REVELATION 16
Read Revelation 16:1-21
We left Chapter 15 with the seven angels holding the seven bowls of God’s wrath, symbolising God’s perfect judgement. In Verse 1, these angels are commanded to go out into the world and pour out God’s judgement on those who have disobeyed God and turned away from him. The language, typically of Revelation, is very colourful and very strong, to the point of being horrific. The point of this is to show the seriousness of sin and the devastating consequences of sin. The judgements are all pretty severe, and they grow in severity as they progress.
In Chapter 15 we saw that the faithful celebrated their salvation by singing in the same way that Moses sang of the salvation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. For the unfaithful there is also a reference to Exodus in the judgement that God has set upon them. There are echoes in this judgement of the plagues brought upon Egypt in Exodus Chapters 7 to 10, the plague of painful sores (v2), and the blood in the sea (v3), for example. Again, we see that the Old Testament foreshadows the New Testament. The salvation of Israel from bondage to Egypt is an illustration of what is to come in the New Testament with the salvation of those who belong to God from bondage to sin and death. In both cases the initiative is with God, it is what he has done that brings about salvation, not anything we have done.
Judgement is complete after the seventh bowl of judgement has been poured. A loud voice from the throne calls out, and we remember from Chapter 5 Verse 6 that the occupant of the throne is the Lamb, Jesus, and he is alongside his Father. That loud voice cried out after the final judgement. ‘it is done’ (v17). This makes us think of Jesus on the cross in John 19:30, “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”. Revelation here makes the point that God’s righteous judgement on all things was made perfect in Christ on the cross.
These words are accompanied by flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake. These are often signs of God’s presence in the Old Testament and again it is the Book of Exodus that gives us a reference point for this. When the Israelites had come out of Egypt and were in the wilderness, God led them to Mount Sinai, where he was to give them the law. As God himself approached his people his presence was announced by thunder and lightning and the whole mountain trembled (Exodus 19:16-18).
Judgement is real, and it is the prerogative of the Lord to bring about good and perfect judgement upon this world. It is his final word and it is delivered through his living word, the Lord Jesus Christ.