Lesson#13TheSevenBowls

(15:1–16:21)

1TheSevenBowls

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2TheSevenBowls

IndirectcontrasttothegrotesqueparodyoftheTrinitythat

wemetinLesson#11,Lesson#12introducedtheLamb’s

companions:threeangelsandthe144,000whohave“hisnameandhisFather’snamewriAenontheirforeheads”(14:1).

ThisisGod’sarmywhowillcleansetheearthandengagethe

final,climacHcbaIlewithSatanandhisminionsontheplains

ofMegiddo:Armageddon.

BeforethefinalbaIleweunleashyetanothersetofplagues.ThisHme

sevenangelspouroutsevenbowls,“thesevenbowlsofGod’sfuryupontheearth”(16:1):

TheSevenBowls

1—Uglyandpainfulsores(16:2)

2—Blood,likethatofadeadman(16:3)

3—Riversandspringsofwaterturnedtoblood(16:4-7)

4—Sun,scorchingpeoplewithfire(16:8-9)

5—Satan’skingdomplungedintodarkness(16:10-11)

6—EuphratesRiverdriedup(16:12-16)

7—Massiveearthquake—“Itisdone!”(16:17-21)

AZertheseventhbowl,theearthisliIlemorethanasmokingcinder,

wobblinginspace!

3TheSevenBowls

AZertheseventhtrumpet

soundedin11:15-19,John

presenteduswithaseriesof

visions,interludeswhichgaveus

the“backstory”ofRevelaHon.

Now,chapters15&16returntoan

earlierpointinourstory,resuming

immediatelyaZerthesoundingof

theseventhtrumpet.

Recallthestructureofthe7seals,

7trumpetsand7bowls:

4TheSevenBowls

TheSevenSeals

1. Whitehorse

2. Redhorse

3. Blackhorse

4. Palehorse

5. Soulsoftheslain

6. Earthquake

7. Silence

TheSevenTrumpets

1. Hailandfire,mixedwithblood

2. Hugemountainablaze

3. Blazingstar

4. Sun,moonandstarsturneddark

5. Star,fallentoearth

6. Fourangels,released

7. Templeinheaven,opened

Womanclothedwiththesun(12:1-6)

Warinheaven(12:7-17)

Theenemy:Satan,AnHchrist,FalseProphet(13:1-18)

TheHeroes:144,000,threeangels,SonofMan(14:1-20)

TheSevenBowls 1. Uglyandpainfulsores

2. Bloodlikethatofadeadman

3. Riversandspringsturnedtoblood

4. Sun,scorchingpeoplewithfire

5. Satan’skingdomplungedintodarkness

6. EuphratesRiverdriedup

7. Massiveearthquake

5TheSevenBowls

INTERLUDE!

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

Igottangledup

inaSlinkyonce.

I’mafraidof

them!

That’sanintricatestructure!Justasthe

seventhsealcontainedtheseven

trumpets,sodoestheseventhtrumpet

containthesevenbowls.Thethree

setsofsevencascadedownward,likea

Slinkygoingdownthestairs!

6

7TheSevenBowls

“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

8TheSevenBowls

“Great and [awe inspiring] are your works, Lord God almighty.

Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name?

For you alone are holy: all nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

(15: 1-4)

“HarpingAngelsStandingonaSeaofGlass,”Apocalypse(miniatureilluminaHon,YatesThompsonMS10,fol.25v),c.1370-1390.

BriHshLibrary,London.

9TheSevenBowls

10TheSevenBowls

“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

• Johnseesanotherextraordinary“sign”inheaven[shmeiÆon,“say-may’-on”],one“great

andawe-inspiring”[mevga kai… qaumastovn],theexactsamephraseusedintheopeningofthe“SongofMosesandtheLamb”in15:3b.

• The“sign”issevenangelswiththesevenlastplagues.Thesearethesevenbowls,ofcourse,

buttheword“plague”[plhghv,“play-gay’]isinteresHngbecausetheyarethesevenlastplagues.Thereareonlythreeplagues

menHonedpreviouslyinRevelaHon,those

accompanyingthesixthtrumpet:“Bythesethreeplaguesoffire,smoke,andsulfurthatcameoutoftheirmouths[thefourangels]athirdofthehumanracewaskilled”(9:18).

