Back

Adult Class

March-June 2006

Revelation 14-16

Lesson 9

            We closed out chapters 12 and 13 with a dark picture of persecution of the church. The beasts were given power to conquer the saints for a short time. There was little hope offered and much to lament. But with the opening of chapter 14, everything has changed and the triumph of God is at hand. Again, the view from the heavenly perspective is sharply different from the earthly perspective.

            The chapter opens with a vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion, along with the 144,000 who were sealed with the name of Christ and of the Father. These were on the earth in chapter 7, but now they're at the throne on Mount Zion-a picture of heaven. These are the ones who have been redeemed from the earth. They kept themselves free from idolatry (which is often styled as adultery). They follow the Lamb and they are offered as "firstfruits," that is, the choicest part. These are blameless.

            All this is a picture of the victory and the safety of the martyrs. They were in danger on the earth, but now they are in heaven and are perfectly safe. The souls under the altar in chapter 6 called out for vengeance, but God had urged them to be patient until the full number of martyrs joined them. Now they have arrived.

            Three angels now appear on the scene. The first proclaims the everlasting gospel of God and urges people to fear God and repent, on the pain of judgment. The second angel makes an announcement that Babylon is fallen. Remember that "Babylon" is unmistakably identified as the city of Rome and that is made clear in chapters 17 and 18. Then a third angel appears and announces doom for the followers and worshipers of the beast and his image.

            The followers of God are urged to remain faithful and to endure to the end. The promise is that the persecutor is finished. No longer will God wait for repentance. He will execute His wrath on the Roman Empire. And from heaven a divine voice announces that those who die in the Lord are, in fact, blessed since they will rest from their labors and their deeds will follow them.

            Another vision appears to John-a representation of the Lord wearing a golden crown of victory and holding a sickle. A signal is given from the Temple for Him to reap because the time is right. He gathers the harvest. This is probably to protect His saints from the fearful judgment about to come. After He does this, an angel with another sharp sickle gathers those who are destined for God's wrath. This takes place "outside the city," which is a very significant phrase (see: 22:14-15). A great number of people are included as enemies of God and of His people.

            Chapter 15 opens with yet another vision-this time a preview and summary of what is about to happen. Seven angels hold seven plagues, and these are the last plagues because they are the full judgment of God on the persecutor. John also saw the multitude of martyred saints. They had been considered conquered by the persecutor while on the earth, but heaven reveals that they are, in fact, victorious, radiant and blessed. They sing a song of Moses and the Lamb. This is a song of glory to God. The followers of the beast wondered who could fight against it or make war against it. Here, the saints rightfully point out that God is the one worthy of fear.

            In Revelation 15:5, the vision begins in earnest. The seven angels exit the Temple, each one holding a plague. They are given seven golden bowls and everything else in heaven is delayed until the plagues are completed. The execution of God's wrath on the persecutor is the sole agenda under consideration.

            Chapter 16 opens with a dire announcement: pour out God's wrath. There is no more opportunity for the persecutor to repent. God's judgment is certain and terrible and immediate. As with the other progressions of seven items (seals, trumpets) we will see four of one kind, two of another, an interlude and a seventh. These bowls remind us of the partial judgment that had been executed with the seven trumpets. In this case, though, the wrath is full and final.

• The first bowl is poured out on the land and painful sores break out on those who have the mark of the beast and worshipped his image.
• The second bowl is poured out on the sea and it became blood and everything in it died.
• The third bowl is poured out on the fresh water and it also became blood. This is heralded as signal justice-the persecutor made blood flow like water; now it has blood to drink. The altar responds in agreement!
• The fourth bowl is poured out on the sun and the people are scorched by the heat of the fire. Still, they curse God and refuse to repent and glorify Him.
• The fifth bowl is poured out on the throne of the beast and darkness prevails. Again, they refuse to repent.
• The sixth bowl is poured out on the Euphrates and it is dried up in preparation for the armies of the east to invade. When this is seen by the persecutor, three evil spirits like frogs go out to summon the armies to battle. Verse 15 is injected as a warning to the faithful. The evil spirits expect battle, so they gather at Armageddon. This is a site rich in historic battles: Gideon won there, Deborah and Barak won there, Ahaziah died there and Josiah was killed there. If there was ever a place suited to cataclysmic battle, it is Armageddon. But no battle is fought there. Instead,
• The seventh bowl is poured out and God announces: It is done. A tremendous earthquake shatters the city into three parts. It felt God's wrath and huge hailstones fell upon the earth. And the people cursed God because of the great disaster.

            There are several things to note about this series of disasters. First, they follow the same scheme as the seven trumpets we noted earlier in chapters 9-11. The destruction of Rome was caused by natural disasters (signified by the first four bowls), internal corruption (signified by the darkness of the fifth bowl) and the pressure from outside invaders (signified by the open door for foreign invaders in the sixth bowl).

            Also we should note that this is plainly not an indication of the end of time and the return of Christ. In that event, there will be no time to repent and no series of disasters to occur. There will simply be an immediate and unmistakable signal and time will cease to exist as the final judgment takes place (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and other passages). This judgment is divine retribution upon the agent of persecution of the early church-the very problem for which the early Christians looked for God's assurance.