CHRIS' COMMENTARY NOTES FOR REVELATION CHAPTER 16
Revelation 16: Intro.
See notes titled, “Revelation chapter 15-16.” This chapter has been titled, “The Seven Bowls.”
See notes titled, “Revelation chapter 15-16.” This chapter has been titled, “The Seven Bowls.”
Notes on Revelation 16:1-21.
16:1. A loud voice. In my OPINION this is Jesus (see note on Rev. 14:13) since it is He who commands judgment take place. See note on Rev. 14:13 titled, “A voice from heaven” for an example although not directly applicable to here it has notes to reference other verses that back this up.
The temple. This isn't the temple that will be rebuilt on earth, this is the temple in heaven since John stated that in the preface in Rev. 15:5.
Revelation 16:2. The First Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Loathsome Sores" (Source 2, p. 2013). See notes titled, “Keys to Understanding Revelation 4-22” under the section, “The Temple” for more.
Revelation 16:3. The Second Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Sea Turns to Blood" (Source 2, p. 2013).
16:3. The sea. In my OPINION this is the entire ocean. Earlier in Rev. 8:8-9 A third of the sea was turned to blood (see notes there for more). Now the entire sea is blood.
Became blood as of a dead man. This is literal blood. A dead person's blood is thick and coagulated. In my OPINION this blood smells awful and obviously kills all animal life in the ocean ("sea").
Revelation 16:4-7. The Third Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Waters Turn to Blood" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:4. Rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Remember in Rev. 8:10-11 a third of the rivers and springs were turned to blood (see notes there for more)? Now it appears that all fresh water has been turned to blood.
16:5. The One who is and who was and who is to be. Notice the strength of this title of God as compared to similar sounding yet weaker description of the beast in Rev. 17:8, 10.
16:6. They have shed the blood of saints and prophets. These plagues are just the start of the Lords judgment on those who martyr Christians. See notes on Rev. 17:6 titled, “Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” and Rev. 18:24 titled, “The blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth” for more.
Revelation 16:8-9. The Fourth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Men Are Scorched" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:8. On the sun. It doesn’t say here that the sun was consumed but that somehow having poured out his bowl on the sun, the fourth angel was given power to scorch people. See Rev. 8:12 for when the sun was struck earlier (specifically see note on Rev. 8:12 titled, “A third of the sun was struck” for more).
Power was given to him to scorch men with fire. Apparently when the bowl is poured out on the sun it excites the structure already in existence, making it hotter than normal. Multiple scholars think what MacArthur states: “the scorching heat will melt the polar ice caps, which some estimate would raise the level of the world’s oceans by 200 ft., inundating many of the world’s major cities and producing further catastrophic loss of life (cf. Amos 9:5,6). The resulting disruption of ocean transportation will make it difficult to distribute the dwindling resources of food and water” (Source 2). John Brown says, “It's intensity is magnified to the point that men across the globe, (not just Phoenix) are actually "scorched"!” (Source 4). Another key to this comes in Rev. 16:9 saying, “men were scorched with great heat” (see note there).
16:9. Men were scorched with great heat. John Brown states the “daytime sun will be 7 times as hot as it is now” quoting Isaiah 30:26 (Source 4).
They did not repent and give Him glory. The lack of what the people wouldn’t do shows us what they should have done, in other words what was required of them in order to make the physical pain stop. Guzik makes a shocking point, “The failure of men to respond with repentance shows that knowledge or experience of judgment will not change man's sinful condition. Those who are not won by grace will never be won” (Source 4).
Revelation 16:10-11. The Fifth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Darkness and Pain" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:10. The throne of the beast. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say that “set up in arrogant mimicry of God’s throne; the dragon gave his throne to the beast (Rev. 13:2)” (Source 5).
His kingdom became full of darkness. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown state that this parallels the plague of darkness that fell on the Egyptians. “Pharaoh being the type of Antichrist” (Source 5).
They gnawed their tongues because of the pain. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say that this was caused by the prior plagues but made “more appalling by the darkness. Or as ‘gnashing of teeth’ is one of the accompaniments of hell, so this ‘gnawing of their tongues’ is through rage at the baffling of their hopes and the overthrow of their kingdom…those in anguish, mental and bodily, bite their lips and tongues” (Source 5).
16:11. Pains and their sores. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown are correct in saying “This shows that each fresh plague was accompanied with the continuance of the preceding plagues: there was an accumulation, not a mere succession, of plagues” (Source 5).
