Last week we looked at the introduction to the seven last plagues. Today we are going to be looking at the plagues themselves.

Great Controversy 628.2
These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.

• There are two important points that I would like to point out from this quote.
• First – the plagues are not universal. This means that it does not fall on the whole earth. It is specific to either a group of people or a particular location. We will even see that in the very first plague that we will study.
• Second – this is God’s wrath and judgment that is not mixed with His mercy. Everything that has been poured on the earth up to this point has been mingled with God’s mercy, but not so with the wrath of God.
• Note: if the earth isn’t being totally destroyed and renewed, then what is the purpose of these plagues? This chapter answers this question. But keep in mind, it is not to destroy the earth.

Literal or Symbolic?

Are the plagues literal or symbolic?

• The plagues are poured on six entities:
  • The earth.
  • The sea.
  • The water.
  • The sun.
  • The atmosphere.
  • The people of the planet.

How do we interpret it? Should it be literal or symbolic?

• Remember how we have looked at earlier passages already in Revelation.
• If it fits literally, then apply it literally. But if it doesn’t fit in the literal context of the passage, most likely it is symbolic.
• And in the case of these plagues we will see that most are literal except for one. You will see it clearly when we arrive at it.

Let’s have a look at the first plague.

The 1^st Plague

Revelation 16:1-2
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” 2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

The first plague is the plague of sores. And how is it poured on? It is poured on a specific group of people. It is poured on those that have received the mark of the beast and those that had worshipped his image. It is directly related to the last days.

• Basically, it is poured on all the wicked that are living at that time as the rest of the people are those that have received the seal of God.
• So there is a distinction between those that are God’s and those that are not, even before Christ comes for a second time.
• Remember, at this time probation has closed already.
  • Those that are wicked will remain wicked, and those that are righteous will remain righteous.

When you read of people that received sores in the Bible, who do you think of?

• Yes, the Egyptians did receive sores when the 10 plagues were poured out.
• Exodus 9:9-10
  9 And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” 10 Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast.
• Another person that comes to mind is Job.
  • It was the devil that afflicted Job with sores.
  • However, in this case it is God afflicting people with sores and boils. It is because they are not perfect like Job. They are very much unlike him.
  • The 144,000 are faultless when they stand before God’s throne but the wicked are the total opposite. God is vindicating His people.

Let’s move on to the second plague.

The 2^nd Plague

Revelation 16:3
Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

This plague affects all the seas, the oceans.

• It is worldwide.
• I want you to imagine the stench that will come from the blood and also all the death of all the sea creatures.
• We will definitely know that probation has closed when we see this take place.

The 3^rd Plague

Revelation 16:4
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

Sea water is not drinkable water. But now the plagues are focused on the rivers and springs of water.

• Just like how the river in Egypt became like blood, so too will this take place throughout the whole world.
• Exodus 7:19
  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ”
  • The third plague is similar to that in Egypt.

What is the reason that all the bodies of water are becoming blood?

• Revelation 16:5-7
  5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. for it is their just due.” 7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
• What is the reason that God gives us there in Revelation 16? It is because they have shed the blood of the saints and the prophets. So now God is giving them blood to drink.
• However, just as the Israelites was not sheltered from the water turning to blood, God’s people during that time will not be sheltered from that. However, they will be preserved.
• Notice though that it says twice that God is righteous. The Bible states that He is doing the right thing by pouring out upon the world and the wicked these plagues.
• Now is that time of justice and vengeance from God.
• The wicked will not be able to drink the fresh water at that time. However, the fourth plague will compel them to drink it.

The 4^th Plague

Revelation 16:8-9
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

There will be a great heat wave that will come upon the earth.

• The natural reaction will be to want to drink more water for However, all the drinkable water will be undrinkable. It will be all blood. But because of their thirst, some will be compelled to drink it.
• When heat waves strike, normally people will want to go to the beaches and soak in the ocean to cool down. However, all the shorelines will be littering with the stench of rotting flesh from all the dead sea animals.
• The heat waves also will be so intense that it will cause forest fires to break out. Fires that will not be able to be contained because there will be no water that can help. Joel gives this insight:
  • Joel 1:15, 20
    15 Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as destruction from the Almighty. 20 The beasts of the field also cry out to You, for the water brooks are dried up, and fire has devoured the open pastures.
• So there will not even be trees to help shade people from the sun. Thus the Bible describing people being scorched with the sun.
• As a result of the scorching of the sun, this will also result in a shortage of food. Crops will be destroyed. There will be famine and hunger worldwide. The situation is becoming more desperate.
• Each plague being poured out is becoming worse and more But yet look at the wicked. Are they sorry for what they have done?
  • No they aren’t sorry at all. They blaspheme God! It just makes them more angry at God with a refusal to repent.

