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Revelation 16

World English Bible

WEB

1I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!” 2The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and painful sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image. 3The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died. 4The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. 6For they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.” 7I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.” 8The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give him glory. 10The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, 11and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They still didn’t repent of their works. 12The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise. 13I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; 14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God the Almighty. 15“Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.” 16He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, “Harmagedon”. 17The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not happened since there were men on the earth—so great an earthquake and so mighty. 19The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague was exceedingly severe.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Revelation Chapter 16 presents a vivid and dramatic depiction of the final judgments of God upon the earth, known as the seven bowls of wrath. Each bowl is poured out by angels, signifying the culmination of God's judgment against sin and rebellion. The chapter begins with a command from a loud voice from the temple, instructing the angels to pour out their bowls upon the earth. The first bowl brings painful sores upon those who bear the mark of the beast, highlighting the consequences of allegiance to evil (#markofthebeast). The second and third bowls turn the seas and rivers into blood, reminiscent of the plagues of Egypt, demonstrating God's power and the seriousness of His judgment against idolatry and immorality (#Egyptplagues).

As the bowls continue to be poured out, the fourth bowl causes the sun to scorch people with fire, yet they refuse to repent and glorify God. This refusal to turn back to God emphasizes the hardness of their hearts. The fifth bowl plunges the kingdom of the beast into darkness, causing great pain and suffering, while the sixth bowl prepares the way for the kings of the east, gathering them for the final battle at Armageddon (#Armageddon). The chapter concludes with a warning from Jesus, reminding readers to stay vigilant and prepared, as He will come like a thief, unexpectedly. The final bowl is poured out into the air, declaring that it is done, signifying the completion of God's judgment and the establishment of His ultimate authority over all creation. This chapter serves as a sobering reminder of God's holiness and the urgent call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

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Referenced by

  1. Exodus 7:17v4Exodus 7:17 describes the first plague where the waters of the Nile turn to blood. Revelation 16:4 parallels this with the third bowl judgment where the waters become blood, symbolizing God's judgment.
  2. Exodus 8:2v13Exodus 8:2 describes the plague of frogs as a judgment on Egypt, while Revelation 16:13 mentions unclean spirits like frogs, symbolizing demonic influence and judgment in the end times.
  3. Exodus 9:23v21Exodus 9:23 describes the plague of hail, which is echoed in Revelation 16:21 as part of the end-time judgments, showing a pattern of divine judgment.
  4. Nahum 2:6v12Nahum 2:6 mentions the gates of the rivers being opened, which can be connected to Revelation 16:12 where the Euphrates River is dried up to prepare the way for kings, symbolizing divine preparation for judgment.
  5. Revelation 19:19v14Revelation 19:19 describes the gathering of kings for battle against Christ, which is a continuation of the gathering mentioned in Revelation 16:14.

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