Rev 15:5-8
The Last War
War will be common during the tribulation.
1. Revelation 6 describes what seems to be a war near the
beginning of the tribulation.
2. \\#Dan 11:40, 44\\ describe what will be wars with the south
and the east near the middle of the tribulation.
3. Revelation 16 begins to talk of the Battle of Armageddon just
after the middle of the tribulation.
4. Zechariah 14 and \\#Revelation 19:11-21\\ speak of the Battle
of Jerusalem which will end the tribulation.
In the last two chapters, we have noted:
1. That we are, I believe, in the last half of the tribulation.
2. That many will be slain.
a. In Rev 14, the 144,000 - all dead.
b. The righteous were being slain like a harvest.
c. The wicked were slain and cast into the winepress of God’s
wrath, causing blood to flow to the horses’ bridle and to
run for 200 miles.
d. In Rev 15, the righteous were standing on the sea of glass,
singing their victory song.
In the last verses of chapter 15, we see seven holy angels being
given seven vials or bowls of God’s wrath. I believe those bowls are
filled with burning coals from God’s holy altar, and the angels are
about to hurl that fire down upon the earth. These are "the seven
last plagues" \\#Rev 15:1\\. When these are finished, God’s wrath
will be poured out \\#Rev 10:7, 15:1\\, and all that will be left
will be the final judgment.
I. Consider some things as we talk of the last plagues:
A. We have no idea at the timing of these plagues.
1. I feel certain that we are in the last half of the
tribulation.
2. Yet we do not know if these plagues are coming rapidly or
spread out over the last years.
3. Personally, I believe they are coming mostly spread out so
that by the time we get to the seventh bowl, we are near
the end of the tribulation—but that is just me.
a. That makes this one of those "run ahead" chapters.
b. I think God is giving us all 7 judgments at once,
then in chapter 17 He will back up to give us
additional details about the SAME period.
B. These plagues are world-wide where has the previous trumpet
judgments were not.
1. Remember the phrase "one-third" mentioned regarding the
trumpets.
a. \\#Rev 8:7\\ 1/3 of the trees and grass were burnt.
b. \\#Rev 8:8\\ 1/3 of the sea water became blood.
c. \\#Rev 8:9\\ 1/3 of the sea creatures died and 1/3 of
the ships were destroyed.
d. \\#Rev 8:10-11\\ 1/3 of the fresh water became blood.
e. \\#Rev 8:12\\ 1/3 of the sun, moon, and stars ceased
to shine.
2. The bowl judgments will not be limited.
II. \\#Rev 16:1-21\\ - Describes the vials being poured out.
A. \\#Rev 16:1-2\\ Painful sores are poured out upon those which
took the mark of the beasts.
1. It looks like this plague does not effect those who do not
have the mark.
2. It looks like God is singling out those who have
worshipped the beast.
B. \\#Rev 16:3\\ All the sea becomes blood killing every living
thing in it.
1. "Every living soul in the sea died."
2. The word "soul" is just used of man but any living
creature.
3. Probably means every living sea creature.
C. \\#Rev 16:4-7\\ Turned the fresh water into blood.
1. \\#5\\ Angels doing this judgment pronounces God just.
2. \\#6\\ God has given the blood seeks blood to drink.
3. This might indicate how severe the persecution of the
saints is.
4. \\#7\\ Another voice out of the altar \\#Rev 6:9-11\\
(the place where the martyred are) calls out in
agreement.
D. \\#Rev 16:8-9\\ The sun scorches men.
1. Global warming is coming!
2. The Bible does not single out the beast worshippers here,
but it is possible that God protects the righteous.
3. If the saved can get a Bible, they would know what was
going to happen next and be able to hide.
4. The Bible specifically mentions that men will not repent.
E. \\#Rev 16:10\\ Darkness
1. This is only upon the "seat" of the beast.
2. The word means "throne."
3. I take it that means his headquarters, perhaps the
city, the state, or the nation.
F. \\#Rev 16:11\\ Summary so far
1. The pain from the first plague continues with people
chewing on their tongues it hurts so badly.
2. This is hell breaking forth on earth.
(a) pain, thirst, heat, darkness, chewing their tongues
(b) Five out of six of hell’s attributes (missing the
worm)!
3. Yet, they will not repent.
4. By now, most must know this is of God.
(a) Some knew from the beginning.
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks,
Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him
that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath
of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?
(b) Preaching of the 144,000
(c) Preaching of the two witnesses
(d) Preaching of the converts
(e) Some of these signs and miracles indicate the
presence of intelligence.
(f) If the angelic messengers of \\#Rev 14:6-12\\ were
literally flying in the middle of earth’s heaven,
they would have to know.
(g) They just will not yield.
G. \\#Rev 16:12-16\\ The Euphrates River is dried up.
1. \\#12\\ The sixth vial does not seem so drastic when
compared to the others, but it’s repercussions are great.
(a) The Euphrates River is the largest river in the
Middle East.
(b) One commentator writes that its source is the snow
covered mountains of Turkey.
(c) With the intense heat of the fourth vial, the
Euphrates should be flooding and would probably
prohibit travel across it.
