Lesson#13TheSevenBowls
(15:1–16:21)
1TheSevenBowls
.
2TheSevenBowls
IndirectcontrasttothegrotesqueparodyoftheTrinitythat
wemetinLesson#11,Lesson#12introducedtheLamb’s
companions:threeangelsandthe144,000whohave“hisnameandhisFather’snamewriAenontheirforeheads”(14:1).
ThisisGod’sarmywhowillcleansetheearthandengagethe
final,climacHcbaIlewithSatanandhisminionsontheplains
ofMegiddo:Armageddon.
BeforethefinalbaIleweunleashyetanothersetofplagues.ThisHme
sevenangelspouroutsevenbowls,“thesevenbowlsofGod’sfuryupontheearth”(16:1):
TheSevenBowls
1—Uglyandpainfulsores(16:2)
2—Blood,likethatofadeadman(16:3)
3—Riversandspringsofwaterturnedtoblood(16:4-7)
4—Sun,scorchingpeoplewithfire(16:8-9)
5—Satan’skingdomplungedintodarkness(16:10-11)
6—EuphratesRiverdriedup(16:12-16)
7—Massiveearthquake—“Itisdone!”(16:17-21)
AZertheseventhbowl,theearthisliIlemorethanasmokingcinder,
wobblinginspace!
3TheSevenBowls
AZertheseventhtrumpet
soundedin11:15-19,John
presenteduswithaseriesof
visions,interludeswhichgaveus
the“backstory”ofRevelaHon.
Now,chapters15&16returntoan
earlierpointinourstory,resuming
immediatelyaZerthesoundingof
theseventhtrumpet.
Recallthestructureofthe7seals,
7trumpetsand7bowls:
4TheSevenBowls
TheSevenSeals
1. Whitehorse
2. Redhorse
3. Blackhorse
4. Palehorse
5. Soulsoftheslain
6. Earthquake
7. Silence
TheSevenTrumpets
1. Hailandfire,mixedwithblood
2. Hugemountainablaze
3. Blazingstar
4. Sun,moonandstarsturneddark
5. Star,fallentoearth
6. Fourangels,released
7. Templeinheaven,opened
Womanclothedwiththesun(12:1-6)
Warinheaven(12:7-17)
Theenemy:Satan,AnHchrist,FalseProphet(13:1-18)
TheHeroes:144,000,threeangels,SonofMan(14:1-20)
TheSevenBowls 1. Uglyandpainfulsores
2. Bloodlikethatofadeadman
3. Riversandspringsturnedtoblood
4. Sun,scorchingpeoplewithfire
5. Satan’skingdomplungedintodarkness
6. EuphratesRiverdriedup
7. Massiveearthquake
5TheSevenBowls
INTERLUDE!
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
Igottangledup
inaSlinkyonce.
I’mafraidof
them!
That’sanintricatestructure!Justasthe
seventhsealcontainedtheseven
trumpets,sodoestheseventhtrumpet
containthesevenbowls.Thethree
setsofsevencascadedownward,likea
Slinkygoingdownthestairs!
6
7TheSevenBowls
“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
8TheSevenBowls
“Great and [awe inspiring] are your works, Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy: all nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
(15: 1-4)
“HarpingAngelsStandingonaSeaofGlass,”Apocalypse(miniatureilluminaHon,YatesThompsonMS10,fol.25v),c.1370-1390.
BriHshLibrary,London.
9TheSevenBowls
10TheSevenBowls
“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
• Johnseesanotherextraordinary“sign”inheaven[shmeiÆon,“say-may’-on”],one“great
andawe-inspiring”[mevga kai… qaumastovn],theexactsamephraseusedintheopeningofthe“SongofMosesandtheLamb”in15:3b.
• The“sign”issevenangelswiththesevenlastplagues.Thesearethesevenbowls,ofcourse,
buttheword“plague”[plhghv,“play-gay’]isinteresHngbecausetheyarethesevenlastplagues.Thereareonlythreeplagues
menHonedpreviouslyinRevelaHon,those
accompanyingthesixthtrumpet:“Bythesethreeplaguesoffire,smoke,andsulfurthatcameoutoftheirmouths[thefourangels]athirdofthehumanracewaskilled”(9:18).