11TheSevenBowls

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

Andthoseplagues

inEgyptwerereally

nasty!

Ifwehaveatotaloften

plaguesinRevelaHon,then

wehaveaverynice

paralleltothetenplagues

inExodusthatGodbrings

upontheEgypHans!

12

Yea,right!

Especiallythe

plagueoncaIle!

• Withtheselastplagues,God’s“fury”

or“wrath”is“accomplished.”Theword

“fury”isqumovß,“thu-mo’s,”avery

graphicwordthatsuggests“boiling

over”or“panHngwhileenraged.”

• “Accomplished”istelevw,“te-leh’-o,”inthesenseof“reachingtheend”or

“finished.”Itistheexactsameword

Johnusesinhisgospelat19:30when

Jesusexpiresonthecross:“Itisfinished,”televw(19:30).

13TheSevenBowls

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

I’vealways

wonderedthat

myself.

The“wrath”or“fury”ofGodruns

throughoutScripture,callingtomind

JonathanEdward’sfamous1741sermon,

“SinnersintheHandsofanAngryGod.”But

howdowereconcilethis“wrath”ofGod

withaGodofinfinitelove,especially

asweunderstandGodtoday?

14

That’saverygoodquesHon!

TheHebrewScripturesmenHon

the“wrath”ofGod(orits

synonyms)nearly500Hmes,

almostalwaysthedirectresultof

breakingGod’slaw,whiletheNew

TestamentmenHonsthe“wrath”of

God(oritssynonyms)42Hmes.In

theNewTestament,forexample,

St.Paulobservesthat:

“ThewrathofGodisindeedbeingrevealedfromheavenagainsteveryimpietyandwickednessofthosewhosuppressthetruthbytheirwickedness.”

(Romans1:18)

15TheSevenBowls

ToaddressGod’s“wrath”weneed

torecognizethatboththeHebrew

ScripturesandtheNewTestament

oZenanthropomorphizeGod;that

is,theyaIributetohimhuman

characterisHcs,bothphysicallyand

emoHonally.

ThishelpsustounderstandGod,

butifwefailtorecognizethisasa

literarydeviceandwemakethe

anthropomorphicliteral,wecan

veryeasilymisunderstandthe

intendedmessage.

16TheSevenBowls

So,whatexactlydowemeanbythe“wrath”

ofGod?PopeBenedictXVIaddressedthis

veryquesHoninGodintheWorld:BelievingandLivinginOurTime(2000),p.103-104:

“ThewrathofGodisawayofsayingthatIhavebeenlivinginawaythatiscontrarytothelovethatisGod.AnyonewhobeginstoliveandgrowawayfromGod,wholivesawayfromwhatisgood,isturninghislifetowardwrath.WhoeverfallsawayfromloveismovingintonegaUvity.Sothatisnotsomethingthatsomedictatorwithalustforpowerinflictsonyou,butissimplyawayofexpressingtheinnerlogicofacertainacUon.IfImoveoutsidetheareaofwhatiscompaUblewiththeidealmodelbywhichIamcreated,ifImovebeyondthelovethatsustainsme,wellthen,Ijustfallintothevoid,intodarkness.Iamthennolongerintherealmoflove,sotospeak,butinarealmthatcanbeseenastherealmofwrath.”

17TheSevenBowls

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

Iknewthat!

Isee!So,asweengageRevelaHoninitsown

historicalandculturalcontextasaliterarywork

oftheApocalypHcgenre,recognizingitsuseof

symbol,metaphor,simileandsoon,soshould

wealsoengagetherestofScripture,

recognizingitsvariousgenres,itsuseof

anthropomorphismandotherliterary

techniques.

18

Yea,right!

19TheSevenBowls

“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

• RecallthatinJohn’sfirstvisionofheaven,whenhewas“snatchedup”inRevelaHon4:1-2,

hesaw“infrontofthethrone...somethingthatresembledaseaofglasslikecrystal”(4:6).Thisisthe“floor”ofheaven.

• InGenesis1:6-8,ontheseconddayofcreaHon,Godsaid“Lettherebeadome[a“firmament”]

inthemiddleofthewaters,toseparateonebodyofwaterfromtheother”(1:6).Lookingupfromearth,thefirmamentisthe“sky”;looking

downfromheavenitisthe“seaofglasslike

crystal.”Inthisscenetheseaofglasslikecrystal

is“mingledwithfire,”asignofimminent

judgment.

