Download Study Materials
Cursing God
- 1st – First Bowl… vs. 1-2
- 1st – The command… vs. 1
- Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels.
- Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!
- Picking right up where we left off last week – immediately [καί] after SMOKE fills the Temple…
- John heard the LOUD [μέγας] voice of an ANGEL cry out from the Holiest of All [ναός]
- Commanding [imperative] the SEVEN angles to pour out their BOWLS of WRATH!
- What follows is FINAL set of the THREE judgements [Seal – Trumpet – Bowl]
- In rapid succession – all SEVEN of the BOWLS will be poured out in this ONE chapter…
- But where the SEAL and TRUMPET judgements occur over the first HALF of the Tribulation…
- The BOWL judgments likely unfold over the last THREE and a HALF years of the Tribulation!
- We might look at the wicked world around us and wonder why God has not judged yet…
- It is easy for us to forget that the timing of God – is not our timing – II Peter 3:8
- We must not forget that God is patient – hoping men will turn to Jesus – II Peter 3:9
- But once the TIME is up – the JUDGMENT will come swiftly – and there is no stopping it!
- 2nd – Open Boils… vs. 2
- The first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth.
- A foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast.
- Those who worshiped his image!
- The FIRST angel poured out his BOWL – causing a BOIL to break out on anyone with the MARK…
- It has been speculated that perhaps the MARK causes a reaction in anyone who receives it…
- If the NUMBER [666] is a RFID chip implanted under the skin…
- Or even a BAR code that is placed [tattoo] on the skin…
- It could cause an allergic response – making anyone who receives it break out with a BOIL…
- A BOIL that is described as EVIL [κακός] and WICKED [πονηρός]!
- If you have even had a REALLY bad boil – painful – oozing…
- And were asked to describe it – you might use the same terms – so PAINFUL it is EVIL!
- Do NOT miss – there is only ONE boil [singular] – presumably on the spot where the MARK is…
- Because God does not leave guessing – He bring consequences that point out our SIN…
- Trying to get us to SEE where we have gone WRONG – so we can REPENT!
- Galatians 6:7 – “God is not mocked – for whatever a man sows – that he will also reap.”
- 1st – The command… vs. 1
- 2nd – Second Bowl… vs. 3
- 1st – The Sea…
- Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea – and it became blood as of a dead man!
- The SECOND angel poured out his BOWL – causing the SEA to turn to BLOOD…
- It is described as the BLOOD of a DEAD [νεκρός] man…
- This is meant to be a CONTRAST – because BLOOD is what gives LIFE!
- Leviticus 17:14 – “The life of every creature is in its blood.” [NLT]
- 2nd – The Animals…
- Every living creature in the sea died!
- The RESULT of the ocean turning to BLOOD – was EVERY [πᾶς] living thing in it DIES…
- This is the THIRD time in Revelation we see water turn to BLOOD…
- FIRST – when the SECOND Trumpet – THIRD of the sea became BLOOD – Revelation 8:8
- SECOND – the TWO witnesses – could turn water into BLOOD – Revelation 11:6
- But here it is NOT limited – NOT just a THIRD of the sea – it is EVERYTHING that dies!
- God is good at getting our attention – He might be subtle at first [polite tap on the shoulder]
- But if we do NOT listen – He can also give us a right hook to the face…
- God LOVES us too much to let us continue in SIN…
- There is NO limited to what He is willing to do – to show us our need to REPENT!
- 1st – The Sea…
- 3rd – Third Bowl… vs. 4-7
- 1st – Fresh Water… vs. 4
- The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water – and they became blood!
- The THIRD angel poured out his BOWL – and all FRESH water became BLOOD…
- This is FAR more serious than the SEA [salt water] becoming BLOOD…
- Because this means there is no FRESH water for men to DRINK…
- God struck the FRESH water before with WORMWOOD – THIRD trumpet – Revelation 8:11
- But this time it was not just a THIRD – it was all the FRESH water [rivers – springs]!
- As a general rule – people can only survive THREE days without water…
- Becoming increasingly THIRSTY as their body begins to FAIL!
