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                THE BOOK OF REVELATION

CHAPTER.16.

BOILS:
Rev 16:1-2

The first vial is parallel to the plague of boils that came
upon the Egyptians (Ex 9:8-12).  Scripture relates quite
clearly here that the plague will come upon those people who
have the mark of the beast and who worship him.  Since this
is stated so clearly regarding this plague, it would also be
true of the others, as they are all sent to serve the same
purpose.  These plagues will be from heaven, sent directly
from God; and they will have a supernatural cause, as was the
case with those in the land of Egypt.  It will be divine
judgment.  When this vial is poured out, boils will break out
immediately on the followers of the antichrist.  It will be
both a torturous and humiliating malady, and will afflict
people in all levels of society.  The boils will cause severe
pain and those afflicted will be unable to maintain an erect
posture, even making it difficult for them to bow down to the
antichrist.  Their posture will virtually force them to lick
the dust of the earth.  They will pursue every available
avenue to try to find the remedy for these mortifying,
grievous, painful sores and corruption.

The word used for `sore' is used only here in 16:2&11 and in
Luke 16:21.  The words `noisome' and `grievous' are from
Greek words which mean `depraved, bad in nature,' and `full
of labours and pains in working mischief.'  These words are
used to show the extreme pain and corruption of the sores and
ulcers.  It will be an obvious sign of God's displeasure to
their worship of the image, and a direct punishment for their
not serving the true God.

SEA BECOMES BLOOD
Rev 16:3

When the second angel pours out his vial upon the sea, it
becomes as the blood of a dead man.  It must be noted that
reference is made to `the sea', and it is an actual sea.  It
must in fact be the Mediterranean Sea, around which the
kingdom of the antichrist lies.  This would not include the
oceans.  The statement is that this vial will be `as the
blood of a dead man'.  The creatures in the sea will die in
the changed and corrupted waters.  The surface of the sea
will be strewn with dead sea life, such as all the creatures
of the sea and dead bodies of the fish family.  This will
cause and unbearable odor, making it impossible for human
life to be near these waters.  Ships will be immovable, as if
icebound, in heavily clogged areas.  The conditions will be
mortally foul, contributing greatly to disease and starvation
for those who might be stranded on the sea at the time.
Previously, when the second trumpet was blown ( v 8-9), the
sea was affected and one-third of the ships were destroyed.
But here the devastation will be so much greater that all the
ships will be destroyed.

RIVERS TO BLOOD:
Rev 16:4-7.

This third vial is a replication of the first plague on
Egypt (Ex 7:19-24).  After the sea has been affected and
polluted, not only will the rivers be turned to blood, but
the fountains of water and the drinking places of both men
and beasts will likewise be unfit.  The appalling part of
this plague is that they will have only bloody water to
drink.  All the rivers of Italy, Turkey, Syria, Greece, and
other parts of the antichrist's domain will be running with
blood.  The men suffering this vial are those who have shed
the blood of saints and prophets, and unmercifully tortured
God's people on earth.  They will be reaping what they have
sown.  They have shed blood, and now blood is everywhere.
Plagues like this will be so phenomenal that they will get
the attention of people from all over the world.  The
consequences will be staggering.

GREAT HEAT
Rev 16:8-9

The beast commentary on this judgment comes from the pen of
Malachi the prophet who, when speaking of that same day,
describes it with these words:
     "For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn like an
     oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly,
     shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn
     them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave
     them neither root nor branch.  But unto you that fear my
     name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing
     in his wings: and ye shall go forth and grow up like
     calves of the stall" (Mal 4:1-2).

When the fourth trumpet was sounded, one-third of the sun,
moon, and stars were stricken with darkness (8:12).  Under
the fourth vial the heat of the sun will be so intense that
men will actually be scorched by it, causing excruciating
anguish.  God will be recognized as the source, and those
tormented will blaspheme Him.  In spite of the misery and
difficulty, those afflicted will be so humiliated and
demeaned that they will not repent.  Just as the plagues in
Egypt resulted in hardening the hearts of evil men, even so
will these plagues affect the followers of the antichrist.
They would rather die than serve God.