• Standingontheseaofglass[e∆piv“on,”notparav “beside,”asinmanytranslaHons]“werethosewhohadwonvictoryoverthebeast,”thosewhohadnotbeenmarkedwithitsname

ornumber.

20TheSevenBowls

WilliamHolmanHunt.PortraitofHenryWentworthMonk(oiloncanvas),1858.NaHonalGalleryofCanada,OIawa,Ontario.

MonkwasanearlysupporterofaJewishhomeland,seAlingonaKibbutzinPalesUnein1853.Manyviewedhimasamodern-dayChrisUanprophet.Hunt,afoundingmemberofthePre-RaphaeliteBrotherhood,traveledtoPalesUnein

1854topainthisfamous“Scapegoat”ofLeviUcus16.ThereHuntmetMonk.ThisportraitisrichinRevelaUonsymbolism,includingthewindowpanes,whicharemeanttosuggestthe“seaofglass.”MonkpublishedaliAle-

knownbookonRevelaUon,fundedbyJohnRuskin,theleadingBriUshartcriUcoftheVictorianera.

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22TheSevenBowls

“Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God’s fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire. On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name. They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

• Theharp[kinnorinHebrew]wasthenaHonalinstrumentoftheHebrews,invented,accordingto

Scripture,byJubal(Genesis4:21)inantediluvian

Hmes.KingDavidwasthemostfamousofJewish

harpists.Wereadthat“wheneverthespiritfromGodcameuponSaul,Davidwouldtaketheharpandplay,andSaulwouldberelievedandfeelbeAer...”(1Samuel16:23).

ThisJewishcoinfromtheBarKokhbarevolt(A.D.

132-135)hastwotrumpetsontheobversewiththe

inscripHon,“tothefreedomofJerusalem,”andonthereverseaharpwiththeinscripHon,“yeartwoofthefreedomofJerusalem,”theCityofDavid.

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24TheSevenBowls

“Great and [awe inspiring] are your works, Lord God almighty.

Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name?

For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

(15: 3b-4)

• Aswenotedpreviously,“greatandawe-inspiring”[mevga kai… qaumastovn,istheexactsamephraseusedin15:1.

• “LordGodalmighty”iskuvrie o∆ qeo…ß o∆ pantokravtwr.“Almighty”is

pantokravtwr,[“pan-tah-krah’-tor”],God’smostsolemnHtle,“rulerofall.”

JohnusesitnineHmesinRevelaHon:1:

8;4:8;11:17;15:3;16:7,14;19:6,15;

and21:22.IntheByzanHneChurchit

isJesus’mostexaltedHtle:“Christ

Pantokrator.”

Verbal25TheSevenBowls

I

“DeësisMosaic,”depicUngChristPantrocrator(c.1261),SouthGallery,HagiaSophia,Istanbul,Turkey.

PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas

26TheSevenBowls

• JeremiahreferstoGodas“kingofthe

naHons”(10:7)incontrasttotheidols

oftheGenHleswho,“likeascarecrowinacucumberfield...theycannotspeak;theymustbecarriedabout”(10:5).

• Whentheangelssing“youaloneare

holy,”theword“holy”is o{sioß [hos’-ee-os],notthenormala{gioß [hah’-gee-os],averydeliberateanddeZverbal

allusiontothetwo“SongsofMoses,”

Exodus15:1-18andDeuteronomy32:

1-43,thenamesakesforthis“song.”

Verbal27TheSevenBowls

Andweshouldalsonotethat

thephrase,“youaloneareholy”istakenupandrecitedintheGloriaoftheMass:

“ForyoualonearetheHolyOne,youalonearetheLord,youalonearetheMostHigh,

JesusChrist,withtheHolySpirit,inthegloryofGodtheFather.

Amen.”

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29TheSevenBowls

“After this I had another vision. The temple that is the heavenly tent of testimony opened, and the seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple. They were dressed in clean white linen, with a gold sash around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven bowls filled with the fury of God, who lives forever and ever. Then the temple became so filled with the smoke from God’s glory and might that no one could enter it until the seven plagues of the seven angels had been accomplished.”

