Revelation 16:1

A loud voice calls to the seven angels from out of the temple, which may indicate God is speaking, and tells them to pour out the bowls filled with wrath upon the earth.... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:2

The first warning trumpet brought hail and fire mingled with blood upon earth and a third part of vegetation was killed as a warning. (Revelation 8:7) An evil, perhaps stinking, and painful open sore or ulcer fell upon the followers and worshipers of the beast. (Compare Exodus 9:9-11) Sinful practic... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:3

The second trumpet brought harm to one-third of the sea and this bowl does, too. (Revelation 8:8) God's promise to Noah (Genesis 8:20-22) would not allow us to think these plagues actually are upon the literal sea, fresh water or sun. Instead, these figures are used to show mankind, in every facet o... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:4-6

Like the third trumpet (Revelation 8:11), this bowl affects the fresh water. Its result is similar to that of the first plague against Egypt except they could dig for fresh water, and this extends to the underground supply as well. (Exodus 7:17-25) The angel of the waters may be one God has appointe... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:7

Hendriksen writes, "Underneath the altar the souls of the martyrs had cried for vengeance (cf. Revelation 6:9; Revelation 8:3-5) So when this vengeance is rendered, it is the altar that replies: 'Yea, Lord God, the Almighty, genuine and righteous are thy judgments.'... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:8,9

This may be a representation of the Lord's fiery judgment against his adversaries. (Psalms 97:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) Coffman suggests Christ and his Word are the spiritual light of men as the sun is the physical light of the world. "When that which should be light is so polluted that it will on... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:10,11

The fifth trumpet brought the darkening of the earth because of the black cloud from the bottomless pit. (Revelation 9:1-2; Compare Exodus 10:22) In Revelation 13:1-2, we noted the beast gets his power from Satan. His throne would be the center of God-opposing forces. In John's day, that would have... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:12

The sixth trumpet released four angels who had been bound at the Euphrates and they destroyed one-third of mankind with a great army. (Revelation 9:13-16) Remember, during the reign of Solomon, this was the eastern border and represented a barrier to invading armies. Cyrus dried up the Euphrates to... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:13,14

The dragon is Satan. (Revelation 12:9) We have suggested the beast represents Godopposing forces. (Revelation 13:1-3) The false prophet seems to be the same as the second beast (Revelation 13:11-17) and stands for false religion. Frogs were used in the second plague against Egypt. (Exodus 8:1-15; Ps... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:15

While the forces of evil are assembling, Jesus warns he will come in a sudden, unannounced manner. (Compare 3:3; 2 Peter 3:10; Matthew 24:42-44) "Watcheth" and "keepeth" are words which denote continuous action. Coffman quotes F. F. Bruce who says the captains of the Jerusalem temple would burn the... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:16

"Armageddon," or Har-Magedon, means Mount of Megiddo. The city of Megiddo sat on a hill and this may be the place intended, but it is nowhere else called Mount of Megiddo in the Bible. The Bible speaks of Megiddo which "was at the Wadi Ara, guarding Aruna Pass, a vital connection between Africa and... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:17

The earth, salt water and fresh water have previously been involved in the bowls. Now, the air is included. It should be remembered the devil is called the prince of the power of the air. (Ephesians 2:2) God's wrath is now complete, as a voice from the throne tells us.... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:18

There are similarities between this and 4:5, 8:5 and 11:19. These seem to grow in intensity. The first had no earthquake. The second, at the end of the sevn seals, added the earthquakes and the third, at the end of the seven trumpets, added great hail. Here, we have an earthquake greater than man ha... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:19,20

Babylon is shaken into three parts, islands fled, and mountains disappeared. Babylon and all the cities that joined in her wickedness fall. She is given the cup of God's wrath to drink. Never let it be said that God is not just. He only waits for man's sins to become ripe and then will punish.... [ Continue Reading ]

Revelation 16:21

Hail fell during the seventh plague (Exodus 8:18-26), but we have no indication it was this bad. A talent is thought to have weighed between 60 and 100 pounds. In the midst of a great display of God's wrath, wicked men show how rotten they are by speaking against God's name!... [ Continue Reading ]

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