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REVELATION – LESSON 7
I. THE REDEEMED SING PRAISES OF VICTORY – THE PERSECUTORS FEEL THE PAIN FROM GOD’S WRATH (Chapters 15-
A. John first sees the seven angels with seven plagues (15:1)
1. “the last”
2. In these plagues, God’ wrath is finished.”
B. The righteous who are victorious over the beast sing praised unto God for the victory – the song of Moses and the Lamb (15:2-
1. The victorious: still have not experienced God’s final glory (the sea of glass still present – 4:6, 21:11), but have been faithful through persecution (mingled with fire – I Peter 1:7, 4:12).
2. the persecuting enemy: emperor worship
a. the beast – Roman emperor
b. his image – idolatry
c. the number of his name – of a man
3. the song – Moses and the Lamb
a. Moses, the servant of God – lamb, the redeeming Christ
b. As Moses’ song was for victory over the Egyptians (Exodus 15:1ff.), the song of the Lamb is deliverance through the Lamb.
c. Song manifests JUSTICE and JUDGMENT for God’s covenant people.
C. The Holy of Holies is opened and God’s glory ushers in His uninterrupted judgment (15:5-
1. The temple (NAOS – sanctuary Holy of Holies) – where the ark of covenant or God’s TESTIMONY was located (cf. Exodus 25:21).
2. From God’s holy presence, the seven angels come forth with seven plagues and are given seven bowls to dispense plagues.
a. Seven angels – clothed with high ranking apparel (cf. 1:13)
b. One of the four living creatures (those exalted servants of God’s creation ready to do God’s bidding) give the bowls to the qualified angels.
c. The smoke representing God’s holy and active presence ushers in the dispensing of His wrath understanding that no one will interfere with God’s wrath until it is accomplished (cf. Exodus
40:34-
D. The seven bowls of God’s wrath poured forth: the first four affect nature, the fifth – the kingdom of the beast, and the sixth – armies enticed to do the Beast’s bidding, and the seventh – the unholy city divided – Rome as a powerful
persecuting empire falls.
1. FIRST BOWL – NOISOME AND GRIEVOUS SORE IN EARTH (16:2)
a. Men who show they belong to the beast and worship the beast are affected with evil and grievous sore. 2. SECOND BOWL – THE SEA BECOMES PUTREFIED BLOOD (16:3)
a. The sea – the whole society of unholy mankind (8:8, 13:1).
b. Every soul dies.
3. THIRD BOWL – INLAND WATERS BECOME BLOOD (16:4-
a. Angel of waters proclaims:
(1). The REASON for Judgment: the enemy has shed innocent blood of God’s saints and spokesmen (prophets).
(2). CHARACTER of Judgment: true and righteous
4. FOURTH BOWL – SUN SCORCHES MEN WITH FIRE AND HEAT (16:8-
a. Yet men continue to blaspheme God and refuse to repent.
5. FIFTH BOWL – DARKNESS UPON KINGDOM OF BEAST (16:12-
a. Satan’s influence over kingdom is evil – darkness.
b. Darkness brings forth great pain – gnawed tongues.
6. SIXTH BOWL – ARMY GATHERED FROM THE EAST (16:12-
a. Euphrates – the great river of the East which was home for the great army summoned by the sixth trumpet, is dried up by the sixth bowl giving good ground for advancing.
b. Three unclean spirits (frogs)-
(1). Dragon – the Devil
(2). Beast – the Emperor
(3). False prophet – Beast of the earth (cf. 13:11ff.) – false religion encouraged and enforced by this beast
c. Spirits entice heathen powers to rally with Roman Empire – ready for battle with God at HAR-
(1). Mt. Megiddo – important and decisive battles fought by God’s people in the valley of Jezreel:
(a). Deborah (Judges 15:19)
(b). Gideon (Judges 6:33, 7:1)
(c). Saul and Jonathan (I Samuel 31:1-
(d). Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:27)
(e). Josiah (2 Kings 23:29-
(2). Battle not fought till 19:19-
(3). Blessed are the watchful – otherwise being led away in defeat (shameful nakedness) may result.
(4). Not a literal battle – armies led by frogs or this small valley ready to hold at least 200,000,000 (200million) (9:16); or river of blood 200 miles long (14:20) – a picture of the spiritual battle between God and the persecuting enemy of Rome forcing emperor worship.
7. SEVENTH BOWL – “IT IS DONE” – UNHOLY CITY IS DIVIDED – EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL (16:17-
a. When this bowl is cast on the air, a voice comes from sanctuary of completion of judgment – “it is done.”
b. Incomparable earthquake manifests that God is behind the judgments – hail (100 lbs. each) fall of man – great plague.
c. Great city divided (cf. Ezekiel 5:2, Revelation 18:8). Her heathen allies fall also – Rome and her power fails and falls.
QUESTIONS:
1. How should we distinguish the vision of the seven bowls from the vision of the seven trumpets (Chapters 8-
2. What is the significance of the victorious standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire?
3. What is the significance of the victory before the pouring forth of the bowls of wrath?
4. What is significant about the singers with the harps of God?
5. What is the song being sung by the victorious?
6. Of what is the smoke filling the temple a symbol? How is it being applied in Chapter 15?
7. What is “the temple of the tabernacle” in 15:5?
8. How do the bowls picture a complete or full picture of God’s wrath?
9. What two facts does the voice of the angel reveal concerning God’s judgments?
10. What is the significance of the “darkness” connected with the pouring forth of the fifth bowl?
11. Who are the three unclean spirits of the sixth bowl? What do they do?
12. Identify HAR-
13. What is significant about the “great city” being divided in connection with the seventh bowl?