Rev. 15,16 The Bowls are Poured out

 

Intro: Jim Chicago – Brutal winter / vacation Home in Florida for a few days escape cold /   Wife away on Business – Meet me there

A)   E-Mail that He made it safely -  Accidentally wrong e-mail #

 

B)   His message went to a Little old lady in Neb. – the wife of a Pastor who had died early in the Week – She was Shocked when turned on her computer to Check her e-mail Messages

 

My Darling wife – I just wanted You to know that I arrived safely here & I am looking forward to You Joining me – here tomorrow

                                  Signed Your Beloved Husband

                                                           P.S. it is HOT DOWN HERE !!!!!

 

Many living in St. Louis Missouri experienced a Similar Shock

On Tues. Jan.29th, 1991 radio listeners in St. Louis Missouri were Shocked to hear that the end of the WORLD was Just moments away

 

A)   Regular Radio programming was interrupted by that jarring attention signal of the Emergency Broadcast System , that was followed by the voice of the Announcer who declared

 

 Your Attention please THIS IS NOT A TEST

The United States is under Nuclear Attack !! I Repeat this is not a test !!!

 

B)   Rushed home to be w/ Loved ones / wait for the missiles to fall / Basements / Shelters /  Other News Confirmation

1)                 On every other – Station it was Business as Usual

 

A)   That is when they found out the Announcement was False - & Unauthorized by KSHE – MANAGEMENT

1)                 It was merely the Actions of an Irresponsible Disc Jockey who was simply trying to get People to think about the Horrors of Nuc. War

                                  fortunately no one was seriously hurt

But for a few very long minutes a lot of people in St. Louis got just a faint foretaste of what the earth’s last trial will be like /

A)   A trial of FEAR, HORROR, DEATH & DESTRUCTION unlike the world as ever known  BEFORE .

 

B)   In Rev. Ch.’s 15 &16 we come to the final series of God’s Judgements, the seven bowls of Wrath

 

C) After centuries of patient waiting and putting up w/ the arrogance, hatred

     greed & the bloodshed that has characterized our earth so long,

1)               God says there comes a time when he will call a halt to it all

 

D) This is the time when the great cry of the oppressed of all ages is finally

     answered: HOW LONG OH LORD HOW LONG ? "   read v.1

 

15:1  Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

 

John says that he sees a sign that is Great & Marvelous

A) To show us just how great & marvelous "great and marvelous" is......

    There is only one other place in the whole N.T. that these 3 words are 

      used together.....

 

B) It is There in v.3  where they are used to describe the works of God!!                  

                  

A)   The vision is "great and marvelous" Vision Because it is dealing with the things of God.... HIS Divine judgement

1)                           It is great & Marvelous Because it anticipates the return of the

     Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom.

 

D) What is the sign ? ". seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.    

1)                           Complete = finished !!! – Through

 

 

"wrath"   is the word THYMOS = "a passion, great anger, wrath".

A) We see the bumper stickers that say: "Smile, God loves you" and we               think: "how nice".    But there is another side to that:

 

Ps. 7:11"God is angry with the wicked daily".  

 

A)   Here we are about to see the absolute ultimate conclusion

      of the wrath of God....

 

B)   But it is not because God simply lost His temper over something

    that man did.

 1) God has been so longsuffering with man..... so patient with the world.

 

Psalm 103:8;10 "The LORD is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 10  He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

 

D) But - Mankind would have nothing to do with God who is so merciful.

      In fact, we are told  Lam. 3:22

     "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed...."                                                                                                                   

 

A)   The only thing that prevents this world from being utterly consumed today is the mercy of God 

1) The only thing that is keeping the unbeliever in your family out of                          hell today is the mercy of God !!

                                                                                                             

E) Mercy can be defined as: "Not getting what you deserve".

      This world DESERVES God's judgement and wrath

1) Men flaunt the fact that they are sexually intimate with other men.....                 women sexually intimate with other women....

 

F) And the laws of the land not only acknowledge their behavior as           "socially acceptable"....

1) But They tell us that we have to let such people teach our children in                     school.... be "big brothers" or "big sisters".

