Let’s now take a look at the fall of Babylon, the end of a corrupt world political and religious system, in Revelation 18.
Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
This important event, the close of a chapter of mixed religious and political corruption, is delegated to another angel.
Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
The outward trappings of this corrupt system are gone and what is at the heart of it lies exposed for all to see.
Revelation 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Politicians and merchants of all nations have partaken of the corruption of this horrid system.
Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
“Come out of her” is a mandate to the church. Though we must live in this world, we do not partake of its corrupt politics and business practices.
Revelation 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
The Holy Spirit has inspired the Holy Scriptures, which will teach any Christian who is submissive to God, what is right and wrong. In this manner, the Scriptures are self-correcting of all heresies and apostasies that may creep into our midst, bringing periodic Reformation to those who are willing.
Revelation 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
The ills that this Babylonian system have brought upon the world will be visited upon her double.
Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Christians who are in tune with the Holy Spirit will instantly recognize and reject such bragging and narcissistic self-glorification.
Revelation 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Jesus tells us not to judge or condemn, yet in the same chapter not to give what is holy to those who would only trample it down, and to beware of false prophets (Matthew 7). So, we must not judge wrongly but we must judge or discern between right and wrong. Here we see that God will ultimately judge all evil.
Revelation 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
When this world’s self-destructive and oppressive system ultimately ends, those who have profited from it will be very sad.
Revelation 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
They will be shocked that her destruction came about so suddenly and will stand back in case Babylon’s destruction also consumes them.
Revelation 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
God reveals in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) that there is a righteous form of capitalism, from whom much is given, much is expected. Babylon is a system of idolatrous greed, capitalism without any love of neighbor.
Revelation 18:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Babylon is a very wealthy system for those who profit from it, but a very oppressive system, especially hard on those who love God.
Revelation 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Slaves? We must not believe for a second that the days of slavery are over. It still exists and it will return.
Revelation 18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Babylon is an empty shell. Her fancy delicacies are gone.
Revelation 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
This is the end of all unrighteous forms of capitalism, whereby men are made slaves, the environment is ruined and Christians are oppressed.
Revelation 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
When men say that God has blessed their land with wealth, we ought to ask if that wealth has been gotten with Babylonian systems, on the backs of oppressed people, in other lands or at home, because all countries refuse to face their own sins.
Revelation 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
When we thank God for the riches of our nation, let’s ask ourselves if we would willingly give it all up so that others may eat today, drink good water and have shelter.
Revelation 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
When we brag that ours is the greatest nation, the best of this or that, are we actually admitting that we are a part of this corrupt Babylonian system?
Revelation 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
Let's never forget that this system will end in one hour.
Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
How many of us will rejoice when this world’s systems fall?
Revelation 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
Using a rock as a demonstration, and with a large splash Babylon is gone.
Revelation 18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
The sights and sounds of unethical world entertainment, manufacturing and agricultural practices will be no more.
Revelation 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Mixing of merchandising and witchcraft will no longer deceive the nations.
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
The real cost of a corrupt religious, political, manufacturing, and merchandising system is the high cost of human lives and especially those who dare preach the Word of God.
Heaven is not against righteous capitalism, the buying and selling of goods done in love for God and neighbor. However, that form of self-destructive capitalism inherited from ancient Babylon is often an excuse for idolatrous greed, mercilessly devouring the poor and suppressing the messengers of Divine truth. That system is about to die.
The Great Harlot (Revelation 17)
Let’s now look at the prophecy of the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth, the scarlet woman in Revelation 17.
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Spiritual adultery is betraying the true God (Hosea 1:2; Jeremiah 3:6-8). It’s too easy to point to another church and pretend that doing so makes us without sin. Yet, all who profess true religion, but are unfaithful to God and His Word, play the whore. When any of us prioritizes empty human traditions or sinful worldly values over the Word of God, we are committing spiritual adultery.
Revelation 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
The church is pictured as a woman and Jerusalem above is the mother of us all. This woman may thus be a counterfeit church or even the tares among the wheat within the church. Fornication is another way of saying spiritual adultery. False religion is often used to legitimize corrupt world leaders and crowds become drunk with populist mass hysteria and false ideals.
Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
This woman rides the beast that was earlier revealed as an antichristian government (Revelation 13). Now it looks a little different as more details emerge. It is crimson, the color of blood. Riding the beast indicates some kind of mutual relationship between false religion and evil government.
Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
She is rich and royal and filthy with sin and carries what looks like a communion cup but full of abominations.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
She is identified as associated with the corruption of ancient Babylon and its system of human exploitation and oppression. This is not the mystery of the wisdom of God or godliness (1 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:16). It is the mystery of lawlessness or iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12).
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
The woman of Revelation 12 is persecuted. This woman persecutes. Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world, most intensely in over sixty countries from north Africa to Asia. Tens of thousands are killed every year and thousands are imprisoned.
Revelation 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
An angel offers to reveal the mystery.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
The tyrannical antichristian empire that was, and failed, will again rise. Most understand this to be a revival of a murderous, pagan Roman system, which was itself a revival of an even more ancient Babylonian system. Those who have never been written into the book of life will be easily deceived.
Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
The seven mountains may refer to the seven hills of ancient Rome or seven kings that rule.
Revelation 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
Five previous world empires, one at the time of writing was Rome and the other is assumed to be a king not yet in existence.
Revelation 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
The beast is described here as being “of” the same evil spirit as the seven preceding oppressive dictatorships.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These kings in waiting join with the beast in a federation of ten states.
Revelation 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
These kings are subservient.
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Christianity has always been engaged in spiritual warfare. However, this is more specifically the battle of the great day of the Lord.
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Here is one of those keys to the prophecy.
Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
In the end, the alliance between the whore of Babylon and these kings will fail.
Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
The alliance will only last as long as God wills.
Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
This is who Babylon really is, a descendant of that idolatrous system which has corrupted the whole world.
The whole world must choose between two ways, the way of Babylon and the way of God. Do we worship this antichristian world and its ways or is our allegiance to God and the kingdom of heaven?
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Spiritual adultery is betraying the true God (Hosea 1:2; Jeremiah 3:6-8). It’s too easy to point to another church and pretend that doing so makes us without sin. Yet, all who profess true religion, but are unfaithful to God and His Word, play the whore. When any of us prioritizes empty human traditions or sinful worldly values over the Word of God, we are committing spiritual adultery.
Revelation 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
The church is pictured as a woman and Jerusalem above is the mother of us all. This woman may thus be a counterfeit church or even the tares among the wheat within the church. Fornication is another way of saying spiritual adultery. False religion is often used to legitimize corrupt world leaders and crowds become drunk with populist mass hysteria and false ideals.
Revelation 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
This woman rides the beast that was earlier revealed as an antichristian government (Revelation 13). Now it looks a little different as more details emerge. It is crimson, the color of blood. Riding the beast indicates some kind of mutual relationship between false religion and evil government.
Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
She is rich and royal and filthy with sin and carries what looks like a communion cup but full of abominations.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
She is identified as associated with the corruption of ancient Babylon and its system of human exploitation and oppression. This is not the mystery of the wisdom of God or godliness (1 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:16). It is the mystery of lawlessness or iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12).
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
The woman of Revelation 12 is persecuted. This woman persecutes. Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world, most intensely in over sixty countries from north Africa to Asia. Tens of thousands are killed every year and thousands are imprisoned.
Revelation 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
An angel offers to reveal the mystery.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
The tyrannical antichristian empire that was, and failed, will again rise. Most understand this to be a revival of a murderous, pagan Roman system, which was itself a revival of an even more ancient Babylonian system. Those who have never been written into the book of life will be easily deceived.
Revelation 17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
The seven mountains may refer to the seven hills of ancient Rome or seven kings that rule.
Revelation 17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
Five previous world empires, one at the time of writing was Rome and the other is assumed to be a king not yet in existence.
Revelation 17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.
The beast is described here as being “of” the same evil spirit as the seven preceding oppressive dictatorships.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
These kings in waiting join with the beast in a federation of ten states.
Revelation 17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
These kings are subservient.
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Christianity has always been engaged in spiritual warfare. However, this is more specifically the battle of the great day of the Lord.
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
Here is one of those keys to the prophecy.
Revelation 17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
In the end, the alliance between the whore of Babylon and these kings will fail.
Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
The alliance will only last as long as God wills.
Revelation 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
This is who Babylon really is, a descendant of that idolatrous system which has corrupted the whole world.
The whole world must choose between two ways, the way of Babylon and the way of God. Do we worship this antichristian world and its ways or is our allegiance to God and the kingdom of heaven?
God's Wrath (Revelation 16)
We are tempted to only want smooth things preached to us, yet that would ignore the whole counsel of God, including some things we might rather avoid. Let’s now look at the seven bowls or vials of God’s wrath and begin to understand why God is angry with sin, in Revelation 16.
