ECHO Student Ministries

Revelation 15:1-16:21

Although there has been a lengthy interlude since the last official judgment (sixth trumpet in Revelation 9:13-21), John's vision has given the reader several descriptions of people who will play a part in this future period of time. For sake of review, John has detailed the two witnesses who will preach repentance (11:1-14), the kingdom of God which will be proclaimed as the seventh trumpet (11:15-19), Satan persecuting Israel (12:1-17), the Antichrist persecuting believers on earth (13:1-10), the false prophet forcing worship of the Antichrist (13:11-18), the 144,000 Jewish witnesses for Christ (14:1-5), and the three angels who bring judgment to the earth (14:6-20).

Now, in Revelation 15 there is a prelude to the next series of judgments. You will remember that God has already unleashed two sets of judgments upon the earth: 7 seal judgments (6:1-8:6) and 7 trumpet judgments (8:7-9:21; 11:15-19). This final set of judgments is referred to as the bowl or vial judgments. John writes, "I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the last seven plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete" (15:1). These seven bowls of wrath would be poured out upon those who have taken the mark of the beast, worshiped the image of the Antichrist, and ultimately rejected Jesus Christ. Each judgment is greater than the one before and John says that "the temple [in heaven] was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed" (15:8). John then hears a voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth" (16:1).

Here are the judgments which follow:
First Bowl - people covered in painful sores (16:2)
Second Bowl - sea turns to blood/all creatures in it die (16:3)
Third Bowl - fresh water turns to blood (16:4-7)
Fourth Bowl - extreme heat from the sun (16:8-9)
Fifth Bowl - darkness on earth/continued pain from sores (16:10-11)
Sixth Bowl - Euphrates River dries up (16:12-16)
Seventh Bowl - Earthquake like no other/Hail from heaven (16:17-21)

As a result of this earthquake, John writes that "the great city [Jerusalem] was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell" (16:19). This division is a positive thing because it will become the city where God establishes His millennial reign following the tribulation period (Revelation 20:4-6). John goes on to describe the impact of this earthquake on the rest of the world: "And great Babylon [Antichrist's central empire] was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found" (16:19-20). It appears that Jerusalem is the only city on earth left standing after God gets through with all the judgments. His final judgment will come at the conclusion of the 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth (20:7-10).

After the earthquake, God sends hail from heaven. This was not your typical hailstone because John describes the weight as being "a talent" which is about 75 pounds (16:21). This massive- sized hail will result in incredible destruction and loss of life. So how do men respond to God's judgment upon them? John writes that they "blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since the plague was exceedingly great" (16:21). This reaction is really sad because they were blaspheming the very God who gave them life. It is hard for me to understand how men will still be able to express their hatred for God especially since He has offered them salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. All of this could have been avoided if they had only repented of their sin and expressed belief in Jesus. I guess men ultimately love sin more than they love God.

Dear God, each time I read about the future of those who reject Jesus, I am saddened by their fate. I pray that You would use people all over the world to warn of God's pending judgment upon those who hate You and also offer hope through Jesus Christ. Make us see the urgency in this.