Unraveling The Book of Revelations

The First Vial Judgment. Foul and loathsome sore. When men choose to worship Antichrist rather than Christ and demonstrate their allegiance by accepting the mark of the beast, God responds by sending on them a plague of "a noisome and grievous sore”. John makes it clear that these awful sores afflict only those who worship the Antichrist and who have accepted the mark of the Beast.

The Second Vial Judgment. “Every living soul died in the sea”: This is reminiscent of the second trumpet (8:8-9), and of the first plague against Egypt (Exodus 7:20-25). However, this plague will be far more widespread. The water in the world’s oceans will become thick, dark, and coagulated, like the blood of a corpse. The death and decay of billions of sea creatures will only add to the misery of this judgment.

The Third Vial Judgment. The third “vial” turns all fresh “water” to “blood”, so that no pure water for drinking is left on earth. This again parallels the first Egyptian plague, but also the third trumpet (8:10-11). That it is “righteous” for God to judge the earth thus, is shown by the fact that the Beast and his followers “had shed the blood of saints and prophets”. Those who shed the blood of God’s people must now “drink” blood (compare Isa. 49:26).

The Fourth Vial Judgment. The fourth “vial” scorches the earth with “fire” from the “sun”. The followers of the Beast are scorched as well (contrast 7:16). Since they have by now made a permanent decision to reject God and follow the Beast, they blaspheme “the name of God” and refuse to repent.

The Fifth Vial Judgment. Darkness: This same phenomenon occurred in Egypt during the plagues; the whole land was consumed in darkness so oppressive that Moses said you could actually feel it. That's the sort of thing that will come upon the kingdom of the Antichrist at this time. This divine judgment will give a physical illustration of their spiritual darkness.

The wrath of God isn’t spiteful hate or personal vindictiveness. It is God’s holy response to unrepented sin that is the cause of the misery and suffering humans bring upon themselves.

At this point, earth has been fatally ruined and the tribulation is all but over. Chapters 17 and 18 will go into greater detail, some of it poetic and descriptive, to further explain the fall of the wicked. Chapter 19 will resume the moment-by-moment description of the end times, including the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Revelation Chapter 16

 1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth.

(Parallel)  Ezekiel 22:31- So I have poured out My indignation upon them and consumed them with the fire of My fury. I have brought their ways down upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD."

• Zephaniah 3:8- Therefore wait for Me," declares the LORD, "until the day I rise to testify. For My decision is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them My indignation, all My burning anger. For all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.

2 And the first went, and poured out his bowl upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous soreupon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

(Parallel) Exodus 9:9- It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout the land."

(Parallel) Deuteronomy 28:35- The LORD will afflict you with painful, incurable boils on your knees and thighs, from the soles of your feet to the top of your head; 

• v27- The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors and scabs and itch from which you cannot be cured.
• v28- The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind...

3 And the second angel poured out his bowl upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

(Parallel) Exodus 7:17- This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.

• Hosea 4:3- Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.

In the judgment of the second trumpet, a third of the sea became blood and a third of the living creatures in the sea died. Now, the remainder of the sea becomes blood, but not just blood, lifeless blood. Scripture indicates that the “life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev.17:11).

4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

(Parallel) Psalm 78:44- He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.

• Rev 8:10,11- And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters...

5 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.

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

• Rev 6:10- And they cried out in a loud voice, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?"
• Rev 17:6- I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.
• Rev 11:6 - These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

Similarities between the bowl and trumpet judgments: In the fourth trumpet judgment “a third of the sun was struck”(Rev. 8:12+). But the fourth trumpet also targeted the moon and stars, whereas the fourth bowl only affects the sun. This alternation in the sun’s normal operation will serve as one of many “signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars” during the time of the end (Luke 21:25).

9 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.

(...With heat so great that it seemed to be fire.)

• Rev 7:16- Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.  (The Saints that came thru the Great Tribulation)
• Isaiah 24:6- Therefore, a curse has consumed the earth, and its inhabitants must bear the guilt; the earth’s dwellers have been burned, and only a few survive.

10 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.

(Parallel) Exodus 10:21- Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that darkness will spread over the land of Egypt--a palpable darkness."

• Isaiah 8:22- Then they will look to the earth and see only distress and darkness and the gloom of anguish. And they will be driven into utter darkness.

Revelation Chapter 16

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

• 2 Timothy3:13- But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

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. (Possible war with China, North Korea, other Asian territory)

• Isaiah 44:27- who says to the depths of the sea, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your currents...
• Rev 9:14- Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
• Rev 9: 13-16- I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates, And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

These three spirits represent the influences of the dragon, the first beast and the second beast; spirits of demons.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

• Rev 17:14- They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones. (saints)

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:2- For you are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

• Rev 19:19- Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One (Jesus) seated on the horse, and against His army.

17 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.

18 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.

19 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.

• Rev17:1- Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and told me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.
•  Rev17:5- On her forehead a mysterious name was written: Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.
• Rev18:5- For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 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.

(Parallel) Exodus 9:18- Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.

• Ezekiel 13:13- Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: 'In My wrath I will release a windstorm, and in My anger torrents of rain and hail will fall with destructive fury.

Who is Mystery Babylon?

A mystery is something secret or hidden— a thing that some understand while others do not. In Revelation 17, there are several clues given to the identity of Mystery Babylon:

Clue #1. Mystery Babylon is a City

A  woman is used to symbolize Mystery Babylon. Verse 18 of the chapter tells us that the woman is a city. “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.”

Clue #2. Mystery Babylon presides over a vast international system

In verse 1, we are told that the woman sits on many waters. Verse 15 explains the meaning of the waters. “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”

Not only is this woman a city, but the city is apparently the headquarters over a vast international system. 

Clue #3. The city sits on 7 hills

In verse 3, we are told that the woman rides on a beast with 7 heads. Verse 9 reveals the meaning of the heads. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.”

Remember, we’ve already learned that the woman is a city. This passage tells us that the city sits on seven mountains. There is a city on earth that is known as “The City of Seven Hills.” It’s the city of Rome. 

But is Rome the headquarters for an international power that rules over “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues?” The Vatican claims to rule over one billion Roman Catholics worldwide. 

Church existed and long before Rome became her headquarters. 

Clue #4. She is clothed in purple and red

• Revelation 17:4 “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:”

There are two ruling bodies in the Roman Catholic Church: The College of Cardinals and the College of Bishops and Archbishops. These two bodies are somewhat like the Senate and the House of Representatives here in the US.

An article appeared in The Criterion, a Roman Catholic publication, July 1, 1988. The article was entitled, “More than You Want to Know About Cardinals.” It stated, “Cardinals wear red, while non-Cardinal Bishops and Archbishops wear purple.”

So let’s review. Mystery Babylon is a city that sits on seven hills. Rome is known worldwide as “The City of Seven Hills.”

Mystery Babylon is to “sit” on peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues.” Rome is headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church, claiming one billion members worldwide.
Mystery Babylon is described as being clothed in purple and red. The official colors of the two ruling bodies of the Roman Church are purple and red.

One other factor should be understood. In Revelation 17, God chose to use a woman—a whore—to symbolize the Roman Catholic Church. Why?  It’s really very simple. In scripture, God always used a woman to symbolize a church. He used a virgin to represent His true church (II Corinthians 11:2), and He used a harlot to represent a false church—as he did in Revelation 17-19.

There can be only one conclusion: The Vatican is the Mystery Babylon of Revelation. And it is this false religious system that has deceived the people of the world that will be destroyed at the time of Armageddon.

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