The Vial Judgments- Rev.16
The Vial Judgments are the final and most severe judgments that God will pour out on the earth during the tribulation. They are also called the bowl judgments or the wrath of God1. They follow the seven seal judgments and the seven trumpet judgments, and they are the last plagues before the second coming of Christ2.
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Dr. J. Vernon McGee, a well-known Bible teacher and commentator, had this to say about the Vial Judgments:
They are literal and not symbolic, as some interpreters suggest3.
They are swift and rapid, occurring in a short period of time toward the end of the tribulation5.
As believers in Christ, we can take comfort in knowing that we will not experience these terrible judgments, for we are not appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
We can also rejoice in the hope of His glorious appearance, when He will come to judge the wicked and to establish His kingdom of peace and righteousness on the earth (Titus 2:13).
Here are the scriptures that describe the Vial Judgments and their effects:
1.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 worshiped his image.
This judgment affects those who have taken the mark of the beast and worshiped his image, showing God’s displeasure with their idolatry and apostasy.
2.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 judgment affects the sea and all its creatures, turning it into blood and killing everything in it, showing God’s sovereignty over His creation.
3.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.
This judgment affects the rivers and springs of water, turning them into blood as well, showing God’s retribution for those who have shed the blood of His saints and prophets.
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4.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.
This judgment affects the sun, increasing its heat and scorching men with fire, showing God’s power over nature and His wrath against those who blaspheme His name and refuse to repent.
5. 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.
This judgment affects the seat or throne of the beast, plunging his kingdom into darkness and causing pain and anguish to his followers, showing God’s judgment on his evil system and his false claims to be God.
6. Revelation 16:12 - 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.
This judgment affects the Euphrates River, drying it up to make way for the kings of the east or the Orient to march toward the battle of Armageddon, showing God’s control over the course of history and His gathering of the nations for the final conflict.
Is the Euphrates River drying up a sign of the end times? @ https://www.gotquestions.org/Euphrates-River-drying-up.html7. Revelation 16:17-21 - 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. 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. 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. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 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.
This judgment affects the air and the whole earth, causing a great voice from heaven to declare “It is done”, and unleashing a series of cataclysmic events, such as a great earthquake, the fall of Babylon, the disappearance of islands and mountains, and a great hailstorm, showing God’s completion of His wrath and His preparation for the return of Christ.
- Matthew 24:22 NIV 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
For a comforting conclusion, we can turn to the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:22.
He reminds us that these times of tribulation will be shortened for the sake of the elect, offering hope that God will ultimately bring an end to suffering and persecution, particularly for His chosen people, like Israel.
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