The bowls here signify that though the seven last plagues, the plagues of the seven bowls, are the ultimate fury of God, His fury is limited; otherwise, the entire earth with its inhabitants would be destroyed. For the fulfillment of His eternal purpose, God, in His judgment upon the earth, still places a limit on His ultimate fury.

In His ultimate fury God will mark the rebellious ones with a sore on their skin because they bear the mark of the beast. This shows that what God does in His ultimate fury toward the rebellious ones is a reaction to what Antichrist does.

Or, every soul of life; referring to every animal that has a soul.

See note Rev. 15:4^1b.

Unlike Rev. 1:8 and Rev. 4:8, neither this verse nor Rev. 11:17 says "who is coming." This proves that the Lord's coming back must be after 4:8 and before 11:17. See note Rev. 1:4⁴.

See note Rev. 15:4^1b.

This is the praise from the altar concerning God's judgments over Antichrist's territory.

See note Rev. 15:3^3h.

The throne here indicates that the seven bowls are for the judging of the beast and of his kingdom and territory.

The plague of the second bowl is more severe than that of the second trumpet (Rev. 8:8-9); the plague of the third bowl is more severe than that of the third trumpet (Rev. 8:10-11); and the plague of the fourth bowl is more severe than that of the fourth trumpet (Rev. 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, as the king of the demon possessed locusts, torments men (Rev. 9:7-11); and the plague of the sixth bowl is related to the sixth trumpet (Rev. 9:14), because the plagues of both the sixth bowl and the sixth trumpet are related to the same river, the Euphrates.

The unclean spirits will stir up the rebellious kings (v. 14) to send forth their forces to persecute God's people. Being spirits, the unclean spirits should be in the heavenlies, but having become frogs, they can move about only on the earth. This indicates that Satan and his power to act will be confined to the earth.

According to the context, this word must be 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 believers (the remaining, living majority of the believers) left on the earth. To them, the appearing of the Lord in His coming back will still be like the coming of a thief, at an hour unknown to them.

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 kings of the whole inhabited earth and to gather their forces (vv. 13-14) — including the two hundred million horsemen mentioned in 9:14-16 (see note Rev. 16:12¹) — 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 fight against Christ and His army. For this he will use all of rebellious mankind (Rev. 17:12-14; 19:11-19). Christ and His chosen overcomers will defeat and destroy them all (Rev. 19:20-21; Micah 4:11-13; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 14:3, 12-15; 12:4, 9) and will save the nation of Israel (Zech. 12:3-8; 14:4-5; Joel 3:14-17). This is the treading of the winepress, which is recorded in Rev. 14:17-20, Isa. 63:1-6, and Joel 3:9-13.

The word is a Hebrew compound of Har, meaning mountain, and Megiddon, i.e., Megiddo (Judg. 5:19; 2 Kings 23:29; Zech. 12:11), meaning slaughter; hence, the mountain of slaughter.

The temple is for God's testimony, whereas the throne is for God's judgment. Out of the temple from the throne indicates that God's judgment comes out of God's testimony and is for God's testimony. Once the last bowl has been poured out, marking the end of the great tribulation, every negative thing will have been eradicated, and then the bride will appear (Rev. 19:7-9).

Or, over, passed, accomplished. This refers to the fact that everything has been accomplished for God's judgment and for God's expression, God's testimony.

This earthquake is the same as that associated with the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:19). See note Rev. 11:19².

The great city is the city of Jerusalem. See note Rev. 11:8¹.

The religious, mysterious Babylon mentioned in Rev. 14:8 will be destroyed at the beginning of the great tribulation (see note Rev. 4:8^1b); therefore, Babylon the Great here, which will be destroyed immediately after the war at Armageddon at the end of the great tribulation, must be the material Babylon, the city of Rome. The Babylon in Rev. 14:8 corresponds with the one in ch. 17, while the Babylon here corresponds with the one in ch. 18. The sketches of the two Babylons are recorded in 14:8 and this verse; the details are given in chs. 17 and 18.

Rome gave the wine of the fury of her fornication to the nations (Rev. 18:3). Now God in His vengeance gives her the wine of the fury of His wrath.

A talent equals about 100 pounds.

This proves that the people have no intention of repenting; rather, they will oppose God to the end.