11TheSevenBowls
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
Andthoseplagues
inEgyptwerereally
nasty!
Ifwehaveatotaloften
plaguesinRevelaHon,then
wehaveaverynice
paralleltothetenplagues
inExodusthatGodbrings
upontheEgypHans!
12
Yea,right!
Especiallythe
plagueoncaIle!
• Withtheselastplagues,God’s“fury”
or“wrath”is“accomplished.”Theword
“fury”isqumovß,“thu-mo’s,”avery
graphicwordthatsuggests“boiling
over”or“panHngwhileenraged.”
• “Accomplished”istelevw,“te-leh’-o,”inthesenseof“reachingtheend”or
“finished.”Itistheexactsameword
Johnusesinhisgospelat19:30when
Jesusexpiresonthecross:“Itisfinished,”televw(19:30).
13TheSevenBowls
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
I’vealways
wonderedthat
myself.
The“wrath”or“fury”ofGodruns
throughoutScripture,callingtomind
JonathanEdward’sfamous1741sermon,
“SinnersintheHandsofanAngryGod.”But
howdowereconcilethis“wrath”ofGod
withaGodofinfinitelove,especially
asweunderstandGodtoday?
14
That’saverygoodquesHon!
TheHebrewScripturesmenHon
the“wrath”ofGod(orits
synonyms)nearly500Hmes,
almostalwaysthedirectresultof
breakingGod’slaw,whiletheNew
TestamentmenHonsthe“wrath”of
God(oritssynonyms)42Hmes.In
theNewTestament,forexample,
St.Paulobservesthat:
“ThewrathofGodisindeedbeingrevealedfromheavenagainsteveryimpietyandwickednessofthosewhosuppressthetruthbytheirwickedness.”
(Romans1:18)
15TheSevenBowls
ToaddressGod’s“wrath”weneed
torecognizethatboththeHebrew
ScripturesandtheNewTestament
oZenanthropomorphizeGod;that
is,theyaIributetohimhuman
characterisHcs,bothphysicallyand
emoHonally.
ThishelpsustounderstandGod,
butifwefailtorecognizethisasa
literarydeviceandwemakethe
anthropomorphicliteral,wecan
veryeasilymisunderstandthe
intendedmessage.
16TheSevenBowls
So,whatexactlydowemeanbythe“wrath”
ofGod?PopeBenedictXVIaddressedthis
veryquesHoninGodintheWorld:BelievingandLivinginOurTime(2000),p.103-104:
“ThewrathofGodisawayofsayingthatIhavebeenlivinginawaythatiscontrarytothelovethatisGod.AnyonewhobeginstoliveandgrowawayfromGod,wholivesawayfromwhatisgood,isturninghislifetowardwrath.WhoeverfallsawayfromloveismovingintonegaUvity.Sothatisnotsomethingthatsomedictatorwithalustforpowerinflictsonyou,butissimplyawayofexpressingtheinnerlogicofacertainacUon.IfImoveoutsidetheareaofwhatiscompaUblewiththeidealmodelbywhichIamcreated,ifImovebeyondthelovethatsustainsme,wellthen,Ijustfallintothevoid,intodarkness.Iamthennolongerintherealmoflove,sotospeak,butinarealmthatcanbeseenastherealmofwrath.”
17TheSevenBowls
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
Iknewthat!
Isee!So,asweengageRevelaHoninitsown
historicalandculturalcontextasaliterarywork
oftheApocalypHcgenre,recognizingitsuseof
symbol,metaphor,simileandsoon,soshould
wealsoengagetherestofScripture,
recognizingitsvariousgenres,itsuseof
anthropomorphismandotherliterary
techniques.
18
Yea,right!
19TheSevenBowls
“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
• RecallthatinJohn’sfirstvisionofheaven,whenhewas“snatchedup”inRevelaHon4:1-2,
hesaw“infrontofthethrone...somethingthatresembledaseaofglasslikecrystal”(4:6).Thisisthe“floor”ofheaven.
• InGenesis1:6-8,ontheseconddayofcreaHon,Godsaid“Lettherebeadome[a“firmament”]
inthemiddleofthewaters,toseparateonebodyofwaterfromtheother”(1:6).Lookingupfromearth,thefirmamentisthe“sky”;looking
downfromheavenitisthe“seaofglasslike
crystal.”Inthisscenetheseaofglasslikecrystal
is“mingledwithfire,”asignofimminent
judgment.
