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Exciting and EASY Study on REVELATION
REVELATION verse by verse study
Continued
CHAPTER 16
VERSE 1 : (Chapter 1) ​
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The ORDER is GIVEN
"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth."
A "great voice" calls out of the temple. God Almighty fills His temple with smoke, just like we saw in the previous verse. No man can enter this temple. However, Jesus can. Remember when we studied Revelation 5? Verses 3 & 4 for Chapter 5 states: "And no man in heaven, or in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy..." Then we went on in Chapter 5 and learned that it was Jesus, "the Lion of the tribe of Juda", who alone was worthy. In our verse here, Jesus, "the Lion", will be in the temple with His Father. Jesus will command the seven angels to take the vials full of the wrath of His Father and pour them out upon the earth. Jesus tells His angels, 'it is time', "Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth." God the Father is avenging the blood of His precious Son.
The first angel goes out ...
VERSE 2: (Chapter 16) ​
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The FIRST VIAL
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NOISOME and GRIEVOUS SORES​​
"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image."
There will be seven vials from the seven angels that will be poured out upon the earth. They will happen one right after another. There will be no break in between the vials. No rest. No time for healing. One vial after another will be poured out upon all mankind. Just because it says "upon the men", does not mean men only. Women are included in this judgment, also. It will be upon all mankind. The entire human race. There will be no escape from the vials. No hiding place. No comfort.
The first angel will go out and pour out the first "golden vial" that will be "full of the wrath of God". The first vial of God's wrath will be a "noisome and grievous sore". It will plague everyone. The definition for 'noisome' is an adjective that means a very unpleasant and offensive bad smell. It is going to stink! "Grievous" means severe pain and suffering. When you put these two words together, you have an extremely painful, putrefying, sore, like blisters, that is going to smell really bad. They will literally stink. And isn't it appropriate that God would use this plague on people who have caused His heart to ache because of their stinky sins of rejecting His Son.
This verse goes on to state that this "noisome and grievous sore" will break out upon all people who have "the mark of the beast, and upon them which worship his image". Some people, going through the Tribulation Period, may think that they will be 'ok' if they don't take the mark. They may just comply with the orders from the beast. However, if they "worship" the image, they will also receive all these plagues. The definition of "worship" is the expression of reverence and respect. In other words, if you don't take a stand against the Antichrist, then by no action, you are consenting to it. The devil owns the fence. People don't go to hell because they 'refused' to accept Christ as their Saviour, they go to hell because they didn't accept Christ as their Saviour. In other words, they may not have 'refused' Christ, they just ignored Him. They may even 'believe' that Jesus is the Messiah. They just didn't take the care to ask Him into their hearts. They just don't want to be bothered with it.
VERSE 3: (Chapter 16) ​
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The SECOND VIAL
​
The SEA Becomes As DEAD BLOOD
"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man; and every living soul died in the sea."
The second angel will appear --next. He will pour the "golden vial", that was given to him, "upon the sea". In Revelation 8:8-9, we studied about how one-third of the sea will become blood and one-third of the creatures that live in the sea will die. The second vial will kill everything that will be left. This vial will destroy the whole sea and "every living soul died in the sea". Every creature that had survived the Trumpet Judgment in Revelation 8:2 will die at this time.
There is one major difference between Revelation 8:8-9 and our verse here, Revelation 16:3. Yes, one-third compared to the entire amount of creatures that will die is a big difference; however, there is another major difference between the two events. Revelation 8:8-9 states that the third part of the sea will be blood. There is still life. There is also life in blood. Leviticus 17:14 tells us that the life is in the blood. We cannot live without our blood. Blood has live cells in it. The blood in our verse here will be "the blood of a dead man". Not only will this dead blood be unusable, it will stink really bad.
The largest sea available to Jerusalem for water is the Sea of Galilee. Could you imagine what that would be like if the Sea of Galilee became dead man's blood?! If you think this is devastating, look at the next verse as the blood continues to flow ...