The Greek word for repent means `to change one's mind',
carrying with it the idea of turning from evil to good, and
becoming morally better (Matt 3:2, 4:17, Acts 2:38, 3:19).
It is not simply a matter of forsaking sin, but it is a
change and transformation of one's attitude regarding it.
These men, unwilling to do that, will receive insufferable
judgment, and they will blaspheme God.

DARKNESS
Rev 16:10-11

This is a special judgment that seems to centre on the
headquarters of antichrist, for it is poured out on `the
throne of the beast, and his kingdom was full of darkness'.
The seat of the beast will probably be the rebuilt city of
Babylon during the Tribulation Period, the centre of all
commerce, religion, evil, and government.

Two things would indicate that this darkness will prevail for
some time upon the earth:
     1.  The predictions of other prophets, and
     2.  The effect on men.

This judgment, a repetition of the ninth plague of Egypt, is
to be understood literally:

     "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord!  To what
     end is it for you?  The day of the Lord is darkness, and
     not light."  (Amos 5:18).

     "Who can stand before his indignation?  And who can
     abide in the fierceness of his anger?  His fury is
     poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by
     Him.  But with an overrunning flood he will make an
     utter end of the place, and darkness shall pursue his
     enemies" (Nah 1:6,8).

     "That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and
     distress, a day of waste and desolation, a day of
     darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick
     darkness" (Zech 1:15).

Christ's own prediction was: "In those days, after the
tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall
not give its light" (Matt 13:24).

These plagues, although similar to those that took place in
Egypt, are much more intense.  This vial was `poured out upon
the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness'.
The change will be of such extreme proportion (from a real
bright, fiery heat to impenetrable darkness), that fresh
horror will overwhelm the followers of the antichrist,
causing them to `gnaw their tongues for pain'.  God will
amply reward the beast and his followers for tormenting His
people, and for their unmerciful attitude when they laughed
at the cries and pains of the saints.  It is not known how
long these vials or plagues will last, but it is implied here
that men will still have their sores, or ulcers, from the
first vial.  And, even though they continue to suffer the
pains of the effects of the experiences from the other vials,
they will persistently rebel and refuse to repent.  The
plagues are extremely severe punishment for their relentless
rebellion against God, and their evil deeds.

EUPHRATES DRIED UP.
Rev 16:12.

This sixth bowl judgment comes in two parts:
     1.  The drying up of the River Euphrates, which will be
     a preparation for the `battle of the great day of God
     Almighty' and
     2.  the tremendous demon forces that will bring the
     rebellious armies of the world to the Valley of Megiddo
     for the purpose of opposing the Lord.

The Euphrates River, one of the most prominent rivers in the
Bible, has stood since the dawn of human history as a natural
barrier between east and west.  To those of the western
world, the peoples living east of the Euphrates River have
been shrouded in darkness, while all the time their numerical
superiority has been building up.  The Euphrates River is
the eastern border of the land God gave to Abraham (Gen
15:18).  It is about eighteen hundred miles long and so large
that it forms a natural barrier against the armies of the
world.  Most people are not particularly conscious of the
fact that is served as the eastern border of the Roman
Empire.  The sixth bowl judgment will dry up that river to
make way for the `kings of the east'.

The Kings Of The East.

The booming population explosion of the eastern nations has
produced a new interest in Bible prophecies concerning `the
kings of the east'.  Actually, there is very little
information of the subject.  The literal rendering of the
word would be the kings of the `sunrising,' a reference to
the kings of the oriental nations of the world.  Since it
refers to them `en masse', it would indicate that they do not
amalgamate or lose their identity (for they are `kings'), but
instead form a massive oriental confederacy.  This
confederacy may be preparing to oppose antichrist, whose
capital lies in Babylon, but due to the lying tongues of the
demons we are about to study, they will be brought across the
Euphrates River on the side of antichrist in opposition to
Christ.


THREE UNCLEAN SPIRITS
Rev 16:13-16

Three Frog-Like Deceiving Spirits:

The second part of the sixth bowl judgment reveals the three
unclean frog-like spirits that will come from the mouths of
the devil, the antichrist and the False Prophet.  These
deceiving spirits, by working miracles before the `kings of
the earth and the whole world', will trick them into coming
together for the `battle of the great day of God Almighty'.
After the five preceding judgments of God, the earth will be
in a terrible dilemma.  Only by this supernatural spirit of
deception on the part of Satan, antichrist, and the False
Prophet will they be able to summon the kings and the armies
of the world to the final conflict against God and His
Christ.  The timing of this event must be the very last days
of the Tribulation, since the next bowl immediately concludes
the Tribulation with the destruction of Babylon.

