 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. 4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!” 7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 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 of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The Seventh Bowl17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe. Meditation The comprehensive judgement of God will be completely applied, good news for Christians who await the consummation of the new age! Horrible news for God’s enemies. The seven bowls signify the completion of God’s judgement. Just as Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30) after He took God’s wrath against sin on behalf of all who belong to Him, so the throne of Heaven will proclaim “It is done” (17) once the seventh bowl is poured out. The comprehensive victory of God will be fully applied to the enemies of God. The battles against the dragon (Chapter 12), beast (13:1-10), false prophet/ second beast (13:11-18); and Babylon (14:6-11) are finished with the devastation of Babylon (16:17-21; chapters 17-18) followed by the beast and false prophet (19:17-20) and finally the dragon (20:10). Every enemy of God will be removed to make room for God’s renewed world. Echoing the Exodus judgements, the bowls target idolaters (1-2), the system creating chaos (3), persecutors of God’s people (4-7), the ungodly (8-9), the beast’s kingdom (plunged into eternal separation from God 10-11), and the comprehensive application of God’s judgement (12-16). God’s end-time victory will leave no room for doubt- God wins! The seven bowls represent the final application of the full victory of Christ. Our Savior who finished taking God’s wrath in His execution, on behalf of all who believe and trust in Him, will one day finish executing God’s wrath against all the wicked and their wickedness. This is good news for Christians! And horrible news for God’s enemies. Richly Dwelling -What stands out to you about the correlation of God’s proclamation, “it is finished” in John 19:30 and “It is done” in regards to the completion of God’s wrath? -Where do you struggle believing the complete application of God’s comprehensive victory will be completely applied? How does this breed discouragement and despondency? -How does seeing the vision of God’s completely applied victory give you hope and fuel faith? Key Verse 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Comments are closed.
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