VERSE 4: (Chapter 16) ​
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The THIRD VIAL
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RIVERS and FOUNTAINS Become BLOOD
"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood."
The third angel will pour out his vial, which is "full of the wrath of God", "upon the rivers and fountains of waters". At this point of time, the sea will be looking, smelling, and tasting like the blood of a dead man. Then right away, the third angel will be turning rivers and fountains of water into blood. Humans nor animals can live without water.
We all know what a river is and how a river flows and irrigates the land around it. Fountains of water usually come from underground springs of water. They are the purest source of water. During this end part of the Great Tribulation, almost every water supply will become blood. It will be unbelievable. Mankind will do everything they can think of to fix this problem, but nothing will work. There will be dead smelling blood everywhere.
This is not going to just happen in Jerusalem, or the Middle East. Verse 1 of this chapter (16) informs us that "the vials of the wrath of God" will be poured out "upon the earth". God is angry with the whole world, not just part of it.
VERSE 5: (Chapter 16) ​
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The ANGEL of the WATERS SPEAK
"And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus."
(There is a very good article on angels on this site: Uneed2no.com under Articles/Angels)
In Revelation 7:1, we studied about the four angels that God appointed over the four corners of the wind. Here in Verse 5, we see "the angel of the waters". Angels have different duties. Gabriel is an angel that delivers messages. Michael is a warrior angel; and, yes, there are definitely guardian angels. The angel in this verse is the angel the Lord appointed over the waters. He will witness the waters turn to blood. When he does, this angel is going to declare to all of Heaven, as he praises God, saying ...
"Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus."
Jesus said in Revelation 1:8 that He is the "Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, ... which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." This "angel of the waters" is giving God respect and glory. This angel declares to God that "Thou art righteous ... because Thou hast judged thus". In other words, this angel says, 'You are totally correct, Lord, for turning these waters into blood because of what these people have done.
This angel tells us what people have done in the very next verse ...
VERSE 6: (Chapter 16) ​
​
The ANGEL DECLARES
WHY GOD MUST JUDGE the EARTH
"For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy."
This is still the "angel of the waters" speaking. He is speaking to God, as he is also a declaration to all. The angel declares and testifies that the people on the earth "have shed the blood of saints and prophets".
Persecution of Christians have gone on through centuries and it still goes on today. Fox's Book of Martyrs is an excellent documentation of many saints who have been killed. When Jesus walked the earth, He said this in Matthew 23:31: "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets".
The Lord also says in Luke 11:47: "Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres (graves) of the prophets, and your fathers killed them". Romans 11:3 says: "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars".
1 Thessalonians 2:15 that these people "...both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, have persecuted us; and they please not God".
Most people do not want to hear about God. They act embarrassed if you give them a gospel tract that shows them how to be saved. Some people get angry. Some argue that they have their own religion and that they are a good person. Others state that they do not believe in organized religion, while others just say they believe in a higher power.
John 16:2 warns us that "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service." Because of the killing of God's children, He will "give them blood to drink".
When the Bible makes the statement "for they are worthy", it definitely does NOT mean they are good or are going to get a nice reward. Quite the contrary. It means they deserve the punishment that God is going to pour out on them ... the "vials full of the wrath of God". "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink".
VERSE 7: (Chapter 16) ​
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The WITNESS of TWO
"And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."
Deuteronomy 17:6 instructs that: "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death". A second angel shouts out from "the altar" and declares that God's judgments "are righteous". This other angel is witnessing and testifying that the people on the earth will deserve ("are worthy of") the judgments that will be coming upon them. The people chose to reject Christ.
1 John 5:9 states that: "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son." These people will have chosen to reject Christ. They will reject God's precious Son and the Son's death on the cross of calvary. These people will kill all the Tribulation Saints, which "no man can number" (Revelation 7:9, 14). God will have every right to pour out His "vials filled up" with His wrath. This angel witness in Heaven will shout: "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments". "For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink". (Verse 6).