- God wants the world to see they are THIRSTY – not for the water of THIS life…
- What they need is LIVING water – ONLY Jesus can truly satisfy us!
- John 4:13-14 – “Whoever drinks of this water [of the world] will thirst again – but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
- 2nd – Just Reward… vs. 5-6
- I heard the angel of the waters saying: You are righteous – O Lord.
- The One who is and who was and who is to be – because You have judged these things.
- For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets – and You have given them blood to drink.
- For it is their just due!
- Since WATER is necessary for LIFE – apparently there is an ANGEL who guards the WATERS…
- But he said – God [who is eternal] was RIGHT to POISON [blood] the water supply…
- Because these men KILLED [shed the blood] the SAINTS [ἅγιος] and PROPHETS…
- Therefore – they DESERVE [ἄξιος] to also drink BLOOD!
- There is an old saying – what goes around also comes around…
- Meaning the way we treat others – is how we are going to be treated…
- Therefore – how do we want others to treat us – is how we should treat them!
- Matthew 7:12 – “Therefore – whatever you want men to do to you – do also to them…”
- 3rd – From the Altar… vs. 7
- I heard another from the altar saying.
- Even so – Lord God Almighty – true and righteous are Your judgments!
- A SECOND person spoke from the ALTAR [NOTE – we are NOT told this was an angel]
- The ALTAR is where the PRAYERS of the saints come up to God – Revelation 8:4
- Meaning this could be the VOICE of the Tribulation SAINTS…
- Saying TRUE and RIGHT is the LORD God Almighty – to bring JUDGEMENT on wicked men!
- When we PRAY for others – we tend to think of PRAYING for blessings…
- But if people are STUBBORN – and unwilling to REPENT and come to Jesus…
- Our PRAY should be for JUDGEMENT – so that they will WAKE up…
- Because it is better for them to be BROKEN here – then CRUSHED in heaven!
- Matthew 21:44 – “Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”
- 1st – Fresh Water… vs. 4
- 4th – Fourth Bowl… vs. 8-9
- 1st – The Sun… vs. 8
- Sunburn…
- The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun.
- And power was given to him to scorch men with fire!
- FOURTH angel poured out his BOWL – and the SUN was given the power to SCORCH men…
- Very LIKELY this is a SOLAR flare – a BURST of energy from the sun…
- Lots of UV radiation will hit the earth – causing extreme SUN burn!
- The shallow soil…
- SCORCH [καυματίζω] 4x in NT – also used in the PARABLE of the Sower – Matthew 13:6
- The SECOND of the soils – is the STONY ground…
- Who would receive the GOSPEL [seed] – but had no ROOTS…
- As a result – when the sun SCORCHED them – they wither and die!
- There are going to be many during the Tribulation who want to follow Jesus…
- But the moment times get TOUGH – people executed for their FAITH…
- They will wither – and walk away from Jesus…
- The Gospel is not a message of an easy life – it is about eternal life…
- If our focus in not on the eternal – then when things get HOT – we will not STAND!
- Sunburn…
- 2nd – Blaspheme God… vs. 9
- Men were scorched with great heat – and they blasphemed the name of God.
- Who has power over these plagues – and they did not repent and give Him glory!
- When the men are SCORCHED by GREAT [μέγας] heat…
- They BLASPHEME [speak evil] of the name of God – because He has POWER over the BOWLS…
- Do NOT think men assume these are NATURAL disasters [boils – sea – water – sun]
- Men know EXACTLY where these PLAGUES are coming from…
- Yet they do NOT repent – or give God the GLORY [that presumably they know He deserves]!
- We have been programmed over the past few decades – to believe in ALIENS…
- To be clear – ALIENS do NOT exist – there is only ONE inhabitable planet – Genesis 1:1
- But there are beings from other DIMENSIONS – we call them ANGELS [good and bad]
- Perhaps the LIE of the Antichrist – God is the BAD guy attacking the world with PLAGUES!
- What is sad – is perhaps people who once put their FAITH in God [second soil]
- Because they were looking to this life – and when Jesus did not give them what they WANTED…
- They are now the ones who are CURSING God – stubbornly refusing to REPENT!
