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Revelation 16
1 I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!" 2 The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.
I would assert that verse one of this chapter would better be located at the end of the previous chapter. It fits tighter with that context and completes the flow of thought that is key to appreciating the intense activities coming in this chapter. Or it can be viewed as a transition passage between them.
a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels
Because this verse resonates strongly with the previous chapter describing the preparation and outfitting of those who are commissioned to carry out God's instructions according to His methods and motives alone, this phrase reminds us of everything we have been learning about this group and whom they rely on to get all their directions.
These 'angels' are standing on the sea of glass mixed with fire, equipped with instruments of praise with which they offer praises to God continually. Praising the goodness, faithfulness and the truth about God's character of love and light with no hint of darkness is like incense, which is what describes the contents of the bowls they receive. These are they who have overcome, meaning they have allowed the Spirit of truth, love and freedom to dislodge every lie and purify them from every distortion in their thinking about how God relates to His enemies. They reflect and imitate the Hero of this war who laid down His own life to His enemies, proving that God's love is relentless and nothing but nothing can inhibit or diminish the passion of God's love and forgiveness for anyone.
I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)
This temple that originates this voice is the same temple that was just opened from which these angels just emerged. They are outfitted to look and act just like the same Jesus introduced at the very beginning of this book, meaning they have allowed the Spirit of God to transform them from glory to glory, from faith to faith until they are fashioned to exhibit the same reflection of God's will as did the Lamb introduced in chapter 5.
After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. The seven angels who had the seven plagues came out, clothed with pure, bright linen, and wearing golden sashes around their breasts. (Revelation 15:5-6)
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished. (Revelation 15:8)
The temple in heaven from which this instruction originates is the resting place of the glory of God wherein is true power. These agents of the Lamb have come to believe and trust alone in His methods and share His motives; they rely completely on the kind of power that the Lamb relied on when He lived among us here on earth, the power of the pure, undiluted reflected love of the Father for every person in every situation. This is the secret of their success, for true power is found only in love alone. All who share in the victory over evil, darkness and death learn by experience that the power of life is most effectively unleashed through living and giving expression to the New Song saturating their imagination and shaping all communications with those around them.
Another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!" (Revelation 14:15)
Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth's grapes are fully ripe!" (Revelation 14:18)
As we discussed in the 2 harvests in chapter 14, chapter 16 may in fact be an expansion on how the second harvest transpires. As we suggested there, the first harvest is expanded on in chapter 15 while the second one carried out is described here in chapter 16.
At the beginning of this chapter this voice from the temple signals these agents, now fully equipped and trained to 'fight' like the Lamb, to commence this most important and delicate operation against the darkness for which they are trained. Then upon the last outpouring near the end of this chapter, we hear this same voice again confirming the success of this operation paralleling what Jesus said just before He died on the cross – It is done!
The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came forth out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" (Revelation 16:17)
Here we find this voice from the temple is linked with the voice from the throne. This is highly significant as it alerts us again that the ammunition and method of fighting to overcome forces of evil and darkness, is complete reliance on the New Song. That voice is found right between two versions of the Song that have been used to fight for God throughout history, and it alerts us of our need to correct the way we praise God from the old version of Moses to the Song of the Lamb.
A voice came forth from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!" (Revelation 19:5)
Therefore prophesy you against them all these words, and tell them, Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. (Jeremiah 25:30)
Following are similar voices from other locations with messages that also resonate closely with the New Song lyrics.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. They cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:9-10)
The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!" (Revelation 11:15)
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death." (Revelation 12:10-11)
He said with a loud voice, "Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!" (Revelation 14:7)
I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:3-4)
This last passage describes the final outcome after the end of the war. It also resonates closely with how these advance forces cooperate with the Lamb to win the war in this strategic assault in chapter 16 against the darkness and evil that has taken full possession of the planet. They overcome by allowing God to dwell in them. They reveal what it looks like to live as His people, and they pour out their praises for Him as their God, resting in His love for them and their enemies, despite intense and violent reactions directed at them while they do this.
This battle involving praise for God against violent reactions of blasphemy and intense opposition, is a pinnacle point of how this war has progressed since the very beginning. These agents choose to trust their lives entirely into God's hands, refusing to allow fear of death to sway their allegiance to the Lamb and His revelation of God's heart. They are advance agents of the Lamb who are paving the way in the wilderness of abject evil on the earth for the Son of Man to have access to overthrow the tyrannical kingdom of darkness without any complicity with it.