VERSE 8: (Chapter 16) ​
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The FOURTH VIAL
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The POWER OVER the SUN
"And the foourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire."
Now, the fourth angel is going to pour out his vial that is "filled up with the wrath of God" (verse 1). This angel is not going to pour his vial upon the earth; he is going to pour it "upon the sun". The fourth angel is going to have power over the sun. This angel is going to use the sun to "scorch men with fire".
People living during this time period are not just going to get a 'little sunburn'. The Bible says here that people are going to get scorched "with fire". The sun will be blazing down so hot, that people will be severely burned by it. The sun will cause blisters. The burn units at hospitals will be overflowing. Burns are extremely painful and take a long time to heal. People will not be able to bathe or clean their wounds because the water has been turned to "dead man's blood"!
During this time during the Tribulation Period, the sun will burn men and women with intense fire. Spontaneous fires will start everywhere and burn all over the land destroying houses, food, animals, and people. Wounds will be putrefying and horribly painful for both man and animal. And guess what these people will do??? We are told, in the very next verse, what they will do ...
VERSE 9: (Chapter 16) ​
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The PEOPLE TALK To GOD​
"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory."
The people who will be living during this time of the Great Tribulation will be "scorched with great heat". This verse states that the heat will be "great". "Scorched" means burned by flames or heat. One dictionary describes "scorched" as being parched or discolored by scorching (Webster's). These people are going to be in unimaginable pain. Finally, after suffering the first three "vials", the people acknowledge God. No one ever says anything about God, or to God, during these plagues until now. However, they decide it is all God's fault. They finally acknowledge that God is real but they blame Him. Instead of asking God to forgive them, instead of saying they are sorry, they "blasphemed the name of God".
Blasphemy is acting in an insulting way. It is also showing contempt and/or lack of reverence. These people will blasphemy God Almighty. Instead of wanting to love God, people will hate Him even more. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind." These people will be hating the Lord God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their minds. They will know that "hath power over these plagues", but "they repented not to give Him glory".
Blasphemy is acting in an insulting way. It is also showing contempt and/or lack of reverence. These people will blasphemy God Almighty. Instead of wanting to love God, people will hate Him even more. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind." These people will be hating the Lord God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their minds. They will know that God "hath power over these plagues", but "they repented not to give Him glory". So here comes the Fifth Vial ...
VERSE 10: (Chapter 16) ​
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The FIFTH VIAL​
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The SEAT of the BEAST
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,"
The fifth angel will pour out his vial "upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom". The fifth vial shows God directing the sin of the world on "the seat of the beast". The Beast, Satan, started his earthly lies in the Garden of Eden. He told mankind: "Ye shall NOT surely die" (Genesis 3:4). But Adam and Eve did die, and mankind still dies today. Satan has lied to every generation of mankind. Satan will also tell his lies to all the people of the Tribulation Period. Those who choose to believe the Beast will be part of "his kingdom". Jesus says in John 8:44: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
This fifth vial is giving Satan and his followers just what they desire, "darkness". Throughout generations, mankind has chosen to follow Satan and his ways. Jesus said in John 3:19, 20: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." God is going to give the Antichrist and his kingdom just what they deserve - darkness - because "they are worthy".
The darkness from this fifth vial is going to be heavy. People will almost be able to 'feel' the darkness. They will not be able to see well either. They won't be able to take care of their business easily. There will be even more killings and robberies. They will not be able to attend to their burns and sores. They may not even know what they are eating or drinking. The physical pain is going to be so ferocious that people will be gnawing their tongues because of the unbearable pain.
God is telling us in His Word that these events are going to literally take place. He has also told us in His Word that Hell is real. God says that in Hell, just like this fifth vial, people will have "wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:42). In the book of Jude, God says Hell is "A place of blackness and darkness forever" (verse 13). This fifth vial is just a glimpse of what Hell is going to be for all the people who have chosen to follow the Antichrist and accept his mark.