Revelation 16:1 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.
Whose is the great voice? We are not told. The trumpets and vials (bowls) have this in common, the last three are worse than the first four. Why is God’s anger aroused? It is against ungodliness, unrighteousness and suppression of truth (Romans 1:18).
God’s wrath is also against those who mock His messengers (2 Chronicles 36:16). It was against Israel for not believing God, nor trusting His salvation (Psalm 78:21-31). It is still because of unbelief (John 3:36). It is because of hard and unrepentant hearts (Romans 2:5). It is because of things like sexual immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5-7; Colossians 3:5-7).
1st Vial
Revelation 16:2 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.
Much like Job’s ulcers or boils this could refer to physical pain, but also spiritual affliction.
2nd Vial
Revelation 16:3 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.
This seems similar to the plague in ancient Egypt, where the fish in the river died (Exodus 7:20-21). In the sea, every living thing dies.
3rd Vial
Revelation 16:4-7 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 plague is extended to the water sources. This angel praises God for His judgment, unlike some who may falsely label God’s judgment as spiritual abuse. The angels have witnessed how human sin has hurt humanity since the beginning, and because of their experience seeing human misery throughout history, they know that God’s judgment is right and good.
Is God vengeful? Not in a human sense. The Godly purpose would be to teach the kind of lesson that only the one can teach, who can take and also give life back. It’s as if God is saying this is what it is like to have blood to the full. Will they learn?
In contrast to much human criticism of God’s judgments, those who really know are those who have witnessed the depravity of the entirety of human history, and they understand how true and righteous His judgments really are.
4th Vial
Revelation 16:8-9 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
Is this global warming, a military power scorching beast worshipers or something else? There has been much wild speculation down through history. One thing is certain, this punishment does not produce the desired result, but men continue blaspheming God and do not have a change of heart to give Him glory.
5th Vial
Revelation 16:10-11 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Darkness with pain is also similar to one of the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 10:21-22), and the result is similarly disappointing. Men still refuse to repent.
6th Vial
Revelation 16:12-14 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Three unclean spirits represent Christianity’s foes of the demonic world, the political world and counterfeit religion. These gather anti-Christian world leaders to the battle of the great day.
Revelation 16:15-16 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
This describes a diligent night watch, who keeps his clothes on. This watcher is clothed in the righteousness of faith (Philippians 3:9). This location of the battle of the great day of God Almighty is either literal or symbolic or both. It literally describes the hill of Megiddo, or Tel-Megiddo which overlooks the Valley of Jezreel, where many historic battles took place, and is symbolic of the final defeat of evil.
7th Vial
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
It is done. The plagues are finished.
Revelation 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
An unprecedented great earthquake occurs (Haggai 2:6; Hebrews 12:26-27).
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Which is the great city? It is not mentioned. Speculation abounds that it may be Rome, Babylon or Jerusalem. In the next chapter we are introduced to the great whore who has the name of Babylon written on her forehead. However, let’s not become dogmatic about it or sidetracked by speculation. The meaning is found in what is clear. What is clear is that God is angry with any civilization that sets itself against Him.
Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Even the isolated islands and mountain retreats of this evil system are destroyed.
Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
These hailstones weigh about 75 pounds, 35 kilograms each. The incredible destruction does not have its desired effect. Stubborn hearts remain unrepentant, even in death.
Evil brings its own self-destruction. Sin hurts us and our families first, and destroys everything it touches. God’s destruction of all evil is for humanity’s own good, but those enslaved to sin find it hard to let go. The last plagues are upon those who refuse to repent. We who have repented need not fear God's wrath. In the end, those on God's side win.
Revelation 16:1 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.
Whose is the great voice? We are not told. The trumpets and vials (bowls) have this in common, the last three are worse than the first four. Why is God’s anger aroused? It is against ungodliness, unrighteousness and suppression of truth (Romans 1:18).
God’s wrath is also against those who mock His messengers (2 Chronicles 36:16). It was against Israel for not believing God, nor trusting His salvation (Psalm 78:21-31). It is still because of unbelief (John 3:36). It is because of hard and unrepentant hearts (Romans 2:5). It is because of things like sexual immorality, impurity, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5-7; Colossians 3:5-7).
1st Vial
Revelation 16:2 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.
Much like Job’s ulcers or boils this could refer to physical pain, but also spiritual affliction.
2nd Vial
Revelation 16:3 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.