• Standingontheseaofglass[e∆piv“on,”notparav “beside,”asinmanytranslaHons]“werethosewhohadwonvictoryoverthebeast,”thosewhohadnotbeenmarkedwithitsname
ornumber.
20TheSevenBowls
WilliamHolmanHunt.PortraitofHenryWentworthMonk(oiloncanvas),1858.NaHonalGalleryofCanada,OIawa,Ontario.
MonkwasanearlysupporterofaJewishhomeland,seAlingonaKibbutzinPalesUnein1853.Manyviewedhimasamodern-dayChrisUanprophet.Hunt,afoundingmemberofthePre-RaphaeliteBrotherhood,traveledtoPalesUnein
1854topainthisfamous“Scapegoat”ofLeviUcus16.ThereHuntmetMonk.ThisportraitisrichinRevelaUonsymbolism,includingthewindowpanes,whicharemeanttosuggestthe“seaofglass.”MonkpublishedaliAle-
knownbookonRevelaUon,fundedbyJohnRuskin,theleadingBriUshartcriUcoftheVictorianera.
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22TheSevenBowls
“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
• Theharp[kinnorinHebrew]wasthenaHonalinstrumentoftheHebrews,invented,accordingto
Scripture,byJubal(Genesis4:21)inantediluvian
Hmes.KingDavidwasthemostfamousofJewish
harpists.Wereadthat“wheneverthespiritfromGodcameuponSaul,Davidwouldtaketheharpandplay,andSaulwouldberelievedandfeelbeAer...”(1Samuel16:23).
ThisJewishcoinfromtheBarKokhbarevolt(A.D.
132-135)hastwotrumpetsontheobversewiththe
inscripHon,“tothefreedomofJerusalem,”andonthereverseaharpwiththeinscripHon,“yeartwoofthefreedomofJerusalem,”theCityofDavid.
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24TheSevenBowls
“Great and [awe inspiring] are your works, Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
(15: 3b-4)
• Aswenotedpreviously,“greatandawe-inspiring”[mevga kai… qaumastovn,istheexactsamephraseusedin15:1.
• “LordGodalmighty”iskuvrie o∆ qeo…ß o∆ pantokravtwr.“Almighty”is
pantokravtwr,[“pan-tah-krah’-tor”],God’smostsolemnHtle,“rulerofall.”
JohnusesitnineHmesinRevelaHon:1:
8;4:8;11:17;15:3;16:7,14;19:6,15;
and21:22.IntheByzanHneChurchit
isJesus’mostexaltedHtle:“Christ
Pantokrator.”
Verbal25TheSevenBowls
I
“DeësisMosaic,”depicUngChristPantrocrator(c.1261),SouthGallery,HagiaSophia,Istanbul,Turkey.
PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas
26TheSevenBowls
• JeremiahreferstoGodas“kingofthe
naHons”(10:7)incontrasttotheidols
oftheGenHleswho,“likeascarecrowinacucumberfield...theycannotspeak;theymustbecarriedabout”(10:5).
• Whentheangelssing“youaloneare
holy,”theword“holy”is o{sioß [hos’-ee-os],notthenormala{gioß [hah’-gee-os],averydeliberateanddeZverbal
allusiontothetwo“SongsofMoses,”
Exodus15:1-18andDeuteronomy32:
1-43,thenamesakesforthis“song.”
Verbal27TheSevenBowls
Andweshouldalsonotethat
thephrase,“youaloneareholy”istakenupandrecitedintheGloriaoftheMass:
“ForyoualonearetheHolyOne,youalonearetheLord,youalonearetheMostHigh,
JesusChrist,withtheHolySpirit,inthegloryofGodtheFather.
Amen.”
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29TheSevenBowls
“After this I had another vision. The temple that is the heavenly tent of testimony opened, and the seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple. They were dressed in clean white linen, with a gold sash around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven bowls filled with the fury of God, who lives forever and ever. Then the temple became so filled with the smoke from God’s glory and might that no one could enter it until the seven plagues of the seven angels had been accomplished.”
