May 10, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Revelation? Here’s today’s reading:
Revelation 16 (NIV)
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died............Continue Reading
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Festering sores, sea turned to blood, rivers and springs turned to blood, sun scorches man, darkness that caused man to gnaw their tongues in agony, army battle. How horrible this will be! So much death, destruction, and pain but foretold and warned for thousands of years. and yet the chapter closes with “And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.”
Isn’t it just like us to know the rules or boundaries and then want to blame someone else when we break them and must suffer the consequence. Sad that even at this point people will still turn from God and not see the truth that was there all along that He wants relationship with us and not to have to pour His wrath on us!
BLUF: Little gordy does not follow the supposed, assumed, implied time line. All I can say, is God is merciful, and these are terrible times.
Guys, it is not hard to follow through the seven bowl judgments. Easy to understand what happened. Chronology confuses to me. When did all this occur? Before Armageddon? 6th bowl seems it gathers together kings, nations to battle there. 16:15 is the second coming of Jesus Christ to earth, 19:11. Where does the 7th bowl fit? Do the seven bowls come out of, precisely after the 7th trumpet?
This great battle of God in 16:14 cannot be Gog & Magog 20:7ff, because this occurs at the end of the millennium, why would there be bowl judgments during Christ’s reign on earth? 16:3 killed every soul in the seas, oceans. Should this not occur after the ship masters and sailors bemoan Babylon from afar, 18:17 & 18? 7th trumpet “suggests” the end of time, circa 20:11. Rev 10:6 & 7 sound like the 7th angel is the end of time, 11:15-18 really sounds like the end of time, end of millennium. CORN-FUSED IN NK!
I will get to this eventually..but confusion tends to abound in the details of Revelation…but often not in the main points each chapter makes.
Sorry church, “eureka moments” come every now & then.
I have been thinking recently, Can some accept Christ and receive God’s name in their foreheads, AFTER accepting the mark of the beast? I said before, there is no room for both marks. I stand there, that is correct.
However, there are serious implications, if the answer is NO.
14:8-12 explains wrath will be upon those with the mark. Of this, there is no question, no debate.
Why then, 14:6 & 7, should an angel preach the gospel to everyone? Why preach to the marked?
16:9 & 11, the marked “repented not” is a matter of their set-in-the-mind personal choice, hardness of heart, we would say. That too is true. But, they COULD REPENT, why else comment they did not, if the could not-ever?
18:4 & 5, Angel urges people of God to flee Babylon, to escape its horrors and imminent destruction. Is this said for the sole benefit of God’s saints? Why would they be there willingly? If saints are there by force, why tell them to flee when they cannot? Since the warning applies to those who have the ability to flee, can that not imply a final warning to those who, having willfully rejected God, received the mark, realized the sin, and would possibly, maybe, repent?
BOTTOM LINE: God never damns souls beyond the reach of God’s own grace. We are saved by faith, not by works, it is not what we do, it is what we believe. It was not too late for the thief on the cross. Oh you may say, yes, while on the cross, he confessed Jesus. Quite true! But Scritures also indicate, the same day, if not the same hour, he cast the same condemnations to Jesus. Carefully read Luke 23:39-43. Now read Matthew 27:44. Read Mark 15:32. There is no contradiction here.
WHAT I BELIEVE: I know, as long as there is breathe in man, repentance is possible. “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart, even the word of faith which we preach.”
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out”
Peace to all, little gordy
I agree Gordon. As long as people are alive there is an opportunity to be saved. Past decisions come into play with regards to the willingness or desire to believe…but the option is still open. I also point out that the thief who repents in the end starts off by hurling insults at Jesus as well.
The end. The wrath of God poured out on earth. Vs 9. People scorched by fire and they curse God for it. Unbelievable they know these judgements come from God and still refuse. Demons convincing people and leaders to fight against God. Good luck!!!!! What’s wrong with these people.!! Throw in the towel!! Armageddon huge earthquake. Huge hail. Hundred lbs fell on men. And they once again curse God.
The seven angels with the bowls of plagues. The first plague [ ugly festering sores ]. The second plague [ upon the sea and it turned into blood. all living things died.] The third plague was upon the rivers and springs of water and they became blood.] Angels called out for God is just and is bringing this because these people that are being judged have shed the blood of his holy people and his prophets. The fourth plague the angel poured his bowl on the sun and was allowed to scorch people with fire.] The fifth plague [ the angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Anti-Christ and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.] The sixth plague [ the angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates and it was dried up.] The seventh plague [ the angel poured his bowl into the air. There was flashes of lighting, thundering, and a great earthquake like there has never been before.] A few of these plagues were brought in Egypt. Where the Nile was turned to blood and the fish died. The boils on people. The thunder, and hail. Also in verse 21 great hail. The were also darkness filled the kingdom. This time God left out frogs, gnats, flies, locusts. livestock, and the first born males. After the sixth plague where the river Euphrates is dried up it prepares the way for the kings of the east . That they might cross it. Some believe that these kings are China , India, and perhaps others. China has the man power to do this. Then there are three unclean spirits that come out of the dragon, beast, and the false prophet. They will have control over many nations. They perform miracles to deceive these nations. It will come to a head at the battle of Armageddon. Babylon the great city will be destroyed by God. There is a interesting verse 20 that says that every island fled away and the mountains were not found. This is not a world wide flood for God said that there wouldn`t be another one. But apparently there is a leveling out of land. Just a thought. With all these plagues the people refuse to repent and instead curse God.
Revelation 16
Revelation 16
Revelation 16
The bowl judgments come on the earth and they are terrible in their effect and scope. It is telling that it mentions that people cursed God and didn’t repent which indicates that that is God’s intent in sending these plagues…just like the plagues of old. They reveal His glory and power and seek to draw people to Him. Remember, God gives grace to the humble and makes war against the proud because that is the only thing the proud understand and could be humbled by. It is also important to remember that John is writing about images he is seeing and even though these kings are pictured as gathered for battle here, it doesn’t mean the battle is happening at this point. And I believe things are resolved in heaven before they are resolved on earth…and so at times the reality is expressed in heaven even though the events have not unfolded on the earth. So we wait for the actual events to unfold in the book of revelation and don’t let the proclamations or references to the event disrupt the time line. Does that make sense? Further conversation might be necessary if it doesn’t. It is also tough to be dogmatic when it comes to apocalyptic literature, which Revelation is, because the point is usually made in the grandiose nature of the description rather than the specific details given.
All these judgments come on the people of earth and still they do curse and blaspheme God.
Steve and I did a marathon reading of about 4 chapters to catch up! I know he doesn’t comment, but we are reading together almost every morning, usually a few chapters behind.