Revelation 16 (July 25, 2025) #2

The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath

16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters[a] say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,

for you brought these judgments.

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,

and you have given them blood to drink.

It is what they deserve!”

7 And I heard the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,

true and just are your judgments!”

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed[b] the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 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. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

The Seventh Bowl

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings,[c] peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds[d] each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

Footnotes

Revelation 16:5 Greek angel of the waters

Revelation 16:9 Greek blasphemed; also verses 11, 21

Revelation 16:18 Or voices, or sounds

Revelation 16:21 Greek a talent in weight

Revelation 16

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Summary

Revelation 16 describes the outpouring of the seven bowls of God’s wrath, signaling the final and complete judgment on a rebellious world. A loud voice from the temple commands the seven angels to pour out their bowls on the earth.

Verse 1, "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

The first bowl brings painful sores on those who bear the mark of the beast (v. 2). The second and third bowls turn the seas and rivers into blood (vv. 3–4), reflecting God’s justice for the bloodshed of His saints (v. 6). The fourth bowl scorches people with fierce heat, yet they curse God and refuse to repent (vv. 8–9). The fifth bowl plunges the beast’s kingdom into darkness (v. 10). The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates, preparing the way for kings to assemble for the final battle at Armageddon (v. 16). The seventh bowl unleashes catastrophic destruction—lightning, thunder, earthquakes, and hail—marking the finality of God’s judgment (vv. 17–21). John records that humanity, instead of repenting, continues to blaspheme God.

Who is God

God is revealed as the holy and sovereign Judge whose wrath is deliberate, righteous, and final. Each bowl judgment reflects His perfect justice—those who shed the blood of the saints now receive blood to drink (v. 6). His power extends over creation, kings, and nations as He orchestrates events leading to the ultimate defeat of evil. God’s judgments are not impulsive but intentional, demonstrating that He is faithful to avenge evil and bring history to its ordained conclusion. His sovereignty is evident: even the gathering of kings for battle happens according to His divine plan, reminding us that no power can thwart His purposes.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt lies in our persistent rebellion and hardness of heart. Humanity in this chapter suffers under severe judgment yet continues to curse God instead of repenting (vv. 9, 11, 21). This reveals the depth of sin, demonstrating that apart from God's grace, our hearts are unwilling to submit to Him, even when His justice is clear. We share in this guilt whenever we dismiss God’s warnings, presume upon His patience, or live as though judgment will never come. Our attraction to worldly security, power, and pleasure reflects a heart that would rather endure wrath than bow to the true King.

How does Grace Shine

Grace shines because these judgments come only after many opportunities to repent. Revelation reveals that God issued warnings repeatedly through the seals, trumpets, and calls to repent. Even as the bowls are poured out, they come after these warnings. This shows God’s great patience before His final judgment.

Grace shines in the fact that believers, sealed by the Lamb, are spared from this wrath. The bowls remind us that Christ has already taken God’s wrath for His people. For those who belong to Him, there is no condemnation. The final judgment shows that evil will not win forever. One could argue that God’s justice is an act of grace. His holiness is displayed in his justice, and yet His grace rescues His people from the power of sin and Satan.

Prayer

Righteous and Sovereign Lord,

We praise You for Your justice and holiness. We profess that Your judgments are true and Your ways are right. You are not indifferent to evil, nor will You let wickedness go unpunished.

We confess how often we take Your patience lightly and live as though Your warnings are empty. Forgive us for our stubborn hearts, for fearing man more than You, and for loving the world’s comforts more than Your truth.

Thank You that in Christ we are spared from wrath, for He bore our judgment on the cross. Strengthen our faith to endure, and keep us steadfast as witnesses to Your truth in a world that resists You. May we live in hope, knowing that Your final justice will bring renewal and peace for Your people.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.