Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
(From: REVELATION #17 - 15:1-16:21)
F. 15:1-16:21 SEVEN LAST PLAGUES: BOWLS OF GOD'S WRATH
1. 15:1 THE FINISH OF GOD'S WRATH
Kai EIdon ALlo seMEIon [4592]en to ou-raNO, MEga kai thau-maSTON [2298],
And I saw another sign in :heaven, great and marvelous,
agGElous hepTA Echon-tas pleGAS [4127]hepTA, tas eSCHAtas [2078],
seven angels having seven plagues, the last,
HOti en auTAIS e-teLESthe[5055]ho thuMOS [2372]tou TheOU.
for in them is finished the wrath of :God.
a. 15:2 VICTORIOUS SAINTS OVER THE BEAST - PREPARE TO WORSHIP
Kai EIdon hos THAlas-san [2281]hu-aLInen [5193]me-migMEnen [3396]puRI [4442];
And I saw as if a glassy sea mingled with fire;
kai tous niKONtas [3528] ek tou theRIou [2342] kai ek tes eiKOnos [1504] auTOU
and those victorious from the beast and from his image
kai ek tou a-rithMOU [706] tou oNOma-tos [3686] auTOU,
and from the number of his :name,
eSTOtas ePI ten THAlas-san ten hu-aLInen, Echon-tas kiTHAras [2788]tou TheOU.
standing by the glassy sea, having harps of :God.
b. 15:3 THE SONG OF MOSES
kai Adou-sin [103] ten oDEN [5603]Mo-uSEos tou DOUlou tou TheOU, kai ten oDEN tou arNIou, LEgon-tes,
And they sing the song of Moses the bondman of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
MeGAla kai thau-maSTA ta ERga [2041] sou, KUri-e ho TheOS, ho pan-toKRAtor [3841];
Great and marvelous your :works, Lord :God, the Almighty;
DIkai-ai [1342] kai a-le-thiNAI [228]hai hoDOI [3598], ho ba-siLEUS [935]ton aiOnon.
righteous and true your :ways, :King of the ages.
c. 15:4 HIGH ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE TO THE LORD
TIS ou mepho-beTHE[5399], KUri-e, kai doXAsei [1392]to OnoMA sou?
Who shall not fear, Lord, and glorify your :name?
HOti MOnos HOsi-os [3741]; HOti PANta ta ETHne [1484]HExou-sin kai pro-skuNEsou-sin [4352]
for you only are holy; for all the nations shall come and worship
eNOpiON sou; HOti ta di-kaiOmaTA [1345]sou e-pha-neROthe-san [5319].
before you; for your righteous acts have been manifested.
d. 15:5-6 SEVEN ANGELS FROM SANCTUARY - WITH SEVEN LAST PLAGUES
Kai meTA TAUta EIdon, kai eNOIge[455]ho naOS [3485]
And after these things I saw, and the sanctuary
tes skeNES [4633]tou mar-tuRIou [3142]en to ou-raNO:
of the tabernacle of the testimony in the heaven was opened:
kai eXELthan hoi hepTA AGge-loi hoi Echon-tes
6and out came from the sanctuary the seven angels
tas hepTA pleGAS [4127]ek tou naOU, en-de-duMEnoi [1746]LIthon [3043]ka-thaRON [2513],
that had the seven plagues, arrayed with preciousstone pure,
lamPRON [2986], kai pe-ri-e-zosMEnoi [4024]peRI ta STEthe[4738]ZOnas [2223]chruSAS [5552].
bright, and clothed about theirbreasts with golden girdles.
e. 15:7 7 BOWLS OF GOD'S WRATH FROM 4 LIVING BEINGS TO THE 7 ANGELS
kai hen ek ton tesSAron ZO-on [2226]Edo-ken tois hepTA agGElois
And one of the four living beings gave the seven angels
hepTA phiAlas [5357] chruSAS ge-MOUsas tou thuMOU tou TheOU tou ZONtos eis tous aiOnas ton aiOnon.
seven golden bowls full of the wrath of the God who lives unto the ages of the ages.
f. 15:8 SMOKE IN SANCTUARY - UNTIL COMPLETION OF 7 LAST PLAGUES
kai e-geMIStheho naOS kapNOU [2586]ek tes DOxes [1391]tou TheOU,
And the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of :God,
kai ek tes duNAme-os [1411]auTOU; kai ouDEIS eDUna-to ei-selTHEIN eis ton naON,
and from his :power; and none was able to enter into the sanctuary,
Achri te-lesTHOsin hai hepTA pleGAI ton hepTA agGElon.
until the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.
g. 16:1 COMMAND FROM TEMPLE TO RELEASE THE 7 PLAGUE ANGELS
Kai Ekou-sa meGAles phoNES ek tou naOU,
And I heard a great voice out of the temple,
leGOUses tois hepTA agGElois, HuPAge-te, kai ekCHEe-te [1632]
saying to the seven angels, Go, and pour out
tas hepTA phiAlas tou thuMOU tou TheOU eis ten gen.
the seven bowls of the wrath of :God unto the earth.