The voice of one who calls out, "Prepare the way of Yahweh in the wilderness! Make a level highway in the desert for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)
The voice of one saying, "Cry!" One said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like the flower of the field. (Isaiah 40:6)
Again, this reminds us of our need to transition from the inferior glory of the Song of Moses to embracing the far greater glory revealed in the revelation of Jesus Christ, the true Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. The glory of this world can appear appealing temporarily, but only so long as we remain blinded to the true glory of pure love eclipsing the glory of the old way of living, just as the brilliant light of the sun eclipses the light of a small candle.
You who tell good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who tell good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with strength. Lift it up. Don't be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold, your God!" (Isaiah 40:9)
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns! The voice of your watchmen! they lift up the voice, together do they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns to Zion. (Isaiah 52:7-8)
This is an excellent description of how these 7 angels carry out their commission from this first verse. Like the assembled choir who led the people of Judah in joyful expectation and celebration expressing faith and gratitude for God's deliverance from certain annihilation by their enemies ahead of time, these agents of the Lamb sing together and see eye to eye in praise for their God. Their hearts are synchronized by full sympathy with the disposition of the Lamb who also reflected the glory from the heart of the Father under similar circumstances and Who overcame the world.
Then on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of Yahweh in the midst of the assembly; and he said, Listen you, all Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you king Jehoshaphat: Thus says Yahweh to you, Don't be afraid you, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow go you down against them: behold, they come up by the ascent of Ziz; and you shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don't be afraid, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh is with you.
Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh. The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice. They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: believe in Yahweh your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper. When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahweh, and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh; for his loving kindness endures forever.
When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another. (2 Chronicles 20:14-23)
Yahweh will roar from Zion, and thunder from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth will shake; but Yahweh will be a refuge to his people, and a stronghold to the children of Israel. (Joel 3:16)
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Having said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:44-46)
Go and pour out the seven bowls
In the story we just reviewed about the people of Judah choosing to trust God completely while facing hopeless despair for their very lives, we saw a similar instruction that resonates closely to how these agents are to carry out this final assault on the kingdom of darkness.
Thus says Yahweh to you, Don't be afraid you, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
You shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem; don't be afraid, nor be dismayed: tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh is with you.
Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves. (Psalms 126:5-6)
For out of Jerusalem a remnant will go forth, and survivors will escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this.' (Isaiah 37:32)
Thus says Yahweh, In an acceptable time have I answered you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you; and I will preserve you, and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage: saying to those who are bound, Go forth; to those who are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture. (Isaiah 49:8-9)
For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing; and all the trees of the fields shall clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12)
For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a lamp that burns. (Isaiah 62:1)
In those days, and in that time, says Yahweh, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together; they shall go on their way weeping, and shall seek Yahweh their God. (Jeremiah 50:4)
Then said Yahweh to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. It shall happen, when they tell you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity. (Jeremiah 15:1-2)
You didn't choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)
He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15)
Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." (John 20:21)
Just as a reminder, we have already examined what composes the contents of these bowls/censers. What is being poured out in this chapter are the prayers, intercession and praises to God by the saints as we have discovered previously.
Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:8)
the wrath of God on the earth
At this strategic point in the war, this final onslaught against darkness by the special agents of the Lamb unleashes such pure and intense revelations of light, truth, glory and love, that everyone on the planet must choose whether they will respond positively or reject for eternity the gracious love and kindness displayed so explicitly by this group. God's wrath is about respecting the final choice of everyone as to whether or not they will be willing to be brought back into harmony with their original design as reflectors of God's glory of love. Wrath is the word translators chose to describe God's reluctant letting go of all who spurn and despise His kindness. Without this freedom to choose to defy and deny access to love, true mutual love cannot exist.
"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me, my compassion is aroused. I will not execute the fierceness of my anger. I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of you; and I will not come in wrath. (Hosea 11:8-9)
Then said Yahweh to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. It shall happen, when they tell you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh: Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity. (Jeremiah 15:1-2)
Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb." (Revelation 14:9-10)
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Romans 1:16-18)
Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves, (Romans 1:21-24)
For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. (Romans 1:26)
Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (Romans 1:28)
Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath, revelation, and of the righteous judgment of God; (Romans 2:4-5)