Did not repent of their deeds. See Rev. 16:9 notes titled, “They did not repent and give Him glory” for more.
Revelation 16:12-16. The Sixth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Euphrates Dried Up" (Source 2, p. 2014).
Revelation 16:12. This is the beginning of the “catching away” (or rapture) for the battle of Armageddon (which takes place in Rev. 16:16).
16:12. Great river Euphrates. See note on Rev. 9:14 titled, “The four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” About the demons trapped and loosed there and how McGee says this is where Satan will take his last stand.
So that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. The “kings of the east” are the rulers of Japan and China. In my OPINION because the riverbed of the Euphrates is now tried up it allows Japan and China to travel along it. Guzik backs this up by giving dimensions of the river being 1800 miles long and 300-1200 yards wide and “if the Euphrates were dried up and made a road, massive armies from the east (nations such as China, India, and Japan) could move westward with ease” (Source 4).
16:13. Unclean spirits like frogs. John tells us that these are demons in Rev. 16:14 (“they are spirits of demons”).
Coming out of the mouth of the Dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. The three symbols given in Revelation chapters 12 & 13 (see note titled, “Revelation 12:1 – 13:18” for more) are Satan (“the Dragon”), Antichrist (“the beast”) and the false prophet. As mentioned above (see note titled, “Unclean spirits like frogs”) these are demons that come from these three demonic leaders.
“Coming out of the mouth”, probably means that they are commanded by the words of these three to go and perform these signs.
16:14. Performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. These are false, Satanic signs but they impress the world to come together to fight God. Apparently these three frog-demons show military might and weapons that convince the human armies of the earth that they have a change against God.
Revelation 16:15. This is a difficult section because it contains the famous quote of Jesus that He is “coming as a thief” which is usually attributed to the Rapture of the Church prior to the Tribulation. There is good reason for that because this is the only time people will be surprised by Jesus’ coming and that’s why we’re told to watch. But why here, in the context of the gathering to the Battle of Armageddon, does Jesus warn against being surprised against His coming? At this point I don’t know.
Guzik notes that it’s during “the battle of Armageddon, when the Antichrist leads the world system against a returning Jesus (Revelation 17:12-16, 17:14, 19;19)” (Source 4).
16:15. I am coming as a thief. As mentioned above (note titled, “Revelation 16:15”) this is a difficult portion. Of course it brings to mind the places in the New Testament which have or insinuate this idea (Mt. 25:13; Mk. 3:32-35; Lk. 12:35-40; Lk. 21:34-35; 1 Thess. 5:2-6 and 2 Peter 3:10). But we also saw it in Rev. 3:3 (see note there titled, “upon you as a thief”) which is in reference to the catching away to the Battle of Armageddon.
Watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. The idea of keeping “watch” as in a watchtower. Guzik simply says, “in the midst of the description of the coming battle, there is a warning to be prepared in light of Jesus' assured victory” (Source 4).
Regarding “keeps his garments”: since “garments” are “pictures of spiritual and practical righteousness” (Source 4) and bring to mind a soldier prepared for battle (Source 2, p. 2015) this is a warning to be prepared and have your spiritual life in order at all times.
16:16. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. This is when the earth’s armies are brought to the Battle of Armageddon. See notes titled “Battles at the End” under the “Keys to Understanding Revelation 4-22” section, for more.
Regarding “Armageddon”, the Majority Text* has this as “Megiddo” (Source 1, p. 1724). And the following translations have it as Megiddo: American Standard, New American Standard, Aramaic Bible in Plain English, English Revised Version, Weymouth New Testament and World English Bible.
*Majority Text: “A third viewpoint of New Testament scholarship holds that the best text is based on the consensus of the majority of existing Greek manuscripts. This text is called the Majority Text. Most of these manuscripts are in substantial agreement. Even though many are late, and none is earlier than the fifth century, usually their readings are verified by papyri, ancient versions, quotations from the early church fathers, or a combination of these. The Majority Text is similar to the Textus Receptus, but it corrects those readings which have little or no support in the Greek manuscript tradition" (p. vii - viii).
Revelation 16:17-21. The Seventh Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Earth Utterly Shaken" (Source 2, p. 2014). This ends the Seventh Seal (see note titled, "Revelation, chapters 6-11" for more) (Ibid, p. 2013).
16:17. Seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. MacArthur says, "this bowl will complete God's wrath (except for final judgment on the rebellion at the end of the millennium; 20:7–10) and immediately precedes the second coming of Christ. It will usher in the worst calamity in the history of the world" (Source 2, p. 2015).