3. 16:2 FIRST BOWL: SORES ON BEAST-WORSHIPERS
Kai aPELthen ho PROtos, kai eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU eis ten gen;
And the first went, and poured out his :bowl unto the earth;
kai eGEne-to HELkos [1668] kaKON [2556] kai po-neRON [4190]ePI tous anTHROpous
and there came a harmful and severe sore upon the men
tous Echon-tas to CHArag-ma [5480] tou theRIou, kai tous pro-skuNOUNtas teeiKOni [1504]auTOU.
that had the mark of the beast, and that worshiped his :image.
4. 16:3 SECOND BOWL: SEA BECOMES BLOOD
Kai ho DEUte-ros eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU eis ten THAlas-san;
And the second poured out his :bowl into the sea;
kai eGEne-to HAIma [129]hos neKROU [3498]; kai PAsa psuCHEzo-ES aPEtha-nen [599], ta en te thaLASse.
and it became blood as of one dead; and every living soul died, the things in the sea.
5. 16:4-7 THIRD BOWL: DRINKING WATER TURNED TO BLOOD
a. 16:4 RIVERS AND FOUNTAINS TURNED INTO BLOOD
Kai ho TRItos eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU eis tous po-taMOUS [4215]
And the third poured out his :bowl into the rivers
kai tas peGAS [4077]ton huDAton [5204]; kai eGEne-to HAIma.
and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood.
b. 16:5-6 GOD'S POETIC JUSTICE IN JUDGMENT
Kai Ekou-sa tou agGElou ton huDAton LEgon-tos,
And I heard the angel of the waters saying,
DIkai-os ei, ho on kai ho en, ho Osi-os, HOti TAUta Ekri-nas [2919]:
Righteous are you, who is and who was, the Holy One, because you did thus judge:
HOti HAIma haGIon kai pro-pheTON [4396]eXEche-an,
6because they poured out blood of saints and prophets,
kai HAIma auTOIS DEdo-kas pein [5095]; AxiOI [514]ei-sin.
and blood have you given them to drink; they deserve it.
c. 16:7 CONFIRMATION FROM THE ALTAR
Kai Ekou-sa tou thu-si-a-steRIou [2379]LEgon-tes, Nai, KUri-e ho TheOS, ho pan-toKRAtor,
And I heard the altar saying, Yes, Lord :God, the Almighty,
a-le-thiNAI kai DIkai-ai hai KRIseis [2920]sou.
true and righteous your judgments.
6. 16:8-9 FOURTH BOWL: A SCORCHING SUN
a. 16:8 A PLAGUE FOR MAN
Kai ho TEtar-tos eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU ePI ton HEli-on [2246];
And the fourth poured out his :bowl upon the sun;
kai eDOtheauTO kau-maTIsai [2739]tous anTHROpous en puRI [4442].
and it was given him to scorch :men with fire.
b. 16:9 EVEN THIS JUDGMENT FAILS TO PRODUCE REPENTANCE
kai e-kau-maTISthesan hoi ANthro-poi KAUma [2738]MEga: kai e-blasPHEme-san [987]
And :men were scorched with great heat: and they blasphemed
to Ono-ma tou TheOU tou Echon-tos ten e-xouSIan ePI tas pleGAS TAUtas;
the name of the God who has the power over these :plagues;
kai ou me-teNOe-san [3340]DOUnai auTO DOxan.
and they repented not to give him glory.
7. 16:10-11 FIFTH BOWL: THE BEAST'S KINGDOM DARKENED
Kai ho PEMPtos eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU ePI ton THROnon tou theRIou;
And the fifth poured out his :bowl upon the throne of the beast;
kai eGEne-to heba-siLEIa auTOU e-sko-toMEne[4656];
and his :kingdom became darkened;
kai e-maSONto [3145]tas GLOSsas [1100]auTON ek tou POnou [4192],
and they gnawed their :tongues for pain,
kai e-blasPHEme-san [987]ton TheON tou ou-raNOU ek ton POnon auTON
11and they blasphemed the God of the heaven for their :pains
kai ek ton helKON[1668] auTON; kai ou me-teNOe-san ek ton ERgon auTON.
and for their :sores; and they repented not of their :works.