VERSE 11: (Chapter 16) ​
​
The FIFTH VIAL​
​Continued ...
"And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds."
This verse is a continuation of Verse 10. These tribulation people will now have had five vials poured upon them. These people will be part of the Antichrist's kingdom on earth. They will act like him. Proverbs 27:17 says: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." In other words, the people we hang around affects who we are. If someone decides to join a gang, that person will become more like the gang the more he hangs around them. That person won't change the gang. The gang will change that person. These people have submitted to the Antichrist and all his regulations. These people will be full of hate, especially hate towards God.
These people are going to curse and swear at God. They are going to be full of hate "because of their pains and their sores". Most people today, when they end up in the hospital, tend to ask God for help. Injured people usually turn to God. Some don't, but on the majority, people want God to heal them or let them into heaven. These tribulation people will be the total opposite. They will yell at God. They will blame Him for everything. They "repented not of their deeds". Jesus said: "Except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish." (Luke 13:3,5). These people will not repent. They will not pray to God for forgiveness, and they will continue to follow the Antichrist to their very end.
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And there are two more vials to come ...
VERSE 12: (Chapter 16) ​
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The SIXTH VIAL​
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An ENTRANCE For ARMIES
"And the sixth angel pour out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."
The sixth angel will appear and pour out his vial upon the Euphrates River. The Euphrates River begins in Turkey. It flows through Syria and Iraq and empties into the Persian Gulf. It runs almost right through the center of Iraq and Syria. The Euphrates River performs like a barrier that divides the East from the West.
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May be reproduced for classroom use
Many countries lie east of the Euphrates River. Syria, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, and Afghanistan. Other countries farther east include Pakistan, Tajikistan, China, India, Bangladesh, Russia, and the list goes on as the farther we look eastward. The angel is going to dry up the Great River, Euphrates. This will make it possible for any of these countries ,east of the Euphrates, to bring their armies easily across the dried-up Euphrates River - similar to how the Lord dried up the Red Sea for Moses and the children of Israel to cross over on. The ground was dried so firm that the wheels of carts went easily across the river bed. It will be like that with Euphrates River during the Tribulation Period. Armies will easily cross the dried up Euphrates River.
God continues to reveal to us more details about the Great Tribulation Period. Remember, this is what Revelation is about ... to reveal, not conceal. God tells us why He is going to dry up the great Euphrates River ... "that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared". God does not tell us how many kings from how many countries, but He does tell us that they will come from the east. God also tells us why they are gathering together ... that they "might be prepared". These nations are going to have a 'national council'. They are meeting and planning their strategy for war. They are getting themselves "prepared". Armageddon is approaching!
VERSE 13: (Chapter 16) ​
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The ANTICHRIST Trinity
"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
We again notice that John is speaking here: "And I saw". John is continuing to write down everything God showed him. Then John goes on to tell us what he gives witness to. First he "saw three unclean spirits". An "unclean spirit" is an evil entity. People can become possessed with an "unclean spirit", also called a demon. The Bible tells us about an encounter Jesus had, while He was on the earth, with an "unclean spirit"
Let's read the historical account of this event in Mark 5:1-9: "And they (Jesus and His disciples) came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when He (Jesus) was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped Him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the most high God? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not. For He said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And He asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. (You can read the whole account in Mark 5:1-20. There is also a good article about demons on this site under Articles/Demons.)
This account shows that people can get possessed, even today, and that they can be possessed by more than one demon ... "unclean spirit".
