Revelation: Seven Vials of God’s Anger
Whose voice spoke from the sanctuary?
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Revelation 16:1 A loud voice from the sanctuary said to the seven messengers, “Go and pour out the vials of God’s anger upon Earth.”
King James
Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
What effect did the first vial have? How did people react?
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Revelation 16:2 The first vial was poured upon the earth. Ugly and painful sores came upon those who had the beast’s mark and worshiped his image.
King James
Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
How could the emptying of the second vial change the ocean water to blood?
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Revelation 16:3 The second vial was poured upon the sea, the water became blood and all sea life died.
King James
Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
What effect did the third vial have upon Earth’s water supply? What did the people do?
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Revelation 16:4–7 The third vial was poured upon the rivers and springs, and those waters became blood. The messenger over the waters said, “O Lord who was, who is, and who is to come, you are right to bring this judgment. They have shed the blood of your prophets and saints, so having blood to drink is their just reward.” A voice from the altar said, “Yes, Lord God Almighty, your judgments are righteous and impartial.”
King James
Revelation 16:4–7 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. 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. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
How would pouring the vial upon the sun scorch the earth with fire?
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Revelation 16:8 The fourth vial was poured upon the sun, with power to scorch Earth’s people with fire.
King James
Revelation 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
If people recognized God’s authority and power, why wouldn’t they repent?
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Revelation 16:9 Because of the intense, scorching heat, people cursed God for his authority over the plagues. But they still would not repent or say anything good about God.
King James
Revelation 16:9 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.
Where was the “throne of the beast” where the fifth vial was poured out?
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Revelation 16:10 The fifth vial was poured upon the throne of the beast, which buried his kingdom in darkness and caused the people to grind their teeth in pain.
King James
Revelation 16:10 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,
How does people’s reaction compare with Pharaoh’s response to the plagues upon Egypt?
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Revelation 16:11 Because of their sores and intense pain, they cursed God above and would not repent of their evil deeds.
King James
Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Who was affected by the sixth vial?
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Revelation 16:12 The sixth vial was poured upon the great Euphrates River, turning it into a dry riverbed that would serve as a road for eastern kings to march west with their armies.
King James
Revelation 16:12 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.
How did the evil spirits come from the dragon, beast, and false prophet and gather armies?
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Revelation 16:13–14 Evil spirits came like frogs out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These demons had the power to work miracles. They went to the world’s leaders and gathered their armies for the great day of battle against the Lord God Almighty.
King James
Revelation 16:13–14 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. 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.
Who said he would come unannounced?
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Revelation 16:15 “Behold,” a voice said, “I will come unannounced, like a thief. Those who are dressed, ready, and watching are blessed, avoiding the shame of being caught naked.”
King James
Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Where is Armageddon?
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Revelation 16:16 The demons gathered the armies into one place, which in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
King James
Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
How can a vial be poured “into the air”? Why was the earth shaken by what was in the air?
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Revelation 16:17–18 As the seventh vial was poured into the air, a loud voice from the throne in Heaven’s sanctuary said, “It is finished.” Lightning flashes were followed by loud rumblings and thunder. The earth shook with violence greater than any earthquake ever seen before.
King James
Revelation 16:17–18 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. 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.
What brought the cities to piles of rubble?
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Revelation 16:17–20 As the seventh vial was poured into the air, a loud voice from the throne in Heaven’s sanctuary said, “It is finished.” Lightning flashes were followed by loud rumblings and thunder. The earth shook with violence greater than any earthquake ever seen before. The great city Babylon broke into three pieces, and cities of the nations fell into piles of rubble, proof that God had remembered the people’s sins by their drinking his fierce anger like wine from a cup. Mountains were leveled and the islands disappeared.
King James
Revelation 16:17–20 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. 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. 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. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Why do we call natural disasters “acts of God”? How could a hailstone weigh fifty pounds?
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Revelation 16:21 Gigantic hailstones fell, weighing over fifty pounds. The people cursed God because of the vast destruction.
King James
Revelation 16:21 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.
What does it mean to “curse God”?
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Revelation 16:21 Gigantic hailstones fell, weighing over fifty pounds. The people cursed God because of the vast destruction.
King James
Revelation 16:21 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.