A Study of The Book of Revelation, Part #53

Earl Gillespie

A Verse by Verse Study of The Book of Revelation

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The Seven Vials of the Wrath of God

Revelation 16:1

As  stated earlier, the reason for the omission of The Book of Revelation from many serious Bible Studies is that some tend to believe that it should not have been a part of the Bible.  Revelation reveals and predict the end of the world in vivid and graphic terms that is unacceptable to many.   Revelation reveals the rise and fall of societies and nations, and it predicts disaster for the apostate church.  The acceptance of the God of Revelation  falls within the same venue as saying I know God is a healer as you are being  rushed to the hospital.  It is easy to accept our Heavenly father as a loving father but to think of him as an angry God is Taboo.

In our study we are asked to visualize the wrath of God as being stored up in the vitals.   In essence the wrath of God is withheld today and stored waiting for that day when God says, "enough".  We have trample the word of the almighty, taken his Holy word, revised it into a guidebook for motivational speakers and rendered the power irrelevant.   In this chapter we are studying an angry God, a fearful God, not the sugar coated God of love that we are constantly hearing about.  

Verse 1,. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Chapter sixteen opens with a great voice coming out of the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go your ways.”  Each angel had a specific set of orders. They were to go their separate ways, and pour out the vials or containers of the wrath of God upon the earth.  There is no mistake regarding the place where the contents of the containers are to be poured. 

At the close of chapter 15, the temple in Heaven was filled with smoke, the smoke was from the Glory of God. The temple was so filled that nothing inside could be seen and no one could enter.   Nothing could deter the coming judgment. There was a heavenly blackout, so to speak.  There was no place of intercession, no place for a blood offering. There was no place for mercy!  The understanding of the Bible is easy when we read each verse slowly and let the verse say what it says.  There is no need to spiritualize or sermonize the word of God.  Understanding the symbology of the Bible allows us to make a literal  application of the Word of God.

The Judgment of God in its final bitterness must come immediately, there could be no further delay. During the pouring out of the wrath of  God, he is hidden in the dark cloud of His glory, in His temple.  The temple is God house. God cannot be found until the seven angels have completed their missions - the pouring out of the contents of the vials given to each of them. Read Exodus 40:34-35, where, in the dedication of the tabernacle, Moses could not enter into the tent of the congregation “because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” In I Kings 8:10-11, when the temple and its services were inaugurated, the priests could not enter, “for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.” 

In Revelation 16:1,  it is not the glory of the Lord that fills the temple, but “the smoke of the glory of the Lord.” We have the glory of God in judgment here.   In Revelation we have the terms, “voice,  voices, strong voice, a  loud voice, a  great voice.” Each of these terms has a special significance.  Where you find “voice” in Revelation, it is in reference to Christ, to God, to angels, to the living creatures, to the altar, or to the throne, etc. The word “voices” is found eight times in Revelation, and in seven of these times they have to do with God’s judgment (Revelation 4:5; 8:5-13b; 10:3, 4; 11:19; 16:18).  “Strong voice” in Revelation 18:2, “loud voice” in Revelation 5:2, and “great voice” in Revelation 16:1 and 21:3 all describe the character of the voice which is speaking. It is either the  “great voice” of God Himself, or else He is speaking through an angel.

This “great voice” which came from the temple (the holiest spot of all) is tremendously stirred to holy wrath by those things which have been taking place on earth during the last half of the Tribulation, when Antichrist sounds out such blasphemy as Heaven, earth, nor hell has never known. God’s wrath burns fiercely, and that fierce wrath must be poured out. The number of angels is seven, God's number signifying divine completeness. These seven vials are not filled with incense - but with wrath and fury.  The symbology is clear, it is not hard to understand.  They were filled in the temple (God's House)  by Almighty God Himself,  the holy,  righteous One of Heaven and of earth. The seven angels stand by, vials in hand,  ready to do God's biddings,  ready to move upon God’s command. The “great voice” gives that command: “Pour out your vials upon the earth!” (The same voice announces the completion of the judgments in Revelation 16:17.)  