We also see in our verse that Satan can take on many forms. In this verse his is described as "frogs" ... "unclean spirits like frogs". These spirits are not 'frogs' in the literal sense. They are "unclean spirits" (which we are told in the next verse). They will not be shaped like frogs. Frogs are connected with the occult. Witches often portray frogs in their spells. They are symbolized as 'luck' and are considered the bringers of changes in the weather. Frogs are believed to clean negative energies. However, the truth of frogs is that they breed in mire and are a symbol of uncleanness; and that is what our verse is saying here. There are three "frogs", the symbol of uncleanness, coming out of Satan's mouth. James 3:6 tells us about the mouth, the tongue: "And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell".
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Satan is going to use "the mouth of the dragon", and "the mouth of the beast" and "the mouth of the false prophet" to cause these "kings of the east" to incorporate his evil plans.
VERSE 14: (Chapter 16) ​
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SPIRITS Of DEVILS
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."
This verse reveals to us what the "spirits like frogs" are that we just studied in verse 13. These spirit-like frogs are "the spirits of devils". They also perform "miracles". These will be very deceitful spirit-demons of Satan. Satan will be using his strongest force possible during this time in the Tribulation Period. He will be using everything he has to try to eliminate the people left on the earth, the angels, and if were possible, God Himself. Remember, Satan's real battle is with God. People are just tools that Satan use
One of the devices that these demons will use will be the use of "miracles". Yes, Satan can, and does, perform miracles. Revelation 13:4 says that Satan "deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast". And God warns us in 2 Thessalonians 2:9: "Even him (the False Prophet), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders". God's Word warns us to beware of people who 'perform miracles'. It is not always God's will to heal. Paul asked God three times to heal him, and God said: "My grace is sufficient for thee; for My strength is made perfect in weakness." ( 2 Corinthians 12:9). So if you happen to see a 'miracle' being performed remember what God says in 2 Corinthians 11:14: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."
These very evil demons are going to "go forth unto the kings of the earth". The Beast and False Prophet are going to meet with the "kings of the earth" in one form or another. These evil spirits are also going to go to "the whole world". Satan is going to use these "unclean spirits" in people "to gather them together to battle". Satan is going to cause earthly armies to gather together. When Satan has gathered "the whole world" together, he is going to lead them all to battle against God Almighty. We will learn where this will take place.
VERSE 15: (Chapter 16) ​
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A THIEF
"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."
This verse may seem a little difficult or confusing. This is the Lord talking. The Lord said this to the church age in Revelation 3:3: "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." This is referring to those of the church age. We have passed the Rapture event in our study. The time period that we are studying now is after the Rapture.
Our verse here takes place during the Great Tribulation Period. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 tells us: "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." In the Old Testament, in the book of Joel 2:30-32, the "day of the Lord" is described. "And I (God) will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE DELIVERED: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call."
The number three has significant meaning throughout the scriptures. The Holy Trinity is three: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Jesus was resurrected on the third day. And in the book of Revelation, three is the most commonly used number. Now, let's link this together. There are three groups of God's children mentioned in the Book of Revelation. There is God's 'Church children' found in Revelation 4:1. Then we have God's 'Cluster children' mentioned in Revelation 14:12,13. Now, we see God say to His 'Chosen children': "...Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments..." God would not have said this if there were not any Christians alive on the earth at this time.
In Acts 2:19-21 talks about the 'Last Days": "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
The second part of this verse says: "... and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." The Lord is telling His children on the earth, that they are "Blessed" if they "watcheth, and "keepeth his (their) garments". This is not saying people can 'loose their salvation. Salvation is through the blood of Christ, not through the keeping something. You cannot get to Heaven by keeping the Ten Commandments, by baptism, or even by doing 'good works'. We've been over this. Look at the rest of this verse ... "lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." When you are out in the world, can people see that you are a Christian? Do you act like a Christian? Do you conduct yourself in a Christ-like manner? Are the words that come out of your mouth glorifying to God? This is what is meant by "keeping his garments". It is what the world looks at. If you are NOT living a life that is pleasing to God, people will see this. It will be a shame. It will be embarrassing if you act like the world around your friends, and then try to admit to them that you are a Christian. You will also be ashamed of this type of conduct when you stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is why the Lord is encouraging His people on earth to "walk" a Christian walk and that they will be "Blessed": "Blessed is he that watcheth (watching for Christ's return on earth), and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.."