Is God just simply angry at the wicked? No. The scriptures describe this work that God is doing as a strange work.

• Isaiah 28:21
  For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.
• Taking life is unnatural to God. It is strange to Him. But for the sake of the righteous, He will repay, He will take vengeance. The Bible says that they deserve it.
• Revelation 16:6
  For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
  • They deserve it. It is the right thing to do.

During all this time, God’s people, the 144,000, are protected. They do not die anymore. Once the plagues are poured out, there will be no more death of anymore saints.

• There is no more purpose for the death of any saint as its purpose was to witness for the truth and to convict others to accept Christ.
• But after the close of probation, with the plagues being poured out, no one is repenting. The plagues are just showing more the fruits of what is in the heart of the wicked. They are cursing God and refusing to change. And since there is no more opportunity for the wicked to change, there is no more need for the death of any saint. Any saint that would die after that time would just be a triumph for Satan.
• So even though there will be water turned to blood, and the sun scorching people with a great fire and heat, God’s people are safe through this time.
  • They will have water to drink. Maybe God will bring water out of a rock for them to drink.
  • They will be shaded by God from the heat of the sun.

Psalms 91 is really a Psalm for the last days. Look at what it says.

• Psalms 91:1-2
  1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.”
  • We will have shade in God’s shadow. He will protect us from the scorching sun.

So far, this is what we see of the plagues.

• 1^st plague: Sores
• 2^nd plague: Sea turns to blood
• 3^rd plague: Rivers and waters turn to blood
• 4^th plague: People are scorched by the sun

The 5^th Plague

Revelation 16:10-11
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

The reach of this next plague begins at the throne of the beast.

• And since the beast is the Papacy, its throne must be located at the Vatican City in the heart of Rome.
• However, it is not just localized there at the Vatican City, but it stretches over all his kingdom. At this time, his kingdom will be worldwide.
  • Revelation 13:3
    And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.
  • Revelation 13:8
    All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
  • So the darkness will be worldwide.

This plague of darkness can be felt, and it is painful as well. It is so painful that they gnaw their tongues because of the pain. To understand how that would happen would be beyond our comprehension at this point, just like how the waters will turn to blood.

• This happened to Egypt as well.
• Exodus 10:21-23
  21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
• It was darkness that could be felt.
• We have a precedence in what happened in Egypt. Whilst the Egyptians had no light, the Israelites had light. The plague did not affect God’s people. And most likely it will be that way in the 5^th plague as well. Whilst the whole world will be shrouded in darkness that can be felt and that will be painful, the 144,000 will have light.

The world has rejected the spiritual light of the Lamb. They have rejected the light that was streaming from God’s word into the world, and rather they have chosen the darkness of the beast – his lies, his traditions, the commandments of men.

• Zephaniah 1:15
  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.
• A day of thick darkness.

The previous plague that was poured out was one of extreme heat from the sun.

• Now the world will be plunged into a darkness that the sun’s rays cannot penetrate. It will be extremely cold. All the heating systems would have failed already.
• On top of that, they have sores that are covering their bodies.
• Is it any wonder that the Bible describes this darkness as being painful. It is a compounding of all the plagues that have taken place so far that is causing them this extreme pain. From extreme heat to extreme cold, with ulcerated sores covering them.

How long does this darkness last for?

