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In Book 1 we read that Satan is cast down and is making war on God’s people. Under the reign of the Antichrist, this translates into the persecution and killing of many millions of Christians. This period is known as the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist also institutes a “voluntary” individual identifier known as the Mark of the Beast that is somehow permanently imprinted on the person both physically and spiritually. It ties him to the Antichrist and his world. No one will be able to function economically in the world without the mark. Therefore, the pressure to take the mark is severe. Note that there are those who do not take the mark and yet are not Christians, who, if caught, will also be persecuted and possibly put to death. The Great Tribulation and the Antichrist’s rule start at the midpoint of Daniel’s Seventieth Week and last 3 ½ years.

In Book 2 we read about God’s Wrath on the Antichrist and his world. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 bring 2 of the 3 of God’s woes on the world and those who have allied with the Antichrist and have taken his mark. The Great Tribulation and this portion of God’s wrath happen virtually simultaneously. While God’s people are suffering under rule of the Antichrist, so those who follow the Antichrist are suffering from God’s wrath. 

Chapter 11 introduces the two witnesses who are untouchable by the Antichrist or his servants. They are in place for the period that the Antichrist is in power. They will preach repentance and are most likely be the instrument through which God’s wrath is introduced. 

Unlike other events, the length of God’s Wrath is not expressly given in chapters 8-11. If we use Daniel’s[1] timeframe, it is most likely 1335 days. The events in chapters 8, 9, and 10 start from the midpoint of Daniel’s Seventieth Week and proceed from there. Chapter 11 then backtracks to the midpoint and introduces the two witnesses. It covers the time from there to where chapter 10 ends.

In Book 3, chapter 15 starts where chapter 11 left off. The first two Woes[2] lasted 1260 days and are considered partial judgments, due to the “1/3” referenced by the first four trumpets. The 1260 days, or 42 months, are now completed, and we are in the 30-day period that is implied by Daniel’s 1290-day period. The 3rd Woe, which is 30 days long, completes the 1290 days. The plagues in the third Woe are full judgments and no one could survive for long with such depleted life-giving resources
(Daniel 12) {11} “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days…”​
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Chapter 15

Chapter 15 introduces the final Woe and its set of judgments, which are the plague or bowl judgments. The judgments have been growing increasingly severe and of shorter duration as they have proceeded. The Seventieth Week of Daniel’s[1] 1260 days is now completed, and we have entered a 30-day period of scouring and purifying the earth which completes the Wrath of God. These last judgments are also called his “Fury”.
(Revelation 15) {1} I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues--last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 
This is the third[2] sign to appear in heaven, the first two being the Woman crowned with stars[3] and the fiery red[4] dragon.[5] It is not said whether these are the same seven angels as those with the trumpets, but the great similarity between the trumpet and plague judgments may indicate that they are. In which case, they may be the seven angels of the seven trumpets that were in His presence as discussed earlier.
 
The word “wrath” translated from “thumos”, which means an outburst, an almost uncontrolled anger. God’s fury now begins. It will last only a short time, but the results on the earth will be disastrous.
(Revelation 15) {2a} And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.
This vision is of things in heaven. The angels with the plagues are ready, arrayed in heaven for all to see. Their presence is associated with those who have died during the persecutions of the Antichrist. As is frequent in Revelation, punishment is associated with, and is vengeance for, persecution of believers. This scene in heaven therefore sets the context for what is about to hit the earth hard.
 
Those John sees standing at the throne of God, around the glassy sea (which is just before the throne[6]) are martyrs, and yet they are victorious. Though slain, they are not defeated. In God’s view, they are not harmed in any way. These martyrs are included in those mentioned by Christ in the Olivet Discourse[7] as recorded by Luke. Taking the scripture literally, they are those who were martyred in the Great Tribulation during the Beast’s persecutions. This would make them the same as the innumerable multitude John saw with Christ in Revelation chapter 7[8].
(Luke 21){16} You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. {17} All men will hate you because of me.  {18} But not a hair of your head will perish. {19} By standing firm you will gain life. 
Here in Revelation, we see that promise fulfilled.


