The Bowl Judgments / Revelation 15-16
Father, as we consider all that you’ve done for us, our response, as best as we can, is to take all that we are and give it back to you as a way of gratitude and thanks. God, we give you everything that we are; may you be pleased with it in Christ’s name. Amen.
Tonight, we are looking at the Bowl Judgments in the book of Revelation. I was trying to think of what this section would feel like, and it reminded me of when I was growing up. I spent a lot of time at Pine Flat Lake. If you’ve ever been on lakes for any extended period, it’s an interesting experience. My family had this boat—we weren’t necessarily flying at high financial elevations, so let’s just say this boat may have had a lawnmower engine in it. I’m not really sure; I just know it was super slow.
As you can see, I was not the smallest kid ever. So, it was always a question of: can you hold your breath long enough to get out of the water? Your shorts are full of water, about to fall off, and you’re just hanging on and hanging on. That was the story of my life growing up. Tonight’s text is a bit like that—it’s a lot to take in during one “water ski run.”
When we got to the Seal Judgments, people asked what the “feel” was. I said, “Judgment, with a little bit of hope.” They said, “Great, thanks.” Then we came to the Trumpet Judgments. They asked, “What’s this feel like?” I said, “Lots of judgment, and an itty-bitty bit of hope.” Then we got to this week, covering the Bowl Judgments. They asked, “What does it feel like?” I said, “Judgment. And there’s no hope.”
The Roadmap of Revelation
Before we dive in, let’s look at our outline. Our anchor verse for Revelation is chapter one, verse 19. It has three pieces. Jesus tells John to write down the things he has seen (Chapter 1), the things which are (Chapters 2 and 3), and the things which will take place after these things (Chapters 4 through 22).
Revelation 1:19 (NASB)
’Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.
Chapters 2 and 3 were the letters to the seven churches—geographic cities that also paralleled the movement of church history. In Chapters 4 and 5, we saw the throne room of God and the Lamb who is worthy to open the scroll. That scroll initiates the seven-year Tribulation.
In Chapter 7, we saw the 144,000 Jewish men sealed by the Spirit—the “Billy Grahams” of the Tribulation. Chapters 8 and 9 gave us the Trumpet Judgments. Just as the seventh Seal contained the seven Trumpets, the seventh Trumpet will contain the seven Bowls. This is the final progression of judgment.
Chapter 10 was that peculiar moment where John is told to eat a scroll. It was sweet to the taste but bitter to the stomach. Why? Because while the judgments mean God is finally setting things right, the reality of that judgment is bitter. We saw the two witnesses in Chapter 11, and the rise of the Beast and the False Prophet in Chapters 12 and 13. Now, we arrive at the final preparations for the pouring out of God’s wrath.
The Final Boarding Call
In Chapter 14, we see three angels with messages. The first angel brings a final word of hope. It’s like being in an airport when they announce the final boarding call. That’s code for: “Put your coffee down and get on the plane or you’re going to get left.” Once that door shuts, you can bang on it and plead, but the plane is leaving. This is one of the final words of hope before the end.
Revelation 14:6-7 (NASB)
And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.’
Then the second angel speaks, announcing that Babylon the Great has fallen.
Revelation 14:8 (NASB)
And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.’
Babylon represents two things: a specific location and a system. It’s like if I said, “Wall Street has fallen.” That could mean the physical buildings collapsed, or it could mean the entire economic system has crumbled. Babylon is the world system of idolatry and pagan worship.
Then comes the third angel with a final warning to those who have worshipped the Beast.
Revelation 14:9-11 (NASB)
Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ’If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ‘And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’
There is a time coming where God’s wrath will be poured out at “full strength.” Historically, when God poured out wrath, it was often “diluted” by His mercy. But here, the wine of His wrath is undiluted.
I often ask myself: what causes someone to reject the existence of a Creator? One reason is accountability. If there is a Creator, I am accountable to Him. I didn’t necessarily like that as a non-believing guy. I didn’t like that the truth wasn’t dictated by my preference. But the truth is what it is. The world has never seen what is about to come.
The Harvest of the Earth
In his first coming, Jesus came in humility to seek and save the lost. In his second coming, he comes in majesty and judgment. The first and second comings are very different in their intention.
Revelation 14:14-16 (NASB)
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud [was] one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
John sees one like the Son of Man with a sharp sickle. Then another angel comes out and calls for the harvest of the grapes.
Revelation 14:17-20 (NASB)
And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.’ So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered [the clusters from] the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.
This imagery of the wine press is intense. In those days, you’d put grapes in a large basin and stomp on them until the juice flowed out. The imagery here is of God gathering those who have shaken their fist at Him and throwing them into the wine press of His wrath. The text says the blood flows as high as a horse’s bridle for 200 miles. It is a staggering picture of the magnitude of this judgment.
The Regulators are Removed
In Chapter 16, we see the seven Bowls. In the previous judgments, God put “regulators” on the destruction.
Think of it like a go-kart. Most dads put a bolt behind the gas pedal as a regulator. Even if the engine can go 100 miles an hour, the bolt keeps the kid at 15 so they don’t die. My dad bought me one of those old-school three-wheelers with the big bubble tires once. I had that thing wide open in fourth gear, hitting furrows in the field like a madman. My dad watched me for a minute and then ended up selling the thing because I had no regulator!
