Revelation 16 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rev 16:1-7

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.’

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped its image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

‘You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
    you who are and who were;
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
    and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.’

7 And I heard the altar respond:

‘Yes, Lord God Almighty,
    true and just are your judgments.’

A. Find Out:

1. What came from the temple? v.1
2. Where did the 1st angel pour his bowl & with what effect v.2
3. Where did the 2nd angel pour his bowl & with what effect? v.3
4. Where did the 3rd angel pour his bowl? v.4
5. What did another angel declare? v.5
6. Why was that true? v.6

B. Think:

1. How do these “plagues” bring gradual pressure on the earth?
2. Why do you think that it is like that?
3. How is this worse than that brought by the trumpets (see 8:8-10)

C. Comment:

     God could have wiped out the unbelieving earth with one immediate sweep, but instead He moves against mankind in a gradual and almost inevitable tidal wave of horror, giving man every opportunity to repent and turn back to Him.

     First comes physical irritation and pain of boils, just like God used on Pharaoh (see Exodus 9:8-12), but now it is on all who were followers of the satanic beast. Next comes death to everything in the sea. What a horror that must have been as every creature floated in a sea of increasing decay and corruption, with its accompanying smell! Next the same thing happens to the rivers and all fresh water sources cease to be usable. This is gradual and creeping death for the planet!

     Then we hear a declaration. If you had been feeling sorry for the inhabitants of the earth it means you have lost perspective: these judgements have come at the end of years, decades, if not centuries, of the grace and mercy of God holding back in the face of the ever-increasing godlessness and unrighteousness of the world’s population. Despite the witness of the Christian church with the power of God flowing through it, so many have refused to listen, refused to turn and simple deserve the punishment that comes.

D. Application:

1. The sin of the world DESERVES the judgement of God.
2. Even in this judgement there is the opportunity for repentance.

Passage: Rev 16:8-12

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

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 agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. 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.

A. Find Out:

1. Where did the 4th angel pour his bowl and with what effect? v.8
2. How did the people of the earth respond? v.9
3. Where did the 5th angel pour his bowl and with what effect? v.10
4. How did the people of the earth respond? v.11
5. Where did the 6th angel pour his bowl and with what effect? v.12

B. Think:

1. How do the 4th & 5th plagues further increase the pressure?
2. What is clear about mankind from this passage?

C. Comment:

     The gradual pressure upon mankind is continued. The fourth plague increases the heat from the sun making the heat intense on the earth. The fifth plague brings darkness to the kingdom of the beast and mankind is in agony of both flesh and spirit. Yet despite this there is a stubbornness in the heart of mankind and instead of repenting, all men do is curse God.

     The sixth angel, in drying up the river Euphrates simply opens the way for a coming together of godless mankind in an even greater unholy alliance. Whether this is a literal drying up of this river or a symbolic picture of the removal of all obstacles for such a coming together, only time will tell.

     Perhaps no where else in the Bible (except perhaps in the story of Pharaoh in Exodus – see “Pharaoh’s Fall” in this series) is the stupidity and stubbornness of sin seen so clearly. As we said yesterday, God could have wiped out mankind immediately, yet He brings a gradual judgement so that men can see and realise and repent. In what can only be described as the blindness of sin, they foolishly continue in their downward slide towards destruction, refusing the opportunity given to them, even at this late time. Yet this has been true of mankind throughout history, refusing the grace of God time and time again!

D. Application:

1. Are we living in self-centred godlessness, in reality? Are our hearts open to receive the grace and mercy of God?
2. If the opportunity is not taken, death will follow.

Passage: Rev 16:13-16

13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

15 ‘Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.’

16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

A. Find Out:

1. What next came and from where? v.13
2. What were they? v.14a
3. What do they do and with what aim in mind? v.14b
4. What warning and exhortation are given? v.15
5. Then what happened? v.16

B. Think:

1. How do these verses follow on from verse 12?
2. What is the objective of the demonic forces?
3. If the enemy knows the decreed end, what does it say about evil that they still plan to do this?

C. Comment:

     Once the way has been opened for the kings of the earth to come together, the demonic powers come out into the open and entice them to do just that. The powers show that they have power and authority, and regardless of their obvious evil, the kings of the earth follow their leading and start to come together at the place called Armageddon, which means “hill of Megiddo”, a place mentioned 12 times in the Old Testament, in the northern part of Israel.

     Whatever the intention of these evil forces, and it is not made clear, it is certainly God’s intention that this will be a time of confrontation, for it is described as “the great day of God Almighty”. Whether this is a battle of evil forces against remaining believers or simply the powers of darkness determining to rise up against all the goodness of God through Satanic rites will only become fully clear when it happens.

     In the midst of this comes a clarion call for believers to stay awake and be alert (v.15). Believers are still on the earth therefore, or the call would not come. Jesus in Luke 12:39,40 warned of this time coming (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:2)

D. Application:

1. Wherever we are in history, the call comes to us to be alert and ready for our Lord’s return. Are we?
2. The Lord is sovereign over ALL the events in history.

Passage: Rev 16:17-21

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. 21 From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about forty kilograms fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

A. Find Out:

1. Where did the 7th angel pour his bowl? v.17
2. What followed? v.18
3. With what consequence? v.19a
4. Where particularly did God pour out His anger? v.19b
5. What also happened on the earth? v.20
6. And what further catastrophe occurred? v.21

B. Think:

1. How would you describe this final group of occurrences?
2. What do you think it must have been like on the earth?
3. What is God doing here do you think?

C. Comment:

     This is the last of what was said to be the final judgements and final it must be! Anyone who has seen TV pictures of earthquake zones will have some little idea of what it must be like. This appears to be an earthquake that seems worldwide. So great is it that islands are moved and mountains disappear so it is no wonder that entire cities are devastated. Whether “the great city” referred to is Jerusalem or Rome (as some suggest), Babylon or even some other major metropolis is unclear, but it greatness will be split up, almost as if God is cutting it down to size. Babylon is particularly mentioned. a second mention in the book (first was 14:8), again though only in very summary form; further detail will follow in the next two chapters.

      Why did these things happen? Because the angel poured our God’s anger “into the air” and the entire environment is shaken, and as it is, a confirming voice from God declares that the judgements are finished. Note also here that the throne of God here is referred to as being in the temple in heaven. Remember previously we said that the throne referred to the ruling or judging aspect of God and the temple indicating His holiness. Here the two things come together: this is the judgement of a holy God as a penalty for ongoing sin.

D. Application:

1. God only has to speak and the world is shaken.
2. Yet there is still time to repent, still time to affect eternal destiny,