Revelation 16: The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

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Revelation unveils the outpouring of God’s righteous judgment through the seven bowls of His wrath. These final plagues demonstrate God’s power, justice, and sovereignty over creation, calling humanity to recognize His authority. This chapter serves as a sobering reminder of the ultimate victory of righteousness and the consequences of unrepentant sin.

Revelation 16 Overview

The First Bowl: A Harmful and Evil Sore [16:1-2]
The Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood [16:3]
The Third Bowl: Rivers and Springs Become Blood [16:4-7]
The Fourth Bowl: Scorching Heat from the Sun [16:8-9]
The Fifth Bowl: Darkness on the Beast’s Throne [16:10-11]
The Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates Dried Up [16:12-16]
The Seventh Bowl: The Final Cataclysm [16:17-21]

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

1 I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!” 2 The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, you Holy One, because you have judged these things. 6 For they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.” 7 I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.”

8 The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 People were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give him glory.

10 The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They still didn’t repent of their works.

The Sixth Bowl: The Euphrates Dried Up

12 The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise. 13 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, something like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty.

15 “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.” 16 He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, “Megiddo.”

The Seventh Bowl: The End of Judgment

17 The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not been since there were men on the earth—so great an earthquake and so mighty. 19 The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague was exceedingly severe.

Sermon Themes

Revelation 16 powerfully reveals God’s righteous judgment and ultimate sovereignty. How does this chapter challenge you to trust in God’s justice and turn to Him in repentance? This chapter details the outpouring of God’s wrath upon the earth through seven distinct bowls, each unleashing a devastating plague upon the unrepentant. These judgments serve as a powerful reminder of God’s justice and the consequences of rejecting Him.

The Inevitable Wrath of God: God’s judgment is a certainty against unrighteousness and rebellion, demonstrated through the pouring out of these bowls [16:1].
Consequences of Aligning with Evil: Those who bear the mark of the beast face specific and severe consequences for their allegiance [16:2].
God’s Righteous Judgments: The angel of the waters and the altar affirm the justice of God’s actions, seeing them as a fitting recompense for the persecution of the righteous [16:5-7].
Unrepentant Hearts in the Face of Judgment: Despite the severity of the plagues, people continue to blaspheme God and refuse to repent [16:9, 11, 21].
The Climax of Divine Judgment: The seventh bowl signifies the completion of this stage of God’s wrath, culminating in widespread destruction and a powerful declaration [16:17]. This points towards the finality of God’s judgment.
The Sores of Unbelief: Just as the first bowl brought painful sores, rejecting Christ can lead to deep spiritual wounds [16:2].
Poisoned Waters of the World: The turning of water to blood can symbolize how worldly influences can contaminate our spiritual lives [16:3-4].
Scorched by Worldly Desires: The intense heat from the sun can represent the burning pain of pursuing fleeting earthly pleasures over eternal values [16:8].
Darkness of Sin’s Reign: The darkness on the beast’s throne illustrates how sin can cloud our judgment and lead to suffering [16:10].
Obstacles Removed for God’s Purpose: The drying of the Euphrates shows how God can remove obstacles to accomplish His will [16:12].
The Earth-Shaking Consequences of Choices: The great earthquake signifies the profound impact of our decisions, both personal and societal [16:18].
The Blasphemy of Unrepentance: Continuing to reject God even in the face of clear consequences demonstrates a dangerous hardening of the heart [16:21].

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▷ Scripture quotations taken from the World English Bible (WEB), which is in the public domain.