The first appearance of these martyrs was just before the initiation of the trumpet judgments. Here, the second sighting, is just before the plagues. As we have seen before, the vengeance of God was prayed for by the martyrs of past ages[9] and offered up to God from the golden incense bowls[10] at the beginning of the seven trumpets. There, the bowls held their prayers for vengeance, and they were told to wait until the number of their brothers should be filled up. Now we see that it has been completed. They are the ones that the saints under the altar were told to wait for. At last, the full number of the martyrs stand before God, and the same incense bowls[11] holds the last plagues, the final and complete vengeance of God.
(Revelation 15) {2b} They held harps given them by God {3} and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. {4} Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."  
This is the third song sung before the throne. The first[12] was that started by the four living creatures and the elders and spread to embrace all of creation. At that song, the elders held harps and golden bowls full of incense. The second[13] song was sung just by the 144,000, the firstfruits of a redeemed Israel, and possibly the firstfruits of the Great Tribulation martyrs. They also had (or were accompanied by) harps. This third song is sung by the rest of the martyrs. It is the song of Moses and the Lamb[14] and is also accompanied by harps.
 
That one song is the song of both Moses and the Lamb shows that both serve the same God, and that both Jews and Christians are God’s people. It probably also indicates that the group before the throne contains both Jews (likely the 144,000) and Gentiles.
 
The song feels like a cleansing breath or reflection before the Fury starts, similar to the silence in Heaven prior to the beginning of the Wrath in the Sixth Seal.
(Revelation 15) {5} After this I looked and in heaven the temple, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. {6} Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests
The temple in heaven was opened with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.[15] In chapter 14 three angels[16] associated with the harvest of the earth came out of the temple. Now come the seven angels with the seven last plagues. It is interesting to notice that when the seven plagues are complete, we never hear of the temple again. In fact, we are told the New Jerusalem has no temple[17] because God and the Lamb live there.[18] The things on earth are only a shadow of the reality which is in Heaven[19], but the real Temple which we have seen here in Revelation is in Heaven. Therefore, when heaven and earth merge, the shadows disappear - and so, apparently, do those things of which they were the shadows. Paul foresaw the day when the images of things dimly seen as in a mirror will be replaced by reality:
(1 Cor 15) {12} Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
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Their golden sashes across their chests are much like the garb of Christ when he first appears in Revelation.[20] A sash was part of the uniform of the sons of Aaron,[21] and may reflect priestly functions, which may be associated with the incense bowls (only the high priest could offer incense). The priestly functions are not those of the angels, but of Christ. These angels may be a sort of proxy for Christ, carrying out his direct will, since now he is about to reclaim the earth. They are dressed like him because they perform his will. This supports the idea that they are the angels in His presence[22] discussed in chapter 8. 
 
Shining clothing is a mark of angels,[23] and may be the reflected glory of God.
(Revelation 15) {7} Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.  
Just as they were associated with the seal[24] judgments, the four living creatures are associated with the seven last plagues.
 
In the deuterocanonical book Tobit,[25] Raphael says he is “one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints and enter into the presence of the glory of the Holy One”. Note that the 24 elders[26] are both in the presence of God and hold bowls of prayers. They do not, however, offer them up. That is left to this being who specifically called an angel.[27] He presents both incense and the prayers of the saints.[28]

We therefore have three groups of seven angels: the seven angels that Tobit says present the prayers of the saints and are in the presence of God, the angels with the seven trumpets in chapter 8 who are called those who “stand before God”, and these seven angels who come out of the temple and are carrying the golden bowls filled with plagues. All three sets come from the temple and all there are associated either with the prayers of the saints or with the result of those prayers, the wrath of God. They are therefore likely to all be the same angels.
(Revelation 15) {8} And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
​The temple is now shut up until all is completed, and indeed though we will twice more hear voices from within the temple (at the start[29] and at the end[30] of the plagues), we will never again see inside it.
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Chapter 16

In chapter 15, seven angels were holding bowls containing plagues. Chapter 16 executes the delivery of these last seven plagues.[1] The plagues parallel the trumpet judgments, but unlike them, the plague judgments are total.[i]
(Revelation 16) {1} 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.” {2} The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. 
Note that these sores are on those with the mark, rather than, as with fifth trumpet, on those without God’s mark. The Greek uses the singular for “sore”. It might be speculated that the mark gives them an infection. It is probable that there are three groups of people: 1) those sealed by God with His mark, 2) those sealed by Satan with this mark, and 3) those who have not received either. If that is the case, the latter may be spared the consequences of this first bowl and maybe even the following bowls. 