This seems similar to the plague in ancient Egypt, where the fish in the river died (Exodus 7:20-21). In the sea, every living thing dies.
3rd Vial
Revelation 16:4-7 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 plague is extended to the water sources. This angel praises God for His judgment, unlike some who may falsely label God’s judgment as spiritual abuse. The angels have witnessed how human sin has hurt humanity since the beginning, and because of their experience seeing human misery throughout history, they know that God’s judgment is right and good.
Is God vengeful? Not in a human sense. The Godly purpose would be to teach the kind of lesson that only the one can teach, who can take and also give life back. It’s as if God is saying this is what it is like to have blood to the full. Will they learn?
In contrast to much human criticism of God’s judgments, those who really know are those who have witnessed the depravity of the entirety of human history, and they understand how true and righteous His judgments really are.
4th Vial
Revelation 16:8-9 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
Is this global warming, a military power scorching beast worshipers or something else? There has been much wild speculation down through history. One thing is certain, this punishment does not produce the desired result, but men continue blaspheming God and do not have a change of heart to give Him glory.
5th Vial
Revelation 16:10-11 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Darkness with pain is also similar to one of the Egyptian plagues (Exodus 10:21-22), and the result is similarly disappointing. Men still refuse to repent.
6th Vial
Revelation 16:12-14 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Three unclean spirits represent Christianity’s foes of the demonic world, the political world and counterfeit religion. These gather anti-Christian world leaders to the battle of the great day.
Revelation 16:15-16 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
This describes a diligent night watch, who keeps his clothes on. This watcher is clothed in the righteousness of faith (Philippians 3:9). This location of the battle of the great day of God Almighty is either literal or symbolic or both. It literally describes the hill of Megiddo, or Tel-Megiddo which overlooks the Valley of Jezreel, where many historic battles took place, and is symbolic of the final defeat of evil.
7th Vial
Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
It is done. The plagues are finished.
Revelation 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
An unprecedented great earthquake occurs (Haggai 2:6; Hebrews 12:26-27).
Revelation 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Which is the great city? It is not mentioned. Speculation abounds that it may be Rome, Babylon or Jerusalem. In the next chapter we are introduced to the great whore who has the name of Babylon written on her forehead. However, let’s not become dogmatic about it or sidetracked by speculation. The meaning is found in what is clear. What is clear is that God is angry with any civilization that sets itself against Him.
Revelation 16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Even the isolated islands and mountain retreats of this evil system are destroyed.
Revelation 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
These hailstones weigh about 75 pounds, 35 kilograms each. The incredible destruction does not have its desired effect. Stubborn hearts remain unrepentant, even in death.
Evil brings its own self-destruction. Sin hurts us and our families first, and destroys everything it touches. God’s destruction of all evil is for humanity’s own good, but those enslaved to sin find it hard to let go. The last plagues are upon those who refuse to repent. We who have repented need not fear God's wrath. In the end, those on God's side win.
The Seven Last Plagues
Let’s look at an introduction to the judgment and the seven last plagues in Revelation 15.
The Seven Last Plagues
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
These remind us of the plagues of Egypt directed against the unrepentant. They are blows, wounds or a flogging of punishment.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
This may be the same sea of glass seen in heaven (Revelation 4:6). It may be mingled with the fire of judgment.
Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
The Song of Moses was a victory song over Egypt (Exodus 15:1-19). The addition of the Lamb to the title of this song means it is either a new song or the Lamb is now understood as the fulfillment in a new Exodus or both. The Exodus was an earlier victory over slavery to sin and oppressive human governments.
Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
With these words the Song of Moses becomes complete as a song of Christ’s redemption.
Revelation 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
This refers to the holy of holies which was erected as a witness to God’s presence. Here it refers to its heavenly reality.
Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
The duties of angels are many. The 7 punishments are carried out by duly appointed angels. Pure white or bright linen symbolizes righteousness. Breasts or chests clothed in gold may be similar to the ephod worn as priestly attire by Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:8).
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
This reveals heaven’s full involvement in the punishment to come, a thought that liberals and universalists have difficulty explaining.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
This particular smoke is not associated with the incense and our prayers directly but with the glory of God, like at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18) and in the temple (Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 6:4). These plagues are punishment upon the belligerently unrepentant.
God will not allow destructive sin to ruin the lives of all it touches for very much longer. The unrepentant must and will be punished.
