In this week’s study, I continue in Chapter 16 verses 10 to 12. Once again before I begin this study I go into a rant on some of the current events that affected our daily life, discussing the Protocols of the Learned Elders
How do we know that the events remaining in the 7th Vial – great earthquake, Babylon is judged, mountains and islands are moved and great hail – are what happens at Armageddon? All we have to do is compare them with Ezekiel 38:18-22. We compared this with the 7th Vial and found that it was one and the same. In both cases there is a great earthquake, mountains and islands move and there are great hailstones.
In chapter 11, we saw that the two witnesses in Jerusalem will be prophesying and pronouncing plagues upon the earth during the 1260 days of the great tribulation and those plagues shall do enormous harm to the earth. The plagues will stop when Antichrist finally succeeds in killing the two witnesses. In response to their deaths, the unbelieving world bursts into joyous celebration. In their minds, Antichrist will have saved the world. For the unbelieving world, this will be a time of victory, relief, and praise for Antichrist.
The Fifth Vial
Now in verses 10 through 21 the Lord is going to reveal to us the last three judgments that will fall upon this world that will fall upon the kingdom of the antichrist and change, literally, the topography of the earth in preparation for Yahweh's final confrontation with man at the Battle of Armageddon.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast = The previous judgments had been foundation to this. They all had a bearing on this and were all preliminary to it; but the “seat” - the home, the center of the power of the beast - had not yet been reached.
And his kingdom was full of darkness = “skot-o’o” to obscure– blind- Confusion - disorder - distress, for darkness is often the emblem of calamity,
And they gnawed their tongues for pain = This is a “most significant expression of the writhings of anguish.” The word rendered here “gnawed” does not occur elsewhere in the New Testament, nor is the expression elsewhere used in the Bible; but its meaning is plain - it indicates deep anguish. ‘mas-sah-om-ahee’ from ‘masso’ (to handle or squeeze); to chew
11 and they blasphemed the Yahweh of heaven = The same effect which it was said would be produced by the pouring out of the fourth vial, Rev. 16:9.
because of their pains and their sores (verse 2), = Of the calamities that had come upon them.
and repented not and turned not from their works. = The effects of Yahweh’s wrath will cause these people to hate Yahweh even more.
The Sixth Vial (16:12-16).
The sixth Vial, like the third (verses 4, 5), has three divisions (whereas all the others have only two). These three are (1) the pouring out, (2) the effect, and (3) things seen.
What is meant by this is open to debate, depending on whether our interpretation should lean literal or figurative.
Literal: There will be some army east of the Euphrates that wants to attack Israel, but they are prevented from coming by the Euphrates river. But the sixth seal dries up the river allowing them to attack Israel.
Figurative: The reference to the Euphrates refers to Babylon because the ancient city of Babylon was situated on the Euphrates River east of Israel. The “kings from the east” would then refer to this metaphorical Babylon of Antichrist, his cohorts, and their armies. The “drying of the river” is simply a device for saying that Antichrist was given motivation and opportunity to commence this attack.
Have any questions? Feel free to email me at keitner@netzero.net