(15: 5-8)

WhenGodgaveMosestheblueprintsfor

theTabernacleinthesecondhalfof

Exodus,Moseswastoldtobuilditto

exactspecificaHons,fortheearthly

Tabernaclewasanexact“copyandshadowoftheheavenlysanctuary”(Hebrews8:5).

WesawthisheavenlyTabernacle—the

realdeal—openedaZerthesoundingof

theseventhtrumpet,revealingthe

genuinearkofthecovenant,followedby

thunder,lightning,earthquake,andsoon.

Now,weresumethenarraHvefrom

11:16,theeventsthatfollowtheseventh

trumpetandtheopeningoftheark.

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TheEarthlyTabernacle

31TheSevenBowls

WhenweendedRevelaHon11:16wecouldsee

thearkofthecovenantintheheavenly

Tabernacle’sHolyofHolies.Nowwewitnessa

dazzlingliturgy,inwhichthefourliving

creaturesencirclingGod’sthroneleadthe

heavenlyworship.

Thescene’sdramabuildsasoneofthefour

livingcreaturesgivessevenbowlstotheseven

angels,thebowlsofGod’s“fury”or

“wrath”[qumovß,“thu-mo’s”].Whentheliving

creaturepresentsthelastofthesevenbowls,

theTabernaclesuddenlyfillswithsmoke,

smokesothick“thatnoonecouldenterit”(15:8).

Thishappenedtwicebefore.First,whenthe

“glory”ofGodfilledtheTabernacleinExodus

40:35,andagainwhenthe“glory”ofGodfilled

Solomon’snewly-builtTemplein1Kings8:11.

32TheSevenBowls

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

Idon’tlikebowls

spilling.Ialwaysget

introublewhenthat

happens!

Thosewerebothmomentous

events.DuplicaHngthemhere

emphasizesthesignificanceof

whatisabouttohappen.

33

Openingthesevensealsandblowingthe

seventrumpetswereincreasinglydire

warningstosinfulhumanitytorepentand

turntoGod.

Theeventsthataccompaniedthesealsand

trumpetsweretypicalofthehumancondiHon:

conquest,violenceandnaturaldisasters.As

JesuswarnedintheOlivetDiscourse,such

disasterswilloccur,buttheyseemtoworsen

ashistorytrendstowarditsconclusion.

Nowthewarningsstop—andjudgment

begins.

Thesevenbowls,likethepreviousfire,smoke

andsulfur,are“plagues”[plhghv,“play-gay’],andtheybeararesemblancetotheten

plaguesthatGodbroughtuponEgyptpriorto

theExodus,buttheyaremuchmoresevere.

34TheSevenBowls

MathiasGerung.“TheGivingoftheSevenBowlsofWrath,”OAheinrichBible(illuminatedMS,fol.298r),c.1530-1531.

BavarianStateLibrary,Munich.

.

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36TheSevenBowls

“I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s fury upon the earth.’ The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Festering and ugly sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast or worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The sea turned to blood like that from a corpse; every creature living in the sea died. The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. These also turned to blood.”

37TheSevenBowls

“Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

‘You are just, O Holy One, who are and who were, in passing this sentence. For they have shed the blood of the holy ones and the prophets, and you [have] given them blood to drink; it is what they deserve.’

Then I heard the altar cry out,

‘Yes, Lord God almighty, your judgments are true and just.’

38TheSevenBowls

“The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. It was given the power to burn people with fire. People were burned by the scorching heat and blasphemed the name of God who had power over these plagues, but they did not repent or give him glory.”

(16: 1-9)

Likethefirstfoursealsandthefirst

fourtrumpets,thefirstfourbowlsform

aset.Butunlikethesealsand

trumpetsthataffectonlyaporHonof

theearth,thebowlsareglobalandall-

encompassing,affecHngallearth,air,

fire[light]andwater,thefourphysical

elementsoftheuniverserecognizedby

virtuallyeverycultureintheancient

world.1

Thesearesupernaturaldisastersona

cosmicscale!

1AristotleaddedafiZhtothelist,aether[aiqhvr],theelementthat

fillsthevoidabovetheterrestrialsphere.

39TheSevenBowls

• The“festeringanduglysores”aresimilarto

theplagueofboilsthatstrucktheEgypHans

(Exodus9:8-12).Andastheplagueofboils

struckonlytheEgypHansandnottheIsraelites,

sodothe“festeringanduglysores”affectonly

those“whohadthemarkofthebeastorworshipeditsimage”(16:2).