• When we read what happened in Egypt, it only covered the land of Egypt for 3 days.
• We’re not exactly sure, but based on what we saw it Egypt, it should not be a long period.
• Revelation 18:10
  Standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
  • It mentions one hour.
• That could be a prophetic one hour.
  • 1 day = 1 year.
  • Thus 1 hour would be equivalent to 15 days. Which is 360 days divided by 24 hours.
  • Could it be that the plagues only last for 15 days total?
• This is mentioned in Revelation 18 three times.
• Revelation 18:17
  For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance
• Revelation 18:19
  “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’
• Whether or not that is really 15 days, we are not entirely sure. However, one thing we can be sure of is that it will be a short time. Why?
• Matthew 24:22
  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
• Those days would be shortened, otherwise even God’s faithful would also be destroyed as well.

Now we come to the next plague.

The 6^th Plague

Revelation 16:12-16
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” 16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

We see here the drying up of the river Euphrates. And we also see here Armageddon.

• This is probably the only plague that is not literal. The rest of the plagues and what we read seem to indicate that it has to be literal.
• Why would it not be literal?
• First, we see the drying of the river Euphrates and the coming of the kings of the east. The deep heat from the sun would have dried everything up already.
• Secondly, we see three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. That would never happen literally.

We are not going to go into detail here about this plague. We will actually spend a whole session next week on this plague. It has a lot of detail and it has a lot of significance for us.

However, what is important to note is verse 15.

• Revelation 16:15
  “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
• This is second coming language. The time of Christ’s return is much nearer than ever before. Probation has closed already. The plagues are near their conclusion. We will see Jesus very soon after this.

Let’s move on to the next plague.

The 7^th Plague

Revelation 16:17-20
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

This last plague is poured into the air. However, before the plagues fall, God signifies the end of the plagues with thunder, lightning and a great earthquake. This itself is not the plagues, but it does seem to affect the earth and those that are living in it.

• Revelation 16:20
  Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
• The earth will be made low. Islands will disappear. Mountains will be flattened. It is almost as if the earth is preparing itself to receive Jesus and every eye will see Him. And the only way for that to happen is the earth must be made a plain, nice and flat so nothing will be blocking their view of the skies.
• But even through this time, God’s people will be protected.
• Psalms 46:1-3
  1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah
• Psalms 91:11-12
  11 For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
• God’s angel’s will be present to protect all of His people. Nothing else will be able to protect from God’s wrath.
• Remember, it seems like the earthquake is the final plague, but this is just simply announcing the last plague and the conclusion to all the plagues, and the soon coming of the next event – the second coming of Christ.
• God’s people will know that by this time the second coming is near.

Finally, what is poured out in this plague?

• Revelation 16:21
  And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
• We are told that a talent of silver is approximately 45kg in weight. And a talent of gold is approximately double that at 91kg.
• Whichever weight we choose, it is safe to say that any rock from 45-90 kg in weight, hurtling through space and striking the earth is going to cause total and utter destruction. This will result in worldwide desolation.
• No building is going to be able to stand against such hailstones. All the trees are going to be flattened. People will not be safe anywhere except under the wings of God’s protecting angels.

 

What is the purpose of these plagues?

• Yes, they are the judgment and vengeance of God. He promised that He would repay during the dark ages when the souls were crying out under the altar for revenge.
• God has finally repaid.

However, it also reveals the true character and spirit of the wicked. Look at the following verses about the wicked and their reaction to the plagues.

• Revelation 16:9
  And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
• Revelation 16:11
  They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
• Revelation 16:21
  Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
• Each time, they do not repent. They do not cry out to God for mercy and relief.
• The plagues have only hardened their hearts more, just like Pharaoh who was given so many times to repent and change. They blaspheme God even more.
• It is not that God has hardened their hearts so that they cannot change at all, but they have been so far gone in their way and practice of life, that when the plagues are poured out, it is just revealing what is already in their hearts. It is anger and rebellion and hatred against God and His people.

The close of probation is not God simply forcing people that they cannot repent anymore. The plagues are a catalyst that will also bring the wicked to their full maturity and it is a revealing of what God has declared – that they will remain wicked forever.

• The reaction of the true Christian when going through such a crisis would be to turn them to prayer and a crying out to God for help. But not with the wicked. Their thoughts are not centered on Him. They hate him. And through their lives they were taking steps further away from Him rather than closer. And the plagues are not going to change them now.
• The separation of the wicked and the righteous are made even more apparent.
• And the next event – Christ will come to take the righteous home.
• Revelation 22:12
  “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
• Isaiah 25:9
  And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”