The First Bowl - Bad and Painful Sores
Rev 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary say to the seven angels, "Go and pour on to the earth the seven bowls of the anger of God."
Rev 16:2 So the first angel went away and poured his bowl on to the earth; and it brought a bad and painful sore upon the men who had on them the mark of the Wild Beast and worshipped his statue.
A noisome and grievous sore (helkos kakon kai ponēron). “Bad and malignant sore.” Helkos is old word for a suppurated wound (Latin ulcus), here, Rev_16:11; Luk_16:21. See the sixth Egyptian plague (Exo_9:10; Deu_28:27, Deu_28:35) and Job_2:7. The magicians were attacked in Egypt and the worshippers of Caesar here (Rev_13:17; Rev_14:9, Rev_14:11; Rev_19:20).RWP
And there fell a noisome and grievous sore - The judgment here is specifically different from that inflicted under the first trumpet, Rev_8:7. There it is said to have been that “the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” Here it is that there fell upon people a “noisome and grievous sore.” The two, therefore, are designed to refer to different events, and to different forms of punishment. The word rendered “sore” properly denotes a wound (Homer, Iliad xi. 812), and then, in later writers, an ulcer or sore. It is used in the New Testament only in the following places: Luk_16:21, “The dogs came and licked his sores”; and in Rev_16:2, Rev_16:11, where it is rendered “sore,” and “sores.” It is used in the Septuagint, in reference to the boils that were brought upon the Egyptians, in Exo_9:9-12, and probably Deu_28:27; in reference to the leprosy, Lev_13:18-20, Lev_13:23; in reference to the boil, ulcer, or elephantiasis brought upon Job Job_2:7; and in reference to any sore or ulcer, in Deu_28:35.
In all these places it is the translation of the word שׁחין shechiyn - rendered in our English version as “boil,” Exo_9:9-11; Lev_13:18-20, Lev_13:23; 2Ki_20:7; Job_2:7; Isa_38:21; and “botch,” Deu_28:27, Deu_28:35. The proper meaning, therefore, is that of a sore, ulcer, or boil of a severe and painful character; and the most obvious reference in the passage, to one who was accustomed to the language of Scripture, would be to some fearful plague like what was sent upon the Egyptians. In the case of Hezekiah 2Ki_20:7; Isa_38:21, it was probably used to denote a “plague-boil,” or the black leprosy. See the notes on Isa_38:21. The word “noisome” - κακὸν kakon, “evil, bad” - is used here to characterize the plague referred to as being especially painful and dangerous. The word “grievous” - πονηρον ponēron - “bad, malignant, hurtful” - is further used to increase the intensity of the expression, and to characterize the plague as particularly severe. Barnes
The Second Bowl - The Sea turns to Blood and the Sea Creatures die.
Rev 16:3 The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became blood, like a dead man's blood, and every living creature in the sea died.
RWP Blood as of a dead man (haima hōs nekrou). At the trumpet (Rev_8:11) the water becomes wormwood. Here hōs nekrou is added to Exo_7:14-24, “the picture of a murdered man weltering in his blood” (Swete). “Coagulated blood, fatal to animal life” (Moffatt).
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| Yangtze River turned to Blood |
The Third Bowl - The Rivers turn to Blood.
Rev 16:4 The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
Into the rivers and the fountains of waters (eis tous potamous kai tas pēgas tōn hudatōn). See Rev_8:10 for this phrase. Contamination of the fresh-water supply by blood follows that of the sea. Complete again.
Rev 16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, "Righteous art Thou, who art and wast, the holy One, because Thou hast thus taken vengeance.
Rev 16:6 For they poured out the blood of Thy people and of the Prophets, and in return Thou hast given them blood to drink. And this they deserved."
Rev 16:7 And I heard a voice from the altar say, "Even so, O Lord God, the Ruler of all, true and righteous are Thy judgments."
This seems to be the consequence of their assassinating the prophets and the saints of God in this age and in the tribulation period.
The Fourth Bowl - Mankind blasphemes God as they are scorched by the sun.
Rev 16:8 Then the fourth angel poured his bowl on to the sun, and power was given to it to scorch men with fire.
Rev 16:9 And the men were severely burned; and yet they spoke evil of (blasphemed) God who had power over the plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
Poured upon the sun (epi ton hēlion). Not eis (into) as in Rev_16:2, Rev_16:3, Rev_16:4. The fourth trumpet (Rev_8:12) affected a third of the sun, moon, and stars with a plague of darkness, but here it is a plague of extreme heat.
To scorch with fire (kaumatisai en puri). First aorist active infinitive of kaumatizō, late (Plutarch, Epictetus) causative verb (from kauma, heat), in N.T. only here and Rev_16:9; Mat_13:6; Mar_4:6. The addition of en puri (in fire, with fire) intensifies the picture.RWP
Rev 16:9 And the men were severely burned; and yet they spoke evil of (blasphemed) God who had power over the plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.
Were scorched (ekaumatisthēsan). First aorist passive indicative of same verb.
With great heat (kauma mega). Cognate accusative retained with the passive verb. Old word (from kaiō to burn), in N.T. only Rev_7:16 and here. For blaspheming the name of God see Rev_13:6; Jam_2:7; Rom_2:24; 1Ti_6:1. They blamed God for the plagues.
They repented not (ou metenoēsan). This solemn negative aorist of metanoeō is a refrain like a funeral dirge (Rev_9:20.; Rev_16:11). In Rev_11:13 some did repent because of the earthquake. Even deserved punishment may harden the heart.
