Revelation 15:1-16:21 - The Seven Bowls of Wrath

The foundation story for the people of Israel, who later became known as the Jews was YHWH's liberation of their people from Egyptian slavery in the Exodus.  In the Exodus narrative, YHWH goes head-to-head with the gods of Egypt, most crucially with Pharaoh himself who styled himself as a god, the son of Ra.  That's what the 10 plagues in the story are all about.  A millennium and a half later, and Israel's God, now understood as Father, Son, and Spirit engages in another beatdown of rival pretender gods of the Roman Empire - especially of the emperor who fashions himself as the divine son.  So, it's only fitting that as the prophet John receives his revelation, he describes his visions in language and imagery that clearly echoes the Exodus story.

Revelation 15 - Setting the Scene 

John sees 7 angels who will deliver the 7 plagues, but he also sees in heaven a sea of glass mixed with fire.  In Israel's storytelling, the sea often represents chaos and danger, but as in the Exodus story, the sea can also serve as an instrument of deliverance as the Hebrews of Moses' age passed safely through the waters, while their oppressors were drowned in the deluge.  Here John sees God's people, seemingly having passed through the fiery watery chaos standing safely beside the sea playing harps and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.  The message is clear - through the trials to come, the followers of Jesus will conquer, while the beast and those who worship its image (Rome and its emperor) will face the 7 plagues, just as Egypt and Pharaoh suffered through the 10 plagues in Exodus. 

Revelation 16 - The 7 Bowls of Wrath 

It's telling that so many of the bowls of wrath echo the Exodus plagues.  And while earlier, the impending judgments warned against in Revelation resulted in something like 1/3 of the world's destruction, here they are unlimited.  Though the 7 seals, the 7 trumpets, and the 7 bowls of wrath are not describing different events or a progression of events in the narrative, we are receiving greater intensity in the descriptions of judgment in this latter group of 7.  

The first bowl results in a disgusting and painful sore for those who had the mark of the beast and worshipped its image (remember the importance of emperor worship for the trade guilds).  But those who refused to worship the imperial gods were spared this judgment, just as the Hebrews were spared some of the plagues in Exodus.  The second bowl results in the sea becoming blood just like the Nile in the time of Moses.  And just like the Nile in the Exodus story, the rivers and springs of water throughout the world turn to blood with the third bowl of wrath.  According to the angel of the waters, this is justice served because the Romans had shed the blood of saints and prophets and so now, they deserve to drink blood rather than life giving water.

The fourth angel poured his bowl, not on the earth, but on the sun and it scorched the people with a fearsome heat.  However, rather than repentance, those opposed to God cursed him and refused to repent, just as the Pharaoh of the Exodus had so many centuries before.  After the fifth bowl is poured out, resulting not in intense heat from the sun but its absence resulting in darkness, the people continue in their hardness of heart, cursing God for their pain, rather than turning to him in repentance.

In the Exodus narrative, the Hebrews passed safely through the waters of the dried-up sea, while here in Revelation we are told that the Euphrates River will be dried up by the sixth bowl of wrath so that the enemies of Rome, the Parthians will have clear access to the Empire and its destruction.  In the Exodus plagues, Egypt was troubled by a relentless deluge of frogs in the second plague, whereas in Revelation we learn that three foul spirits like frogs come from the mouth of the dragon (the Satan), the mouth of the beast (Rome), and the mouth of the false prophet (those who promote the worship of Rome's emperor).  The petty client kings of the Roman Empire have embraced Rome's propaganda and so will suffer Rome's fate when it collapses.  Symbolically, John describes this fall with the echoes of great battles fought in the past in the region of Megiddo.

With the seventh bowl of wrath, a loud voice from the temple and throne declares that it is done!  This is it.  The judgments of God are complete.  And just as YHWH visited his people on Mount Sinai in Exodus, so John sees flashes of lightening, rumblings, and peals of thunder accompanied by a dramatic earthquake.  The result of this divine theophany is that the city of Rome is split into three parts, and the other cities of the nations also fall.  God remembers Rome - her idolatry and persecution of his people - and so he pours out the grapes of wrath upon her!  If in Exodus, Egypt had to endure the wrath of God, how much more must Rome in John's visions in Revelation!  

We still have 6 chapters of the apocalypse to explore, but for now we are secure in the knowledge that John saw two different destinies for the people of God and the people who gave into Rome's disastrous idolatry.  And on top of that, we will be privileged to get a glimpse of God's final destiny for his creation and for those who wish to submit to the Lordship of his Son, Jesus Christ. - Shay 

Revelation 14:6-20 - The Good News of Jesus Christ

Before John moves on to his third and final set of 7s (7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls) he finishes up this interlude reminding his readers (the 7 churches of Asia) of what's at stake.  Ultimately, Revelation is about the good news of Jesus Christ.  Christ is to come in judgment (hence the many warnings in the book), but even more crucially, Jesus will return to bring salvation to his people.  And he desires that the number of his people will grow far and wide to the very ends of the earth.  The good news of Jesus Christ is for any and all who would receive him.