Millions of unborn children...... HUMAN LIFE.... are killed every year 

A) 1 out of 5 young girls who have step dads are sexually abused

      Rape and crimes of violence are in astronomical numbers 

 

B) Millions starve to death every year while harvested crops are destroyed           or plowed under / by evil Govt.’s

 

A)   God who has let us come this far on the basis of His mercy will one day

      say: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!"

 

D) And the sad thing is that the world has been fooled  into thinking that   such a thing will never happen.... only because it hasn't happened yet !!

1) In reality it has happened.... the flood; Sodom and Gomorrah

              PREVIEW OF THE WRATH THAT IS COMING

 

E) But God’s Patience & Mercy have been misunderstood by man that such a thing is never going to happen / taken it as a license to do as they please.

                                                                                                                            

Eccl. 8:11   Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

 

But here in Rev. 15 –the Angels get ready to pour out the Bowl Judgements Signifying that  the Wrath of God is complete   READV 2-4

 

A)   Here John sees those who have were Killed during the Trib. Who Defied the AntiChrist & Refused to take his mark

1)                 Note they are singing the Song of Moses & the Song of the Lamb – Why these two Songs ?

 

A)   Recall the Song of Moses was sung by Israel after the victory at the Red Sea !!! Significance of that Song & Event is it was All God

1)                 God led them into that boxed in Situation trapped at the Red Sea But it was God who parted the Waters –

 

A)   It was God who opened the waters and allowed them to Cross over on Dry Ground !!!

1)                 And it was God who closed the water’s up on their enemy / destroying the one who had held them in bondage for so long

 

A)   Destroying the one who had oppressed them so Greatly !!! It was a Total work of God

1)                 The Only thing that was required of them was to RESPOND in faith & Cross over on Dry Ground !!!!!!

 

 

Likewise it is God who through the Conviction of His Spirit leads us to the place where we see that we are Boxed in Trapped    By our Sin

A)   There is no way of Escape – Nothing we can do to Change our situation – We are doomed & in need of a Savior

 

B)    And He leads us to the Cross where we see the Lamb that was Slain for us – There we sing the Song of the Lamb where once again

1)                 We see that the Victory that was SECURED & the Deliverance that was SUPPLIED was a TOTAL WORK OF GOD 

 

A)    On the Cross / through the Death of Christ – Total Deliverance was accomplished / our enemy was defeated

1)                 The Power that once held us in bondage was destroyed – the Power of the Oppressor in our lives was Done away with / Rendered inactive

 

A)    As God opened up not a Wall of water / but the Wall of Separation / that wall that Separated the Sinner from a Holy God

1)                 But now that sinner could be made righteous by the Blood of Jesus Christ – EXPERIENCE - Sins forgiven guilt removed - ACESS

 

A)    And the only thing that is required is that the Sinner respond in faith to the work of Christ on His behalf –

1)                 Believing that when Jesus said it is finished – that was absolutely true / in that work my salvation is secured /Move over from darkness to light

Guys these are Songs that we are going to be singing in Heaven – Songs that testify to the Reality that our Salvation is a total work of God

A)   Songs that Proclaim that Our Deliverance is by His power Alone

 

B)   Shouldn’t that be the Song of our hearts even today !!!!!

                           READ V.5-7

 

C)   Now the Description of the Angels in clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.

1)                 SPEAKS of the Power, Majesty, and HOLINESS of God !!!!!

 

A)   The Angels are handed the Bowls of Wrath – as the Judgements were to begin which is what we see as we move into Ch. 16

 

16:1  Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

2  So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

         

Now this is interesting when the first Bowl is poured out it results in a LOATHSOME OR GREVIOUS SORE –

Aa)A very Painful Sore on all who had the Mark of the Beast and those who worshiped his image.