8. 16:12-16 SIXTH BOWL: DRYING OF EUPHRATES BRINGS HAR MAGEDON
a. 16:12 THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAGUE
Kai ho HEKtos eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU ePI ton po-taMON, ton MEgan,
And the sixth poured out his :bowl upon the river, the great,
ton EuPHRAten; kai e-xeRANthe [3583] to HUdor [5204] auTOU,
the Euphrates; and its :water was dried up,
HIna he-toi-masTHE [2090] he hoDOS ton ba-siLEon ton aPO a-na-toLES [395] heLIou.
that the way be made ready for the kings :from the sunrising.
b. 16:13-14 THE RESPONSE OF THE TRINITY OF EVIL
Kai EIdon ek tou STOma-tos tou DRAkon-tos [1404],
And I saw comingout of the mouth of the dragon,
kai ek tou STOma-tos tou theRIou, kai ek tou STOma-tos
and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth
tou pseu-do-proPHEtou [5578], PNEUma-ta TRIa aKAthar-ta [169], hos BAtra-choi [944]:
of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as if frogs:
eiSIN gar PNEUma-ta dai-moNIon [1142], poiOUNta seMEIa [4592];
14for they are the spirits of demons, working signs;
ha ek-poREUe-tai [1607] ePI tous ba-siLEIS tes oi-kouMEnes HOles,
which go forth over the kings of the whole inhabited earth,
su-na-gaGEIN auTOUS eis ton POle-mon tes heMEras tes meGAles tou TheOU, tou pan-toKRAto-ros.
to gather them together unto the war of the great :day of God, the Almighty.
c. 16:15a (Lo, I come as a thief. ('I-DOU, ERcho-mai hos KLEPtes [2812].
d. 16:15b A STRONG EXHORTATION
maKAri-os [3107] ho gre-goRON [1127], kai teRON [5083] ta hiMAti-a [2440] auTOU,
Blessed who watches, and keeps his :garments,
HIna me gumNOS [1131] pe-ri-paTE, kai BLEpo-sin ten a-sche-moSUnen [808] auTOU.)
lest he walk naked, and they see his :shame.)
e. 16:16 And they gathered them together into the place :called in Hebrew Har Magedon.
kai suNEga-gen [4863]auTOUS eis ton TOpon [5117] ton kaLOUme-non E-bra-isTI [1447]Har Ma-geDON.
9. 16:17-21 SEVENTH BOWL: EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL
a. 16:17-18 HEAVEN CONFIRMS THE PLAGUE COMPLETION
Kai ho HEBdo-mos eXEche-en ten phiAlen auTOU ePI ton aEra [109];
And the seventh poured out his :bowl upon the air;
kai eXELthen phoNE meGAle ek tou naOU [3485], aPO tou THROnou, LEgou-sa: GEgo-nen:
and a great voice came forth out of the temple, from the throne, saying: Done:
kai eGEnon-to a-straPAI [796], kai phoNAI, kai bronTAI [1027];
18and therewere lightnings, and voices, and thunders;
kai seisMOS [4578] eGEne-to MEgas, HOIos ouk eGEne-to aph' hou ANthro-poi
and therewas a great earthquake, such as was not since men
eGEnon-to ePI tes ges, te-liKOUtos [5082] seisMOS [4578], HOUto MEgas.
were upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.
b. 16:19 JUDGMENT IN JERUSALEM, EARTH'S CITIES, AND BABYLON
kai eGEne-to he POlis he meGAle eis TRIa MEre, kai hai POleis ton ethNON Epe-san:
And the great :city was dividedinto three parts, and the cities of the nations fell:
kai Ba-buLON [897] he meGAle emNESthe [3415] eNOpi-on tou TheOU,
and Babylon the great was remembered before :God,
DOUnai auTE to poTEri-on [4221] tou OInou tou thuMOU tes orGES auTOU.
to give her the cup of the wine of the anger of his :wrath.
c. 16:20 And every island fled, and mountains were not found.
kai PAsa NEsos Ephu-gen, kai HOre[3735]ouch heuREthe-san.
d. 16:21 HAIL PRODUCES BLASPHEMY, NOT REPENTANCE
kai CHAla-za [5464] meGAle, hos ta-lan-tiAIa [5006], ka-taBAInei ek tou ou-raNOU ePI tous anTHROpous:
And great hail, stonesabout a talent weight, comes down out of :heaven upon :men:
kai e-blasPHEmesan [987] hoi ANthro-poi ton TheON ek tes pleGES [4127] tes chaLAzes [5464];
and :men blasphemed :God for the plague of the hail;
HOti meGAle esTIN he pleGE auTES SPHOdra [4970] .
because the plague of it is exceeding great.
