Revelation of John 16:9-11
Testimony, the Fourth and Fifth Bowl
Rev 16:5. After the third had emptied his bowl and before the fourth empties his bowl, the voice of another angel sounds. He is furthermore indicated as “the angel of the waters”. The waters seem to be the area that is given to him by God to act there (cf. Rev 7:1; Rev 14:18). Because of this, he will connect in a special way with the second angel and the third angel. The angel speaks to God and says to Him that His judgments show that He is “righteous”. The angel agrees with its righteousness. He also recognizes that God’s judgments show that He is Who He has always been, the Holy One. God’s judgments on the world at the end of history are no different from His judgments at the beginning of the world, such as the flood on the earth and the plagues on Egypt. He is not an unsteady ruler with changing standards all the time. In His judgments He is perfectly consistent.Rev 16:6. In the bowl judgments, God acts according to the principle of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exo 21:24). You may also say that man reaps what he has sown (Gal 6:7). The angel expresses this by stating that those who have shed blood also have had to drink blood in both previous judgments. Just as they have shed blood, just like that blood came out of the bowls which caused their death. The words “they deserve it” are sometimes used in a positive sense (Rev 3:4; Lk 20:35), but also in a negative sense. A person also receives judgment that he ‘deserves’. He who has shed “the blood of saints and prophets” has clearly shown that he hates everything that belongs to God (His ‘saints’) and what reminds him of Him (His ‘prophets’). In that way he has got rid of every blessing that God was still giving through His saints and prophets. In that way you make yourself due to the judgment yourself.In a spiritual sense God provided His people with His blessing by His prophets. But these ‘rivers’ are rejected by them, which caused them to change to blood. Also now all ‘rivers’ are rejected and therefore they are changed into rivers of blood. God’s Word and His institutions were given to be a blessing. But people got rid of them. We can see the consequences in the dramatic changes in people’s thinking and behavior: - selflessness turns into self-assertion, - the submissiveness of children to their parents turns into rebellion, - the exclusive love of the husband for his wife in marriage is oppressive and people start to live in alternative forms such as co-habitation and homosexual relationships; - submission of the woman is slavery against which feminism opposes; - euthanasia becomes a form of respect toward older people; - abortion is committed out of respect toward life; - obedience to authorities and submission of employees are answered by rights. All virtues of God are an abomination to modern, autonomous man. God will judge him accordingly.Rev 16:7. After the angel of the waters John also hears how even the altar agrees with a “yes” to the truthfulness and the righteousness of God’s judgments. The altar addresses the Lord Jesus to Whom all judgment has been given (Jn 5:22-23) and Who at the same time is God, the Almighty. This altar refers to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus and the redemption of all believers. God’s righteousness has never been shown more clearly than in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. He underwent judgment for the sins of all who believe in Him. Therefore, they are free from the judgments that pass over the earth like a scourge. But all who have rejected His sacrifice will be struck by the scourge and perish. From the altar emanates the serious proclamation that God's judgment on persistent unbelievers is as true and just as the judgment that the Lord Jesus struck for those who believe in Him.Rev 16:8. Then the wrath of God is directed at “the sun”, when “the fourth” angel pours his bowl over it. As a result, the sun burns so hot that its rays become a fire that burns people (cf. Mal 4:1). No sunscreen will help against this, even if the protection factor is so high. This fire is a harbinger of hell. Spiritually applied, the sun represents great rulers. The “men” are the unbelievers. During the great tribulation, those rulers are hostile to God. While the people thought these rulers were pursuing their interests, the fourth scale will transform these rulers into merciless rulers who will turn against their subjects and persecute and consume them with satanic pleasure. They did not want the gentle yoke of Him Who said that He is meek and humble of heart. Now an iron yoke is imposed on them that oppresses them without compassion (cf. Deu 28:48).Rev 16:9. The heat will cause tremendous pain. They know that the plagues come from God and they will no longer try to find a natural explanation for them, as happens today with all natural disasters. Men, however, refuse to admit that God speaks clearly to them in these natural disasters that they may repent. Enormous bodily pains or severe inner torments or both will drive them out to God. However, they do not come to God to confess their sins, but to blaspheme Him. Against their better judgment they blame Him for all misfortune. Their aversion to God comes out in all their intensity in those dramatic circumstances. They have been indoctrinated and brainwashed by the beast in such a way that it doesn’t occur to them to give God glory. The propaganda of the beast (Rev 13:6) has done its disastrous work in his followers. They have never wanted to repent and they still do not want to now. The future propaganda of the beast casts its shadows ahead. Through the newspaper, radio, television and the Internet more and more expressions and programs appear in which the aversion to God is woven. Whoever preaches the biblical gospel, experiences that people become more and more harsh and unreachable. This is especially true in the Western world, where the light of the gospel has shone brightest and people still boast of their ‘Christian roots’.Rev 16:10. “The fifth” angel pours out “his bowl on the throne of the beast”, that is, on the center of his power. The result is a darkness that extends itself from this center over his whole kingdom. The darkness is reminiscent of the darkness in Egypt, the ninth and second-last plague (Exo 10:21-22). In complete darkness, it is impossible to take a step, because there is no orientation and communication. In that darkness man is fully delivered to himself. He doesn’t know where he is, doesn’t see any outcome and can go nowhere for help. In this darkness people have no distraction of the pains that torment them. In great despair and at the same time with undiminished hatred they “gnawed their tongues because of pain”. Earlier they were saying with arrogance who was able to wage war with the beast (Rev 13:4; Rev 19:19). Here is God’s response. The beast received his throne from the dragon, that is satan (Rev 13:2). It seemed that with the super high intelligence of the beast, his knowledge and insight, the light on the world and the economy had begun to shine brightly again. All oppressive Christian truths have been rejected as darkness. But now here the moment has come that all the bragging about higher light and higher knowledge is not only put into the shadow by God, but it is fully covered in darkness. When God brings truth to light, it means darkness for all who have banished Him. He makes the light that has been rejected to become darkness (Mt 6:23). They won’t know where they are or where go to. They will not even see any neighbor anymore. In this total isolation the soul is alone with himself and eats himself up in hatred, envy, bitterness and wormwood.Rev 16:11. “Their pains and their sores” are a reason for the people to blaspheme God. They blame Him for it. Instead of repenting they persevere in their sinful deeds. Psychologists and politicians may draw people’s attention through conferences to explain their reactions. Every explanation, how illogical it may be, is better than acknowledging that you are a sinner and that you need to repent. They refuse to give up anything of their debauched life and they rather choose to perish with the beast than to bow their knees under these final plagues of God.Now read Revelation 16:5-11 again.Reflection: Why do the people refuse to repent, although they are being so severely tormented by the judgments of God?
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