Revelation 15-16

Bible study with Drs. Chuck Missler and Hal Lindsey

Revelation 15 & 16
http://www.god.tv/node/2605


THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH

Revelation 15 shows us the purpose of the 7 last judgments from the divine view point. Revelation 16 shows the onset of the 7 judgments.

Revelation 15
This is the last interlude of God's Grace; after the 7 Bowls, it would be the end of mercy, the end of Grace, the end of Salvation.


JUDGMENTS ARE FOR THE EARTH-DWELLERS
What is the purpose of these judgments? To judge "those who dwell on the Earth," those who reject Christ.

The following verses showing why the judgments are for the Earth Dwellers--these people are so concerned about the things of this world that they choke out the Word of God.

Revelation 3:10
This passage also shows the promise that the Church will be raptured because the judgements are for the earth-dwellers.

Revelation 6:10

Revelation 8:14

Revelation 11:10
This is what Hal Lindsey calls, "satanic Christmas," where people are so happy that the two witnesses are killed, they will give each other gifts.

Revelation 13:8

Revelation 13:14

Revelation 17:8

1 John 2:15
John warns us not to love the world and the world system. We are to be in the world (so that we can be witnesses of the Word) but not of the world (because then we become snares of the Will of God).

1 John 5:19 
The world system is controlled by Satan, which is why it is dangerous to be taken by the things of this world.


GOD IS EXALTED AND SEVEN ANGELS BRING OUT THE SEVEN PLAGUES

Revelation 15:1
Filled up (KJV) = finished

Revelation 15:2
Sea of glass = Word of God (The 24 elders were standing on the Word of God earlier in Revelation; we see that the Word of God is mingled with fire, signifying judgment)

Revelation 15:3
“Song of Moses” – Sung before the giving of the Law

Revelation15:4
God is not feared by all today. This is to be fulfilled.

Revelation 15:5
The Temple is mentioned 15 times in Revelation, but not even once until Revelation 4, while the Church is still on Earth. God dwells in the Church (via the Holy Spirit) while we’re still here. Once we’re gone, things go back to the Jewish timeline, and God dwells once again in the Temple.

The earth-dwellers KNOW that these judgments are coming directly from God, because they curse God! Sadly, no one can enter Heaven during this time because the Temple will be closed. Not that it matters anyway, because they would refuse to accept God, despite them knowing God! This shows how hard people's heart can become. These judgments also happen to only those who bear the mark of the beast.


Numbers 1:50
The Tabernacle has always meant to be the testimony of the Israelites rejecting Jesus. This is to remind them that the reason these judgments are taking place is because they refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah, the one who came to wash away their sins forever.

Hebrews 8:5
The Tabernacle on Earth is a shadow of the corresponding things in Heaven.


Revelation 16
This chapter documents chronologically the events of the last days on Earth -- things have been brought to total destruction. If Jesus doesn't return soon, nothing would be alive due to these events, as Jesus elaborated in Matthew 24.


THE SEVEN BOWLS OF JUDGMENT

BOWL 1
Revelation 16:1
The sores are often an outward sign of an inward problem.

BOWL 2
Revelation 16:3
All sea life dies

BOWL 3
Revelation 16:4-7
There is no water, as all water turns to blood, since they have shed so much blood. We also see again and again that the Lamb is worthy and God is just. Not once do we ever get the hint that the judgment is undeserved.

BOWL 4
Revelation 16:8-9
Earth-dwellers are burned and yet they continue to refuse to repent. They will curse God, even though they will come to know that God is the one pouring out the Wrath. Yet, instead of repenting, they would rather curse God.

BOWL 5
Revelation 16:10-11
The world is plunged into darkness.

Unexplained examples of physical darkness
5/19/1780: New England, “The Dark Day”
3/19/1886: Central Wisconsin (10 minutes)
12/1904: Memphis, Tennessee
3/1911: Louisville, Kentucky

Spiritual darkness
In a cultural war, truth is the first casualty. There is no commitment to truth at all.

BOWL 6
Revelation 16:12
The River of Euphrates is dried up to prepare for the way for the kings of the East.

EUPHRATES
- The cradle and grave of man’s civilization (Zechariah 10:11; Isaiah 11:15-16)
- The eastern boundary of Israel and the Roman Empire (Genesis 15:18)

Revelation 16:13-14
Demon spirits are being drawn to help the satanic trinity.

Revelation 16:15
A sudden change of subject. A breath of air.

Jesus will “come as a thief”—To us, who are children of the day, He does not need to come as a thief; to the earth-dwellers, who are children of the dark, He thus comes as a thief.

Magiddo
- 60 miles north of Jerusalem
- Jabin + 900 chariots were overwhelmed
- Gideon’s 300 defeated Midianites, Amalekitess and children of the east
- Samson triumphed over the Philistines
- Barak and Deborah defeated Sisera
- Saul slain by Philistines
- Ahaziah slain by arrows of Jehu
- Pharaoh Necco slew King Josiah
- Sarcaens, Christian crusaders, Egyptians, Persians, Druses, Turks, Arabs, etc. all had battles there.
- Napoleon’s disastrous march from Egypt to Syria

BOWL 7
Revelation 16:17-18
It is done!

God's wrath is completed!