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
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