Armageddon

"The battle of Armageddon" is an expression often used to
describe the decisive battle between antichrist and his God-
hating forces of the earth and Christ, who will consume them
with the power of His mouth, according to Revelation 19:11-
16.  Actually, it is more proper to call this `the battle of
that great day of God Almighty' because that is the
scriptural expression.  It takes place in Armageddon, which
means `the Valley of Megiddo'. (Joel 3, Zech 14).  The valley
of Megiddo, or Armageddon, is located about fifteen miles
southeast of modern Haifa and this becomes the centre of the
strife of Armageddon, though obviously the conflict will
cover an even larger area.  Christ will come `as a thief' and
sudden destruction will come upon the world of the ungodly.
See 1 Thess 5:1-11, 2 Thess 1:7-10.  This is a blessing for
those who are faithful to Christ and are watching for Him
(16:15).

THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL.
Rev 16:17-21

When the seventh angel pours out his bowl into the air a
voice will be heard from the temple of God before the throne
conveying a most welcome message: "It is done!"  It is most
welcome because is signifies the consummation of
Tribulation, the conclusion of the day of wrath upon ungodly
men, the end of the time of Jacob's trouble.

This final judgment of God will appear in the form of the
world's greatest earthquake, `such as was not since men were
upon the earth.'  It will destroy `the great city', meaning
the city of Babylon, the capital of the world at that time,
dividing it into three parts.  In addition, 'the cities of
the nations fell', meaning that the cities of the world will
be wiped out.  In addition, every island will vanish and the
mountains will not be found.  This would indicate a complete
renovation of the earth, which may be a fulfilment of 2
Peter 3:10, which predicts that the entire earth will be
destroyed and `the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the
earth also and the works that are in it, shall be burned up'.

If this were not enough catastrophe, great hailstones, `the
weight of a talent' ( 60 kilos) will come down out of heaven
upon men.  It is difficult for us to conceive of hailstones
that large, or of the devastating effect they would have upon
men they fall.

What the Lord said in Job 38:22,23.  He has filled His armory
full of hail and snow `against the time of trouble, against
the day of battle and war'.  More details of this
catastrophe will be seen in Revelation 18 under the detailed
destruction of the city of Babylon and in chapter 19 with the
coming of Christ on the white horse to conquer the earth and
subdue it.

Man's Perennial Rebellion Against God.

Already we have seen man refuse to repent on two different
occasions in the face of these judgments.  The last  thing to
be noted in this passage of Scripture is the hardness of the
unsaved, unregenerate heart.  "And men blasphemed God because
of the plague of the hail."  It is hard to conceive of man so
rebellious that he would lift his face in final defiance to
God even in the face on such disaster.  All hopes and dreams
will be ended with the ultimate consummation because man will
have chosen to worship antichrist.

In conclusion, it is important for us to understand the
purpose for all this judgment.  The citizens of the
Tribulation who take the mark of the beast and worship his
image will break the first four of the ten commandments.
Jesus said we are to love the Lord our God with all our
heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind; `this is the
first....commandment'.  Ex 20 lists the commandments:
     1.  Have no other gods before me;
     2.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image;
     3.  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in
     vain;
     4.  Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy;
None of these commandments will be kept by the inhabitants of
the Tribulation.  The judgments of God upon men will appear
primarily because instead of worshipping Him, they will
worship anitchrist.  Instead of worshipping God in spirit and
truth through His Son Jesus Christ, they will fashion an
image and fall down and worship it.  Instead of worshipping in
speech and word, they will `blaspheme the name of God'.  God
has said, "I will not hold him guiltless that taketh the name
of the Lord thy God in vain."  The fact that they do not
remember the Sabbath day or any day is further confirmation
of their unregenerate, atheistic, godless hearts.  Every
individual that refuses to acknowledge the coming judgment of
God on unregenerate men should study this chapter of
Scripture.  It not only clearly depicts God's intended plan
for the coming tribulation people, but also reveals His plan
to judge men for eternity.