The Seven Last Plagues
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
These remind us of the plagues of Egypt directed against the unrepentant. They are blows, wounds or a flogging of punishment.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
This may be the same sea of glass seen in heaven (Revelation 4:6). It may be mingled with the fire of judgment.
Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
The Song of Moses was a victory song over Egypt (Exodus 15:1-19). The addition of the Lamb to the title of this song means it is either a new song or the Lamb is now understood as the fulfillment in a new Exodus or both. The Exodus was an earlier victory over slavery to sin and oppressive human governments.
Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
With these words the Song of Moses becomes complete as a song of Christ’s redemption.
Revelation 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
This refers to the holy of holies which was erected as a witness to God’s presence. Here it refers to its heavenly reality.
Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
The duties of angels are many. The 7 punishments are carried out by duly appointed angels. Pure white or bright linen symbolizes righteousness. Breasts or chests clothed in gold may be similar to the ephod worn as priestly attire by Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:8).
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
This reveals heaven’s full involvement in the punishment to come, a thought that liberals and universalists have difficulty explaining.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
This particular smoke is not associated with the incense and our prayers directly but with the glory of God, like at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18) and in the temple (Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 6:4). These plagues are punishment upon the belligerently unrepentant.
God will not allow destructive sin to ruin the lives of all it touches for very much longer. The unrepentant must and will be punished.
The Grapes of Wrath
Let’s now look at several events surrounding the Lamb, the 144,000 and the hour of judgment in Revelation 14.
The Lamb and the 144,000
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
This is the same group revealed in Revelation 7, and seems to be symbolic Israel rather than physical Israel. Their identifying mark is the opposite of the mark of the beast, God the Father’s name in their foreheads. Why is the innumerable multitude not mentioned? Perhaps this reveals the 144,000 as holding special positions in eternity.
Revelation 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
This reminds us of a voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism. But here the voice is echoed by many.
Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
This is a new song and exclusively sung by them. Who are they?
Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Using the term firstfruits implies a special group and that others will also be saved but as second fruits. Sexual defilement here is related to the false religion of the whore of Babylon. By contrast, sexual purity marks all true Christians, as does its spiritual application, freedom from idolatry.
Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
No guile here refers to no lie. Idolatry is worshiping a lie. These are sincere, worshiping in spirit and truthful reality (John 4:24). Without fault means “blameless” (NIV, ESV, NASB) cleansed by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26-27). Only Jesus is able to make us stand blameless before the presence of His glory (Jude 24).
Angelic Announcements
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
This is the first of several angels carrying a vital message.
Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rather than being in terror of the beast and worldly powers, we should fear God, which involves a deep reverence of Him. Judgment day, a topic often avoided by those who love to preach “smooth things,” is here connected with the good news, as the saints glorify God, because in Jesus we can have success on judgment day.
Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
The second of these angels brings his assigned message. The descendant of Babylon was pagan Rome, picturing all governments that persecute Christians. All nations have been driven mad, corrupted by a worldly system of greed and oppression inherited from ancient Babylon (Jeremiah 51:7).
Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
The third angel’s announcement includes the word “receive” which implies that receiving the sign, badge of servitude, or mark of the beast is voluntary.
Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
The wine of God’s anger is not watered down. It pictures God’s intense anger which contrasts with the often casual and accepting attitudes of society towards sin. There is no avoiding the fact that the angels and Jesus will oversee this punishment.
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
In contrast with verse 13 and the eternal rest which the saints experience, there is no rest for the unrepentant worshipers of this world and its ways.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Christians keep the spiritual application of the commandments of God, not in a legalistic, letter-of-the-law manner as Paul was inspired to correct among the Galatians, but in the Spirit which gives life. This spirit-of-the-law obedience is coupled with faith in Jesus.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Contrasted with the unrepentant, these are granted rest as they die in the Lord.
Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Jesus’ ascension and return involve Him on a cloud (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30). The sickle pictures a hooked knife used in harvesting grapes.
The Time to Reap
Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Now a fourth angel like an announcer, has a word of encouragement supporting our Lord and His next task.
Revelation 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
We are reminded that the harvest is plentiful, that wheat and weeds grow together, and that the fields are already ripe for harvest (Matthew 9:37; Matthew 13:30; John 4:35). The one slight difference here is a grape harvest rather than a wheat harvest, though there is some overlap in meaning.
Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Now a fifth angel appears and his role is to join in the harvest with a sickle of his own.
Revelation 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Now a sixth angel shouts encouraging the fifth to thrust in his vineyard reaping hook. The harvest is ready and reminds us of Jesus' words during His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:35-38).
Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
In winemaking, the first order of duty is to crush the grapes harvested from the vines producing fresh grape juice. This winepress is described as God’s wrath, picturing the final destruction of the wicked.
Revelation 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The fresh-squeezed grape juice pictures the blood of the wicked, shed in a great slaughter, a lake of blood 1600 stadia, about 180 miles or 300 kilometers across.
Unlike our society, God takes sin deadly seriously, because He knows that its end result is eternal suffering for all involved. He cannot and will not tolerate that which only destroys.
The Lamb and the 144,000
Revelation 14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
This is the same group revealed in Revelation 7, and seems to be symbolic Israel rather than physical Israel. Their identifying mark is the opposite of the mark of the beast, God the Father’s name in their foreheads. Why is the innumerable multitude not mentioned? Perhaps this reveals the 144,000 as holding special positions in eternity.
Revelation 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
This reminds us of a voice from heaven at Christ’s baptism. But here the voice is echoed by many.
Revelation 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
This is a new song and exclusively sung by them. Who are they?
Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
Using the term firstfruits implies a special group and that others will also be saved but as second fruits. Sexual defilement here is related to the false religion of the whore of Babylon. By contrast, sexual purity marks all true Christians, as does its spiritual application, freedom from idolatry.
Revelation 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
No guile here refers to no lie. Idolatry is worshiping a lie. These are sincere, worshiping in spirit and truthful reality (John 4:24). Without fault means “blameless” (NIV, ESV, NASB) cleansed by the washing of water with the word (Ephesians 5:26-27). Only Jesus is able to make us stand blameless before the presence of His glory (Jude 24).
Angelic Announcements
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
This is the first of several angels carrying a vital message.
Revelation 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Rather than being in terror of the beast and worldly powers, we should fear God, which involves a deep reverence of Him. Judgment day, a topic often avoided by those who love to preach “smooth things,” is here connected with the good news, as the saints glorify God, because in Jesus we can have success on judgment day.
Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
The second of these angels brings his assigned message. The descendant of Babylon was pagan Rome, picturing all governments that persecute Christians. All nations have been driven mad, corrupted by a worldly system of greed and oppression inherited from ancient Babylon (Jeremiah 51:7).
Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
The third angel’s announcement includes the word “receive” which implies that receiving the sign, badge of servitude, or mark of the beast is voluntary.
Revelation 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
The wine of God’s anger is not watered down. It pictures God’s intense anger which contrasts with the often casual and accepting attitudes of society towards sin. There is no avoiding the fact that the angels and Jesus will oversee this punishment.
Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
In contrast with verse 13 and the eternal rest which the saints experience, there is no rest for the unrepentant worshipers of this world and its ways.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Christians keep the spiritual application of the commandments of God, not in a legalistic, letter-of-the-law manner as Paul was inspired to correct among the Galatians, but in the Spirit which gives life. This spirit-of-the-law obedience is coupled with faith in Jesus.
Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Contrasted with the unrepentant, these are granted rest as they die in the Lord.
Revelation 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Jesus’ ascension and return involve Him on a cloud (Acts 1:9-11; Matthew 24:30). The sickle pictures a hooked knife used in harvesting grapes.
The Time to Reap
Revelation 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Now a fourth angel like an announcer, has a word of encouragement supporting our Lord and His next task.
Revelation 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
We are reminded that the harvest is plentiful, that wheat and weeds grow together, and that the fields are already ripe for harvest (Matthew 9:37; Matthew 13:30; John 4:35). The one slight difference here is a grape harvest rather than a wheat harvest, though there is some overlap in meaning.
Revelation 14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
Now a fifth angel appears and his role is to join in the harvest with a sickle of his own.
Revelation 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
Now a sixth angel shouts encouraging the fifth to thrust in his vineyard reaping hook. The harvest is ready and reminds us of Jesus' words during His earthly ministry (Matthew 9:35-38).
Revelation 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
In winemaking, the first order of duty is to crush the grapes harvested from the vines producing fresh grape juice. This winepress is described as God’s wrath, picturing the final destruction of the wicked.
Revelation 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
The fresh-squeezed grape juice pictures the blood of the wicked, shed in a great slaughter, a lake of blood 1600 stadia, about 180 miles or 300 kilometers across.
Unlike our society, God takes sin deadly seriously, because He knows that its end result is eternal suffering for all involved. He cannot and will not tolerate that which only destroys.
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