• Thesecondandthirdplaguesturnthesea,riversandspringsintoblood,justasthefirst

plagueonEgyptturnedtheNileRiverinto

blood.AndasallthefishintheNiledied

(Exodus7:14-24),sodoeseverylivingcreature

inthewatersdie.

• InLeviHcus17:11welearnedthat“thelifeofthefleshisintheblood”;thus,turningwaterintobloodthatbringsdeathisastunningirony,

andinthecaseofRevelaHon,thebloodislike

that“fromacorpse”(16:3),achillingimage.

40TheSevenBowls

• Apronouncementofpraisefollowsthethird

plague,apronouncementbytheangelwho

pouredoutthethirdbowl,stressingGod’s

jusHce.Asthoseontheearthwhorefusedto

repentshedthebloodoftheholyonesandthe

prophets,soisitinfinitelyjustthattheyhave

onlytheblood(ofacorpse)todrink!

• Thefourthplaguestrikeswithfireandheat,scorchingandburningthepeopleoftheearth,

whorespondnotwithrepentance,butwith

blasphemouswords,anintransiencethat

recallsPharaoh“hardeninghisheart”with

eachincreasinglysevereplagueonEgypt.

41TheSevenBowls

42TheSevenBowls

“The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness, and people bit their tongues in pain and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their works.

(16: 10-11)

• Eachbowloffersincreasinglyseverandall-encompassingjudgment.ThefiZhbowlbrings

supernaturaldarknesson“thethroneofthe

beast”(16:10).LiketheninthplagueonEgypt

—“darknesssothickitcouldbefelt”(Exodus10:21-29)—thefiZhplagueoverwhelmswith

terror:peoplebitetheirtonguesinpain,and

theyblasphemeGod.

ThebookofWisdomaptlydescribessucha

scene:

“Forthey,whosupposedtheirsecretsinswerehidunderthedarkveilofoblivion,werescaAeredinfearfultrembling,terrifiedbyappariUons.Fornoteventheirinnerchamberskeptthemunafraid,forcrashingsoundsonallsidesterrifiedthem,andmutephantomswithsomberlooksappeared.Nofirehadforceenoughtogivelight,nordidtheflamingbrillianceofthestarssucceedinlighUngupthatgloomynight.”

(17:3-5)

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44TheSevenBowls

“The sixth angel emptied his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings of the East. I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. These were demonic spirits who performed signs. They went out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God the almighty. (‘Behold, I am coming like a thief.’ Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his clothes ready, so that he may not go naked and people see him exposed.) They then assembled the kings in the place that is named Armageddon in Hebrew.”

(16: 12-16)

“JohnbeforetheFalseProphet,theDragonandtheBeast,”Apocalypse(RoyalMS15DII,fol.174v),c.1300-1325.

BriHshLibrary,London.

.

45TheSevenBowls

46TheSevenBowls

IRAQ

(Babylon)

EuphratesRiver

ISRAEL

Armageddon

(Meggido)

47TheSevenBowls

SEAOFGALILEE

"Megiddo

48TheSevenBowls

TelofMegiddo[Armageddon].JezreelValley,Israel.

PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas

49TheSevenBowls

AtopMegiddo,lookingouttothe“PlainsofArmageddon”(JezreelValley).

PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas

50TheSevenBowls

Dr.C.“RidingwiththeKing,”TelofMegiddo[Armageddon].

PhotographybyAnaMariaVargas

51TheSevenBowls

• NoHcethecloseparallelsbetweenthesixthtrumpetandthesixthbowl,astructuralfeature

throughoutRevelaHon:

• Withthesixthtrumpet,fourfallenangels

standingonthebankoftheEuphratesRiver

assembleademonicarmyof200millioncavalry

(9:15-16);withthesixthbowlpouredonthe

EuphratesRiver,“thekingsofthewholeworld”

gatherwiththeirarmiesfortheclimacHcbaIle

ofArmageddon.

• Withthesixthtrumpet,evilsspewforthfrom

themouthsofdemoniccreatures:fire,smoke

andsulfur;withthesixthbowl,thedragon,the

beastandthefalseprophetspewforthfrom

theirmouthsdemonic“uncleanspirits”that

looklikefrogs.

