1. This evening w e come to that point in the book of Revelation we have been reading about and preparing for. God’s final judgement takes place. The bowls of God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth.
2. As we consider the plague and events that accompany this action, we must be careful how we approach the word of God. This is a literal explanation of that which will happen. We must not spiritualize these events or use them as allegories to describe other events. When we read about rivers, these are actual rivers and not spiritual rivers. There are many parts of Revelation that we do take spiritually. For instance the beast that rose out of the sea is not an actual beast but a symbolic, spiritual representation of the false religious systems of the world. There were parts of the book that refer to spiritual or historical events. But the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the earth is an actual event. Not something that is happening through this dispensation but as something that will happen at the end of this age.
3. The bowls contain God’s wrath and when they are poured God’s wrath, all of it has been acted upon. His wrath will be finished.
4. The first four bowls of His wrath is poured out upon different spheres or areas of nature, literally. The only symbolism is that of the bowl and the wrath itself. God’s wrath is not a substance that can be held in a bowl and can be poured out. But the events that happens are real and are a result of God unleashing His wrath upon the earth.
5. Creation will be affected by His wrath. The earth and sea and all that is in them belong to God’s kingdom, His creation. Man is the head of creation. Man became subject to the kingdom of Satan and Satan defiled creation and used it and its powers to his own ends. Creation has be stained by sin. It is unclean, has been made unclean. And we read about what happens to that which is unclean in Leviticus and Numbers. Also, man is dependent upon creation. It is through creation that God reaches us - provides for us and judges us. Through creation He sends sickness, famine and controls history. The number four relates to creation. Remember the four living creatures represent God’s created order in its perfect state, in its highest state - in forms of life. And as we said, the first four bowls all affect nature - the land, the sea, the rivesr and springs, and the sun
6. The fifth vial, we will see, is poured on the throne of the beast, the sixth prepares the battle of Armageddon and the seventh is in the air.
7. The affects of the bowls our plagues is universal or complete. There is no escaping them. The seals affect 1/4 of that which was affected. The trumpets 1/3. But the bowls are final. All are touched by them. All who are on the earth. But not the saints, since they have been raptured already.
8. What are the plagues that God’s wrath pours upon the people? The first bowl is poured upon the land or dry land. The result is that ugly and painful sores break out on all the people. Since only the elect did not have the mark of the beast and since they are gone. All who are alive on the earth have the mark. While these may be literal sores they can also refer to disease in general. The earth provides the necessities of life. But the plague on the earth so affects the crops and vegetation that they supply no health or strength for mankind. There is no relief. Even medicine will not be found, since the earth will not provide healthy plants to provide medicine. But man will not die.
9. The second bowl is poured on the sea. It turns to blood and all that is in the sea dies. The second trumpet had turned 1/3 of the sea into blood and killed 1/3 of the life within it. But again all life is killed by this plague. The sea is no good for providing food or even being a means of travel or commerce.
10. The third bowl is poured on the rivers and springs of water and they become blood. In their distress the people cannot get a refreshing drink. The entire water supply is affected. There is no relief for them.
11. The fourth bowl is poured on the sun. The sun increases in heat so much that men are scorched by its heat. And crops and animals will be affected as well. And they cannot get relief from the waters. There is no place for help or comfort. The whole earth is filled with the wrath of God.
12. There is a combined effect from these four bowls of wrath. Remember the Antichrist has established his universal kingdom, uniting all nations and having absolute power, from an earthly perspective. The kingdom will be one of joy, luxury, prosperity and peace, for all but the people of God who could not buy or sell. Well, these bowls change all that. The Antichrist deprived them from enjoying the blessings of creation. He had the power to do this. But God shows He is the one with the power. God takes away the things that the Antichrist used to make people follow him. God takes away the very resources that he gave to those who followed him and kept from the saints. God says I am the one who provides creation with its blessings. And I am taking these blessing away. You will have nothing to buy and sell. You deprived my people and now I deprive you. I take it all away from you. What you did to my people I will now do to you.
13. There is a sense of vindication in this. And so we hear in the words of the angels who poured on the third bowl:
"You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
14. They are getting what they deserve. They shed blood, not let them have blood. And this is why the souls of those under the altar, the martyrs is heard. They are vindicated.
Rev 16:7 And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
15. And the effect of these plagues is that it causes the kingdom of the Antichrist to fall apart. It was outward prosperity and inward peace that was the cement that kept that kingdom together. But both of these are now gone. And this will lead to the battle at Armageddon.
16. And how does man respond. After the 4th plage and the 5th and 7th, they curse God. They blaspheme His name. They realize that this is God’s doing, but they do not repent or give glory to God. Their hearts are hardened. In their suffering they even rebel more against God. What this shows that it is only the grace of God that softens man’s hearts and draws us to repent and humbly turn to God. Without that grace, they become even harder when judgement comes.
17. And I believe we see that even today. Why does adversity and suffering cause some to draw near to God while other walk away from Him? Could it be that those who walk away never really had their hearts changes by the living God? That they are amongst those who the writer to Hebrews is refering
Heb 6:4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
18. We can thank God for it is by His grace alone that we will be spared this final judgement. That we will not suffer the full wrath of God. By His grace we are not objects of His wrath but of His mercy
Rom 9:15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
19. Christ died so we would not need to experience the wrath of God.
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
20. And Christ bore the wrath of God on our behalf.
Isa 53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
21. This lenten season we meditate on the suffering of Christ. On the grace of a God who would have His son suffer on our behalf. But unless we understand how great God’s wrath is we will not understand how great His mercy is. And we will not fully appreciate how great our sin is and how abhorrent it is to God. As we read of His wrath, as we see how it will be poured on the earth, may each of us be more truly sorry for our sins. And may we each seek to walk more holy lives.
22. Not to escape the wrath. We have done that. But rather to live lives immersed in His grace and mercy. Lives that say thank you to Jesus. O God, the sufferings we have now is nothing compared to the suffering which your wrath will pour upon the wicked. And nothing compared to the glory that awaits us. Thank you Jesus, for saving our souls.
