Revelation Friday Night Bible Study 05JUN26 (Revelation 16:1-2)

REVELATION

                    Our world is in major trouble. Much of what John saw in his vision is unfolding before our eyes. The earth has refused to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. There is just a remnant of people who are ready to meet Him in the sky. Despite the warnings in the Bible, there are those who choose to keep it hidden and ignore the alarms sounding all over the world. John was given this message of Revelation for the church to know what to expect in the last days, yet so many choose to act as if this part of the Bible doesn’t exist.

            However, the time is coming when Christians will no longer be able to close their eyes to the truth and will have to make the ultimate decision. They will choose to stand up for Christ or take sides with the beast and lose out on eternity. The decision must be made by every living soul. Some have made it and lost their lives in the process, only to have the right to gain it in eternity, while others have passed on without accepting Christ and made their choice to go to the Abyss. Those who are alive still have a chance to do what is right. Which side will you choose?

            John was shown the prostitute who sat upon the beast with multiple heads and horns. This was no ordinary woman, but one who was full of sin and caused others to drink of her cup. God gave this message so that the woman would turn from her evil ways and repent. Unfortunately, the prophecy does make clear that many will not repent and will be lost because of their rebellion. The day of the Lord is now! God will one day return, and when He does, will you be ready?

           

Quick Review from Lesson 8

a.)    The 144,000 sang a new song before the throne in Heaven.

b.)    The first angel’s message was to give God glory because the hour of judgment had come.

c.)    The second angel’s message proclaimed that Babylon the Great had fallen.

d.)    The third angel’s message warned that anyone receiving the beast’s mark would be tormented with burning sulfur.

e.)    Blessed are those who rest in God from their labor because their deeds will follow them.

f.)     The Son of Man was to take his sickle and reap, for the harvest was ripe.

g.)    There will be a song that the saints of God will sing that even the angels cannot sing.

h.)    Out of the temple came seven angels with seven plagues.

i.)     No one was able to enter the temple until the completion of the plagues.

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.’ The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Revelation 16:1-2).

 

        John was taken to another part of his vision where the seven angels were about to pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath upon the world. This will take place prior to Jesus’ return. There will be judgments rendered upon the citizens of the world who have refused to acknowledge the God of Heaven and His son Jesus Christ. However, they do not realize they will acknowledge Him at His coming. The Bible says: “It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,  ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God’ ” (Romans 14:11). John saw the first angel pour out his bowl upon the land, and sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped him. God used a similar judgment with Pharaoh when he refused to let the Children of Israel go. The Bible says: “Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.’ So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians” (Exodus 9:8-11). God uses various methods to get people’s attention, but there comes a time when mercy and grace run out, resulting in judgment. Those who do not have the seal of God will be the ones to receive these bowls of wrath.

 Reasons why God judges include:

 

• Justice and Accountability: God could be viewed as being unjust if He allowed sin to continue and never called to account those who have committed continuous evil acts and open rebellion. Therefore, He must respond to sin, which has caused tremendous pain, suffering, and death upon the earth. These judgments in John’s vision act as a response and correction to the wrongs of those who rejected Him. The Bible says: “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

 

• Safeguard and Love: God safeguards and loves those who are oppressed, persecuted, and less fortunate. Therefore, He responds to their cry for help and judges their offenders. His judgment is necessary to defend the plight of those victimized by injustice. The Bible says: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:17-18).

 

• Reconciliation: The Lord wants everyone to be reconciled to Him. This is why Jesus came so that we can have life and be reconciled to the Father. Judgment acts as a prompting to get man’s attention to return to the Lord and to align their ways with His. The Bible says: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10).

 

• Discernment of the Truth: God is the Spirit of Truth. Therefore, He brings clarity and discernment for His people to know His truth and discern right from wrong. Judgment brings clarity to God’s truth, not men. The Bible says: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).