Revelation 14:6-13 - An Eternal Gospel  

John sees an angel flying in the middle of the sky, shouting out to all - every nation, tribe, language, and people that God's offer of rescue is universal.  One will only face God's judgment if they reject his offer of salvation.  Another angel then proclaims that Babylon (Rome) is fallen.  Rome is the power who had forced its conquered nations into idolatry and immorality, and it will pay the price for its wickedness.  Then a third angel declares that those who worship Rome (and her emperor) will also face judgement.  John then pauses to remind his readers that they must continue to endure so that they won't get swept away in Rome's condemnation.  All will face death, a voice from heaven (The Spirit) declares, but those who die in the Lord are blessed and will enter into God's rest as their faithful service to God will make an impact, even in the age to come.  

Revelation 14:14-20 - The Harvest and the Vintage 

John next sees one like the Son of Man sitting on a cloud with a sickle in his hand, a clear echo of Daniel 7:13-14 where the Son of Man ascends to God the Father and receives an eternal, universal kingdom.  Here, the Son of Man (Jesus) reaps the harvest of the earth with his sickle.  The text doesn't say if this is reaping for salvation or judgment, but it could be either or both.  

Following this, another angel uses a sharp sickle to gather the vintage, and the grapes are thrown into the wine press of the wrath of God.  This reaping certainly seems to be for judgement, as blood flows as high as a horse's bridle for 200 miles.  It's clear these two images are metaphors for the final judgment when Christ will receive those who have accepted him and reject those who have rejected him.

Revelation's Message Taking Shape 

We are two-thirds through Revelation and the book's message is clearly taking shape.  John, writing to the 7 churches of Asia Minor is encouraging his readers to remain faithful and press on despite the increasing pressure of the culture around them to conform to the pagan idolatry of the Roman Empire.  If they remain faithful unto death, they will be welcomed into Christ's eternal kingdom in the renewed creation.  But if they abandon Jesus, they, like those who have aligned themselves with the beasts of Rome and the dragon (the Satan) will suffer judgment.  And the good news of Jesus Christ assures them that God's offer of mercy, forgiveness, and salvation is open not only to them, but to all from every tribe, people, language, and nation.  John still has more to say about Rome and about God's final plan for the universe, it's basically the same message that we've already received, but with far greater detail, so read on! - Shay 

Revelation 12:1-14:5 - The Dragon and the Two Beasts

The Kennedy assassination, the moon landing, the origin of diseases like AIDS and Covid 19, the death of Princess Diana, and the tragedy of 9/11.  What do all of these events have in common?  In one way or another, they all have spawned numerous conspiracy theories.  Why?  As humans, we naturally seek meaning and explanation.  The idea that some things just happen - that there is a randomness in our world is sometimes hard to swallow.  Now, obviously, there is a cause and effect to all the events listed above.  And whether or not the evidence actually supports the various conspiracy theories that have arisen on the backs of these events, we all know that there are powers and forces at work in our world that are deeper and more far reaching than we might be aware of.  

As the prophet John receives his visions and reports them to the 7 churches of Asia, John is given insight into the powers and forces that are at work in the Roman Empire.  The difficulties that the believers of Asia Minor are facing have their origin in a force that is far older and far more menacing than they might be aware.  John lifts the veil on this reality in Revelation 12:1-14:5.  

The Apollo - Python Myth and the Dragon

To understand Revelation 12, it is helpful to be aware of the Apollo - Python Myth.  In this Greek story, Leto is made pregnant by Zeus and as she is about to give birth, a great dragon named Python seeks to kill her and her unborn child as the dragon discovers that the child is destined to kill it.  Leto flees to Poseidon who places her on a remote island, protected by the sea where she gives birth.  When the infant Apollo is born, he immediately gains full strength and then goes to Mt. Parnassus where he kills the dragon.  With this story in the background, let's explore chapter 12.

John sees a pregnant woman on the verge of giving birth just as a great red dragon appears who seeks to devour the child as soon as its born. But God snatches the child from the grip of the dragon and as the woman flees into the wilderness, she is nourished for 3 & 1/2 years (the number 7 is symbolic, usually referring to completeness and Revelation often uses half of 7 as a symbolic number as well, usually indicating a short or limited time).  