It is probably a mistake to make too much of the double designation of who gets the sore(s); those who take the mark and worship the image of the beast. Since the mark of God cannot be physically forced on someone, it is very likely that the mark of the beast must also be taken voluntarily. While it could be strongly compelled, it cannot be physically implanted in someone against their will. See, for example, the commentary on the mark in chapters 13 and 14. This would imply that the “and” in verse 2 and elsewhere is two properties of the same person, not two different categories of people.
(Revelation 16) {3} The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. {4} The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. {5} Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; {6} for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” {7} And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”  
It is not so much that the people of the earth have blasphemed or denied God or that they have rebelled against him, but that is certainly part of it. However, their most egregious sins are that they have attacked and slaughtered his holy people throughout the ages and most particularly in the days of the Antichrist. It is appropriate that the retribution is the turning of waters into blood. They have killed the saints, desiring their blood. They wanted blood, now God has given them what they wanted, in surfeit.
 
The reason for the plagues is made clear in verse 6 by stating it outright, and it is made clear to the world through the bloody corruption of the sea and fresh water. It seems unlikely that life could continue for more than a few days if all the sources of water were destroyed. Since the plagues certainly last longer than that, perhaps some limitation is seen either in the water sources or the number of days. The other way to understand how the contamination of all the waters may play out is to look at how it was manifested when God turned the waters of Egypt to blood. The Egyptians had to dig near the rivers to get drinkable water[2]. The Egyptian’s plight may foreshadow the events of this plague. In that plague, all the open water sources were contaminated but localized to the area where the Egyptians lived. In the plague in chapter 16, it is worldwide, but may still refer only to surface water.
 
Notice it is the altar which responds to the statement of the angel who poured his plague upon the waters. Almost certainly, it is the souls of the martyrs, first seen at the fifth seal[3], who respond from beneath the altar. It cannot be the voice that spoke from between the horns of the altar,[4] for that is probably Christ himself speaking. There are two reasons for this. First, all the events concerning the reclamation of the earth seem to be in His hands and the hands of his angels. Second, the horns of the golden incense altar have a place in atonement[5] for the sins of Israel. Since Christ is the redeemer, it is possible this is an image of Him, though atonement is hardly the image in view here.
(Revelation 16) {8} The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. {9} They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.  
Whether God does this via massive solar flares, switching the magnetic poles, or something else that will remove the earth’s protection, it is going to be unbearably hot. Add this to the very low supply of potable water and you have a recipe for misery and death. Yet, again, just as at the sixth trumpet,[6] men refuse to repent.
(Revelation 16) {10} The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony {11} and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.  
They go from too much light to too little. Apparently, everyone will see that the kingdom of the Beast has gone dark, but that punishment is compounded on those who have the sores from taking the mark. Together the darkness and the gnawing of their tongues in agony may be the darkness that can be felt, as in the 9th plague on Egypt,[7] and it may be further attacks by demons on those with the mark.
(Revelation 16) {12} The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 
Isaiah tells how this will happen:
(Isaiah 11) {15} The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that men can cross over in sandals.
This prophecy is part of Isaiah 11 which is clearly a Messianic/Last Days prophecy.  Perhaps this scorching wind is a result of the heating by the sun in verse 8.
 
This drying of the Euphrates has two purposes. Here in Revelation, it is to make it easier for the kings of the east to get to Armageddon.[8] In Isaiah, it is to facilitate the return of scattered Jews to Israel after the reign of the Antichrist is broken.[9] It shows that even things which help evil may have as their ultimate purpose the benefit of the good.
(Revelation 16) {13} Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. {14} They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 
The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet represent Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. These three beings expel demons from their mouths, who in turn perform miracles for the purpose of convincing the kings of the whole world to gather at Armageddon for the final battle. Some of those kings, namely the kings of the east, will have their passage cleared for them by the angel who dries up the Euphrates.
 
This passage has a parallel of sorts in the Old Testament:
(1 Kings 22) {19} Micaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD:I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. {20} And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that. {21} Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' {22} " 'By what means?' the LORD asked. " 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. " 'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.' {23} "So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."[10]
In 1 Kings, the lying spirit is put by God into the mouths of Ahab’s prophets for the purpose of bringing him to a battle where he will be killed. The concept of God sending lying spirits is worthy of significant study but is outside the scope of this book. Suffice it to say that the spirits sent out by Satan, the Antichrist, and the False profit lead the kings of all the world to come to Armageddon and to the last battle where they too will meet their deaths.