(15: 5-8)
WhenGodgaveMosestheblueprintsfor
theTabernacleinthesecondhalfof
Exodus,Moseswastoldtobuilditto
exactspecificaHons,fortheearthly
Tabernaclewasanexact“copyandshadowoftheheavenlysanctuary”(Hebrews8:5).
WesawthisheavenlyTabernacle—the
realdeal—openedaZerthesoundingof
theseventhtrumpet,revealingthe
genuinearkofthecovenant,followedby
thunder,lightning,earthquake,andsoon.
Now,weresumethenarraHvefrom
11:16,theeventsthatfollowtheseventh
trumpetandtheopeningoftheark.
30TheSevenBowls
TheEarthlyTabernacle
31TheSevenBowls
WhenweendedRevelaHon11:16wecouldsee
thearkofthecovenantintheheavenly
Tabernacle’sHolyofHolies.Nowwewitnessa
dazzlingliturgy,inwhichthefourliving
creaturesencirclingGod’sthroneleadthe
heavenlyworship.
Thescene’sdramabuildsasoneofthefour
livingcreaturesgivessevenbowlstotheseven
angels,thebowlsofGod’s“fury”or
“wrath”[qumovß,“thu-mo’s”].Whentheliving
creaturepresentsthelastofthesevenbowls,
theTabernaclesuddenlyfillswithsmoke,
smokesothick“thatnoonecouldenterit”(15:8).
Thishappenedtwicebefore.First,whenthe
“glory”ofGodfilledtheTabernacleinExodus
40:35,andagainwhenthe“glory”ofGodfilled
Solomon’snewly-builtTemplein1Kings8:11.
32TheSevenBowls
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
Idon’tlikebowls
spilling.Ialwaysget
introublewhenthat
happens!
Thosewerebothmomentous
events.DuplicaHngthemhere
emphasizesthesignificanceof
whatisabouttohappen.
33
Openingthesevensealsandblowingthe
seventrumpetswereincreasinglydire
warningstosinfulhumanitytorepentand
turntoGod.
Theeventsthataccompaniedthesealsand
trumpetsweretypicalofthehumancondiHon:
conquest,violenceandnaturaldisasters.As
JesuswarnedintheOlivetDiscourse,such
disasterswilloccur,buttheyseemtoworsen
ashistorytrendstowarditsconclusion.
Nowthewarningsstop—andjudgment
begins.
Thesevenbowls,likethepreviousfire,smoke
andsulfur,are“plagues”[plhghv,“play-gay’],andtheybeararesemblancetotheten
plaguesthatGodbroughtuponEgyptpriorto
theExodus,buttheyaremuchmoresevere.
34TheSevenBowls
MathiasGerung.“TheGivingoftheSevenBowlsofWrath,”OAheinrichBible(illuminatedMS,fol.298r),c.1530-1531.
BavarianStateLibrary,Munich.
.
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36TheSevenBowls
“I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s fury upon the earth.’ The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Festering and ugly sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast or worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The sea turned to blood like that from a corpse; every creature living in the sea died. The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. These also turned to blood.”
37TheSevenBowls
“Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
‘You are just, O Holy One, who are and who were, in passing this sentence. For they have shed the blood of the holy ones and the prophets, and you [have] given them blood to drink; it is what they deserve.’
Then I heard the altar cry out,
‘Yes, Lord God almighty, your judgments are true and just.’
38TheSevenBowls
“The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. It was given the power to burn people with fire. People were burned by the scorching heat and blasphemed the name of God who had power over these plagues, but they did not repent or give him glory.”
(16: 1-9)
Likethefirstfoursealsandthefirst
fourtrumpets,thefirstfourbowlsform
aset.Butunlikethesealsand
trumpetsthataffectonlyaporHonof
theearth,thebowlsareglobalandall-
encompassing,affecHngallearth,air,
fire[light]andwater,thefourphysical
elementsoftheuniverserecognizedby
virtuallyeverycultureintheancient
world.1
Thesearesupernaturaldisastersona
cosmicscale!
1AristotleaddedafiZhtothelist,aether[aiqhvr],theelementthat
fillsthevoidabovetheterrestrialsphere.
