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Before we consider the outpouring of the seven bowls, I want to say a further word concerning God on the throne and God in the temple. Most Christians, including many of us in the Lord’s recovery, know God only as the God on the throne. They know little of God as the God in the temple. It is rather easy to know God as the One on the throne because this fits our natural concept. However, in order to know God as the God in the temple, we must have a heavenly vision.
In the Bible God is firstly revealed as God on the throne. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s people gradually realized that God is the mighty One on the throne. God’s throne is for His dominion. Eventually, the revelation in the Bible leads us from the throne of God’s government to the temple of God’s expression. In the Old Testament we see God in His temple. In the New Testament we also see God in His house, His temple, the church. Ultimately, in the consummation of the Bible, the book of Revelation, the throne and the temple are combined (Rev. 16:17). In Revelation we see God on the throne in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 22:1).
Most Christians today know God only as the God on the throne. In their prayers and praises they are conscious of God as the One sitting on His throne. They are assured that even if the world were flooded with water, God would still be on the throne. Although we have often heard prayers directed to God on the throne and although we have hymns concerning God’s being on the throne, it is difficult to find a hymn saying that God is not only on the throne, but also in the temple. Few Christians have the vision of God as the One in the temple.
God is on the throne for His administration, but He is in the temple for His expression. God’s eternal purpose is not to be on the throne — it is to be in the temple. Because the throne of God has been eternally established, existing from eternity to eternity (Psa. 45:6), there is no need for it to be built. However, God’s temple requires a great deal of building work. God’s desire is not simply to be on the throne. He has been on the throne since eternity past. God desires a temple, an expression. Although every Christian knows that God is the mighty One on the throne, not many Christians realize that God today needs a temple, a church, a building, for His expression. Thus, in this country we have been sounding the trumpet about this matter for more than fourteen years. However, even among us, not many in their praises speak of God’s being in His temple. Rather, they praise God as the One on the throne. Have you ever praised God in the way of recognizing His desire to have the temple?
To repeat, the whole Bible firstly reveals God as the One on the throne. Gradually it reveals God’s desire to have a temple. The ultimate and consummate temple will be the New Jerusalem. As we have pointed out, the New Jerusalem will not only be God’s temple; it will also be the Holy of Holies. For eternity in the New Jerusalem, God will be in the Lamb on the throne. He will be the God on the throne in His temple, having His dominion with His full expression for eternity. Everything God is doing today is for this. This is the reason we say that we are not merely for individual salvation, but for corporate church building. Again I say that God’s intention is to have this temple. God’s throne is for His temple; that is, His administration is for His expression. Ultimately, in the New Jerusalem the river of water of life will flow from God’s throne to supply the entire city. Therefore, the New Jerusalem will be the consummation of God flowing from the throne.
Revelation 16:2 says, “And the first went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and there came an evil and malignant sore upon the men who have the mark of the beast and worship his image.” In His last fury God will mark the rebellious ones with a sore on their skin because they bear the mark of the beast. This mark will be like a malignant cancer. At that time God may seem to say, “Because you bear the mark of My enemy, the beast, I shall put a mark on you.” I do not believe that this sore will come upon the Americans, but on the citizens of the Roman Empire under Antichrist, who bear the name of Antichrist or the number of his name.
Verse 3 says, “And the second poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living soul that was in the sea died.” I do not believe that this will include all the seas. Probably it will mainly affect the Mediterranean Sea, the sea enclosed by Antichrist’s empire.
In verses 4 through 7 we have the outpouring of the third bowl. Verse 4 says, “And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.” Verse 5 speaks of “the angel of the waters.” In God’s administration, an angel has been appointed to control the waters. This angel praises God, saying, “You are righteous, who is and who was, the holy One, because You have judged these; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; they deserve it” (vv. 5-6). Both here and in 11:17 it does not say, “Who is coming,” as in 1:8 and 4:8. This proves that the Lord’s coming back must follow 4:8 and precede 11:17.
Not everyone dwelling on earth will deserve to be given blood to drink, for not all of them have poured out the blood of the saints. If Americans are those who pour out the blood of the saints, then they deserve to drink blood. I am assured, however, that such a thing will not take place in America. I believe that it will be mainly in the territory of Antichrist that the waters will turn into blood.
Before we go on, I need to insert a word regarding the extent of Antichrist’s empire. Luke 2:1 is helpful in this matter. This verse says that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus “for all the inhabited earth to be enrolled.” Certainly “all the inhabited earth” did not include ancient China; neither did it include America, which at the time was inhabited only by Indians. We must understand the Bible with its background and the circumstances in which it was written. According to the background, “all the inhabited earth” in Luke 2:1 refers to the world of the Roman Empire. Do not take this to mean every place on the whole earth. The earth-dwellers who will be punished by the seven bowls are mainly those who reside in the territory of Antichrist.
Verse 7 says, “And I heard the altar saying, Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” This is the praise from the altar concerning God’s judgments over Antichrist’s territory, which are true in nature and righteous in principle.
Verses 8 and 9 say, “And the fourth poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given to it to burn men with fire. And the men were burned with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent to give Him glory.” The men who are burned with great heat, who blaspheme the name of God, and who refuse to repent must be mainly the citizens of the Roman Empire who follow Antichrist to persecute God’s people and to rebel against God.
Verses 10 and 11 say, “And the fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven for their pains and for their sores; and they did not repent of their works.” Here we read that the fifth bowl is poured out upon the throne of the beast. This indicates that the seven bowls are for judging the beast, his kingdom, and his territory. This can be compared to God’s deeds through Moses upon Pharaoh and Egypt. When the land of Egypt was darkened, the whole earth was not darkened. The darkening of the kingdom of the beast will be exactly the same as the darkening of Egypt. Those in the kingdom of Antichrist will gnaw their tongues, blaspheme God, and refuse to repent.
