Revelation 16
The bowls of wrath take place after the Great Tribulation and the rapture. They are different from the trumpets. Here are some differences: the trumpets affect one-third of the earth, and the bowls affect the whole earth. The trumpet judgments are spread out over 42 months and happen in succession, but the bowls happen simultaneously.
The purpose for the bowls is to purify the earth through judgment. Many rebellious and unrepentant men and women will die, but many others will survive and make it through the wrath of God. We know 144,000 Jews will make it through the wrath of God in into the Millennium. God will also burn up all sickness and disease. He will clear out all chemicals and toxins in our atmosphere. He will fix natural disasters. He will burn up pornography, drugs, weapons, and other harmful substances.
My father studies end-time prophecy, and he offers a suggestion on the seventy-five days in Daniel 12. Daniel mentions a 30-day period and another 45-day period that follow the seventieth week. We know the bowls of wrath follow the rapture, and the rapture follows the seventieth week. The wrath of God most likely takes place during the 30-days.
What else follows the seventieth week? Several things, but we know immediately after the Rapture there is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and the Bema Seat in Heaven. While the wrath of God is happening on earth, the Marriage Supper and Bema Seat are most likely happening in Heaven during the 30-day time period.
FIRST BOWL: Loathsome sores
Humans are struck with a severe sore, a judgment that mentions the submission to the Antichrist.
SECOND BOWL: The sea turns to blood
The sea could refer to the Mediterranean Sea. It kills all the animals.
THIRD BOWL: Rivers and springs turn to blood
Similar to the sea, now rivers and springs are ruined. An angel declares the justice for the event, stating that people have shed the blood of prophets and saints, and drinking blood is now their just due.
FOURTH BOWL: People are scorched
Even after this judgment, people not only refuse to repent to Him as the One who has power over the judgment, but they choose to blaspheme His name.
FIFTH BOWL: Darkness and Pain
In this event, human beings are in such pain that they gnaw their tongues, and still they choose to blaspheme the name of the Lord. This shows us these human beings are rebellious.
SIXTH BOWL: Euphrates Dries Up
There is purpose is drying up the Euphrates river. It is a preparation for armies gathering for the battle of Armageddon. John then sees spirits, that look like frogs, go out to gather the leaders of nations together for war. In verse 15 Jesus tells of His Second Coming where He comes to the earth with armies to fight. This is not a verse describing the rapture, the gathering of saints in the air).
SEVENTH BOWL: The earth is shaken
There is a great earthquake that splits Jerusalem into three parts.
Cities of nations fall.
Every island disappears.
Every mountain is flattened.
Large pieces of hail fall from heaven weighing 100 pounds each.
Humans blaspheme the name of the Lord instead of repenting.
The good news is that God not only plans to purify the Earth: He also plans on restoring it! He’s not done yet!
Haggai
Haggai was a postexile prophet, a contemporary of Zechariah. He wrote about the rebuilding of the temple, and addressed challenges people were facing at the time. Challenges included disinterest, discouragement, and dissatisfaction.
Disinterest: People faced opposition with rebuilding the temple, so they became more interested in building their own homes.
Discouragement: The older people remembered Solomon’s temple, and the new temple did not compare. Their discouragement passed to the younger generation, contributing to the cessation of work on the temple.
Dissatisfaction: The people had higher expectations for accomplishment than what they were experiencing.
Haggai’s messages from God dealt with the people’s disinterest, discouragement, and dissatisfaction. He speaks of His glory filling His temple, saying the glory of this second temple will be greater than the glory of the first temple. God’s glory comes with God’s presence. God promised HE would inhabit this new temple. Today, God’s Presence is within us, and His glory is manifested among us as we pursue Him in worship. Incredible!
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