Revelation 16:7

And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

·        There is no contradiction between the God of mercy and wrath, as He pours out these severe judgments to remove everything that hinders love (Zeph. 3:8; Heb. 12:25-29).

·        Only by understanding the big picture of His eternal plan can we understand the necessity of His temporal judgments in waking men up to eternal salvation.

Deuteronomy 32:4  He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He.

Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

Revelation 16:5-6

And 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.”

 

·        The two oracles in this passage (v. 5-6, v. 7) agree with God that His judgment was “just, true and righteous”.

·        The angel declares “You are righteous”, as God’s judgments are not only fair payment to the wicked and necessary to stop them, but they are helpful in waking up sinners to salvation (Isa. 26:9). God’s judgments are never too lenient or severe. They are never too late or too early. They are altogether right in every way.

 

Psalm 145:17  The LORD is righteous in all His ways, gracious in all His works.

Ezekiel 39:17  ……..that you may eat flesh and drink blood.”

Revelation 16:4

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

 

·        This complete contamination is in contrast to the partial (one-third) pollution of fresh waters shown in Revelation 8:10-11.  (DG)

·        When these judgments come, the time must be very short until the return of Jesus. With ecological disaster such as this, the human race cannot survive long.  (DG)

Ezekiel 16:38  And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.

Isaiah 49:26  I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine, all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior; and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Revelation 16:3

Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

·        The sea will become thickened like the congealed blood of a dead man. It will kill all the marine life in the sea causing unimaginable stench and destroying the sea trade along with its food supply.  Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

·        The fish and shipping industry will be destroyed causing a disruption of maritime commerce and previous prosperity. It is possible that the “sea” here may refer to the Mediterranean Sea which was the focal point in Daniel 7:2-8.

 

Exodus 7:17  thus says the LORD:  By this you shall know that I am the LORD.  Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.

Psalm 78:44  Turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, that they could not drink.

Revelation 16:2

So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

·        Only the Antichrist “worshipers” and “reprobate” who took the “mark of the Beast” receive these tormenting sores.

·        These sores will be foul or revolting with an offensive odor, even as foul meat is rotten or putrid. They will also be loathsome in being so painful that men will loath life itself. The very pain will pull some people away from the lure of sinful pleasure and demonic worship.

 Exodus 9:9  And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 28:35  The LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.

Revelation 16:1

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.”

·        The seven bowls of wrath are the third and final numbered judgment series (7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls).

·        The 7 bowls are the fullness of God’s wrath (Rev. 14:10; 15:1) sent to destroy all the evil infrastructures of the Antichrist’s empire, as a “rod of iron” shatters clay pottery to pieces. No infrastructure of society (transportation, water, education, financial, etc.) is exempt from the “rod of justice”, as Jesus takes His promised inheritance of the nations (Ps. 2:7-9).

 

Psalm 79:6  Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You, and on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name.

Ezekiel 22:31 Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the LORD GOD.

Revelation 15:8

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

·        They were all wrapt up in clouds of smoke, which filled the temple, from the glorious and powerful presence of God (MH)

·        God Himself was now preaching to the church and to all the world, by terrible things in righteousness; but when this work was done, the temple would be opened. (MH)

Exodus 40:34  Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Isaiah 6:1-4 ….And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.