THE SEVEN BOWLS (REVELATION 13)

INTRODUCTION:

1. In our study of Revelation we have seen a progression.

2. This book begins by describing 7 seals.

3. Only Jesus is worthy to open these seals.

4. One by one we saw how the Lamb of God opened the seals.

5. After the seals we came to 7 trumpets.

6. These 7 trumpets served to announce judgment upon Rome for her crimes against Christians.

7. It was pointed out that these judgments were partial in nature.

8. Since Rome refused to repent, we now come to another item of 7 in this book.

9. John tells us about 7 bowls.

10. These bowls are full of trouble and pain. They are bowls of judgment.

11. Since the best description of this material is the text, let’s start with Verses 1-2.

A. These sores bring to mind one of the Egyptian plagues. They, too, had terrible sores (boils).

B. Some of the words translators have used to describe this plague are:

foul, malignant, loathsome, and painful.

C. Notice from what is said that the sores were selective.

D. They only went to those who had the mark of the beast.

E. God was able to separate the righteous from the unrighteous.

I. THIS ONE JUDGMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE PAINFUL. HOWEVER, THE TEXT

SAYS THAT GOD HAD SIX MORE BOWLS OF HEAVENLY FURY THAT WERE GOING TO

BE DUMPED ON ROME. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT EACH OF THESE.

A. Bowl number 2 is in Verse 3. READ.

B. I am going to hold my finger here and go back to Revelation 8:8.

C. Revelation tells us about the “7 trumpets”. READ 8:8

D. When trumpet number 2 sounded, 1/3 of the sea was hurt.

E. As I said earlier, the trumpets described PARTIAL JUDGMENTS.

F. When we get to the bowls, the judgments are no longer being tempered.

G. The kid gloves have been removed. The limits have been lifted.

H. The sea is completely contaminated.

I. The word “bowl” tells us that heaven’s punishment will be full force.

J. Revelation shows that God punished Rome by degrees.

K. The partial judgments gave the people an opportunity to repent.

L. When people refused, God turned up the heat; increased the judgments.

M. This increased punishment affected not only man, but also man’s livelihood.

N. The third verse says that the “sea” was attacked.

O. All living things died.

P. The sea was “like the blood of a dead man”.

Q. If you can picture this, the scene is gross.

R. The ugliness of this idea is so extreme that those who insist that Revelation is literal

will say that this verse is figurative.

S. We would agree but insist that many other verses are also not literal.

T. The nasty picture in Verse 3 deals with ships and shipping.

U. The sea was used by Rome for commerce.

V. God would shut down naval operations that affected the economy.

W. Imagine having sores all over the body that cannot be successfully healed.

X. On top of this, imported things that you like are suddenly not available.

Y. Your health and the economy are both going down the tubes.

Z. You sit back and think, “Life will surely get better soon:

(1) The shipping business will recover.

(2) With time, the sores on my body will improve.”

A. Let’s see if the lives of these people got any better.

B. As we look at the rest of this story, remember who these people are.

C. The people who experienced the judgments are attached to Satan.

D. They worshiped with a system that had the devil’s approval.

E. They had acknowledged that the emperors were deity.

F. These people wholeheartedly supported destruction of the church.

G. And, most importantly, these WOULD NOT REPENT.

H. Did the living conditions of these Romans improve?

II. BOWL NUMBER THREE IS DESCRIBED IN VERSE 4. READ.

A. The “sea” affected commerce.

B. “Rivers” point us to drinking water.

C. If people had sores and they lacked some goods,

D. One positive thing would be that they still had good water.

(1) They could get a cool drink when they wanted one.

(2) Water could be used to wash their sores.

(3) At least a good supply of water would be available.

E. John says, “Not so!” Even the water supply will be taken away.

F. It is interesting to see how literalists deal with this verse.

G. A rather creative view has been advanced by Hal Lindsey:

(1) “It gets pretty grim when there is no fresh water to drink anywhere on earth.

(2) There’s going to be a big run on Coca-Cola, but even this will give out after a while.”

(3) If a literal interpretation of Revelation is right, stock in Pepsi and Coke will one day be worth

their weight in gold.

(4) People are talking about investing in stock.

H. A literal interpretation turns the text into nonsense. An example:

(1) Armies from many world nations are marching towards each other.

(2) 200 million Chinese are marching to do battle with Israel.

(3) The anti-Christ is going to be met in battle.

(4) No one has a drop of water for 7 months.

(5) These are some examples of the bizarre conclusions that come from taking this book literally.

