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Revelation 16
18 There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. 19 The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.
There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders
These first two words come from the very same Greek word we saw in the previous verse translated as It is done, or it is finished. What is being described here are reverberations of this stunning fact, reinforcing the extreme significance of this pivotal point in history. Additionally this word is repeated 6 times here in verses 17-19 (highlighted here in blue), and all this is in reference to Babylon. Maybe this number is incidental or maybe it is not. But I find this a bit more than curious.
lightnings, sounds, and thunders
This collection of signs signal major points of transition pivotal to the flow of the story in this prophetic book. I refer to them as transition tabs to alert us to key junctures that need special attention in order to perceive the larger context of what is going on. In this instance we see the last of a sequence of 4 times this pattern shows up in Revelation, the following list being the first 3.
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)
God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:19)
In each transition we see another element added until we come to the current location where the same elements remain the same, only now with greater intensity of consequences than before. It is helpful to consider the context of each of these in order to appreciate this last instance better.
One more interesting point to consider here is to keep in mind that this last bowl was poured into the air while all the previous ones (with the exception of the 4th one poured out on the sun) were locations on the earth. The effects of this last outpouring causes 3 reactions all taking place in the atmosphere, with the 4th simultaneously affecting the whole earth itself. This again highlights the global nature and the cumulative effective of each of these bowls, now climaxing in what we are here studying.
there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty
I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They told the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:12-17)
The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)
I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:12-13)
The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God's throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: "We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned. The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
God's temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord's covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed. (Revelation 11:16-19)
Mount Sinai, the whole of it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. (Exodus 19:18)
In my distress I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. (2 Samuel 22:7-9)
He came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?
He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of Armies; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword: and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
He said, Go forth, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, there came a voice to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:9-13)
"Have you commanded the morning in your days, and caused the dawn to know its place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked out of it?" (Job 38:12-13)
Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the mountains quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. (Psalms 18:7)
You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs? Tremble, you earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, (Psalms 114:6-7)
Men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. In that day, men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the caverns of the rocks, and into the clefts of the ragged rocks, from before the terror of Yahweh, and from the glory of his majesty, when he arises to shake the earth mightily. (Isaiah 2:19-21)
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place in the wrath of Yahweh of Armies, and in the day of his fierce anger. (Isaiah 13:13)
She will be visited by Yahweh of Armies with thunder, with earthquake, with great noise, with whirlwind and storm, and with the flame of a devouring fire. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night. It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn't satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that. Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. (Isaiah 29:6-10)
It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; so that the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground. (Ezekiel 38:18-20)
"Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 'Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn't it in your eyes as nothing? Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,' says Yahweh. 'Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,' says Yahweh, 'and work, for I am with you,' says Yahweh of Armies.
This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. 'Don't be afraid.' For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: 'Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations. The precious things of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,' says Yahweh of Armies. 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says Yahweh of Armies; 'and in this place will I give peace,' says Yahweh of Armies." (Haggai 2:2-9)
"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 'I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots, and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. In that day, says Yahweh of Armies, will I take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel,' says Yahweh, 'and will make you as a signet, for I have chosen you,' says Yahweh of Armies." (Haggai 2:21-23)
Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:50-54)
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. Behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from the sky, and came and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it. (Matthew 28:1-2)
When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31)
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. (Acts 16:25-26)
These passages relating to earthquakes and the nature of why they happened sometimes relate to deliverance. While this one may be a shockwave, it is not the full deliverance, just as Paul and Silas remained in prison though already freed. This earthquake is God’s response to the defiance of Satan’s kingdoms of this world fully intent on eliminating God’s people from the planet.
Why is this earthquake the greatest, most powerful earthquake in the history of the world? Maybe its because the nature of this earthquake requires enough intensity to match the magnitude of the entrenched resistant powers of the great city. Everything in Revelation is to be viewed primarily as symbols, so this earthquake likely represents a shaking of spiritual and political powers with such overwhelming intensity that none of them will escape being shaken, exposed, unmasked. Everything must be shaken in order to accomplish a disruption of the very foundations of Satan’s empire of evil often represented as Babylon the great. This includes his total counterfeit methods of controlling social order, governments, religion and philosophies regardless of their labels.
