요한계시록 Chapter 16

Translation: ESV

1

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God."

Key Message

The judgment command issued directly from God's dwelling place declares that these plagues are the direct expression of God's holy will.

▸The command to execute judgment comes directly from the temple — God's dwelling place.

The command to execute judgment comes directly from the temple — God's dwelling place. The source of this voice is understood to be God Himself. The command 'pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God' serves as the heading for the entirety of chapter 16. The seven bowl plagues reflect the ten plagues of the Exodus but are more extensive and final. Unlike the seven trumpet plagues, these bowl plagues focus not on producing repentance but on the completion of judgment.

Related Verses

And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
2

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Key Message

The first bowl plague reflects the Exodus plague of boils and is a selective judgment falling on those who abandoned God's covenant and worshiped the beast.

▸The first bowl plague: harmful sores.

3

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

Key Message

The second bowl plague repeats the Exodus plague in completed form, as the source of worldly power receives judgment.

▸The second bowl plague: the sea turns to blood.

4

The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.

Key Message

The third bowl judges all freshwater sources, showing a judgment so extreme that even the basic resources for life are taken away.

▸The third bowl plague: rivers and springs of water turn to blood.

5

And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.

Key Message

God's judgment is a righteous act of the eternal Holy God, and even the angels sing praise to it.

▸The angel who has charge over the waters declares that God's judgment is righteous.

6

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!"

Key Message

God's judgment is perfect justice that returns to the wicked what they themselves have done, and the blood of martyrs will certainly be avenged.

▸The reason for the plague of water turning to blood is revealed: they shed the blood of saints and prophets.

7

And I heard the altar say, "Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!"

Key Message

The voice from the altar confirms that God's judgment in response to the martyrs' prayers is true and righteous.

▸From the altar comes a voice confirming the righteousness of God's judgment.

8

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.

Key Message

For those who reject God's protection, the very sun — source of life — becomes an instrument of judgment against them.

▸The fourth bowl plague: the sun scorches people.

9

They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

Key Message

Judgment itself does not produce repentance; a hardened heart opposes God even more deeply in the midst of judgment.

▸Even while receiving judgment, people do not repent but instead curse God.

10

The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish

Key Message

The fifth bowl plague directly judges the beast's kingdom — the center of evil's power — plunging its rule into darkness.

▸The fifth bowl plague: the beast's kingdom is plunged into darkness.

11

and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

Key Message

Judgment can be an instrument of repentance, but a hardened heart refuses God even more in the midst of judgment.

▸Identically to verse 9, even in the midst of judgment they do not repent but curse God.

12

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

Key Message

The sixth bowl — the drying of the Euphrates — prepares the stage for Armageddon, the final battle.

▸The sixth bowl plague: the Euphrates River dries up.

13

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

Key Message

The unclean spirits proceeding from the satanic trinity deceive the world into the final battle.

▸Three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the satanic trinity (the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet).

14

For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

Key Message

The final battle is a spiritual war in which demonic spirits deceive the kings of the world to assemble them — a battle that in reality takes place on the great day of God's judgment.

▸The identification as 'demonic spirits' shows that this battle is not a human political conflict but a spiritual war.

15

("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed.")

Key Message

What is required of the saints in the time of judgment is to remain spiritually awake in preparation for the sudden return of Christ.

▸Inserted in the middle of the description of judgment is a warning from Christ about His return.

16

And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Key Message

Armageddon is a symbolic name for the site of the eschatological final battle, drawing on the historical battlefield of Megiddo.

▸'Armageddon (Ἁρμαγεδών)' is thought to derive from the Hebrew 'Har Megiddo (הַר מְגִדּוֹן, Mount Megiddo).

17

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!"

Key Message

The declaration 'It is done' announces the completion of God's judgment, and together with the cross's 'It is finished' proclaims the completion of both salvation and judgment.

▸The seventh bowl is poured into the air, and from the temple's throne comes the voice 'It is done! (Γέγονεν).

18

And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.

Key Message

The unprecedented earthquake accompanying the final bowl judgment is the greatest sign of judgment since God's creation.

▸The phenomena following the seventh bowl: lightning, rumblings, thunder, a great earthquake.

19

The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Key Message

God remembers all of Babylon's wickedness and repays it with complete judgment on the last day.

▸Babylon (the worldly system) splits into three parts and the cities of the nations fall.

20

And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.

Key Message

The dissolution of the present created order is not destruction for its own sake but preparation for the new heaven and new earth.

▸Islands disappear and mountains vanish.

21

And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.

Key Message

The seven bowl judgments conclude with unprecedented hailstones, but this reveals the fact that the hardened human heart refuses to repent even in the midst of judgment.

▸The final bowl plague: hailstones weighing about one talent (approximately 100 pounds / 45 kg).