 

A)   Here is what I find interesting – Taking the mark of the Beast would seem initially like a Logical thing to do ( technologically advanced)

 

B)   You can’t Buy or Sell w/ out it – it is the only way to survive – the only

way to make it in life – Why not follow the AntiChrist – his plan seems good

1)                           Yet those who buy into his plan who take his mark thinking that is the thing to do ( Get w/ the Cashless Society System

 

A)   Those who do so are going to be inflicted w/ a Grievous sore / a painful affliction ( I think it is possible that the Sore will be where mark is )

The reason I find this interesting is it is a good Picture of the results of Sin – They were warned don’t take the mark / don’t worship the beast

A)   But the warning is ignored because it makes so much sense / it seems so Right – ( so good )

 

B)   But that which seemed to be the right thing – the Logical thing – results in great Pain

 

C)   We experience the same thing – when we disobey God – Perhaps you enter into an Unequally Yoked – Business Deal –

1)                 Go into Business w/ an unbeliever – Partners

 

A)   Seemed right – seemed like the Logical thing to do – even though God in His word instructs us not to do so ( It is ok)

1)                 What happens – it turns Sour – two can’t walk together unless agreed – there is a Conflict – What fellowship Light w/ Darkness

 

A)   The very thing that you thought was going to Brighten up your life ends up burning You!!!!!

 

Or Perhaps you enter into an unequally yoked Dating relationship –

( You think I will be a good influence on her/ him ( results in Pain)

A)   Hurts Your walk w/ the Lord – Instead of You influencing them / they influence you and tear you down

 

B)   And there are 100’s of examples that we could use of what happens when we ignore the Word of God & Rebel & do what we think is right

1)                 How it back fires & that which we thought was going to bring us Pleasure Causing us Pain

 

A)   Samson & Delilah / Lot with Sodom / Eve with the forbidden Fruit / Abe going into Egypt

 

B)   The Lesson is that we need to trust the Lord that His ways are Right & that what He says is Best – trust that to work out

Now when we sin & we come to the Lord in repentance and confess that Sin – He is faithful & Just to forgive our sins & to Cleanse …..

A)   But the thing that we need to remember is that even though we receive forgiveness of our sins

 

B)   There still are Consequences to our Actions / Law of sowing & reaping – we reap what we Sow – Sow flesh destruction

1)                 We Receive forgiveness - & are Placed right Standing w/ God because Christ paid the Price – His Blood Covers & cleanses / Still REAP

 

C) But in the Trib. Those who take the Mark – Forgiveness is no longer Possible

1)So the first Angel pours out his bowl resulting in Painful Sores 

     ….Beast                                   Read v.3,4

 

As the next two Angels pour out their Bowls we see that the earth’s water supplies are infected – Water is turned to blood

A)    Considering that the oceans occupy about three fourths of the earth’s surface, you can imagine the extent of this judgment. / Plus rivers

 

B)   Pick up a Globe – picture everything that is blue – being Red – all the Fish life is going to die – affect the Food Supply

1)                 As well as the Production of Oxygen

 

A)   Devastating affects of the Living Conditions for those who are on Planet earth !!!!!!

 

B)   After these first 3 bowls are poured out the Angel over the Water breaks forth into to Praise v.5-7

5  And I heard the angel of the waters saying: "You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things.  6  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due." 7  And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."

Note the Angel of the waters – seems to indicate perhaps that Angels are not only assigned to people – but perhaps areas

A)    This Angels area to tend to is the Waters / the oceans & the Streams / the rivers & after the Bowls are poured out & the waters turn to blood

 

B)    He is not complaining – He is not Saying – what is the big idea turning 

      the waters to blood -   INSTEAD HE IS DECLARING

"You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who 

 is to be, Because You have judged these things.

6       For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due

 

Note the Angel declares that the Lord gives Blood to Drink to those who Shed the Blood of the Prophets & the saints

A)   Would seem to be an indication that the Lord is here avenging the Blood of all the Martyrs throughout History

 

B)    Millions who have died for their Faith in Christ – 250,000 a Year since 1900 Hundred

1)                 The Angel declares this is Right – Righteous that Your turn their water into to Blood

 

C)And then a Voice from the Altar Echoes this Pronouncement in v.7 by declaring , true and righteous are Your judgments."

1)                           True & Righteous are the Lord’s Judgements

 

 

Now this is where a lot of people have a hard time – they say how can God be a God of Love & inflict such pain upon the World

A) Here is what they need to understand – God is acting at this time as a Loving Father – as a Thoughtful Physician – dealing w/ the Cancer of Society

 

A)    Suppose I went to the Doctor w/ my Daughter Amanda – Doctor told me that she had Cancer – it was spreading eventually Kill her

Mr. Salvato we need to act immediately – I need to schedule an operation

C) But what if I resisted …….