"It is done!". MacArthur says, "The voice from the temple in heaven is undoubtedly that of God himself.’It is done!' is best translated, 'it has been and will remain done' (cf. John 19:30). God will punctuate the completion of his wrath with a devastating earthquake – the most powerful in earth’s history (cf. vv. 19-21)" (Source 2, p. 2015).
16:18. Such a mighty and great earthquake. This is different from the earthquake mentioned in Rev. 6:12. It is the worst earthquake ever to hit the earth (see note below).
had not occurred since men were on the earth. This shows that this will literally be the worst earthquake ever.
16:19. Great Babylon was remembered before God. Babylon is explained in the notes on Rev. 14:8 titled, “Babylon is fallen”. And as mentioned in the note directly below chapters 17 & 18 give more details. This certainly doesn’t mean that God forgot about Babylon but He had waited until His plan had been completed (giving men multiple chances at repentance) before He moved into total annihilation.
To give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. In Revelation chapters 17 & 18 we’ll see more details of the fall of Babylon. The “cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” is also mentioned at the end of chapter 15.
16:21. Great hail…each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Guzik says these are “weighing up to 100 pounds” (Source 4).
Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. There must be something pretty important, horrifying and angering to make the human race, who have just gone through six awful plagues, say this is the worse and therefore blaspheme God. It’s not just that all the plagues continued as more were added it specifically says the hail was the “straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Spurgeon makes an interesting point: “Despite all their suffering, many still will not repent. ‘I have known people say, 'Well, if I were afflicted I might be converted. If I lay sick I might be saved.' Oh, do not think so. Sickness and sorrow of themselves are no helps to salvation. Pain and poverty are not evangelists; disease and despair are not apostles. Look at the lost in hell. Suffering has effected no good in them. He that was filthy here is filthy there. He that was unjust in this life is unjust in the life to come. There is nothing in pain and suffering that, by their own natural operation, will tend to purification’” (quoted by Guzik, Source 4).
Chapter 16 References:
Source 1: The Holy Bible: New King James Version, 1982.
Source 2: John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, 1997.
Source 3: John Brown, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/brown_john/Rev/Chap_16.cfm?a=1183001
Source 4: Guzik, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide_Rev/Rev_16.cfm?a=1183001
Source 5: Jamieson, Fausset & Brown; http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Rev/Rev_016.cfm?a=1183010
16:1. A loud voice. In my OPINION this is Jesus (see note on Rev. 14:13) since it is He who commands judgment take place. See note on Rev. 14:13 titled, “A voice from heaven” for an example although not directly applicable to here it has notes to reference other verses that back this up.
The temple. This isn't the temple that will be rebuilt on earth, this is the temple in heaven since John stated that in the preface in Rev. 15:5.
Revelation 16:2. The First Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Loathsome Sores" (Source 2, p. 2013). See notes titled, “Keys to Understanding Revelation 4-22” under the section, “The Temple” for more.
Revelation 16:3. The Second Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Sea Turns to Blood" (Source 2, p. 2013).
16:3. The sea. In my OPINION this is the entire ocean. Earlier in Rev. 8:8-9 A third of the sea was turned to blood (see notes there for more). Now the entire sea is blood.
Became blood as of a dead man. This is literal blood. A dead person's blood is thick and coagulated. In my OPINION this blood smells awful and obviously kills all animal life in the ocean ("sea").
Revelation 16:4-7. The Third Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Waters Turn to Blood" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:4. Rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Remember in Rev. 8:10-11 a third of the rivers and springs were turned to blood (see notes there for more)? Now it appears that all fresh water has been turned to blood.
16:5. The One who is and who was and who is to be. Notice the strength of this title of God as compared to similar sounding yet weaker description of the beast in Rev. 17:8, 10.
16:6. They have shed the blood of saints and prophets. These plagues are just the start of the Lords judgment on those who martyr Christians. See notes on Rev. 17:6 titled, “Drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” and Rev. 18:24 titled, “The blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth” for more.
Revelation 16:8-9. The Fourth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Men Are Scorched" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:8. On the sun. It doesn’t say here that the sun was consumed but that somehow having poured out his bowl on the sun, the fourth angel was given power to scorch people. See Rev. 8:12 for when the sun was struck earlier (specifically see note on Rev. 8:12 titled, “A third of the sun was struck” for more).