39TheSevenBowls
• The“festeringanduglysores”aresimilarto
theplagueofboilsthatstrucktheEgypHans
(Exodus9:8-12).Andastheplagueofboils
struckonlytheEgypHansandnottheIsraelites,
sodothe“festeringanduglysores”affectonly
those“whohadthemarkofthebeastorworshipeditsimage”(16:2).
• Thesecondandthirdplaguesturnthesea,riversandspringsintoblood,justasthefirst
plagueonEgyptturnedtheNileRiverinto
blood.AndasallthefishintheNiledied
(Exodus7:14-24),sodoeseverylivingcreature
inthewatersdie.
• InLeviHcus17:11welearnedthat“thelifeofthefleshisintheblood”;thus,turningwaterintobloodthatbringsdeathisastunningirony,
andinthecaseofRevelaHon,thebloodislike
that“fromacorpse”(16:3),achillingimage.
40TheSevenBowls
• Apronouncementofpraisefollowsthethird
plague,apronouncementbytheangelwho
pouredoutthethirdbowl,stressingGod’s
jusHce.Asthoseontheearthwhorefusedto
repentshedthebloodoftheholyonesandthe
prophets,soisitinfinitelyjustthattheyhave
onlytheblood(ofacorpse)todrink!
• Thefourthplaguestrikeswithfireandheat,scorchingandburningthepeopleoftheearth,
whorespondnotwithrepentance,butwith
blasphemouswords,anintransiencethat
recallsPharaoh“hardeninghisheart”with
eachincreasinglysevereplagueonEgypt.
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42TheSevenBowls
“The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and people bit their tongues in pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their works.
(16: 10-11)
• Eachbowloffersincreasinglyseverandall-encompassingjudgment.ThefiZhbowlbrings
supernaturaldarknesson“thethroneofthe
beast”(16:10).LiketheninthplagueonEgypt
—“darknesssothickitcouldbefelt”(Exodus10:21-29)—thefiZhplagueoverwhelmswith
terror:peoplebitetheirtonguesinpain,and
theyblasphemeGod.
ThebookofWisdomaptlydescribessucha
scene:
“Forthey,whosupposedtheirsecretsinswerehidunderthedarkveilofoblivion,werescaAeredinfearfultrembling,terrifiedbyappariUons.Fornoteventheirinnerchamberskeptthemunafraid,forcrashingsoundsonallsidesterrifiedthem,andmutephantomswithsomberlooksappeared.Nofirehadforceenoughtogivelight,nordidtheflamingbrillianceofthestarssucceedinlighUngupthatgloomynight.”
(17:3-5)
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44TheSevenBowls
“The sixth angel emptied his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East. I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. These were demonic spirits who performed signs. They went out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God the almighty. (‘Behold, I am coming like a thief.’ Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his clothes ready, so that he may not go naked and people see him exposed.) They then assembled the kings in the place that is named Armageddon in Hebrew.”
(16: 12-16)
“JohnbeforetheFalseProphet,theDragonandtheBeast,”Apocalypse(RoyalMS15DII,fol.174v),c.1300-1325.
BriHshLibrary,London.
.
45TheSevenBowls
46TheSevenBowls
IRAQ
(Babylon)
EuphratesRiver
ISRAEL
Armageddon
(Meggido)
47TheSevenBowls
SEAOFGALILEE
"Megiddo
48TheSevenBowls
TelofMegiddo[Armageddon].JezreelValley,Israel.
PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas
49TheSevenBowls
AtopMegiddo,lookingouttothe“PlainsofArmageddon”(JezreelValley).
PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas
50TheSevenBowls
Dr.C.“RidingwiththeKing,”TelofMegiddo[Armageddon].
PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas
51TheSevenBowls
• NoHcethecloseparallelsbetweenthesixthtrumpetandthesixthbowl,astructuralfeature
throughoutRevelaHon:
• Withthesixthtrumpet,fourfallenangels
standingonthebankoftheEuphratesRiver
assembleademonicarmyof200millioncavalry
(9:15-16);withthesixthbowlpouredonthe
EuphratesRiver,“thekingsofthewholeworld”
gatherwiththeirarmiesfortheclimacHcbaIle
ofArmageddon.