• Withthesixthtrumpet,onethirdofhumanity

iskilled;withthesixthbowl,allofthedragon’sfollowerswillbekilled.

• L;kj52TheSevenBowls

Notme.

TheSevenBowls

Good

observaHon.

You’resoastute!

ThoserepeHHvestructuralfeaturesare

reallyinteresHnginRevelaHon.Clearly

theyareverycarefullyplanned.With

eachrepeHHon,theintensityorseverity

ofanacHonratchetsupward,ina

crescendoofdemonicacHvityaswe

approachtheend.

53

He’sjusta

fancytalker!

54TheSevenBowls

“The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ Then there were lightning flashes, rumblings, and peals of thunder, and a great earthquake. It was such a violent earthquake that there has never been one like it since the human race began on earth. The great city was split into three parts, and the gentile cities fell. But God remembered great Babylon, giving it the cup filled with the wine of his fury and wrath. Every island fled, and mountains disappeared. Large hailstones like huge weights came down from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God for the plague of hail because this plague was so severe.”

(16: 17-21)

• “Itisdone”[givnomai,“ghin’-om-ahee”].Hereinthe

acHvevoiceoftheperfecttense,grammaHcallythis

verbindicates“thepresentstateresulHngfroma

finishedacHon.”Thisis,indeed,thefinaljudgment,

powerfullyexpressedinasingleword.Wow!

• TherearefiveearthquakesinRevelaHon(6:12;8:5;11:13;11:19and16:18),eachonefuncHoning

likeanexclamaHonpoint,eachoneescalaHngin

intensityandseverity,culminaHngin“suchaviolentearthquakethattherehasneverbeenonelikeitsincethehumanracebeganonearth”(16:18).

• The“greatcity”thatsplitsintothreepartsisRome.

AsBabylonlaidsiegetoJerusalemanddestroyed

Solomon’stemplein586B.C.,sodidRomelaysiege

toJerusalemanddestroythesecondtempleinA.D.

70.BabylonisacodewordforRome,aswelearned

inLesson#12.

55TheSevenBowls

• Reachingtheapexofhiscrescendo,Johnbrilliantlyincorporatescosmicand

apocalypHcimageryintothisclimacHc

scene:

• amassiveearthquakesplitsRomeinto

threeparts;

• theciHesoftheworldcollapse,thosebelongingto“thekingsofthewhole

world”whohaveassembledat

Armageddon;

• islandsandmountainsdisappearasthe

veryfoundaHonsoftheearthsplitand

crumble;and

• massivehailstonespummelthepeople,

asiftheverydomeofthefirmamentitself

fracturesintoathousandshards.

56TheSevenBowls

57TheSevenBowls

Oh,my!Iknew

thiswasgoing

tohappen!

TheseventhbowlbringsGod’s

finaljudgmentonthosewho

refusetorepent,thosewhohave

pledgedtheirallegiancetothe

infernaltrinity:Satan,the

AnHchristandtheFalseProphet.

Thenextthreechapters(17-19)

takeusinsidetheseventhbowlfor

aclose-up,ground-levelviewof

thedestrucHon.

Staytuned!

58TheSevenBowls

1.   Howmany“plagues”arethereinRevelaHon?

2.   Wesawheavenopenedandthearkofthe

covenantattheendofRevelaHon11.What

thencomesoutoftheTabernacle,andwhat

happens?

3.   Howdothesevenbowlsdifferfromthe

sevensealsandseventrumpets?

4.   Whydo“thekingsofthewholeworld”

gathertogetheratArmageddon?

5.   InRevelaHon,whereis“Babylon”?

59TheSevenBowls

Copyright©2016byLogosEducaHonalCorporaHon

All rights reserved. No part of this course—audio, video, photography,

maps,Hmelinesorothermedia—maybereproducedortransmiIedinany

form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording or by any informaHon storage or retrieval devices without

permissioninwriHngoralicensingagreementfromthecopyrightholder.

[AllTabernacleillustraHonsintheselecturesaretakenfrom:

PaulF.Kiene.TheTabernacleofGodintheWildernessofSinai,trans.byJohnS,Crandall.GrandRapids,Michigan:ZondervanPublishingHouse,

1977.Usedbypermission.]

60TheSevenBowls