 

D)The Lord is dealing w/ the Cancer – He has been very Patient / but now

     He is going to deal w/ it severely

1)                 Lord to Abe – send people into Egypt until the Iniquity of the Amorites is complete    400 Yrs to Repent

 

 

So the Angel & the voice from the Altar declare – Righteous & true are Your Judgements Oh Lord

A)   Now  This really Blesses me –  such a Help as I go through this life as I walk on the Journey –

 

B)    Those who are in Heaven – those who are before the Lord – the Angels / the 4 Living Creatures / 24 Elders / The Saints

1)                 All have this same Perspective – JUST & TRUE are your ways / TRUE & RIGHTEOUS are Your Judgements oh Lord

 

A)   That is their perspective concerning all that God does !!!!!!

     TRUE & RIGHTEOUS

 

Now the older I get in the Lord – been a Christian now for 25 yrs – and I am growing in my understanding of certain things /

A) DISCOVERING  the Magnitude of certain TRUTHS – that is one of the joys of the Christian life – So much to learn – never Scratch surface

 

B) But at the same time there are other things – that I just don’t have a clue

    about – I don’t understand – ( No one really seems to )

          1) But this is what I know is TRUE -   The Lord’s Judgements are True

             & Righteous – All that He does is Right

 

C)And when we get to heaven – there isn’t going to be one of us – who 

     stands there thinking – ( I think you really Blew it on this one God !!!)

1)                 Lord I want to Protest that Decision -  Not going to be out of Fear – I don’t dare open my mouth

A)   No when we get to heaven – we are going to see the Wisdom / the Brilliance the Incredible Logic in everything that God has done & Does

1)                 And like the Inhabitants of Heaven now – Our reaction is going to be EXCELLENT LORD – TRUE & RIGHTEOUS ……..

 

 

Which means the more Heavenly minded I become now / the closer to the Lord that I get – the more time I spend in His Presence here

A)   The Less I will be prone to question God & His decisions – LISTEN  The more mature a person becomes the less they QUESTION

 

B)  Doesn’t Necessarily mean that they understand More – but they

    have come to Believe that – whatever the Lord does in their life

1)                           whatever He Chooses for them -  it is RIGHTEOUS & TRUE !!! IT IS RIGHT ON!!!  IT IS GOOD

 

C)NOTE :  Also answers the Question – ( what about the pigmy in Africa &

the Aborigine in Australia – ( we will say – Just & true )

1)                 Romans 1 – Because of Creation – no one is w/out excuse !!!!

 

MOVING ON V.8,9 

A)   For a brief time, the sun's heat is suddenly increased. Scientists are familiar with this phenomenon.

1)                 Every now and then great flares of fire burst from the surface of the sun, causing havoc with the magnetism of the earth, affecting radio waves, etc.

 

A)   We have known about this for a long time but  Here apparently is an enormously increased flare from the sun

  1)Which creates intense heat upon the earth. People will suffer in Anguish

       anguished and suffer as a result.

 

B)   Interesting that those who turned their backs on the SON will experience the burning of the SUN !!

V.10-11

Next we see that the earth is plagued by darkness –

A)   This is I think a preview of what Hell is going to be like – apparently this DARKNESS is so DARK – that it causes pain !!!

 

B)    I don’t know if it is referring to an emotional pain – like a Deep Depression that is brought on by the Darkness ie – Alaska –Suicides

1)                 Or if it is a physical pain that is the result of the Darkness itself

 

A)    Or if it is the combination of the Pain resulting from the sores / the burning of the Sun – that is intensified by the Coldness from the Dark

1)                 But notice these people who can barely speak because of the pain that overwhelms them – still find it in their hearts to Blaspheme God

 

Now this is a Good example of why Hell is going to last forever

A)   Those who question – why does Hell have to be forever – wouldn’t 100yrs be sufficient ? 1000 yrs / 1 million max – why forever ?

 

B) Those who go there – will not repent – Hearts so hard – spend eternity Blaspheming God

 

12  Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.

 

A)    The Euphrates river is referred to 25 times in the Scriptures & is highly Significant .

