Wednesday
Wednesday
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”
Revelation 16:1
A major clue to the understanding of Revelation 15 and 16 is to be found in two expressions. Firstly, “God’s wrath is completed” (15:1). Secondly, “It is done!” (16:17). “Completed” and “done.” In each case it is a single Greek word in the perfect tense, indicating that God’s work of judgment has been accomplished once for all, and perhaps drawing a deliberate parallel to the “it is finished” (John 19:30) of the cross. The previous judgments (the seals and the trumpets) were partial; those of the bowls are final. It could be expressed thus: the eye of faith sees in the breaking of the seals the permissive will of God, in the blowing of the trumpets the reformative purpose of God, and in the pouring out of the bowls the retributive justice of God.
The first four bowls, like the first four trumpets, were targeted in the same sequence upon earth, sea, freshwater, and sun. Talk about earth, sea, water, and sun has a very modern sound in our era of environmental sensitivity. We are concerned about the earth’s biodiversity, the plankton of the oceans, the availability of clean water, and the preservation of the ozone layer to protect us from radiation and its harmful effects. The pouring out of the fifth bowl plunged the kingdom of the beast into darkness and consequent anarchy, causing great suffering. But still the people “refused to repent” (Rev. 16:9, 11). Like Pharaoh they hardened their hearts.
The sixth bowl was poured out on the River Euphrates, a symbol of anti-God forces assembling for the final battle “on the great day of God Almighty” (v. 14). And lest the people of God should be unduly alarmed at this prospect, Jesus himself intervenes, crying out, “Behold, I come like a thief!” (v. 15), warning us to be ready. The anticipated battle is surely not literal, however; it symbolizes the final battle between the Lamb and the dragon, between Christ and Antichrist.
As the sequences of the seals and trumpets ended in the climax of the Parousia, so does the sequence of the bowls. Christ comes in power and glory to rout and destroy the forces of evil.
For further reading: Revelation 16:17–22