An Unhappy Day For Earthlings
The word great is repeated in Revelation 16 eleven times. For this reason it is called "The Great Chapter." It is the great culmination.
John writes in Revelation 16 of the Seven Vials judgments, the last of the judgments of God upon humanity. The God of the Old Testament seems to have returned. Like the time of the Flood in Noah's day, and the judgments against the Egyptians in Exodus, most people have difficulty comprehending the wrath of God.
The Seven Vials judgments truly have to be the most horrific judgments described in the Bible. The First Vial is poured out upon the earth, and "there falls a noisome and grievous sore" on anyone who has received the mark of the Beast and worshipped the Image of the Beast. The Second Vial is poured out upon the sea, and the sea water becomes like coagulated blood, and everything in it dies. The Third Vial is poured out upon the fresh water, and the water becomes blood. The Fourth Vial is poured out upon the sun, and men are burned by the heat of the sun. The Fifth Vial is poured out upon the "seat of the Beast," and "his kingdom is full of darkness." The Sixth Vial is poured out upon the Euphrates River, drying it up to allow passage for the "kings of the east." The Seventh Vial is a great earthquake, the worst earthquake ever to be experienced by mankind, along with a hailstorm with hailstones of one hundred pounds.
The first thing that comes to mind is the similarities between these plagues, and the plagues against Egypt in the Book of Exodus, chapters 7 - 12. There were ten plagues against Egypt:
1) the water was turned to blood.
2) the plague of frogs.
3) the plagues of lice.
4) the plagues of flies.
5) the murrain of cattle.
6) boils and blains on man.
7) a hailstorm of grievous proportions.
8) a plague of locusts.
9) darkness over the land of Egypt for three days.
10) the death of the firstborn.
In the Seven Trumpets judgments, spoken of in Revelation 8 and 9, the first three judgments are against the earth, the sea, and fresh water, in that order. The damage is limited to one third of the trees of the earth being burnt, one third of the life in the sea dying, one third of the ships being destroyed, and one third of the sea turned to blood, and one third of the fresh water being poisoned following the star or asteroid Wormwood striking earth. Also, when the Fourth Trumpet sounds, one third of the sun, the moon, and the stars become darkened. None of the damage from the first four judgments is targeted directly at man. In the middle of the judgments, an angel flies through heaven announcing the Three Woes, which are the last of the Seven Trumpets.
Comparing the first half of the Seven Trumpets with the Seven Vials one sees that again, the first three vials are directed at the earth, the sea, and the fresh water, in the same order as the Seven Trumpets. The First Vial is poured onto the earth, and anyone who has received the mark of the Beast and worshipped the Image of the Beast erupts in hideous, painful sores. The Second Vial is poured onto the sea, and the sea turns to blood, and everything living in the sea dies. The Third Vial is poured onto fresh water, and all the fresh water turns to blood. Unlike the Seven Trumpets, man is directly attacked by these judgments, with painful sores, and blood to drink. Unlike the Seven Trumpets, the Seven Vials judgments do unlimited damage to the earth, the sea, and the fresh water. The Seven Trumpets damage was limited to one third of each. Also, in the Seven Trumpets, fresh water was not turned to blood at all. The Seven Vials judgments are divided after three judgments with an intermission from verses 5 to 7. Two angels, the angel of the waters, and another angel, speak about God's just cause for his wrath, and say that since man has shed the blood of saints and prophets, God has given them blood to drink. The Fourth Vial, similar to the Fourth Trumpet, involves the sun. The fourth angel pours out his vial on the sun causing it to burn people on earth. Comparing to the Fourth Trumpet, one third of the sun, the moon and the stars were darkened, but people were not injured.
During the Seven Trumpets judgments, the Fifth Trumpet is the first mention of the judgments injuring man. An angel is given the key to the bottomless pit, which he opens, releasing "locusts" which sting people. This is not a deadly sting, but it is extremely painful. There has been much speculation about what the locusts represent, since they are not literally locusts. I feel it is probable that they refer to demons being released from the abyss. This is the First Woe. The Fifth Vial is poured out onto the "seat of the beast," filling his kingdom with darkness. Notice that there is no plague of darkness anywhere in the Seven Trumpets judgments. During the Fifth Vial judgment, "they gnaw their tongues for pain." The people who took the mark of the Beast already had painful sores, plus being burned by the sun, and I think it would be frightening and alarming to see the whole earth go dark suddenly, but I don't see that the darkness would cause additional pain.
The Sixth Trumpet bears a striking resemblance to the Sixth Vial because they both involve the Euphrates River, and huge military forces. When the angel sounds the Sixth Trumpet, the four angels of the great river Euphrates are loosed, to slay the third part of men. An army of two hundred million horsemen appears. In the Seventh Vial judgment, the water of the Euphrates River is dried up so that the "kings of the east" can cross the riverbed with their armies. In addition, evil spirits come out of the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet, "working miracles." Their purpose is to convince the kings of the earth, and the whole world, to gather for "the battle of that great day of God Almighty." They gather at Armageddon, but there is no mention of the battle of Armageddon, only a gathering for a battle. I have heard in the past, apparently incorrectly, that Armageddon means "the plains of Megiddo." There are plains at Megiddo, and there have been battles there before. However, Armageddon comes from har Megiddo, meaning "Mount Megiddo." But there are no mountains at Megiddo at all. Thus the mountain is symbolic. Of what? Usually a mountain stands for a king. Or the king and his nation. Hmm.
The similarities between the Sixth Trumpet and the Sixth Vial are so striking that many feel they are the same judgment, and draw the conclusion that all Seven Trumpets and all Seven Vials describe the same events. While there are similarities, there also are differences. The Sixth Trumpet is limited to killing one third of the population of earth. There is no limit on the Sixth Vial. This is the end my friend.
I have thought that possibly the same events are being described, except at different points. It's kind of like the three blind men describing an elephant. One holds the leg and describes the leg. Another holds the trunk and describes the trunk, and the third one holds the ear. Or seeing pieces of a thousand piece puzzle and trying to make something out of each piece individually.
This might explain another problem that I've had with all these judgments. In the first set of seven judgments, the Seven Seals, during the Sixth Seal, Revelation 6:12-14 "there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, ...and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together,". But soon the sun, the moon and the stars have come back, then had their light reduced by a third in Chapter 8, and finally in Chapter 16 the sun burns people.
Continuing with the Sixth Seal, Revelation 6:14-17 "and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17. For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
Compare this to the Seventh Vial which is poured into the air: Revelation 16:17-20 "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. 18. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found."
These two earthquakes are at least very similar. And in both, mountains and islands were moved.
It seems curious to me that in the Seventh Vial the voice from the throne should say, "It is done," and then there is a great earthquake, such as has never been before.
Finally, as a finishing touch, a hail storm falls on the earth. These hailstones weigh about 100 pounds. There was mention of a hailstorm on the news today. They said that hailstones fell about the size of tennis balls, which is very unusual. They mentioned that for the atmosphere to sustain hailstones of this size, the winds had to be blowing up in the sky at 100 miles per hour. What kind of wind would it take to create and sustain 100 pounds hailstones?
There have been reports of very large hailstones, historically, and more recently. These are called megacryometeors.
And the wrath of God upon mankind is over.
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