1)                 It formed the Northern boundary of the Land Promised to Abe in Gen.15 – the Nile forming the Southern Boundary

 

A)    The Euphrates is 1800 miles long – 30 feet deep & between 300-1200 feet wide

1)                 The Size of the river caused Skeptics to scoff at this verse & this idea that the river could dry up – virtually impossible

 

A)    But in 1994 the site manager of the Ataturk Dam located at the head waters of the Euphrates was quoted in the ATLANTIC MONTHLY

1)                 That is not  a Christian publication –

 

A)    He declared that they could stop the flow of water into Syria & Iraq for up to 8 months in order to regulate their Political Behavior

 

But this something that God is going to do – to Provide a passage way for the Kings of the East – Who are the Kings of the East

A)   Grk gives us a Clue – Kings of the rising Sun – many Commentators believe that this is referring to China & Japan

 

B)   The Convergence of China & Japan has been the Fear of Military Strategist for Yrs

1)                 Combining the Technological advances – of Both nations plus the fact that China now Boast it can field an army of 300 million men

 

b) Ό of the earth’s population lives in China – 1.5 Billion people by next month -  Yrs ago they began to control – the Population

1)                           By regulating that families could only have one Child

 

c) Well because most Families had a desire to see their Family name carried on everyone wanted a Boy – resulting in the aborting of Millions girls

1)                           So today – there are 9 men for every girl in China – Which is the reason why they can field such a Massive Army

 

A)   But here we see the Lord Orchestrating – things to bring the nations together for the Final Battle – Battle of Armageddon

1)                 Gathered together in the valley of Meggido –

       Plot thickens v.13-16

 

A)   Now How the enemy is going to do this I am not sure – perhaps through Channelers or Mediums or something

1)                 But These kings are going to Converge in this great Valley over in

Israel called Armageddon - 

This Valley located 60 miles north of Jerusalem in the Jezreel Valley has been filled w/ Warfare

A)   There Gideon & His 300 men defeated the Midianites

There Samson took on the Philistines in a Key Battle

 

B)    king Josiah was Killed at Meggido  / Debra & Barak defeated Sisera at Meggido

1)                 The Turks, the Egyptians, the Muslims, The Syrians & the Europeans have all waged war in this Valley

 

A)     And When Napoleon went to Egypt and Passed through the Jezreel valley declared If ever there is a place on earth where the last WAR must be fought it is here in this Valley

 

ARMEGGEDON = The Mount of Rendezvous – And when John sees the Nations of the World being – Gathered at this place

A)   Sure it would be a scary sight to see so many nations coming toward Israel – but in v.15 – the Lord gives Him a little reminder

 

B) 15  "Behold, I am coming !!!!!!!!!   Speaking of His 2nd Coming where the Lord is going to meet these armies & Destroy them !!!!!

                   READ V.17-21

 

 

So we see here that the nations are Judged the earth is Shaken the Kingdoms come Crumbling down – 100lb Hail falls out of Sky

A)   What was the O.T. punishment for Blasphemy –According to Lev.24:16  Stoning !!!

 

B)    What is happening here ? 100LB hail stones falling out of the Sky !!!

 

Listen In many ways the Bible is the Story of 2 Mountains – both deal w/ the Wrath of God

A)   One Mt. Is here at Armageddon the Mt. Of Rendezvous – where God’s Wrath is poured out upon those who follow the Anti-Christ

B)   The Other is on Mt. Calvary where the Wrath of God was poured out upon His Son – JESUS CHRIST 

1)                 Both deal w/ Bloodshed – as the blood flows to the Horses Bridle at Meggido and from the Son’s veins at Calvary

 

A)   Both are COMPLETIONS / the voice from Heaven Cries it is Done at Meggido - / while the voice from the Son of the CROSS

1)                 Cried it is Finished !!!!!

 

A)   Will you endure the final wrath of the Father at Megeddo, or will you embrace the Finished work of the Son on Calvary Chapel

1) The Choice is Yours !!!!!

 

The Reason Jesus had to live a perfect life was so that His perfect life could be Credited to Your account / The Father treated Jesus as if He had lived Your life so that He could treat you as if you lived His life

 

Your sins were put to His Account / so that His perfect life could be credited to your account    ISN’T THAT INCREDIBLE