Revelation 16:17-21

Strauss-' Comments
SECTION 56

Text Revelation 16:17-21

17 And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done: 18 and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent, cometh down out of heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof is exceeding great.

Initial Questions Revelation 16:17-21

1.

To what does It is done refer to in Revelation 16:17?

2.

Note that Revelation 16:18 mentions the earth, then the scene switches to the great city in Revelation 16:19. The city stands for the whole earth. To what city does the name Babylon refer?

3.

How extensive was the geological upheaval mentioned in Revelation 16:20?

4.

How did men respond to God's judgment - Revelation 16:21?

Revelation 16:17-21

The seventh bowl was reserved for the precious air which men breath. Then a great voice came out of the temple from the throne. God is speaking directly and says. It has occurred. John had declared in Revelation 15:1 that the time when the seven plagues will finish or complete the anger of God. The seventh bowl describes the completion of the wrath of God in phrases which we have seen already (see Revelation 8:7) and in terms of Exodus 9:23-24.

Babylon's fall was declared in Revelation 14:18; but here we have a description of the major events of the fall. The basic difference between the judgments of the bowls and those of the trumpets is that the bowls are far more severe. The Trumpets affect only one-third of the elements involved, the bowls of anger affect the entire earth. The three series of judgments do not seem to this author to be three chronologically distinct judgment in different periods of history but each seem to be a general description of God's judgment. Each series presents the judgments with greater intensity and severity.

Discussion Questions

Chapter Revelation 16:1-21

1.

Study carefully the model of the Egyptian plagues in Exodus 9:10-11 and compare the imagery in Revelation 16:1.

2.

What kind of sore does John speak of in Revelation 16:2? Study in Bible Dictionary concerning the diseases mentioned in the Bible, and find a clinical description of disease here.

3.

How was the sea affected according to Revelation 16:3?

4.

Discuss the relationship of God's Holiness and the fact of His judgment in Revelation 16:5.

5.

Do you know any who were stoned in the Early Church? Why were they stoned?

6.

Study Isaiah 49:8-10 in its context and then discuss Revelation 16:8.

7.

What are the extreme temperatures in which the human body can survive - Revelation 16:9?

8.

Could plants, animals, and men survive without the light of the sun - Revelation 16:10?

9.

Why was the Euphrates River used as important symbolism in Revelation 16:12?

10.

Are the forces of evil personal or merely principles at work in the universe, according to Revelation 16:13?

11.

What is the relationship between the final overthrow of active evil and the coming again of Jesus Christ according to 1 Thessalonians 5:2 and Revelation 16:15.

12.

Get a good recent map of the O.T. period involved and locate the valley of Esdraelon; then study the following Bible records of battles: 2 Kings 9:27 ff, 2 Kings 23:29; Judges 5:1 ff. Then does this help you understand John's use of this imagery?

13.

Now that you have completed studying this third section of God's judgment, go back and examine the general techniques of the first two series of judgments, the seven seals - chp. 6: - Revelation 8:1; and seven trumpets chp. Revelation 8:2 - Revelation 11:15. Note their differences and similarities and the development of their intensity and severity.