Verse 12 continues, “And the sixth poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphrates; and its water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared.” The plague of the second bowl is more severe than that of the second trumpet (8:8-9); the plague of the third bowl, more than that of the third trumpet (8:10-11); the plague of the fourth bowl, more than that of the fourth trumpet (8:12). The plague of the fifth bowl, the judgment upon the throne of Antichrist and his kingdom, is related to the fifth trumpet, in which Antichrist is the king of the demonic locusts tormenting men (9:3-11); and the plague of the sixth bowl is related to the sixth trumpet (9:14), because the plagues of both are related to the same river, the Euphrates. In 9:14 and 15 we read that the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates will be loosed to stir up the kings to send their armies, and in 16:12 we are told that at the outpouring of the sixth bowl the water of the Euphrates will be dried up that these kings and their armies may pass over it. Hence, the sixth trumpet and the sixth bowl are related to each other.
Verses 13 through 16 are a vision inserted between the sixth and seventh bowls. This vision is of the gathering at Armageddon.
Verses 13 and 14 say, “And I saw, out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go forth to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” These unclean spirits are like frogs. As spirits, they should be in the heavenlies, but as frogs they can only move about on the earth. At that time Satan and his power to act will be limited to the earth. He will no longer have the right to maneuver in the air. Hence, the spirits that follow him will be like frogs.
By means of the signs they perform, these spirits of demons will gather together the kings of the inhabited earth for war. According to verse 16, “They gathered them to the place which in Hebrew is called, Armageddon.” At the end of the great tribulation, three unclean spirits out of the mouths of Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet, will go forth to stir up the rulers of the whole inhabited earth and gather their forces, including the two hundred million cavalry mentioned in Rev. 9:14-16, to the war at Armageddon, which will be the last war among mankind before the millennium. In that war Satan’s intention will be to destroy Israel (Zech. 14:12) and to fight against Christ and His army. For this he will use all rebellious mankind (Rev. 17:12-14; Rev. 19:11-19). Christ and His chosen overcomers will defeat and destroy them all (Rev. 19:20-21; Zech. 14:3, 12-15; 12:4, 9) and save the nation of Israel (Zech. 12:3-8; 14:4-5; Joel 3:14-17). This is the treading of the winepress recorded in Rev. 14:17-20, Isa. 63:1-6, and Joel 3:9-14.
Armies from the west (Roman Empire), the north (Russia), and the east (“the rising of the sun”) will be gathered at Armageddon. Ezekiel 38 and 39 prove that Russia, called Gog and Magog, will be there. Revelation 9 also indicates that two hundred million cavalry troops from the east will be there. Although armies from the west, the north, and the east will gather at Armageddon, there is no hint that the armies from the United States will be there. God has sovereignly arranged for the United States to be one of the few countries that are pro-Israel. If it were not for God’s sovereignty, how could Israel, a country surrounded by hostile nations, be able to survive? Although all the worldly forces will be prepared to damage the little nation of Israel, the United States will not be included. Again, I ask you not to understand the Bible in a natural way, but in the way of enlightenment, with insight into the Word and into today’s world situation.
Between the sixth and seventh bowls, the Lord issues a warning regarding His coming. Verse 15 says, “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he who watches and keeps his garments, that he may not walk naked and they see his shame.” According to the context, this word is spoken by the Lord at the end of the great tribulation before the war at Armageddon. This proves that at that time there will still be some believers, the gleanings, left on the earth. To them the appearing of the Lord in His coming back will still be as a thief, in an hour unknown to them. This is a strong proof that even after the harvest there will still be believers on earth.
When the seventh bowl is poured out upon the air, a loud voice “out of the temple from the throne” will say, “It is done” (v. 17). This means that everything both for judgment and for God’s expression, God’s testimony, has been accomplished. Immediately after this word is spoken, there will be lightnings, voices, thunders, and the greatest earthquake that the world has ever seen (v. 18). This earthquake, the same as the one in 11:19, will cause the great city, Jerusalem, to be divided into three parts and the cities of the nations to fall (v. 19). Because Jerusalem will have become as evil as ancient Sodom, God will judge it by means of this earthquake.
Verse 19 also says, “And Babylon the great was remembered before God to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.” The religious, mysterious Babylon in 14:8 is destroyed at the beginning of the great tribulation; therefore, Babylon the great here, which will be destroyed after, at, or before the war at Armageddon at the end of the great tribulation, must be the material Babylon, the city of Rome. The Babylon in 14:8 corresponds to that in chapter seventeen, while the Babylon in this verse corresponds to that in chapter eighteen. The sketches of the two Babylons are recorded in 14:8 and 16:19, the details are given in chapters seventeen and eighteen.
Verse 19 says that God will give her “the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.” Rome gave the wine of the fury of her fornication to the faithful saints among the nations (18:3). Now God in vengeance gives her the wine of the fury of His wrath.
Verse 20 says, “Every island fled, and mountains were not found.” Verse 21 concludes by saying, “And great hail, every stone about the weight of a talent [approximately one hundred pounds], comes down out of heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague of it is exceeding great.” Once again I say that this hail will not come down upon the people in America, but mainly upon the citizens of the empire of the beast. In the midst of the downpour of this great hail, those in the empire of Antichrist will continue to blaspheme God. This proves that they have no intention to repent. Rather, they will fight against God to the end.