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Don't be ashamed of Christ, and don't let Christ be ashamed of you.
VERSE 16: (Chapter 16) ​
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GATHERING For ARMAGEDDON
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon."
The verse we just covered, Verse 15, is an intermission between verses 14 and 16. It is like a commercial. God is informing us in verses 13, 14, and 16 about Satan and his force. God stops in the middle of these verses, Verse 15, to encourage those who are His children that are alive on the earth during this horrible time.
Verse 16 picks back up from verses 13 and 14. Verse 16 starts out: "And he gathered". This is talking about Satan and his devils. Notice the words in verse 14: "For they are the spirits of devils", and they "go forth ... to gather them (the kings and the whole world) to the battle". This "battle" is called "Armageddon".
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To put this into simple understanding, Satan and his forces come out of the Euphrates River. This includes "the dragon" (also called Satan, Revelation 20:2), and the Beast, and the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13). Then these three, with all their power, approach the "kings of the earth and of the whole world" (Verse 14). They approach the kings (leaders) to gather them all together to fight against Israel. The dragon, Satan, is going to bring all his worldly forces together into one place, called Armageddon. These military powers, from countries all over the world, are going to be innumerable in number. These armies will be extremely strong, and they will all go up together to fight against Israel.
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In the book of Genesis 12:3, God said to Israel: "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." This is a covenant God made with Israel back in Genesis. God does not break His covenants. The Lord still holds to this covenant today and will continue to do so even through the Great Tribulation Period. God has chosen Israel as a special people unto Himself. Nations are warned NOT to go against Israel. Jeremiah 2:3 states that "evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD". Evil will come upon any nation that goes against Israel. God tells us in Zechariah 12:9 that: "It shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all nations that come against Jerusalem."
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Here is a very scary warning from God ... Zechariah 14:12: "And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." God Almighty is quite serious about any nation going against Israel. We all need to pray that America will always stand behind Israel. If we don't, we will experience judgment from God Himself like He says in His Word. He gave His Word. He holds to it. He will judge any nation that goes against His chosen people.
Here is a very scary warning from God ... Zechariah 14:12: "And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." God Almighty is quite serious about any nation going against Israel. We all need to pray that America will always stand behind Israel. If we don't, we will experience judgment from God Himself like He says in His Word. He gave His Word. He holds to it. He will judge any nation that goes against His chosen people.
Armageddon is located between Israel's western coast and the Plain of Jazreel. Armageddon is also called the City of Megiddo. Many battles were fought on the hill of Megiddo. There has been great slaughter there over the centuries. It is here that God will gather His enemies for destruction.
VERSE 17: (Chapter 16)
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The SEVENTH VIAL
Goes Into The AIR​​
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done."
The seventh angel is the last angel, and he has the last vial. This angel will pour his vial "into the air". Air surrounds the earth. When this vial is "poured out", it will surround the eatire earth. There is no escape.
When the entire earth is surrounded by this seventh vial, "a great voice" will be heard everywhere. It will be heard all through the earth and all through heaven. Every person on earth, every person in heaven, every person in Hell, every angel everywhere will hear this "great voice". This voice will be coming "out of the temple of heaven, from the throne". In other words, this will be the voice of God Almighty Himself. Isaiah 26:21 prophesied of this saying: "For, behold, the LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."
This is not going to be a little, tiny, sweet voice. It is going to be a "great voice", which is going to be heard everywhere. It will be a voice of proclamation. It will be the voice of God Almighty making His declaration from His throne. Just like a judge sits on his bench and gives a verdict, so will God be sitting on His throne to give His judgment. This will be the 'grand finale' as God will say "It is done". Just like Jesus said, "It is finished" (John 19:30) when He died to provide the Way of Salvation, the Father will say: "It is done" as He puts an end to all sin.
