Revelation 16:8-15
Just a Thought on Revelation 16 (Part 2)
Revelation 16:8-15
Introduction: God has already shown us His wrath falling on the earth in the first three vials; now we are going to see the last four vials and we are going to learn something about man in the face of the wrath of God.
- “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.” (Revelation 16:8)
- Talk about “global warming” (cf. Isaiah 30:26)
- Could this be what men are trying now to prevent then?
- Imagine a world where men have nothing but blood to drink and then the sun is 7 x’s hotter.
- Does someone want to change God’s plan?
- But change will be unsuccessful.
- Talk about “global warming” (cf. Isaiah 30:26)
- “And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” (Revelation 16:9)
- Why? “men scorched” as God says!
- Man’s response: “blasphemed the name of God”
- Blasphemed the very one that controls all the elements of nature—the foolishness of man.
- Man’s response: “repented not”
- Man will not change, will continue his rebellion against the Living God.
- We see this today already only gets more stubborn then!
- Man will not change, will continue his rebellion against the Living God.
- “And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,” (Revelation 16:10)
- Nearing the end of the Tribulation; perhaps last six months.
- Repeat of Exodus 20:23: Moses.
- “seat of the beast”
- Ex-cathedra: where the beast sits (Revelation 2:13)
- Rome
- Ex-cathedra: where the beast sits (Revelation 2:13)
- “gnawed their tongues for pain”
- Extreme thirst: blood to drink, great heat
- Two witnesses: Elijah and Moses
- “have power to shut up heaven” (Revelation 11:6)
- When we come to Revelation 16 all three:
- Plagues (Revelation 16:2)
- Blood (Revelation 16;3)
- No water (Revelation 16:10)
- “full of darkness”
- Sits in darkness, in heat, no water, painful time.
- Nearing the end of the Tribulation; perhaps last six months.
- “And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.” (Revelation 16:11)
- Man’s reaction: “blasphemed the God of heaven”
- Man is stubborn.
- Heart is the problem (see Jeremiah 17:9; Psalms 39:5)
- See “strength of man’s will against God’s will” (Dr. Peter Ruckman)
- No matter what God does man will not repent and get saved.
- Man’s reaction: “blasphemed the God of heaven”
- “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” (Revelation 16:12)
- New element appears (cf. Revelation 16:12)
- “Trumpets” and “vials” simultaneous.
- “kings of the east”: cavalry attack on Israel
- 200,000,000 strong (see Revelation 9:16)
- Possibly demonic army out of hell.
- New element appears (cf. Revelation 16:12)
- “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.” (Revelation 16:13)
- “unclean spirits like frogs”: Just get that picture
- Such corruption
- Compare with picture of Holy Spirit (Matthew 4)
- What a contrast!!!!!
- “dragon…beast…false prophet”: Satanic trinity
- Typified in Old Testament: Numbers 22:41
- Balak, Ballaam, Baal.
- Typified in Old Testament: Numbers 22:41
- “unclean spirits like frogs”: Just get that picture
- “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14)
- “they are spirits of devils”: Spirits sent forth to deceive: 2 Thessalonians 2:9
- Unclean spirits can heal, speak in tongues raise the dead. (cf. Revelation 13:3, 14)
- “the battle of that great day of God Almighty”
- Not just a little war, a war that will make all other wars seem as child’s play!
- Man facing off against God Almighty
- Such is the arrogance of man.
- Our God is called a man of war (Exodus 15:3)
- Our God is called a Captain (Hebrews 2:10 with Joshua 5:14)
- God says he will put hooks in their jaws (cf. Ezekiel 38:4)
- God will bring man where he is forced to face “God Almighty”
- “they are spirits of devils”: Spirits sent forth to deceive: 2 Thessalonians 2:9
- “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15)
- Intermission verse, as verse 16 is a continuation of verse 14.
- Intermission that points to a mid-Tribulation rapture of Tribulation saints.
- Takes place before battle of Armageddon
- “I come as a thief” (cf. Matthew 24:29-30 with Matthew 24:31)
- Immediately precedes Second Coming.
- “keepeth his garments”: works involved (cf. Revelation 6:11; 7:14; 12:11; 14:12)
- Rapture mentioned in Old Testament (see Psalms 50:3-5; Isaiah 26:12-21)
- “lest he walk naked, and they see his shame”
- Consider the implication
- Adam and Eve’s fear in the Garden of Eden.
- Imagine the shame of appearing before “God Almighty” “naked”
- Consider the implication
Conclusion: Next we are going to go on and study the battle of Armageddon