NOTE: These are the 7 last plagues of the wrathof God. They have been preceded by the 7 seals and the 7 trumps, making 21 judgments in all. But 10 plagues came upon Pharaoh the type of the Beast, and Egypt, a type of the world. Israel shared with Egypt in the first 3 plagues, somewhat comparable to tribulation; but Israel in Goshen was completely spared the last 7 plagues, though they were in the land and aware of God's wrath and judgment on Pharaoh and Egypt.
And we must remember, that Israel in the OT is a mighty type of the church in the NT. And just as God protected Israel in Goshen from the last 7 plagues, sowill He protect the church from His wrath on the Beast and the world - in little Goshens throughout the world. For - we the saints - have notbeen appointed unto God's wrath on the Beast and the world. True, we will experience Tribulation, as did Israel in Egypt under hard taskmasters, but notGod's wrath. Paul by the Spirit avers that we willin this life experience tribulation.
It is important that we understand the purpose of God in showing the church the future through the types and shadows of Israel in the OT. The 7 major steps of God in behalf of Israel in Egypt from the time of the Passover to the Crossing of the Red Sea, encompasses the 7 steps laid out in the Book of Revelation for the “One New Man” - Israel and the church.
Does the present day church of America have unity in doctrineconcerning these matters today? Unfortunately, No. Carefully study the biography of “Brother Yun, The Heavenly Man” by Paul Hattaway. Clearly here he sets forth the parallel between Israel in Egypt and the Church under the Beast and the World. Dr. James R. Graham had to stop translating the Schofield notes into Chinese when he discovered that they did not accurately picture the above parallel and eschatology. I would suppose that perhaps 90% of Christendom in the Western World has failed to let God say in the Bible what Hewants to say, and have instead added notes and doctrine to suit their hopes, wishes and desires of a church not really submitted in fullness to God and His Word. In confirmation to this, read “Visions Beyond the Veil” by H. A. Baker. These little orphans and beggars unanimously received visions in heaven that undergird all that is written above.
We need to return to the old hymn that says:
Onward Christian Soldiers, marching on to war -
With the Cross of Jesus, going on before.
We are not divided, all one body we -
Onein faith and doctrine, one in Charity.
When Communism took over China under Mao Tse-tung, Chinese believers felt they had been deceived by the Western Missionaries, who had taught them in doctrine that the church would notgo through the tribulation. What has China gone through that has seen millions martyred? Is this not great tribulation? The same has happened in most of the world apart from the Western Church.
So - read Revelation chapter 15 and 16 with the recounting by Jesus through His angel to John. See these 7 plagues. See the parallel between this and Israel in Egypt. Ensure that your doctrinal perception on this lines up with the Bible and not wishful thinking by those who have taken revelation and visions on this subject - that does notaccord with the Word of God.
Some will say: but the Book of Revelation with its apocryphal content surely cannot be relied upon! But God in His Wisdom has reserved for these last days the unfolding of HisBible Numerics through Ivan Panin, providing a mathematical proof that has yet to be successfully challenged. God'sBible Numeric NT, all 66 books, and no other books, apocryphal or of any other religion including the Koran, can give us the assurance that the Bible alonegives us. Paul says it succinctly when he says, “If any thinks himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of what things I write you, that it is the Lord's commandment.” 1 Corinthians 14:37. But this does not just apply to Paul's 14 epistles - Peter in 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For no prophecy was everborne by man's will; but men spoke for God, being borne on by the Holy Spirit.” This identifies 33 writers of the 66 books of the Bible, including John for the Book of Revelation. All have the same impregnable proof of the Divine, Verbal inspiration of the entire Bible!
And if I have any doubt concerning this, then at least I can be like Billy Graham at the very beginning of his outstanding ministry as an evangelist - and declare - I take the entire Bible by faith, whether I understand all of its nuances or not - and boldly declare for all66 books - “The Bible says!” - J.A.W.