Now notice the command to go and pour out, not “in part”, but to the last bitter dreg. “Empty your vials, every last  drop, upon the earth!” (Read Zephaniah 3:8, Psalm 69:24, and Jeremiah 10:25). The seven last plagues seem to be an answer to Israel’s prayer, “Render unto our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord” (Psalm 79:12).  These seven vials are to be poured out upon all the earth, not just on one locality, but every square inch of this earth. Verse 1 deal with an angery God.

THE FIRST VIAL

Revelation 16:2:

Verse 2. “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.”

In this verse, the first vial is poured out upon the earth. We know where and what the earth is, and there is no point in spiritualizing this statement. When the angel poured out his vial, a running sore came upon men who bore the mark of the Beast and upon them who worshipped his image.  We have already established that the church will not here to undergo this tribulation.  The having already been caught up when Christ came back for his church, have a front row seat as God began to purge the earth of its sinful nature. 

In Revelation 8 we read about, “The first angel, the second angel  . . . “, etc. But here in Revelation 16:2 we read only “the first,” signifying that the contents of the vials are rapidly poured out, that judgments are short and follow in rapid succession. “Except those days should be shortened, there would be no flesh saved” (Matthew 24:22).

The first vial contained running, grievous sores, which reminds us of the Egyptian plague in the days of Moses. The sores in Egypt were the sixth plague, and the first to be inflicted upon man.  (The previous ones were not directed to the bodies of men.) The sore in Moses’ day was a terrible, loathsome disease. Read Deuteronomy 28:27-35.  The God of Moses’ day is the God of Revelation. The God of Pharaoh’s day is the God of this day. If God poured out sores upon the ungodly men of Egypt, it will be no hard task for Him to again inflict people with running sores.  The Beast had influenced all the earth. The  group designated here consists of the Beast-worshippers and those who had received his mark.  These vials are to be poured out upon all the earth, and from that I gather that the mark of the Beast (and the Beast-worshippers) reaches throughout the universe. It began in Jerusalem, but quickly spread to the four corners of the earth.  The mark of the Beast is a ticket for those who wear it to be covered with running sores. At the time the vials will be poured out, there will be a very small remnant of God’s elect on earth.  Again I quote, “Except those days were shortened, there would no flesh be saved ”; not one person would be spared.  The sores will be “ evil and grievous ” - a bad ulcer.

The Greek word signifies a sore that gives off highly offensive odors. Words cannot describe the despicable condition and the awfulness of such a plague. Will YOU be here? Dear friend, if you are not saved, you could be. If you are born again you will not be. If you do not know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are born again, bow your head and give your heart to Jesus right now.  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved .” This terrible judgment of sores  precedes the fall of Babylon which occurs in verse 19. The everlasting torments of the Beast worshippers (chapter 14:9-10) succeeds the fall of Babylon.

THE SECOND VIAL

Revelation 16:3: 3.

Verse 3,  And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the Blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

I believe the vials will be poured out in rapid succession.  The first vial will be poured, and the second vial will immediately follow. In Exodus 7:17-25 the rivers of Egypt turned to blood . . . literal blood, not spiritual nor symbolic blood! Some symbolize the Blood, but why should I? I believe the sea will actually turn to blood “as the blood of a dead man ,” just as the Bible tells us. It is so strange to me that some people have a hard time believing what the Bible has to say. They read it and they ask, “What does that mean?” The answer is clear: The Bible says what it means, and means What it says. In the words of Paul, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” There is no need to try to explain away the running sores, the blood of a dead man, and the literal baking and burning of the backs of men. There is no need to try to explain away God’s Word. If God sent real blood, real fire, real lice, real flies, real frogs, real darkness, real death to Egypt,  then can He not do it again? Has God changed? You know the answer: “God changes not!”  (Hebrews 13:8).

God has not changed His mind about sin, nor will He ever do so. One day the Mediterranean and other seas will change to the blood of a dead man. That will be a rotten, stinking, deplorable condition. All the fish, whales and all the sea monsters will die and begin to decay. Think of it! Do you want to be around when all of this happen?