Revelation 16 Study Notes

16:1 The loud voice from the sanctuary is probably that of the Lord since it is God’s wrath that is being poured out on the earth.

16:2 Since 6:9-11 and 8:13 (see notes there), it has been expected that the brunt of God’s judgment would be focused on the “earth dwellers” at some point. But as the final cycle of judgment (15:1) begins, the first . . . bowl is poured out on those who have the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image. They are struck with painful sores. This recalls the sixth plague on Egypt (Ex 9:8-11).

16:3 The effects of the second . . . bowl are like the second trumpet judgment (8:8-9). Only a third of the sea became blood and a third of sea life was killed then, while all the sea and all life in the sea are affected by this bowl of God’s wrath. This echoes the first plague on Egypt (Ex 7:14-21).

16:4-7 The third . . . bowl is like the third trumpet judgment (8:10-11) since it impacts the fresh water sources. On the description of God as who is and who was, see note at 11:16-18. The significance of turning the water into blood is now clarified. Those who worshiped the beast (16:2) are being judged by a true and just God for the blood (6:10) of the martyred saints (see note at 5:8) and prophets (see note at 10:5-7). Since such vengeance was predicted for the “earth dwellers” (6:10-11), the beast worshipers and the “earth dwellers” must be the same group.

16:8-9 While the fourth trumpet judgment (8:12-13) greatly dimmed the light of the sun, moon, and stars, the fourth . . . bowl causes people to be burned with fire and intense heat. Instead of crying out for mercy from God though, the response of the beast worshipers (v. 2) was to blaspheme the Lord, like the beast itself (13:5) refusing to repent (see note at 9:20-21). They also did not . . . give him glory, indicating that they rejected the preaching of the gospel in 14:6-7.

16:10-11 The fifth . . . bowl is also like the fourth trumpet (8:12-13) in that the sun, moon, and stars are darkened, but only by “a third.” People may have gnawed their tongues in pain due to: (1) extreme cold caused by the ongoing darkness, (2) the sores from the first bowl judgment (v. 2), (3) the severe burns related to the fourth bowl (vv. 8-9), or (4) all three of these factors. That this bowl was poured out on the throne of the beast and its kingdom was to show that its worldwide authority (13:7) was about to end. On the people’s blasphemy and refusal to repent, see note at 9:20-21. This judgment recalls the ninth plague on Egypt (Ex 10:21-23).

16:12-14 The sixth . . . bowl of wrath is the preparation for the battle of Armageddon (v. 16). The sixth trumpet judgment also mentioned the great river Euphrates (see note at 9:14-16). It is possible that the phrase, its water was dried up, is intended to recall the parting of the Red Sea since both concern armies (here, armies of the kings from the east side of the Euphrates). The frogs recall the second plague on Egypt (Ex 8:2-13). These armies are moving to join the kings of the whole world for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty (the day of the Lord; see note at 6:12-17) to war against God (see note at 16:16). The demonic spirits perform deceiving signs to influence these kings (see Dn 10:13,20) to do the will of Satan (the dragon, see note at 12:7-10).

16:15 In the midst of the description of the lead-up to Armageddon (see note at v. 16) is the third blessing statement of the Apocalypse (1:3; 14:13; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14), warning readers always to be spiritually alert. Coming like a thief echoes Jesus’s parable in Mt 24:43-44 and his earlier threat to the church at Sardis (Rv 3:3). Spiritual nakedness was one of Christ’s indictments of the church at Laodicea (3:17-18).

16:16 Many explanations have been offered for the place called . . . Armageddon. In Hebrew, it appears to mean “hill or mount of Megiddo.” Some view this as referring to Mount Carmel—located some fifteen miles from Megiddo. When Napoleon Bonaparte saw Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley, he described the site as the world’s most natural battleground. Historically, no fewer than thirty-four battles have been fought here for control of this strategic corridor. Egypt’s Pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned 1479-1425 BC) said that capturing Megiddo was like capturing a thousand towns. Others think Armageddon is not an actual place but a symbol for the concluding battle between good and evil.

16:17-21 The seventh . . . bowl of wrath is focused on Babylon the Great, introduced in 14:8. The phenomena poured out in judgment (lightning, rumblings . . . thunder . . . earthquake . . . hailstones) have been “on hold” since being seen in heaven in 11:19. The great city here is not Jerusalem, as in 11:8, but Babylon. The mixing of references closely aligns the ungodly aspects of both cities. In 14:10, the beast worshipers were told they would “drink the wine of God’s wrath . . . the cup of his anger.” Now, Babylon receives the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger. Thus, each is being equally punished, and it is the punishment that was expected to come upon the “earth dwellers” (see notes at 6:9-11; 8:13). The phrase “Babylon the Great” is taken from Nebuchadnezzar’s boast in Dn 4:30. It could speak of a rebuilt end-time city, though Jr 51:26 makes that unlikely. It could be a code name for Rome, or it could picture any proud society, with the Tower of Babel (Gn 11:1-9) and Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar being classic examples.