Day 364, December 30 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Revelation 15–18
Divine Retribution
Have we ever experienced times this year when we felt or knew God was defending us? Perhaps someone stole from us, hurt us physically or emotionally, or we were wrongly accused and treated with harshness or injustice. Those who hurt us were caught by the police and put in jail or suffered in another way. The punishment fit the crime, and we experienced divine retribution (payback).
Perhaps that has not happened yet, and we wonder if next year will be different. That is unknowable, but if we live righteous before our Lord and suffer for it, there will be a time of retribution from God.For those who innocently suffer, this should be a great encouragement. For those who are responsible for the unjust treatment, this is a warning—take heed!
In the end-times, God will bring great calamities upon the entire earth and its inhabitants. For this reason, it is called the Tribulation Period. God’s purpose is to sweep away all wickedness and unrepentant sinners to prepare for the coming of his Son Jesus Christ to reign on the earth.
Already, in the book of the Revelation, we have looked at the Seal and Trumpet Judgments. In today's Bible reading, we learn about the seven Bowl Judgments. These judgments, in many ways, resemble the plagues on Egypt which God accomplished through Moses, his humble servant.
The first angel pours out his bowl. Ugly sores break out upon those who have the mark of the beast and worship his image (Revelation 13:16). Perhaps, the identifying mark of the beast on their right hands and foreheads causes some infection in their skin. Or, it may come from another God-ordained source (Revelation 13:16).
The second and third angels pour out their bowls. All the bodies of water, including rivers and streams, turn into blood. Every living thing in them dies. This judgment is much more expansive than the plagues which came upon Egypt in the days of Moses (Exodus 7:17-24).
The Apostle John records God's justice in exercising divine retribution:
Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments” (Revelation 16:5-7, NIV).
The fourth angel pours out his bowl, and the sun scorches people with fire. Old Testament prophecies and previous Seal and Trumpet Judgments suggest that the protective layer of the earth’s outer atmosphere is compromised or destroyed, and the orbit of our world around the sun is altered (Isaiah 13:9-13; Revelation 6:12-17; 8:7- 9:1). An altered orbit closer to the sun or some other divine judgment will cause intense heat on the earth and its inhabitants.
The fifth angel pours out his bowl. A plague of darkness comes upon the beast’s throne and his kingdom (this might be the new Babylon from a country that resembles the crushing power and dominaence of the Roman Empire (Daniel 7:7). The people will be in pain from their sores and burned from the sun, but it will be too dark to locate any medication for their injuries.
Previous judgments state that the earth will have 1/3 less daylight (8:12). Perhaps the whole kingdom of Babylon will suffer a blackout. This could occur from over-taxed power generators. People would use the generators to cool themselves from the sun’s heat and give them light.
It’s interesting to consider scenarios that might explain these things; however, we can’t tell how these terrible events will occur (8:12).
The sixth angel pours out his bowl. It brings severe drought and dries up the great Euphrates River. Most likely, this is caused by the intense heat of the sun in the fourth bowl judgment. This desert-like riverbed will be the place for the battle of Armageddon. Here, the earth’s armies will join forces, empowered by Satan, to wage war against foreign invaders. Jesus Christ will descend from heaven with his righteous army, and Christ will fight against his enemies.
The seventh angel pours out his bowl. This is the final judgment upon the earth and particularly upon Babylon. Again, John is called to witness a future calamity coming from within the ground and from the heavens. First, the world will suffer the most tremendous earthquake it has ever known. Second, she will be subject to a bombardment of hailstones (probably asteroids). Third, she will suffer from the harmful rays of the sun. John says,
Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible (Revelation 16:20-21, NIV).
Babylon is, in this future day, a great commercial city. She is the most powerful and most prosperous trading partner in the world. She is also wicked—a place of Satanic worship, idolatry, and all kinds of sexual sins.
The earthquake splits the city apart into three sections, and fire destroys it. Although world leaders hate her because of her pride and wickedness, and they are envious of her great wealth. They greatly mourn her destruction because they profited from her trade.
Besides Babylon’s wickedness, why does God destroy her? Payback! She kills Christians who are faithful to God and refuse to take the mark of the beast. John records that she was “drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus” (Revelation 17:6, NIV)…. “In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth” (18:24, NIV). For this, God pays back double for what she has done (18:6, NIV). The believers remaining on the earth are encouraged to get out of the city immediately—the day for Babylon’s mighty fall has arrived!
Discussion
What will happen in some of the bowl judgments to come upon the earth and its people?
Why will God destroy the new Babylon?
How will these plagues prepare the way for Christ's coming?
Focus Verse
Revelation 16:7b (NIV) “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
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A Look Ahead: We have been reading of God sweeping away all wickedness on the earth and bringing retribution. For what purpose? He is bringing in A New Year Celebration in the End-Times when he comes back. Learn more in our Next Lesson.
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