THE POURING OUT OF JUDGMENT ON THE WORLD

The Pouring out of Judgment on the World Vs. 1-7

"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. 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. 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. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

The announcement and command to the seven angels to pour out the wrath upon the earth (16:1). First three vials follow and affect the earth universally. The work of the angels with the seven vials of wrath is all a part of the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Revelation 11:15).

"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."

 

The First Vial Vs. 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."

• The earth is the object of the wrath. All the earth is affected.
• The wrath takes the form of an evil and rotten sore. Its hideousness and incurability are meant (cf. Ex. 9:9). "Dust shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt."
• This is upon all those who worship the beast, wear his mark, or pay respects to his image. This is clear discrimination.

The Second Vial Vs. 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."

 

• The second is upon the sea and universal in extent.
• It takes the form of changing sea to blood in appearance. It congeals as blood.
• The result is that all life in the sea dies.

The Third Vial vs. 4-7

"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments."

• The third is upon all the fountains of waters. The result is that they become blood.
• Two angels proclaim the righteousness of God in this judgment (5, 7). "And shalt be" is omitted in best mss. and in ASV. Christ's presence has begun.
• The reason lies in the fact that the wicked are now receiving their just due. They wanted blood and slew the righteous. Now the Lord is giving them blood to drink (6).