This will be the most frightful time of all. Matthew 10:28 Jesus said: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Wait till you see what happens next ! ...
VERSE 18: (Chapter 16)
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VOICES, THUNDERINGS,
LIGHTNINGS, and a
GREAT EARTHQUAKE​​
"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great."
Verse 18, tells us that "there were voices". Perhaps these are all the voices of the angels, along with all the martyrs and saints in heaven, rejoicing over God's victory. There is also going to be "thunders, and lightnings". When the seventh vial is poured "into the air", it is going to cause great atmospheric changes. These "thunders, and lightnings" are going to be catastrophic.
Then there will also be "a great earthquake". We studied about an earthquake back in Revelation 6:12, but this final earthquake is going to be even more destructive. The largest earthquake in magnitude was measured at 9.5. Another earthquake had occurred in China in 1556 that estimated to have killed over 830,000 people! The earthquake mentioned in our verse is going to be much worse than any previous earthquakes ... "such as was not since men were upo the earth, so mighty and earthquake, and so great."
The very next verse tells us just how mighty and great this earthquake is going to be, and the damage it will cause. Remember, God gave us Revelation to reveal to us what is going to happen in the near future. He is warning us. God wants people to repent and trust in Him as their Saviour.
VERSE 19: (Chapter 16)
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CITIES FALL, BABYLON DIVIDED​​
WRATH is REVEALED
"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath."
The "great city" refers to Babylon = "great Babylon". Babylon was one of the oldest cities of Mesopotamia in Iraq. Originally built around 2230 B.C. Babylon was known as one of the Greatest Wonders of the World because of its enormous walls, iron gates, and hanging gardens.
King Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, reigned around 606 B.C. He made strong bulls of bronze and terrible looking serpents, which stood upright, and placed them at the entrances of the great iron gates. Around 603 B.C. King Nebuchadnezzar then made a statue of himself out of gold (Daniel Chapter 3) and wanted everyone to bow down and worship it. The statue measured about 90 feet tall.
In the extreme north part of Babylon, scholars believe, was the Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:1-9 is the biblical account of the ower of Babel. Everyone spoke the same language during this time. Genesis 11:1 says: "And the whole earth was of one language". If you read this account in Genesis 11, you will see that the people of that day tried to build a tower higher than any tower that had ever been built. They wanted to make a name for themselves (v. 4). God did not like this so He confounds their language so they could not understand what each other was saying (v. 7). The people had to stop building the tower. In the northern part of Babil, called by natives, are large mounds of ruins measuring over one hundred feet high.
The great Euphrates River runs through the western part of Babylon. Hillah is the name now given to ancient Babylon. The part of the Euphrates River that runs through Hillah is frequently dry except during the flood season. According to the 1922 'The System Bible Study Book', people would dig deep wells into the dry river bed for their water supply.
In 538 B.C. Cyrus, King of Persia, took Babylon. However, centuries later, wild animals inhabited the partly restored great walls of Babylon. It then became a game preserve. However, according to the Museums & Heritage news, a 'World Monuments Fund' was set up and the US embassy in Baghdad wants to help repair Iraqi cultural heritage. They call it the 'Future of Babylon project'! This is amazing and fits right into Revelation 16:19 as Babylon being that "great city". If you get a chance, please read the article on the website of Museums & Heritage news by Hadani Ditmars, 24 March 2022. It is very informative and interesting. Amazing!
Babylon will become that "great city" again. However, when the Beast, Antichrist, and False Prophet gather all the nations together to go to war against Israel, God is going to cause a "great earthquake" to divide Babylon "into three parts". "The cities of the nations" will fall. "And great Babylon" will come "in remembrance before God". God remembers everything. God is going to remember how His children were killed. He will remember their blood shed. God will remember the statues they worshipped. He will remember their idols which they put before Him, like their money and careers. God says in Isaiah 65:6, 7: "Behold, it is written before me (God keeps account): I will not keep silence, but will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, Your iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains (idol worship), and blasphemed (swore, disrespected, despised) me (God) upon the hills: therefore I will measure their former work into their bosom."