Power was given to him to scorch men with fire. Apparently when the bowl is poured out on the sun it excites the structure already in existence, making it hotter than normal. Multiple scholars think what MacArthur states: “the scorching heat will melt the polar ice caps, which some estimate would raise the level of the world’s oceans by 200 ft., inundating many of the world’s major cities and producing further catastrophic loss of life (cf. Amos 9:5,6). The resulting disruption of ocean transportation will make it difficult to distribute the dwindling resources of food and water” (Source 2). John Brown says, “It's intensity is magnified to the point that men across the globe, (not just Phoenix) are actually "scorched"!” (Source 4). Another key to this comes in Rev. 16:9 saying, “men were scorched with great heat” (see note there).
16:9. Men were scorched with great heat. John Brown states the “daytime sun will be 7 times as hot as it is now” quoting Isaiah 30:26 (Source 4).
They did not repent and give Him glory. The lack of what the people wouldn’t do shows us what they should have done, in other words what was required of them in order to make the physical pain stop. Guzik makes a shocking point, “The failure of men to respond with repentance shows that knowledge or experience of judgment will not change man's sinful condition. Those who are not won by grace will never be won” (Source 4).
Revelation 16:10-11. The Fifth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Darkness and Pain" (Source 2, p. 2014).
16:10. The throne of the beast. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say that “set up in arrogant mimicry of God’s throne; the dragon gave his throne to the beast (Rev. 13:2)” (Source 5).
His kingdom became full of darkness. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown state that this parallels the plague of darkness that fell on the Egyptians. “Pharaoh being the type of Antichrist” (Source 5).
They gnawed their tongues because of the pain. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say that this was caused by the prior plagues but made “more appalling by the darkness. Or as ‘gnashing of teeth’ is one of the accompaniments of hell, so this ‘gnawing of their tongues’ is through rage at the baffling of their hopes and the overthrow of their kingdom…those in anguish, mental and bodily, bite their lips and tongues” (Source 5).
16:11. Pains and their sores. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown are correct in saying “This shows that each fresh plague was accompanied with the continuance of the preceding plagues: there was an accumulation, not a mere succession, of plagues” (Source 5).
Did not repent of their deeds. See Rev. 16:9 notes titled, “They did not repent and give Him glory” for more.
Revelation 16:12-16. The Sixth Bowl. MacArthur calls this "Euphrates Dried Up" (Source 2, p. 2014).
Revelation 16:12. This is the beginning of the “catching away” (or rapture) for the battle of Armageddon (which takes place in Rev. 16:16).
16:12. Great river Euphrates. See note on Rev. 9:14 titled, “The four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates” About the demons trapped and loosed there and how McGee says this is where Satan will take his last stand.
So that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. The “kings of the east” are the rulers of Japan and China. In my OPINION because the riverbed of the Euphrates is now tried up it allows Japan and China to travel along it. Guzik backs this up by giving dimensions of the river being 1800 miles long and 300-1200 yards wide and “if the Euphrates were dried up and made a road, massive armies from the east (nations such as China, India, and Japan) could move westward with ease” (Source 4).
16:13. Unclean spirits like frogs. John tells us that these are demons in Rev. 16:14 (“they are spirits of demons”).
Coming out of the mouth of the Dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. The three symbols given in Revelation chapters 12 & 13 (see note titled, “Revelation 12:1 – 13:18” for more) are Satan (“the Dragon”), Antichrist (“the beast”) and the false prophet. As mentioned above (see note titled, “Unclean spirits like frogs”) these are demons that come from these three demonic leaders.
“Coming out of the mouth”, probably means that they are commanded by the words of these three to go and perform these signs.
16:14. Performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. These are false, Satanic signs but they impress the world to come together to fight God. Apparently these three frog-demons show military might and weapons that convince the human armies of the earth that they have a change against God.
Revelation 16:15. This is a difficult section because it contains the famous quote of Jesus that He is “coming as a thief” which is usually attributed to the Rapture of the Church prior to the Tribulation. There is good reason for that because this is the only time people will be surprised by Jesus’ coming and that’s why we’re told to watch. But why here, in the context of the gathering to the Battle of Armageddon, does Jesus warn against being surprised against His coming? At this point I don’t know.
Guzik notes that it’s during “the battle of Armageddon, when the Antichrist leads the world system against a returning Jesus (Revelation 17:12-16, 17:14, 19;19)” (Source 4).