- 1st – The Sun… vs. 8
- 5th – Fifth Bowl… vs. 10-11
- 1st – Darkness… vs. 10
- Fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast – his kingdom became full of darkness!
- FIFTH angel poured out his BOWL – on the kingdom [throne] of the Antichrist [beast]
- The RESULT – his kingdom is filled with DARKNESS [night]
- God can be blunt in the examples He gives to make point…
- Men are spiritually blind – living in DARKNESS – so He makes the world NIGHT…
- Hoping that they will desire to come to the LIGHT!
- John 8:12 – “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness!”
- 2nd – No Repentance… vs. 11
- They gnawed their tongues because of the pain – and blasphemed the God of heaven.
- Because of their pains and their sores – and did not repent of their deeds!
- The DARKNESS causes men to be in PAIN…
- When we are not exposed to enough SUNLIGHT – it does bring health risks…
- It can cause low vitamin D – which can lead to sickness and even cancer…
- It is also a very common cause of DEPRESSION!
- But as a RESULT of their PAIN and their SORES – they SQUEEZE [bite] their TONGUE…
- They KNOW they should REPENT – they KNOW God is trying to get their attention…
- But instead – they once again BLASPHEME the God of Heaven!
- Did you ever WONDER why people are so determined to DENY God today…
- People have come up with elaborate ideas like EVOLUTION – to deny God exists…
- The reason is because if there is no LIGHT – then there is no DARKNESS…
- People want to ERASE the standard – so they can deny their SIN!
- John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation – that the LIGHT has come into the world – and men loved [ἀγαπάω] DARKNESS rather than LIGHT – because their deeds were EVIL.”
- 1st – Darkness… vs. 10
- 6th – Sixth Bowl… vs. 12-16
- 1st – The Euphrates… vs. 12
- Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates.
- And its water was dried up – so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared!
- SIXTH angel poured out his BOWL – drying up the Euphrates River…
- It is dried to prepare the WAY for the KINGS of the EAST [two views]
- FIRST – they could be the TWO hundred million demons – Revelation 9:16
- The Euphrates River is also mentioned in relation to their release!
- SECOND – they could be NATIONS from the EAST – literally the Rising Sun [ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου]
- Perhaps a reference to powerful ASIAN nations – Japan – India – China!
- 2nd – Unclean spirits… vs. 13-14
- I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon.
- Out of the mouth of the beast – and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
- They are spirits of demons – performing signs – which go out to the kings of the earth.
- And of the whole world – to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty!
- John saw THREE unclean spirits [demons] that looked like FROGS [ugly]
- They were coming out of the mouth of the DRAGON [satan] – BEAST – and FALSE prophet…
- Giving them the POWER to perform MIRACLES – to deceive KINGS and the whole WORLD…
- Causing them ALL gather together in the FINAL battle – on the GREAT day of God!
- Zechariah 14:2-3 – “I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem… Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations.”
- 3rd – Thief in the Night… vs. 15
- Behold – I am coming as a thief!
- All of this God announces BEFOREHAND – He lets EVERYONE know…
- He even commands us to BEHOLD [imperative] – He is coming like a THIEF…
- Apparently not a very good THIEF – because we KNOW when He is coming…
- Exactly THREE and a HALF years – or 42 months – or 1260 days…
- After the Abomination of Desolation – Antichrist declares himself God – Matthew 25:15
- God will gather all the nations of the world – to be JUDGED by Jesus – Revelation 19:15
- Blessed is he who watches…
- [Who] keeps his [clothes on] – lest he walk naked – and they see his shame!
- BLESSED [happy] is the one who KNOWS this – and WATCHES!
- Some people like to be COMFORTABLE when they get home…
- The FORMAL clothes get tossed aside – and the CASUAL clothing goes on…
- But if we KNEW a THIEF was coming – we would not want to be EMBARRASSED…
- We would make sure we were properly dressed when they arrived!
- No one will ever be able to say – I did NOT know how to be saved…
- No one even be able to say – we did NOT know God would JUDGE the world…
- God has given us INSTRUCTIONS – we just need to take the time to READ them…
- Blessed [happy] is the ones who STUDY their Bible – so they are READY…
- When Jesus comes they are WEARING the RIGHT clothing!