God is not going to send a "great earthquake" because He is pleased with the world. God is using the "great earthquake" to shake people up literally. He is very angry with people. The world is going to get what it deserves. It will be recompensed. The world will be getting "great" punishment (recompense) "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened" (Romans 1:21). God also says in Romans 1:20: "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen ... so that they are without excuse". ​
"The creation of the world" is clearly seen by everyone. The world itself displays that God created it. No one can say they can't see it. Psalm 19:1 states that: "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handywork." People will have no excuse for not wanting to believe in God. God is going "to give unto her (Babylon and the nations) the cup of the wine of their fierceness of His wrath." And rightly so.
God keeps telling us in Hebrews 10:31 that: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." It is going to be an extremely fearful time when God pours out the "fierceness of His wrath."
VERSE 20: (Chapter 16)
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ISLANDS and MOUNTAINS GONE
"And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found."
When God unleashes "the fierceness of His wrath", "EVERY island" will flee away. And not only will all the islands upon the earth flee away, but all the mountains will disappear. They will be flattened. There will be no more mountains. The whole earth will become flat ... "the mountains were not found". Even when a volcano erupts, there is left ashes and rocks. Most of the mountainous volcano is still standing. But when God lets His anger flow, it will wipe out the entire earth.
Psalm 7:11 says that: "God is angry with the wicked every day". God has been 'bottling up' His anger "every day". God's anger is going to literally explode during this Tribulation Time! He has been holding it in for a long, long time. Make sure you are saved TODAY. Tomorrow may be too late. "Boast not thyself of to morow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Proverbs 27:1).
VERSE 21: (Chapter 16)
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100 POUND ROCKS
FALL On PEOPLE
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."
Like most of the verses in Revelation, God starts this verse with "And" also. This indicates that these events are all linked together. One event comes right after another ... and so on. "And" ...
If enough events and judgments haven't already occured, more judgments continue to come upon the earth. Just when people think it can't get any worse, it does. Almost all of the Tribulation people still will not repent and ask for forgiveness. Huge boulders are going to be thrown down upon them. "And there fell upon men (humans) a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent". A talent weighs about 100 pounds and they are "stone" ... boulders.
It is very difficult for one person to pick up or move a 100-pound rock. During this time in the Tribulation Period, millions and millions of 100-pound rocks are going to smash down upon the people. God told us in our previous verse, that every island and mountain would be gone, erased from the face of the earth. When these 100-pound rocks fall out of the sky, people will not have any places to hide. They will be out in the open. It will be almost impossible, if not for the Lord, to avoid being crushed by one of these boulders. Just imagine the power behind the fall of one of these rocks. They will be falling from hundreds, if not millions of miles away. The impact is unthinkable. God says, in our verse, that this "plague thereof was exceeding great". Exceeding means extremely a lot. It means to be greater in number than past ones. These 100-pound rocks are not just going to be a few little asteroids falling into our atmosphere. These 100-pound rocks are going to be "exceeding great" in size and in number and they will "fell upon men".
You would think that people, who have survived all the judgments, vials, woes, and plagues, would turn to God. People will know that it is God bringing His judgments upon the earth. They "believe" in God at this point in the Tribulation Period. However, they still refuse to be saved. They refuse to accept Jesus as their own personal Saviour. They refuse to ask Him into their heart. They refuse to be sorry for their sins. Instead, this is what people will do to God ... "and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail: for the plague thereof was exceeding great." People will blaspheme God! In other words, they will swear at God with all kinds of obscenities. They will blame God for all their troubles. They will hate God even more. They will hate Him and blasphemy Him.
Continue to Chapter 17 ...