Similar to what happened in Egypt, the seven last plagues achieve the following five goals:
In each plague, God says to the wicked: ‘let my people go’.
Each plague afflicts the favorite false ‘gods’ of the world.
The wicked's response to the plagues will demonstrate that their decision cannot be undone. Every plague, like the days of Pharaoh in Egypt, does not cause the wicked to turn from their hatred of God's people; rather, it makes them even more enraged (Revelation 16:8–11).
The plagues force God's people to live in an unavoidable circumstance, demonstrating to the rest of the cosmos that their faith is unwavering and that not even death can cause them to lose confidence in God.
The saints' deliverance will demonstrate God's faithfulness to His covenant and magnify His glory. They would perish if God did not step in to save them (Ezekiel 38:18–23).
The first four plagues are what I refer to as "jeopardy plagues," because the wicked had the potential to wipe out God's people during them.
The reason the last three plagues are referred to as "deliverance plagues" is that during them, the wicked will turn on each other, putting God's people out of danger.
The final three plagues arrive one after the other in rapid order.
The plagues are for Babylon, not God's people. The plagues never afflict the righteous, therefore, there is no reason to fear them.
Revelation Chapter 16 Verse 1 to 2
1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
After the establishment of the beast's image and the enforcement of its mark (Revelation 13:14–17), and following the third angel's warning against the beast and its mark, the first plague falls upon those who have received the mark of the beast and worship its image (verse 2).
And, because the seven last plagues represent the culmination of God's almighty anger (Revelation 14:10; 15:1; 16:1), it is apparent that the probation of those who suffer from them is over. Revelation 22:11.
The plagues pour forth sequentially and in a relatively short period of time because men are still suffering from the sores of the first plague (verse 11).
The seven bowls symbolize the destruction of the earth (Revelation 15:7). The seven last plagues are a lot like the ten plagues that came down on Egypt (Exodus 5:1–12:30).
Both show that God is in control and has power.Â
Both lead to the defeat of men who decided to disobey God, which frees God's people from a situation that they could not have avoided otherwise.Â
Both show how fair God is and bring glory and honor to His name.
Ten terrible plagues struck Egypt. Each one was meant to show how useless it was to trust a false religion (Exodus 7:17 and 12:12). The seven last plagues will also be real, but each will be a blow to a different part of the apostate faith and carry deeper meanings.Â
It is important to note that the first four or five plagues are kind of like warm-ups. They help people understand that they have been fighting against God. Not only do they not change their minds, they curse Him more harshly than ever and become even more determined to fight Him (Revelation 16:9, 11, 21). In this way, the plagues show the rebellious spirit that rules their hearts.
Revelation Chapter 16 Verse 3 to 4
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
The third plague also strikes the "rivers and fountains of waters" in the same manner (verse 4). Countries mostly use the sea for travel and business. The fact that this plague stops foreign trade and travel (Revelation 13:13–17; 16:13–14; 17:3, 12) shows that God does not like Satan's plan to control all the nations of the world. Look at what Balaam went through (2 Chronicles 22:21–35).
The Greek word for "soul" (psuche) can also be used for animal life (Matthew 10:28 and Psalm 16:10). In Revelation 8:9, the word "creatures" is translated as "psuche," which clearly means sea life.
In biblical times, people mostly used "rivers and fountains of waters" for common uses like drinking, bathing, and irrigation. Whereas the second plague would undoubtedly cause significant inconvenience and even disrupt travel, the third plague's impacts would be instantaneous and severe. Compare to the first plague in Egypt (Exodus 7:17–19).
Revelation Chapter 16 Verse 5 to 7
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
Undoubtedly, this includes the unshed blood of living saints designated for martyrdom (Revelation 17:6 and 18:20). By sentencing God's people to death, the wicked have assumed responsibility for their blood as if it had already been shed (Matthew 23:35).
The punishment is appropriate for the crime. The wicked deserve their punishment. It is not an arbitrary act by God.
This is the altar of incense. There is no mention of an altar of burnt offerings in heaven (Revelation 8:3; 9:13; 14:18; Exodus 30:1, 6).
In delivering these severe judgments to those who have rejected divine mercy, God is truthful in the sense that He keeps His word. He is carrying out His promises (Revelation 14:9–11). He is righteous, or just, in the sense that justice requires punishment for those who have disobeyed Heaven.
Revelation Chapter 16 Verse 8 to 11
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Normally, the sun warms and cheers men, while also controlling plant growth, climate, and a variety of other activities required to sustain life. It now emits an excess of heat and energy, tormenting men and destroying lives. Though men suffer directly from the high heat, the worst consequences are undoubtedly catastrophic drought and famine. However, a famine of God's word accompanies the real plague.
In this context, blasphemy signifies speaking negatively about God. During the fourth plague, men begin to blame God for their pain and recognize that they are battling against Him. The name of God refers to God himself. The name represents the person who has it (Acts 3:16; Matthew 6:9).
Instead of admitting their wrongdoing, they shift the responsibility for their unhappiness onto those who have remained faithful to God. They refuse to submit to His will, revealing themselves as ardent servants of Satan. The failure to repent demonstrates their unwavering opposition to God.
Most likely, the beast's seat is his headquarters. The beast here portrays the Papacy in its revived state, rather than its religious character in its claimed role as a world power dominating other world powers (Revelation 13:1-2, 10; 17:3, 8, 9–11).
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Except for a small minority that continues to reject his domination, Satan counts the whole world as his subjects, and he seeks control of the entire human race through the restored Papacy in particular. Consequently, this plague seems to envelop the entire world in darkness. So, while men grope unrepentantly for light in a spiritually dark world (Revelation 16:8–9), God pours literal darkness upon them, symbolizing the deeper spiritual gloom that is yet to enshroud the planet.