• Withthesixthtrumpet,evilsspewforthfrom
themouthsofdemoniccreatures:fire,smoke
andsulfur;withthesixthbowl,thedragon,the
beastandthefalseprophetspewforthfrom
theirmouthsdemonic“uncleanspirits”that
looklikefrogs.
• Withthesixthtrumpet,onethirdofhumanity
iskilled;withthesixthbowl,allofthedragon’sfollowerswillbekilled.
• L;kj52TheSevenBowls
Notme.
TheSevenBowls
Good
observaHon.
You’resoastute!
ThoserepeHHvestructuralfeaturesare
reallyinteresHnginRevelaHon.Clearly
theyareverycarefullyplanned.With
eachrepeHHon,theintensityorseverity
ofanacHonratchetsupward,ina
crescendoofdemonicacHvityaswe
approachtheend.
53
He’sjusta
fancytalker!
54TheSevenBowls
“The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ Then there were lightning flashes, rumblings, and peals of thunder, and a great earthquake. It was such a violent earthquake that there has never been one like it since the human race began on earth. The great city was split into three parts, and the gentile cities fell. But God remembered great Babylon, giving it the cup filled with the wine of his fury and wrath. Every island fled, and mountains disappeared. Large hailstones like huge weights came down from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because this plague was so severe.”
(16: 17-21)
• “Itisdone”[givnomai,“ghin’-om-ahee”].Hereinthe
acHvevoiceoftheperfecttense,grammaHcallythis
verbindicates“thepresentstateresulHngfroma
finishedacHon.”Thisis,indeed,thefinaljudgment,
powerfullyexpressedinasingleword.Wow!
• TherearefiveearthquakesinRevelaHon(6:12;8:5;11:13;11:19and16:18),eachonefuncHoning
likeanexclamaHonpoint,eachoneescalaHngin
intensityandseverity,culminaHngin“suchaviolentearthquakethattherehasneverbeenonelikeitsincethehumanracebeganonearth”(16:18).
• The“greatcity”thatsplitsintothreepartsisRome.
AsBabylonlaidsiegetoJerusalemanddestroyed
Solomon’stemplein586B.C.,sodidRomelaysiege
toJerusalemanddestroythesecondtempleinA.D.
70.BabylonisacodewordforRome,aswelearned
inLesson#12.
55TheSevenBowls
• Reachingtheapexofhiscrescendo,Johnbrilliantlyincorporatescosmicand
apocalypHcimageryintothisclimacHc
scene:
• amassiveearthquakesplitsRomeinto
threeparts;
• theciHesoftheworldcollapse,thosebelongingto“thekingsofthewhole
world”whohaveassembledat
Armageddon;
• islandsandmountainsdisappearasthe
veryfoundaHonsoftheearthsplitand
crumble;and
• massivehailstonespummelthepeople,
asiftheverydomeofthefirmamentitself
fracturesintoathousandshards.
56TheSevenBowls
57TheSevenBowls
Oh,my!Iknew
thiswasgoing
tohappen!
TheseventhbowlbringsGod’s
finaljudgmentonthosewho
refusetorepent,thosewhohave
pledgedtheirallegiancetothe
infernaltrinity:Satan,the
AnHchristandtheFalseProphet.
Thenextthreechapters(17-19)
takeusinsidetheseventhbowlfor
aclose-up,ground-levelviewof
thedestrucHon.
Staytuned!
58TheSevenBowls
1. Howmany“plagues”arethereinRevelaHon?
2. Wesawheavenopenedandthearkofthe
covenantattheendofRevelaHon11.What
thencomesoutoftheTabernacle,andwhat
happens?
3. Howdothesevenbowlsdifferfromthe
sevensealsandseventrumpets?
4. Whydo“thekingsofthewholeworld”
gathertogetheratArmageddon?
5. InRevelaHon,whereis“Babylon”?
59TheSevenBowls
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All rights reserved. No part of this course—audio, video, photography,
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[AllTabernacleillustraHonsintheselecturesaretakenfrom:
PaulF.Kiene.TheTabernacleofGodintheWildernessofSinai,trans.byJohnS,Crandall.GrandRapids,Michigan:ZondervanPublishingHouse,
1977.Usedbypermission.]
60TheSevenBowls