I. Moving on to bowl number 4. Verse 8 – READ.

J. This is not the first time that an attack on the sun is mentioned.

K. Revelation 8:12 records a partial attack on the sun.

L. In that chapter, the light was lessened for a little while.

M. In this instance, the heat is intensified.

N. The temperature of the sun is increased.

O. Some temperatures may be adjusted and the change is insignificant.

P. This is not true of the sun; it is very precise.

(1) There may be a subtle suggestion in what John wrote.

(2) Men like Nero had played with fire.

(3) When it was time for a party, Christians were brought out.

(4) God’s people were tarred and turned into human torches.

(5) Believers were used to literally light up the party.

(6) John may be saying, “Since they like fire so much they will get a closer look at it.”

(7) Again, I do not look at this literally.

(8) It is one more description of the kind of punishment those with the mark of the beast will

receive.

Q. Before looking at the next bowl, glance at Verse 9. READ.

R. Those following the beast refused to change.

S. They refused to repent. Nothing would change their minds.

T. Even today there are hearts that are closed to God.

U. God allows that. However, there is a price to be paid for this disobedience.

V. This price is further reflected in Verse 10. READ.

W. Rome itself was going to be attacked.

(1) Many of these bowls remind us of the plagues on Egypt.

(2) The 9th plague upon the Egyptians was darkness.

(3) It was dark for 3 days.

(4) Exodus 10:23 says that it was so dark people couldn’t see to move.

(5) The Exodus account also adds this little detail:

“The children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

X. God knows how to punish only those who deserve it.

Y. God knows how to separate the good from the bad.

Z. He has successfully done this in the past and will successfully do it at the end of time.

A. Some may think that the bowl of darkness was not severe punishment.

B. Why would “darkness” be a “bowl of wrath”?

C. It may be that this bowl of wrath was more than just darkness.

D. Exodus 10:21 says that the darkness “could be felt”.

E. Perhaps what Moses meant by this expression is explained in Revelation.

F. Look at Verse 11. READ.

G. With the darkness may have come some additional physical pain.

H. Consider the picture up to this point:

(1) Physical ailments; commerce is in a downward spiral;

(2) Drinking water gone; people cannot see where they are going.

(3) If we think about the picture which these things present, the point is that things could

not have been much worse.

(4) This picture describes people who are stripped of nearly every thing.

I. You need medical attention but none is available.

J. Even if it were available, you couldn’t find your way to the doctor.

K. At the very least you want a glass of cold water but it tastes like blood.

L. On top of all these things, you have constant gnawing pain.

M. You sit down and think, “Things will get better.”

III. WHAT DOES THE REST OF THE CHAPTER SAY?

A. Verse 12 – READ.

B. The “great river” was the Euphrates.

C. This river symbolized war; military conflict.

D. It was from the Euphrates that the Assyrians and Babylonians came.

E. John wrote that the river was “dried up”.

F. In the Old Testament, God is the one who “dried up” the water.

G. God “dried out” a section of the Red Sea.

H. Joshua 3:15-17 speaks of God “drying out” an area of the Jordan.

I. By God’s power Elijah “dried out” the Jordan. (2 Kings 2:7-14)

J. In Revelation 16, water (military power/Rome) is going to be “dried up”.

K. Rome’s military forces would be neutralized. Why?

L. Verse 12b tells us. READ.

M. This battle will be described in Chapter 19.

N. Christ would crush Rome; the empire’s military power would be of no use.

O. Imagine having all the personal problems that have been described,

P. And then you are told, “Our nation is no longer secure.”

Q. “An invasion is on the way and we will be overcome.”

R. “Our homes, jobs, our lives; they are all gone. All hope is dead.”

S. This devastation was so bad that even the devil was hurt.

T. He is referred to in Verses 17-19. (7th bowl poured in the air.)

U. All of this news is given to you.

V. You slump on to the floor since you cannot see a chair, and think:

W. “This is it. It cannot get any worse.”

X. “Our only hope is that the predictions are wrong.”

Y. “Perhaps nothing beyond what has happened will occur.”

Z. “Perhaps the invasion will not come and things will return to normal.”

A. Just in case there was a little optimism left, John says this:

CONCLUSION:

1. READ Verse 19.

2. The Bible says that sin pays a wage. Romans 6:23

3. These people were paid a wage on earth.

4. Upon their death they began to receive an eternal payment for their sin.

5. If sin can pay this kind of wage on earth, the opposite must also be true.

6. What kind of payment is made in eternity?

7. If God can inflict this degree of punishment, what can he give to His children?

8. The 7 bowls of wrath tell me that being a Christian is most important.

9. Being faithful to God will always be the right choice.

Is this the road that you are on?