In the Seal and Trumpet judgments, God limited the damage to a quarter or a third. But in Chapter 16, the regulators are gone. This is God’s wrath in full strength.
Revelation 16:1 (NASB)
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.’
The first bowl brings loathsome and malignant sores on those who had the mark of the beast.
Revelation 16:2 (NASB)
So the first [angel] went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
This reminds me of First Samuel chapter 5. The Philistines stole the Ark of the Covenant and put it in the temple of their god, Dagon. The next morning, the statue of Dagon was on its face. They propped him back up, and the next night, Dagon was on his face again, but his head and hands were broken off. Then God struck the people with tumors. Some scholars suggest these were hemorrhoids, which makes for a funny mental image when the Philistines tried to appease God by making golden tumors as an offering. I’ve offered a lot to God, but I’ve never thought to carve a golden tumor for Him! But here in Revelation, these sores are excruciating and gross.
The second bowl is poured out on the sea, and it becomes like the blood of a dead man. Everything in the sea dies.
Revelation 16:3 (NASB)
The second [angel] poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like [that] of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.
Imagine the stench. If you’ve ever been to the beach when there’s a lot of dead seaweed, it’s bad enough. Now imagine every creature in the ocean floating belly-up, reeking to the heavens.
The third bowl turns the fresh water into blood.
Revelation 16:4 (NASB)
Then the third [angel] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.
An angel speaks here, declaring that God is just to do this.
Revelation 16:5-7 (NASB)
And I heard the angel of the waters saying, ‘Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.’ And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.’
They poured out the blood of the saints, so God gives them blood to drink. It’s the ultimate “you get what you deserve.” Have you ever considered the patience of God? My daughter is almost three. I’ll say, “Sweetie, come here,” and she says, “No.” After three “no’s,” I’m ready to lose my mind! I’m completely unsanctified. My wife has to tell me to go for a walk.
Now imagine God. For thousands of years, humanity has looked Him in the face and said “No.” Finally, the angelic realm, which has been watching this play out, says, “Finally! Righteous is your judgment.”
The Scorching Sun and the Gathering for War
The fourth bowl causes the sun to scorch people with fierce heat.
Revelation 16:8-9 (NASB)
The fourth [angel] poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
We live in Fresno; we know heat. But this isn’t Fresno heat. This is heat that kills. And yet, notice their response: they did not repent. They cursed God. Friend, what is it going to take? How many times do you have to end up hanging out with the same dumb people, doing the same dumb things, before you realize this life is a mess? What will it take before you stop shaking your fist at God? These people are dying, and they’re still cursing Him.
The fifth bowl brings darkness and pain.
Revelation 16:10-11 (NASB)
Then the fifth [angel] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.
The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates River to prepare the way for the kings from the East—the “kings from the rising sun.”
Revelation 16:12 (NASB)
The sixth [angel] poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.
Then John sees three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These are demons performing signs to gather the kings of the world for the battle of the great day of God Almighty.
Revelation 16:13-14 (NASB)
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; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
The world will decide that Jerusalem is the problem. They will gather against one insignificant little speck on the map. If you look at a world map, you almost need a magnifying glass to find Israel. Yet the whole world gathers there because those are God’s people. They gather at a place called Armageddon—Har Megiddo.
Revelation 16:16 (NASB)
And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.
Megiddo is a fortified city on a hill. From there, you can see the whole valley. Over 200 battles have been fought in that region throughout history. But there is one more coming, and it will be like nothing the earth has ever seen.
It Is Done
The seventh bowl is poured into the air, and a loud voice from the throne says, “It is done.”
Revelation 16:17 (NASB)
Then the seventh [angel] poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’
Just as Jesus cried out “It is finished” on the cross regarding redemption, here God says “It is done” regarding wrath.
Revelation 16:18-21 (NASB)
And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake [was it, and] so mighty. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.
There is an earthquake so great that every island flees and mountains disappear. The topography of the earth is leveled. Then, 100-pound hailstones fall from heaven. A 100-pound hailstone will go through your house, your car, and your life. And still, men cursed God because the plague was so severe.
The Only Refuge
You can quit a job. You can move away from family that drives you crazy. But you cannot get away from God. There is no one else to turn to. But I want to leave you with a laser beam of hope in this dark time.
Romans 8:1 (NASB)
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For twenty-one years, I shook my fist at God. I thought I could explain Him away. I denied Him, yet judgment was still coming. I couldn’t avoid it until I finally put my faith in Christ. For the first time, I experienced what Jesus promised: “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
If you’re here tonight and you don’t know Christ, that’s where you need to turn. You won’t find rest in a social life, a relationship, a career, or a new car. You will only find it in Jesus. When you see where history is heading, you realize you need a refuge.
For those of you who are followers of Christ, if this is the impending judgment, what should that do to our zeal for helping people connect to God? Sometimes I am convicted—this is true confessions of a dysfunctional pastor—that I don’t live my faith with the urgency I should. Parts of this book are sweet because I know God wins, but parts are bitter because I have friends and family who don’t know Him.
Let’s live with that reality in mind. Let’s be an irresistible influence for those around us so they might see Christ.
Father, thank you for your word. I am convicted and I confess that even though I have the title of pastor, I put my shoes on the same way everyone else does. I need faith every single day. You’ve called us to walk with you and to share you with others. I pray that as we read of these judgments, they would lead us to a greater fervency to help people know you. May you be pleased with our lives. In Christ’s name, Amen.