Let’s recap where we are. The seven seals have been opened. The Antichrist and False Prophet have slaughtered millions of Jews and Christians. For three and one-half years, two witnesses, probably either Moses and Elijah or Enoch and Elijah, have prophesied in the streets of Jerusalem, performing wondrous signs and killing with fire from heaven all who would harm them. God’s wrath has attacked the earth, first partially through the seven trumpets, and now completely through the first six plagues. We are at the very end. The kings are gathering for the final battle of this age. We have been through seven years of hell on earth, with sign after sign as prophesied by Old Testament prophets, Christ himself, and shown to John in detailed vision after detailed vision. And what is the next thing we are told?
(Revelation 16) {15} “Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.” 
This phrase is used many times throughout the New Testament.[ii] It was first used in the Olivet Discourse and then quoted in several epistles. It is used to justify the belief that there is a “secret” rapture of Christians which marks the beginning of the seven-year period. There are two reasons why people take this view: 1) The mistaken belief that everyone will be caught off guard and 2) the correct one that Christians are not appointed to God’s wrath.[11]
 
However, if anything is NOT like the coming of a thief, it certainly must be Christ’s return. So, this seems to be the granddaddy of all oxymorons.
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Here, just as Christ is about to return in glory, we are told he comes like a thief. Paul declares that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night for those who are in darkness”. For those Christians who have lived through the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God, this will not be a surprise.
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The point of the Thief in the Night scriptures is that the world is caught off guard, but not God’s people. We are to be watching for the signs, but not foretelling when Christ will come, and we should be prepared for him when he does return. Both the five wise and five foolish virgins were sleeping, but the five wise ones had prepared for their Lord’s return.[12]
(Revelation 16) {16} Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.  
Armageddon is from the Hebrew ‘Har-Megiddo’, which simply means the hill of Megiddo. Megiddo was a fortified town in the north of Israel, southeast of Mount Carmel. Because it was located on the main road connecting Syria and Egypt, it was the site of important battles in the past[13]. It will be the gathering place for the final battle between the forces of the Antichrist and the Jews[14].  
 
This place is also called the Valley of Jezreel and the Plain of Esdraelon.[15]
(Hosea 1) {11} Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.
The Valley of Jezreel (God sows) is on the southeast part of the great plain that divides Galilee from Samaria. This fertile region lies northwest of Mt. Gilboa, extending from the city of Jezreel to Beth Shan. In a broader sense the name is applied to the entire lowland region, stretching from the Jordan Valley to Mt. Carmel, and encompassing the Valley of Megiddo, today known as the Plain of Esdraelon. The entire valley was the only natural east-west route through Palestine. 
(Revelation 16) {17} The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”  
“It is done”[16] echoes Christ’s last words on the cross, “It is finished”,[17] but it also echoes the beginning of the Bible. It occurs one other place in Revelation, when God makes all things new, the new heavens and the new earth.[18]
(Revelation 16) {18} Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. {19} The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.  {20} Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. {21} From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.
The combination “megas polis” (“great city”) is used eight times in Revelation. The first use, telling where the bodies of the two witnesses will lie, is clearly Jerusalem because it is where Christ was crucified.[19] Verse 19 is more problematic. While “great city” refers to Babylon six times in chapters 17 and 18, it probably here refers to Jerusalem. Supporting this is the following from Jeremiah:
(Jeremiah 25) {15} This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: "Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it:…” {18-25} Jerusalem ... Egypt ... the Philistines ... Edom, Moab and Ammon ... Tyre and Sidon ... Dedan, Tema, Buz ... Arabia ... Zimri, Elam and Media; {26} and all the kings of the north, near and far, one after the other--all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshach will drink it too.
 
(Jeremiah 25) {30} Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them: "'The LORD will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth…”’ {33} At that time those slain by the LORD will be everywhere--from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground.
These two prophecies appear to apply to the same end time events, the culmination of God’s wrath and the destruction of those who oppose him. Now notice that verse 19 lists three things in order: the great city, the cities of the nations, and Babylon. If the great city is Jerusalem then the order is identical to that in Jeremiah: Jerusalem, a list of gentile nations, and finally Sheshach. Sheshach (ששך) is mentioned nowhere but here. Using the Atbash Cipher in which the last letter in the Hebrew alphabet is replaced by the first, the second to last by the second, and so on, ששך decodes to בּבּל or bbl (Babel, hence Babylon). Since the “great city” is first in verse 19, it must stand for Jerusalem.
 
At this point in Revelation, we switch from concentrating on Jerusalem to concentrating on both physical and metaphysical Babylon and the judgment that befalls it. Verse 19 both completes the 30-day period and ushers in the start of the 45 days which are covered in abbreviated form in verses 20 and 21. Throughout Revelation, rumblings, lightnings, earthquakes and so on mark the start and completion of each of the series of judgments. Here they complete the fury of the wrath of God.
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