(d) Yet, the water will dry up making it possible for the
"kings of the East" to come down.
2. Interesting, the River Euphrates has been dwindling for
years.
(a) Not because of lack of water but because their
neighbors are damning the water up before it gets
to Iraq!
(1) Wikipedia lists 12 damns on the Euphrates.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dams_on_the_Euphrates_River
(2) The New York Times in a 2009 article entitled
"Iraq Suffers as the Euphrates River Dwindles"
indicates that Iraq’s neighbors has no treaties
with Iraq and so they stop the water flow.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/middleeast/14euphrates.
html?_r=0
(3) Another article produced by CNN in June of 2015
showed video of Isis terrorists walking across
the bed of the Euphrates Rivers to travel in
and out of other countries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4fRIG5np_M
(b) The groundwork for this prophecy is ALREADY laid.
(c) What I would have thought to be the hard part is
already done!
3. \\#13-14\\ The only thing left is for the unholy trinity
to appear and to deceive the armies of the "east" to
come against Israel!
(a) That aspect cannot completely happen until the
rapture of the church \\#2Thess 3:3\\.
(b) But this is how the battle will begin.
(1) \\#13\\ All three of members of the unholy
trinity will be pushing for nations to attack
Israel.
(2) \\#14\\ Of course the Devil is behind this—not
surprising since we know that the unholy
trinity is the demonic trinity.
(Stopped here.)
4. \\#Eze 38:1-39:29\\ I believe this battle is described
elsewhere. (Others believe Ezekiel is describing the
a battle that might take place at the beginning of the
tribulation. No one can know for certain.)
(a) Revelation calls these armies of the East
\\#Rev 16:12\\.
(b) Ezekiel calls them of the North \\#Eze 38:15\\.
(c) The army will likely be lead by the North and East,
but gathered from all over the world.
(d) The names of the nations participating are given.
(1) \\#38:2-3\\ Magog, Meshech, Tubal - Generally
thought to be in the area of Turkey and Russia.
(2) \\#38:5\\ Persia - Iran
(3) \\#38:5\\ Ethiopia and Libya - Africa
(4) \\#38:6\\ Gomer - South of Russia
(5) \\#38:13\\ Sheba and Dedan are south of Israel
(6) \\#38:13\\ Tarshish - Spain
(e) \\#38:8\\ Details are given about the timing of the
battle:
(1) A TIME - "After many days, in the latter years"
It will be end time.
(2) A EVENT - "land brought back from the sword" -
After they (Israel) have been brought back into
the land. That happened in 1948.
(3) A DIFFERENCE
i. "they shall dwell safely." \\#Eze 38:8\\
ii. Israel will have no walls, nor bars, nor
gates, and will dwell safely.
\\#Eze 38:11\\
iii. "safely" \\#Eze 18:14\\
iv. So far, I do not see this being true of
Israel.
aa. Israel is building walls not around
its cities but around the ENTIRE
NATION!
bb. Yet, the New Testament says this will
come to pass as well.
1Thess 5:1 But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day
of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety;
then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as
travail upon a woman with child; and they shall
not escape.
cc. As bad as things look for Israel right
now, if the nations start to speak
good of Israel, things will be worse!
(f) \\#38:10-12\\ The motive of the battle is generally
given—greed.
(g) \\#39:14-23\\ A general account of the battle is
given.
5. Both texts tell us that God is the One actually gathering
these armies. \\#Rev 16:14, Eze 38:4,16\\.
(a) This is the battle to destroy anti-Christ’s armies
and to break the backs of all nations.
(b) \\#Rev 16:16\\ The location the main battle is
mentioned, Armageddon.
(1) Armageddon means City or Hill of Megiddo.
()2) Megiddo is a valley just north of Jerusalem.
(c) \\#39:2\\ Ezekiel describes the battle as being in
the mountains of Israel;
6. The end of this battle happens in \\#Rev 19:11-21\\ at
Jerusalem. At this point, the Euphrates is dried up,
making the battle possible, and the devil starts to lure
the nations against Israel.
7. \\#Rev 16:15\\ - The end of the battle is alluded to. It
will end with the return of Jesus Christ.
H. \\#Rev 16:17-21\\ Judgments upon the whole earth.
1. The last vial is poured into the air, perhaps to show it
is world-wide.
2. Two judgments are mentioned:
1. \\#16:18-20\\ Another earthquake, but the worst.
a. Islands and mountains are no more.
b. Jerusalem, the Great City \\#Rev 11:8\\, will be
divided into three sections.
Eze 38:19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of
my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there
shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls
of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and
all creeping things that creep upon the earth,
and all the men that are upon the face of the
earth, shall shake at my presence, and the
mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep
places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to
the ground.
2. \\#16:21\\ Hugh hail falls.
a. Talents seem to vary in weight depending upon
which nation you are speaking and which mineral.
b. They weigh around 100 pounds.
Eze 38:22 And I will plead against him with
pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon
him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people
that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great
hailstones, fire, and brimstone.
The result, not only of the last judgment but all the judgments is
mentioned. Man curses God but will not repent before Him.
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