To give him glory (dounai autōi doxan). Second aorist active infinitive of didōmi, almost result. For the phrase see Rev_11:13; Rev_14:7; Rev_19:7.RWP
The Fifth Bowl - The Beasts Seat of Government is afflicted.
Rev 16:10 The fifth angel poured his bowl on to the throne of the Wild Beast; and his kingdom became darkened. People gnawed their tongues because of the pain,
Rev 16:11 and they spoke evil of the God in Heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their misconduct.
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| The Kingdom of the Beast was struck |
Upon the throne of the beast (epi ton thronon tou thēriou). TRev_13:2). The dragon gave the beast his throne (Rev_2:13).
Was darkened (egeneto eskotōmenē). Periphrastic past perfect passive with ginomai and skotoō (Rev_9:2). Like the darkness of the Egyptian plague (Exo_10:22) and worse, for the effects of the previous plagues continue.
They gnawed their tongues (emasōnto tas glōssas autōn). Imperfect middle of masaomai, old verb (to chew), from maō (to knead), only here in N.T.
For pain (ek tou ponou). “Out of distress” (cf. ek in Rev_8:13), rare sense of old word (from penomai to work for one’s living), in N.T. only here, Rev_21:4; Col_4:13. See Mat_8:12.
- 11 They blasphemed (eblasphēmēsan) and they repented not (kai ou metenoēsan). Precisely as in Rev_16:9, which see. Not just because of the supernatural darkness, but also “because of their pains” (ek tōn ponōn autōn, plural here and same use of ek) and their sores (kai ek tōn helkōn autōn, as in Rev_16:2, only plural, and same use of ek).
The Sixth Bowl - The Euphrates dries up and the Armies of the nations gather to the battle of Armageddon.
Rev 16:12 The sixth angel poured his bowl into that great river, the Euphrates; and its stream was dried up in order to clear the way for the kings who are to come from the east.
Upon the great river, the river Euphrates (epi ton potamon ton megan ton Euphratēn). The sixth trumpet brings up the river Euphrates also (Rev_9:14), only there epi with the locative, while here epi with the accusative. Note triple use of the article ton here.
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| The Euphrates drying up |
Was dried up (exēranthē). First aorist (prophetic) passive of xērainō (Rev_14:15). Cf. Zec_10:11.
That may be made ready (hina hetoimasthēi). Purpose clause with hina and the first aorist passive of hetoimazō. Common verb in Rev (Rev_8:6; Rev_9:7, Rev_9:15; Rev_12:6; Rev_19:7; Rev_21:2).
The way for the kings (hē hodos tōn basileōn). Objective genitive basileōn.
That come from the sunrising (tōn apo anatolēs heliou). “Those from the rising of the sun,” are the kings from the east (cf. Mat_2:2) in their march west.RWP
Rev 16:13 Then I saw three foul spirits, resembling frogs, issue from the mouth of the Dragon, from the mouth of the Wild Beast, and from the mouth of the false Prophet.
Rev 16:14 For they are the spirits of demons working marvels--spirits that go out to control the kings of the whole earth, to assemble them for the battle which is to take place on the great day of God, the Ruler of all.
Rev 16:15 ("I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the man who keeps awake and guards his raiment for fear he walk about ill-clad, and his uncomeliness become manifest.")
Rev 16:16 And assemble them they did at the place called in Hebrew 'Har-Magedon.'
Into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon - The word “Armageddon” - Ἀρμαγεδδών Armageddōn - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and is not found in the Septuagint. It seems to be formed from the Hebrew הר מגדּו har Megidow Har Megiddo - Mountain of Megiddo. Compare 2Ch_35:22, where it is said that Josiah “came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.” Megiddo was a town belonging to Manasseh, although within the limits of Issachar, Jos_17:11. It had been originally one of the royal cities of the Canaanites Jos_12:21, and was one of those of which the Israelites were unable for a long time to take possession. It was rebuilt and fortified by Solomon 1Ki_9:15, and thither Ahaziah king of Judah fled when wounded by Jehu, and died there, 2Ki_9:27. It was here that Deborah and Barak destroyed Sisera and his host Jdg_5:19; and it was in a battle near this that Josiah was slain by Pharaoh-Necho, 2Ki_23:29-30; 2Ch_35:20-25.
The Valley of Meggiddo Israel
7th Bowl - The Earth is Utterly Shaken.
Rev 16:17 Then the seventh angel poured his bowl into the air; and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying, "Everything is now ready."
Saying,”Everything is now ready” (KJV It is done) - The series of judgments is about to be completed; the dominion of the beast is about to come to an end forever. The meaning here is, that that destruction was so certain, that it might be spoken of as now actually accomplished.
Rev 16:18 Flashes of lightning followed, and voices, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake more dreadful than there had ever been since there was a man upon the earth--so terrible was it, and so great!
And there were (kai egenonto). “And there came” (same verb ginomai). See Rev_8:5; Rev_11:19 for this list of terrible sounds and lightnings, and for the great earthquake (seismos megas) see Rev_6:12; Rev_11:13 (cf. Luk_21:11).
Such as was not (hoios ouk egeneto). Qualitative relative with ginomai again, “such as came not.”
Since there were men (aph' hou anthrōpoi egenonto). “Since which time (chronou understood) men came.”RWP
Rev 16:19 The great city was split into three parts; the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came into remembrance before God, for Him to make her drink from the wine-cup of His fierce anger.
Rev 16:20 Every island fled away, and there was not a mountain anywhere to be seen.
Rev 16:21 And heavy hail, that seemed to be a talent in weight, fell from the sky upon the people; and they spoke evil of God on account of the plague of the hail--because the plague of it was exceedingly severe.
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