0913 HERE WE GO

SEPTEMBER 13 = REVELATION 16

HERE WE GO

And now the seven (complete!) bowls of wrath are to be poured out on the earth. 

“The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 

How many diseases have spread into what we sometimes call a pandemic? Black Plague, Spanish Flu, Covid, HIV, cancer, etc. Some look to science to save us. Some announce that the reason is for God to punish sin. We never know for certain, from this side of time. But doesn’t it seem coincidental that these sores broke out on those who had worshiped the beast? This is clearly an act of God to punish His enemies.

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. 

A third of the sea had been affected before, but this time it kills every living thing. People, fish, sharks, whales, and all of it done on porpoise. (I probably should have resisted that one.) Talk about global climate change!

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

And now the land life is affected, as fresh water sources are blood. Note that it is not “like” blood, or even the blood of a dead person, but literally it became blood. Of course, as with so many details of Revelation, the reference to blood may have to do with a reference to warfare or some other source of death. But it is fair to simply report what John said and let the interpretation be for another time.

Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” 

And now, just about the time that i am starting to get the Heebie-jeebies over all this violence, the angel speaks up to say that it is justified, and they deserve what they get. After all, God’s judgments are “true and just.” If we believe that, then we trust his decisions. And his decision was to give retribution to those who have shed the blood of his holy people and his prophets. If you have shed the blood of a prophet, then you are not only killing someone who represents God, but you are rejecting his message as well. God is just in these judgments, indeed.

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were seared by the intense heat …

Once again we see that climate change in the form of global warming intensifies. It is more than just a record heat wave; it is scorching, searing, intense heat. Shall we blame it on our use of energy? On over-population? Has the ozone layer been depleted, and it is our doing that has undone us by means of natural causes? Perhaps. But all that John is mentioning is the unrepentant hearts on earth, refusing to repent.

“…and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. 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 agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. 

Here is another vote to say that these punishments are not overdone or too severe: The response of those who are now suffering. They cursed God and refused to repent. God’s goodness in the form of common grace for all those centuries is forgotten. These people have become enemies, and only imagine themselves to be the victims of undeserved punishments. 

SIDE NOTE: It’s tragic that people can take the name of God in vain, blame God for their problems, and then decide that they are atheists. (Should they start saying, “Oh, my nothing!”?)

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. 

These kings from the east could be Iran or Iraq, and certainly anything from farther east would be possible. The Euphrates River is actually located in Iran. They are already enemies of modern-day Israel as a nation, and all these plagues certainly are not helping them to think twice before they come together. The river drying up is from natural causes, of course. It runs low this year because everyone is tapping into the Colorado River, or because of the bowl of God’s wrath that had been poured out on the water.

Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.”

You know, if you build your faith upon signs and wonders, you are in danger. If you came to Christ because you saw a miracle happen, you are susceptible. If in your prayers you ask God for a sign that might strengthen your faith, then you are not strengthening your faith at all. You are dependent on sight, not on faith. And when Satan and demonic spirits go out and perform signs and sound reasonable and positive, then you are, among all groups, most vulnerable. Addiction to signs leads to dependency on sight, and leaves no room for faith in your heart. But wisdom is proved right in her children, as Jesus said.

May you and I walk by faith, and not by sight, today, and every day in the future. Amen.