16:15. I am coming as a thief. As mentioned above (note titled, “Revelation 16:15”) this is a difficult portion. Of course it brings to mind the places in the New Testament which have or insinuate this idea (Mt. 25:13; Mk. 3:32-35; Lk. 12:35-40; Lk. 21:34-35; 1 Thess. 5:2-6 and 2 Peter 3:10). But we also saw it in Rev. 3:3 (see note there titled, “upon you as a thief”) which is in reference to the catching away to the Battle of Armageddon.
Watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. The idea of keeping “watch” as in a watchtower. Guzik simply says, “in the midst of the description of the coming battle, there is a warning to be prepared in light of Jesus' assured victory” (Source 4).
Regarding “keeps his garments”: since “garments” are “pictures of spiritual and practical righteousness” (Source 4) and bring to mind a soldier prepared for battle (Source 2, p. 2015) this is a warning to be prepared and have your spiritual life in order at all times.
16:16. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. This is when the earth’s armies are brought to the Battle of Armageddon. See notes titled “Battles at the End” under the “Keys to Understanding Revelation 4-22” section, for more.
Regarding “Armageddon”, the Majority Text* has this as “Megiddo” (Source 1, p. 1724). And the following translations have it as Megiddo: American Standard, New American Standard, Aramaic Bible in Plain English, English Revised Version, Weymouth New Testament and World English Bible.
*Majority Text: “A third viewpoint of New Testament scholarship holds that the best text is based on the consensus of the majority of existing Greek manuscripts. This text is called the Majority Text. Most of these manuscripts are in substantial agreement. Even though many are late, and none is earlier than the fifth century, usually their readings are verified by papyri, ancient versions, quotations from the early church fathers, or a combination of these. The Majority Text is similar to the Textus Receptus, but it corrects those readings which have little or no support in the Greek manuscript tradition" (p. vii - viii).
Revelation 16:17-21. The Seventh Bowl. MacArthur calls this "The Earth Utterly Shaken" (Source 2, p. 2014). This ends the Seventh Seal (see note titled, "Revelation, chapters 6-11" for more) (Ibid, p. 2013).
16:17. Seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. MacArthur says, "this bowl will complete God's wrath (except for final judgment on the rebellion at the end of the millennium; 20:7–10) and immediately precedes the second coming of Christ. It will usher in the worst calamity in the history of the world" (Source 2, p. 2015).
"It is done!". MacArthur says, "The voice from the temple in heaven is undoubtedly that of God himself.’It is done!' is best translated, 'it has been and will remain done' (cf. John 19:30). God will punctuate the completion of his wrath with a devastating earthquake – the most powerful in earth’s history (cf. vv. 19-21)" (Source 2, p. 2015).
16:18. Such a mighty and great earthquake. This is different from the earthquake mentioned in Rev. 6:12. It is the worst earthquake ever to hit the earth (see note below).
had not occurred since men were on the earth. This shows that this will literally be the worst earthquake ever.
16:19. Great Babylon was remembered before God. Babylon is explained in the notes on Rev. 14:8 titled, “Babylon is fallen”. And as mentioned in the note directly below chapters 17 & 18 give more details. This certainly doesn’t mean that God forgot about Babylon but He had waited until His plan had been completed (giving men multiple chances at repentance) before He moved into total annihilation.
To give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. In Revelation chapters 17 & 18 we’ll see more details of the fall of Babylon. The “cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” is also mentioned at the end of chapter 15.
16:21. Great hail…each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Guzik says these are “weighing up to 100 pounds” (Source 4).
Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. There must be something pretty important, horrifying and angering to make the human race, who have just gone through six awful plagues, say this is the worse and therefore blaspheme God. It’s not just that all the plagues continued as more were added it specifically says the hail was the “straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Spurgeon makes an interesting point: “Despite all their suffering, many still will not repent. ‘I have known people say, 'Well, if I were afflicted I might be converted. If I lay sick I might be saved.' Oh, do not think so. Sickness and sorrow of themselves are no helps to salvation. Pain and poverty are not evangelists; disease and despair are not apostles. Look at the lost in hell. Suffering has effected no good in them. He that was filthy here is filthy there. He that was unjust in this life is unjust in the life to come. There is nothing in pain and suffering that, by their own natural operation, will tend to purification’” (quoted by Guzik, Source 4).
Chapter 16 References:
Source 1: The Holy Bible: New King James Version, 1982.
Source 2: John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, 1997.
Source 3: John Brown, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/brown_john/Rev/Chap_16.cfm?a=1183001
Source 4: Guzik, http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide_Rev/Rev_16.cfm?a=1183001
Source 5: Jamieson, Fausset & Brown; http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/jfb/Rev/Rev_016.cfm?a=1183010