# Revelation 16 đź“–: The Seven Bowls
[[đź“š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Revelation Overview]] | [[Revelation 15]] | [[Revelation 17]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Bowls of God’s Wrath
**Principle**:
[[#Verse 01.]] Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”Â
[[#Verse 02.]] So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
[[#Verse 03.]] Next, the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.
[[#Verse 04.]] Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] Now I heard the angel of the waters saying:
“You are just—the one who is and who was,
the Holy One—because you have passed these judgments,
[[#Verse 06.]] because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!”
[[#Verse 07.]] Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!”
[[#Verse 08.]] Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.
[[#Verse 10.]] Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.
[[#Verse 12.]] Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful.
[[#Verse 15.]]Â (Look ! I will come like a thief!
Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.)
[[#Verse 16.]] Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.
[[#Verse 17.]] Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!”Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake—an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath.Â
[[#Verse 20.]] Every island fled away and no mountains could be found.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a 100 pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The bowl judgments follow the same order as the trumpets: earth, sea, rivers, sun, darkness, Euphrates, and the air.
2. Several bowls echo the plagues of Egypt: sores (Exodus 9:10), water to blood (7:20), darkness (10:22), frogs (8:6), and hail (9:23).
3. Even the altar speaks to affirm God's justice in 16:7.
4. The drying up of the Euphrates (16:12) recalls the ancient report by Herodotus that Cyrus diverted the Euphrates to capture Babylon.
5. Frogs were considered unclean animals under the Law (Leviticus 11:10-12), fitting images for unclean spirits (16:13).
6. Revelation 16:15 is the third of the seven blessings in Revelation.
7. Armageddon (16:16) comes from the Hebrew *Har Megiddo*, meaning "mountain of Megiddo."
8. Megiddo guarded a key pass and was the site of many famous battles (Judges 5:19; 2 Kings 23:29).
9. Excavations at Megiddo have uncovered many layers of cities built on top of one another over thousands of years.
10. Hailstones weighing about a talent (16:21) would weigh roughly seventy-five pounds or more.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who comes like a thief and blesses those who stay awake (16:15; Matthew 24:42-44). The cry "It is done" (16:17) finds its root in His words from the cross, "It is finished" (John 19:30).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. The angel says God's judgments are just (16:5-7). Why is it important that God's justice is perfect and not arbitrary?
2. Even under judgment, people cursed God and refused to repent (16:9, 11, 21). What does this reveal about the human heart?
3. In the middle of the bowls Jesus says, "Look, I am coming like a thief" (16:15). How does that warning call you to stay alert?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verses 5-7: The angel and the altar declare that God's judgments are true and just.
- đź“– verse 9: People cursed the name of God and did not repent.
- đź“– verse 15: Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays alert.
- đź“– verse 16: The kings are gathered at the place called Armageddon.
- đź“– verse 17: A loud voice from the throne says, "It is done!"
## đź”— Related Passages
- 🔗 16:2 → Exodus 9:9-11 – The plague of boils.
- 🔗 16:3-4 → Exodus 7:17-21 – The Nile turned to blood.
- 🔗 16:5-7 → Psalm 119:137 – You are righteous, O Lord, and Your judgments are right.
- 🔗 16:10 → Exodus 10:21-23 – Darkness over Egypt.
- 🔗 16:12 → Isaiah 11:15 and Jeremiah 50:38 – The river dried up.
- 🔗 16:13 → Exodus 8:2-6 – The plague of frogs.
- 🔗 16:15 → Matthew 24:43-44 and 1 Thessalonians 5:2 – The day of the Lord comes like a thief.
- 🔗 16:16 → Judges 5:19 and Zechariah 12:11 – Battles and mourning at Megiddo.
- 🔗 16:19 → Jeremiah 25:15 – The cup of the wine of God's wrath.
- 🔗 16:21 → Exodus 9:23-24 – The great hailstorm on Egypt.**
- đź”— [[Exodus 07#Verse 20.|Exodus 7:20-21]] - The Nile turns to blood.
- đź”— [[Psalm 119#Verse 137.|Psalm 119:137]] - You are righteous, O Lord, and Your judgments are right.
- đź”— [[Matthew 24#Verse 42.|Matthew 24:42-44]] - Stay alert, for you do not know the hour.
- đź”— [[John 19#Verse 30.|John 19:30]] - It is finished.
- đź”— [[Judges 05#Verse 19.|Judges 5:19]] - The kings fought at Megiddo.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Revelation 16 - SOAP|The Lord is Keeping Score]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes