes Blood

	16:4  Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the 	rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

	Springs, rivers and creeks fill up lakes, ponds and water sources on the surface. Fresh water is rapidly running out. 
	The text does not say all waters so there still would be places people could get water, at least for a while, otherwise they die of thirst. 

	The blood is an awesome reminder to the beast-worshippers of the blood spilt of the saints and prophets.      5 

	The earth is quickly becoming uninhabitable- non-survivable.  Where would anyone get water other than what is stored up or perhaps there is some rain. One possibility —
	When the Nile river turned to blood in Egypt it was undrinkable (Ex. 7:21). People started digging for water to drink. This lasted only seven days (Ex. 7:25).

	There is a pause in the pouring out of judgments for a hymn about divine justice in 16:5-7. 	

	One of the main points to see here is that the judgment is coming on the world because God is righteous and is avenging the blood of the saints and prophets. Beast worshippers get what they deserve. The saints respond--

	16:7  Then I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God, the 	Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.”

	Fourth Bowl--  The Sun Scorches People
	
	16:8  And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the 	sun, and it was given power to scorch people with fire.
	(9) And the people were scorched with intense heat and 	they blasphemed the name of God who has the power and 	the authority over all these plagues and they did not repent 	and give him glory. 
									                                                    
	to scorch  kaumatizō to burn with heat, burn up. 
	Used for plants burning up and withering away
	(Mt 13:6; Mk 4:6). This would likely be second-degree 	burns if not worse. 

	Only those who have not taken the mark could repent, telling us there were some holdouts on taking the mark of the beast but they still do not avoid these judgments. 	
	Fifth Bowl -- The Beast’s Kingdom is Darkened 

	16:10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the 
	throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; 	and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,

	The throne represents the beast’s seat of power. (cf. 13:2b). His seat of power is the northern kingdom or European regions of Rome II. In other words, Europe including part of if not all of Russia. His kingdom goes dark.
	 At this time he is located in the southern regions. 
In Daniel 11:44, this engulfing his kingdom in darkness was likely the alarming news that he heard from the North.

	Dan. 11:44 But reports from the East and the North will 	alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy 	and annihilate many.

	This judgment is a sure sign that Rome II Europe is in the bullseye of the wrath of God. It could not be Israel. He is only hijacking that for short time. 

	With his kingdom in total darkness, no doubt, his ability to rule to continue to dominate the rest of world would be seriously hampered. 

	The throne and kingdom darkened matches the darkened heart of the beasts and their followers. With just a short time remaining before the return of the Lord, his own kingdom is darkened getting an experiential preview of what is coming in the eternal darkness (Jude 13; 2 Pet. 2:17) and suffering in the lake of fire.

	they gnawed their tongues because of pain, They keep biting their tongues because of the pain. The stress, trauma and everything else that is making them miserable. 
	Imagine —open sores, little or no water, scorched skin and now everything goes dark— the misery is multiplied by the darkness. We might add their waking up to the realization that the Antichrist is not the true Christ and certainly not God but it is to late as they have already taken the mark and given themselves over to the beast. There is no rest or comfort from this horrendous agony of physical pain and psychological terror.
	What do they do?

	16:11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of 	their pain and their sores; and they did not repent of their 	deeds.

	They are so hard-hearted, they have no inclination of repenting but only blaspheme God. Note that they still have sores so they did not go away since the first bowl judgment, giving us a pattern of the duration of the plagues.  

	Some of those deeds are evil and they are taking out their hatred towards God on his people.

	 Sixth Bowl-- Preparation for Armageddon 

		Euphrates Dried up for the Kings of he East 

	16:12 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 kings from the East.
			
	Earlier we saw a 200 million demonic cavalry in the sixth trumpet (9:16), but now we see the kings of the East coming from the same direction but this time heading for Jerusalem and in support of the antichrist. This is part of the calling forth the armies to converge on Israel with the target city Jerusalem.  
	The judgment is on the river Euphrates so that it is dried up, (though bloody from the third bowl) and in turn cleared the way for the armies coming from the East. In the days of John, one might have in mind the Parthians who rivaled Rome in that part of the world, mostly between the Euphrates and India today. 
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	With that done, comes the command for calling forth of the world’s armies. 

	16:13  And I saw coming out of the mouth of *the dragon, 	and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth 	the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs;

	* indicates a textual issue:  One of the better manuscripts 	omits “of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and 	out of the mouth.” 
	
	16:14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, 
	which go out to the kings of the entire world, to gather them 	together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.

	This is all leading up to the great day of God, the Almighty. The great day of God, the Almighty is the Day of the Lord which culminates in the battle of Armageddon, the Second Coming of Christ with the wrath of God. 
										                                                
	In 16:15, there is reminder that Christ is coming to gather the saints and they are to be ready. Then v. 16---

	Rev. 16:16 And they gathered them together to the place 	which in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

	“Armageddon” means a place of gathering troops. This occurs at Jerusalem. 

	Seventh Bowl-- Cosmic Signs and Earthly Judgments 

	16:17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon 	the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the 	throne, saying, “It is done.” 

	The bowl is poured out upon the air rather than the earth. It begins with an announcement, “It is done.” It is complete. This is a proleptic meaning in that it anticipates the following events that completely close things out. It is all inclusive in that it includes the events yet that follow including the Second Coming and judgment at Armageddon. 
 	These events will consummate God’s judgment and redemption on earth.
	The announcement is followed by signs from the heavens and the great earthquake. 

	Rev. 16:18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds 	and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, 	such as there had not been since people came to be 	upon the earth, such a great an earthquake and so large.

	This is the greatest earthquake ever known, such that it collapses cities world-wide.
	This is also the fulfillment of the Sixth Seal (6:12-17). 

	Rev.16:19 The great city was split into three parts, and the 	cities of the nations fell and Babylon the great was 	remembered in the sight of God, to give her the cup of the 	wine of his fierce wrath.

	The great city is Jerusalem, antichrist’s world capital at this time. But rather than fall like the cities of the nations, it is split into three parts. This would cause for a number of disruptions roads closed, perhaps some new ways open. Remember the city is about to be invaded. So those plans would need changing. 
	This is also the time when Babylon is destroyed coming under the fierce wrath of God. Babylon and its fall is described in Rev. 17-19:3.
	By the way, we know the rapture has not occurred yet because believers are told “come out” of Babylon in Rev. 18:4.

	16:20  And every island fled, and no mountains were found.
	(21) And huge hailstones, weighing about a talent each, 	came down from heaven upon people; and people 	blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because 	the hailstone plague was extremely severe.

	With this earthquake, we expect numerous tsunamis causing islands to disappear and described as and every island fled and no mountains were found.  
	Huge hailstones weighing about a talent each (100 lbs.), 	came down from heaven upon people.

	On the heels of this comes the scene in Zech. 14:1-7, which speaks of the Lord’s return to the Mt. of Olives, which is also the Lord’s entrance into the battle of Armageddon.                10

	John’s description is in Rev. 19, where we first have songs of praise for his glory, judgments and avenging the blood of his servants (1-6). 
	
	The tribulation is officially over. The bride is ready and the wedding of the Lamb about to happen (7-8). 
	On the heels of the tribulation closing, comes the battle of Armageddon, the coming of Christ on a white horse and the destruction of the beasts. Some of which are studies in themselves.