[:en]SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 16
“Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judments” (Revelation 16:7)
“Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keep his cloth with him so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed” (Revelation 16:15)
THE SEVEN BOWLS OF GOD’S WRATH (vs. 1-21)
First Angel – He poured out his wrath on LAND. Ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image
Second Angel -He poured out his wrath on the SEA. It turned the sea into blood and everything in the sea died
Third Angel – He poured out his wrath on RIVERS AND SPRINGS OF WATER. All became blood and the souls under the altar are now satisfied because God had answered their prayers and vindicated them.
Fourth Angel – He poured out his wrath on the SUN. People were scorched with fire and seared by the extreme heat. But people refuse to repent.
Fifth Angel – He poured out his wrath on the THRONE OF THE BEAST. The kingdom of the beast was plunged into darkness. Men were suffering pain of sores.
Sixth Angel – He poured out his wrath on RIVER EUPHRATES. And three evil spirits that look like frogs came out of the mouth of the beast, out of the outh of the dragon and out of the mouth of the false prophets. They go out to the whole world to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
Seventh Angel – He poured out his wrath on the AIR. A voice out of the temple saying “It is done”. Then there came flashes of lightning, rumbling, peals of thunder and sun and earthquake. The great city splits into 3 parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. Island and mountain disappear. Huge hailstones from the sky about 100 lbs. fell upon men. And people cursed God because of the terrible plague.
SUMMARY:
When we compare the judgments of the 7 Trumpets in Revelation 8 to 11 and the 7 Bowls of God’s Wrath in this chapter, each judgment affects the same thing. However, the bowls of God’s wrath are more severe because in trumpet judgment, only 1/3 are affected.
Let us compare the 10 plagues with the 7 trumpets judgment and the 7 bowls of God’s wrath
THE 10 PLAGUES ARE:
- Blood – all water changed to blood (Exo. 7:20) / 2nd trumpet – 1/3 of the sea turned into blood (Rev. 8:8) / 2nd angel – sea turned into blood (Rev. 16:3) / 3rd angel – rivers and springs of water became blood (Rev. 16:4)
- Frogs – frogs came up and covered the lands (Exo. 8:6) / 6th angel – 3 evil spirits look like frogs came out of the mouth of dragon, beast and false prophet (Rev. 16:12-13)
- Gnats – Gnats came upon men and animals (Exo. 8:16)
- Flies – Flies ruined throughout the land of Egypt (Exo. 8:24)
- Livestocks – All the livestock of the Egyptians died (Exo. 9:6) / 2nd angel – every living thing in the sea died (Rev. 16:3)
- Boils – Festering boils broke out on men and animals (Exo. 9:10) / 1st angel – ugly and painful boils broke out on people who had the mark of the beast (Rev. 16:3)
- Hail – the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt (Exo. 9:23) / 1st trumpet – hail and fire mixed with blood was hurled down upon the earth (Rev. 8:7) / 7th angel – huge hailstones of about 100 lbs. each from the sky fell upon men (Rev. 16:19)
- Locust – Moses stretched out his staff and the wind brought about the locusts in Egypt (Exo. 10:13-14) / 5th trumpet – Out of the smoke, locusts came down upon the earth (Rev. 9:3)
- Darkness – Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for 3 days (Exo. 10:22) / 4rd trumpet – a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark (Rev. 8:12) / 5th angel – he poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness (Rev. 16:10)
- Death to the First Born – At midnight, the Lord struck down all the first born in Egypt (Exo. 12:29) / 3rd trumpet – people died from drinking bitter water (Rev. 8:11) / 4th angel – people were scorched with fire and intense heat (Rev. 16:8-9)
The events that unfold remind us of God’s judgment. Sinners will harden their hearts more as God’s judgment increases. However, those who receive God’s grace of salvation are looking forward to the promise of God. As Christ is coming soo, we must watch and pray so that we will be ready to meet Him.
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