- Revelation 3:18 – “White garments – that you may be clothed – that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed.”
- Behold – I am coming as a thief!
- 4th – Armageddon… vs. 16
- They gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew – Armageddon!
- God gathered THEM [all of the nations of the world] – to ARMAGEDDON…
- [Ἁρμαγεδδών] – the HILL [הַר] of MEGIDDO [מְגִדּוֹן]
- The Hill [city] of Megiddo sits in a long valley in the central portion of Israel [300km long]
- It is part of the Via Maris [way of the sea] – connecting Asia – to Europe – and Africa…
- It is literally at the crossroads of the World!
- This will be the place where the Antichrist – and ALL the NATIONS he has deceived…
- Will gather together in a FUTILE attempt to go to war with Jesus [God]
- It will NOT be much of a battle – Jesus will just say ONE word – II Thessalonians 2:8
- And the BLOOD will flow TWO meters deep – for THREE hundred kilometers – Revelation 14:20
- 1st – The Euphrates… vs. 12
All that remains is the PULP – that Jesus must come and CLEAN up from the earth!
7th – Seventh Bowl… vs. 17-21
1st – It is Finished… vs. 17
Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air.
And a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven – from the throne – saying – It is done!
SEVENTH angel poured out his BOWL – into the AIR…
And a BOOMING [μέγας] voice from the Holiest [ναός] said – it is DONE…
DONE [γίνομαι] – to come to pass – or to begin something NEW!
The idea being – all 21 of the judgements of God [seal – trumpet – and bowl] are complete…
The time of the Antichrist ruling this world has come to an END…
It is time for Jesus to COME and establish His Kingdom on earth – Revelation 20:4
2nd – The Earthquake… vs. 18-20
God coming down…
There were noises and thunderings and lightnings – and there was a great earthquake.
Such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.
Now the great city was divided into three parts – and the cities of the nations fell.
And great Babylon 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!
John heard THUNDER – saw LIGHTENING – and then came the EARTHQUAKE…
Just like in the days of the Exodus – God was coming down – Exodus 20:18
God will cause an EARTHQUAKE – the strongest [μέγας] ever in HISTORY!
End of an Empire…
Perhaps a reference to a LITERAL earthquake – but more likely speaking symbolically…
FIRST – It will cause the FALL of the RELIGIOUS system of the Antichrist…
The GREAT city [Jerusalem] – center of his religion – will divide in THREE – Revelation 17
SECOND – It will cause the FALL of the POLITICAL system of the Antichrist…
The cities of the NATION fall – those who follow the Beast – Revelation 19
THIRD – It will cause the FALL of the FINANCIAL system of the Antichrist…
GREAT Babylon will be remembered – God will give her the cup of WRATH – Revelation 18
The whole world CHANGES – ever island moved – mountain gone!
HITLER [an antichrist] believed the Third Reich would last for ONE thousand years…
But after only SIX years of WAR – the empire was GONE…
All of their ISLANDS [territory] was moved – all their MOUNTAINS [leaders] were gone!
Because the Kingdoms of Men will NEVER last – they are short lived…
ONLY the KINGDOM of God will last forever!
Daniel 2:44 – “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed… it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms – and it shall stand forever.”
3rd – Great Hail… vs. 21
And great hail from heaven fell upon men – each hailstone about the weight of a talent!
Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail – since that plague was exceedingly great!
The FINAL part of the LAST bowl – was HAIL from HEAVEN…
The largest HAILSTONE ever recorded was 20cm [bowling ball] – and weighed 1kg…
These will be THIRTY times as large – and weigh a whopping THIRTY kilos…
They will hit with enough force to destroy a house – car – or kill a person instantly!
But MEN do NOT repent because of this FINAL judgement…
Instead – for the THIRD time – we see the BLASPHEME the Lord!
God FIGHTS hard to save as MANY as He can during the TRIBULATION…
And there will be an INNUMERABLE multitude who will be saved – Revelation 7:9
But with each passing judgement – those who remain are HARDER and HARDER…
So that by the time you come to the LAST judgement – NOTHING will turn them to Jesus…
Leave a Reply