As we read on, a war breaks out in heaven, and the angel Michael fights against the dragon and his motley crew of fallen angels.  The dragon and his minions are cast out of heaven, and they land on earth where they will deceive the world.  We discover that this dragon is none other than the Satan (the accuser).  But the dragon is conquered on earth by the followers of the Messiah through the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and their willingness to suffer all the way to death if necessary.  

Though his defeat is imminent, the dragon pursues the woman who had given birth to the male child, but she is given two wings and flies away to a place where she is again nourished for a short time.  The serpent (as the dragon is here referred to) pours a river of water from his mouth to drown the woman, yet the earth comes to her rescue swallowing up the river.  But the dragon is still not done.  He goes off to continue to make war on the followers of Jesus.  

Through the creative use of the Apollo-Python myth, John is communicating to the churches of Asia that they are not merely being persecuted by Rome, but that behind Rome's actions are the demonic powers of the Devil, the Satan.  The woman in the story represents the historic people of God (Israel) through whom the male child (Jesus) is born.  Just as the woman is pursued, but ultimately protected, so final victory is assured for Jesus' followers in the churches.  But there is still a time of testing that these believers will confront.  John will introduce a couple of other nasty creatures which will give further definition to the present trying circumstances these disciples face.

The First Beast 

In the book of Daniel, ghastly, grotesque beasts are symbols representing the political realities of the ancient Near East from the time of the Persians through the reign of the Greeks in and after the time of Alexander the Great.  Having been immersed in this literature, the prophet John sees a similar beast rising out of the sea.  Instead of representing Persia or Greece, this beast represents Rome and is an amalgamation of the four beasts from Daniel 7.  

In the year 69 AD after the Emperor Nero's death, it appeared that the Roman Empire might crumble going through three emperors in quick succession (Galba, Otho, and Vitellius) before regaining stability under Vespasian.  With Vespasian's reign, the second Roman dynasty was established.  Vespasian ruled from 69-79, his son Titus' reign lasted from 79-81, when Vespasian's son Domitian began his rule (81-96 AD).  A couple of decades before the writing of Revelation, it looked as if Rome was doomed ("One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow, but its mortal wound had been healed." Rev 13:3a).  But by the time John receives his vision Rome is as strong as ever ("In amazement the whole earth followed the beast." Rev 13:3b).

But Rome is not simply requiring political acquiescence from its subjects. No, Rome demands worship.  "They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?'" Rev 13:4. Did you notice that it is the dragon (the Satan) who stands behind the beast (Rome)?  So, worship of the Emperor or the Empire is in fact, Satanic worship.

And what is the fate of those who refuse to give their worship to Rome?  Rome will make war on them and conquer them.  But the followers of Jesus are called to persevere, not through physical violence, but through patient, peaceful endurance.  

The Second Beast 

Throughout the Roman Empire, but especially in the eastern regions, like Asia Minor where the 7 churches of Revelation were located, whole cults of priests were dedicated to promoting and enforcing the worship of the emperor.  The Roman political and military machine was supported by a religious arm who placed statues of the Roman emperors in temples throughout the empire where people demonstrated their citizenship by offering incense and obeisance at the foot of these idols.  Many trade guilds required their members to fulfil their civic duty by offering not only allegiance to Rome and its rulers, but even worship.  This is the reality behind the second beast that John sees in his vision in Revelation 13:11-17.  

666 

For centuries people have been puzzled by the figure represented by the number 666 who is associated with the second beast.  First of all, Satan is not associated with 666, he is symbolized by the dragon.  Second, to grasp this reference one needs to be familiar with the ancient art of gematria whereby letters are assigned numbers.  In Hebrew, if one takes the name Caesar Neron (Neron is a form of Nero) through gematria you arrive at 666.  There is also a variant in some of the ancient manuscripts of Revelation which claim the number in 13:18 is 616.  If you take the name Caesar Nero, you get 616.  It's clear that the person behind this famous number is Nero, one of the early persecutors of Christians and the church.  At the time of Revelation's writing, there was a rumor circulating throughout the Empire that Nero had not died and that he was plotting to lead an army of Parthians to reclaim the Roman throne.  At any rate, Nero represents all that is beastly about Rome's pagan idolatry and its oppression of Christ's people.

 God's Reality 

John has spent many verses in this section of Revelation describing the Satanic background of Rome's persecution of Christians, so it is fitting that he now pauses to describe a different reality and an eternal kingdom coming.  He looks and sees the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with 144,000 people (the symbolic number for the people of God) who have given their allegiance not to Rome, but to Jesus Christ and his Father.  They sing a new song that the text hints will spread far and wide beyond their present numbers to the rest of the world.  They are the redeemed - the first fruits of the age to come.  But how will the Kingdom eventually come?  And what is the fate of Rome?  We're getting there... - Shay