See that you don't refuse him who speaks. For if they didn't escape when they refused him who warned on the Earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven, whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."
This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)
The great city
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:7-8)
This passage helps broaden our conception of what the great city actually represents.
Another, a second angel, followed, saying, "Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality." (Revelation 14:8)
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,
And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth." (Revelation 17:1, 5, 18)
After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory. He cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird! (Revelation 18:1-2)
The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her, will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning, standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.' (Revelation 18:9-10)
For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away, and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like the great city?' They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour is she made desolate. "Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her." A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all. (Revelation 18:17-21)
Many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Why has Yahweh done thus to this great city? Then they shall answer, Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them. (Jeremiah 22:8-9)
The context of this passage is a message to the king of Judah, meaning that the city referenced here is Jerusalem. We must keep in mind the spiritual nature of all the symbols in this book in order to discern the far greater importance and expansiveness of what is being exposed here.
Insights from a parallel ‘great city’
Now the word of Yahweh came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me." (Jonah 1:1-2)
The word of Yahweh came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you." So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to the word of Yahweh. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey across. (Jonah 3:1-3)
Yahweh said, "You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. Shouldn't I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can't discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much livestock?" (Jonah 4:10-11)
At this juncture in the flow of Revelation, the symbol of Babylon the great is confronted directly by its nemesis, the power of the New Song that magnifies and glorifies the God whose reputation has been so viciously slandered, distorted and damaged by the matrix of lies embedded in both politics and all religions. Babylon is prophecy’s shorthand to an entire way of thinking, relating and how mind-control and manipulation is used on this planet in defiance of love, life, truth and freedom.
Satan’s system has been embraced by all the kingdoms of this world. This systemic problem is now confronted, exposed and challenged in light of the active work of demonic spirits to unite the world to eject God’s presence from the earth. They seek to consolidate it under the domain of Satan similar to how it was before the flood. God’s Spirit has been denied access by the whole world at this point, yet His true authority and glory has been vividly magnified on the whole planet by the outpouring of these 7 bowls of prayers, intercessions and praises that have exposed the true God now seen to be just like the Lamb, and also re-presented in the lives of His chosen remnant on earth.
This last outpouring is a pinnacle point, a critical mass that significantly alters the direction of the war initiated by Michael against the forces of darkness and tyranny at its outset. This critical mass closely links to the parallel pivot point when Christ, the true Lamb of God, died from identifying with the sins of the whole world, willingly allowing Himself to be cruelly executed by crucifixion on a cross. Yet in choosing this most unexpected route, Christ defeated death itself through embracing it rather than resisting it, thus gaining control by seizing the keys of death and hell.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)
The Lamb exposed and defeated the power of evil, fear and darkness in this world by focusing on joy and fixating His mind on God’s goodness rather than allowing His imagination to be captured by fear. In this parallel to that climactic event, these special ops forces of the Lamb follow His example in every respect (though not dying), thus re-demonstrating the same mindset and spirit as the Lamb that they follow chose to maintain. They love not their lives unto the death while unconditionally loving and freely forgiving their enemies in real time just like He did. They overcome through the power of the New Song, the song of the Lamb by praising and glorifying the true God that their Leader brought to view even in the face of abject darkness and evil.
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 12:11)
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn't consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)
When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were loosened. (Acts 16:23-26)
In this story, Paul and Silas unleashed the power of the New Song into their dire circumstances, overturning the schemes of the enemy to silence their witness. The reaction to their praise and magnifying the goodness of God, released His power to shatter everything that imprisoned them along with others with them. Now we see a similar event on a global scale. Only this time there is no jailor to repent, for this confrontation serves to solidify character on both sides, revealing to the universe there is nothing more God can do to save anyone because all have made their final choice.
