Cyberspace Ministry
Our Mission: Revelation 14:6-12

If I Were Told the Future - Lesson 89

Summary of the Seven Bowls

Screen 1

Welcome to the conclusion of this section! Let's pray:

Lord,

The prophetic series of the seven bowls, when studied in light of Your whole inspired Word, revealed a rousing call to repentance.

In this lesson, we want to parallel these seven messages, in order to better understand their impact for each one of us.

May Your Holy Spirit guide us in our search. In Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen.

Screen 2

Revelation 15:7,8

Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.

The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

----------------------------------------------------

In our last few lessons, we studied the seven bowls of God's wrath, and the nature of the seven plagues which will strike the world when these seven bowls are poured out.

Screen 3

The seven bowls aim at punishing seven sins of unrepentant men:

   Plague contained in the bowl  | Specific sin punished by this plague
=================================|=======================================
  A malignant sore strikes men.  | Contempt for the commandments of God.
       Sea turned to blood.      |   Choosing the mark of the beast in
                                 |  order to maintain material security.
Springs of water turned to blood.| Forsaking God, Source of living water.
      The sun scorches men.      |     Rejection of God's day of rest
                                 |  in favor of Sunday (day of the sun).
  Deep darkness upon the world.  |   Forsaking God, Light of the world.
Drying up of the river Euphrates.|   Blindly trusting apostate Babylon.
  Terrible earthquake and great  |  Rebellion of Satan, his angels, and
   hail at the return of Jesus.  |  all the nations they have deceived.

Screen 4

Revelation 11:18

The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come.

---------------------

Revelation 16:1

Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.

----------------------------------------------------

In our lesson «The Book of Revelation», we have seen that this book displays a mirror-like structure, in which the historical part (first section) corresponds with the eschatological part (second section).

In this structure, the seven trumpets (chapters 8 to 11), punishing the oppressors of God's people throughout history, correspond perfectly with the seven bowls (chapters 15 and 16), which punish the rebellious nations at the end of the world.

Screen 5

First, let's review the mirror-like organization of Revelation:

Historical part:Conflict in progress| Eschatological part: Conflict ended
==+=======+=======+=======+=======+=+=+=======+=======+=======+=======+==
P |  1-3  |  4-7  | 8-11  | 12-14 |   | 15-16 | 17-18 | 19-20 | 21-22 | E
R |Counsel| Jesus |Severe |Trials | M | Severe| Down- | Jesus |Reward | P
O |to the |  com- | judg- |of the | I | judg- |fall of|  en-  |to the | I
L |church,| forts | ments | pure  | R | ments |impure |thrones|church,| L
O | scat- |His af-| warn  | woman | R | punish| woman |  His  |gather-| O
G | tered |flicted|  the  |and her| O |  the  |and her|resur- |ed and | G
U |  and  |people | world | chil- | R | world |daugh- |rected |  at   | U
E |at war |       |       | dren  |   |       | ters  |people | peace | E
==+=======+=======+=======+=======+===+=======+=======+=======+=======+==
A     B       C       D       E           D'      E'      C'      B'   A'

Screen 6

The trumpets (chapters 8 to 11) correspond with the bowls (ch. 15 and 16):

Historical part:Conflict in progress| Eschatological part: Conflict ended
====+=============================+=+=+=============================+====
R   |    Severe judgments warn    |   |   Severe judgments punish   | R 1
E 8 |   the world (7 trumpets)    |   |     the world (7 bowls)     | E 5
V   |-----------------------------| M |-----------------------------| V
E t |       1. Earth (8:7)        | I |       1. Earth (16:2)       | E a
L o |       2. Sea (8:8,9)        | R |       2. Sea (16:3)         | L n
A   |3. Springs of water (8:10,11)| R |  3. Springs of water (16:4) | A d
T 1 | 4. Sun, moon, stars (8:12)  | O |       4. Sun (16:8,9)       | T
I 1 |      5. Darkness (9:2)      | R |    5. Darkness (16:10,11)   | I 1
O   |6. River Euphrates (9:13-21) |   |6. River Euphrates (16:12,16)| O 6
N   |  7. Loud voices (11:15-18)  |   |   7. Loud voice (16:17-21)  | N

Screen 7

Revelation 15:1-3

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.

And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God.

----------------------------------------------------

In addition to corresponding with the seven trumpets, the seven bowls remind us of the plagues which struck Egypt, in the days of Moses.

The coming of these plagues, and the miraculous deliverance of God's people, show very interesting parallels with the situation of the last days.

Screen 8

The nature of the ten plagues of Egypt is also present in the seven bowls:

  Nature of Egypt's plague | Bowl|      Nature of the bowl's plague
===========================|=====|=======================================
 1. Waters turned to blood | 2,3 | Sea, springs of water turned to blood.
 2. Invasion of frogs      |  6  | -> [Drying up of the Euphrates, bring-
 3. Invasion of lice       |  6  | -> [ing about the fall of Babylon and
 4. Invasion of flies      |  6  | -> [her 3 unclean spirits like frogs.
 5. Death of the cattle    |  4  |    The sun scorches men and beasts.
 6. Outbreak of boils      |  1  |      Outbreak of malignant sores.
 7. Shower of hail         |  7  |            Shower of hail.
 8. Invasion of locusts    |  4  |   The sun worsens the severe famine.
 9. Deep darkness          |  5  |            Deep darkness.
10. Death of the firstborn |  7  |      Death of all those without
    without lamb's blood   |     |  the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.

Screen 9

Exodus 8:22,23

And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land.

I will make a difference between My people and your people.

Tomorrow this sign shall be.

----------------------------------------------------

Here is another interesting parallel: whereas both Egypt and the people of Israel were struck by the first three plagues, the Hebrews were spared the last seven plagues, beginning with the invasion of swarms of flies.

Screen 10

The people of God were spared the last seven of Egypt's ten plagues:

Plague|    Protection granted to the people of God against this plague
======|==================================================================
   4  |      The swarms of flies did not invade the land of Goshen,
      |        where the Hebrews were dwelling (see EXODUS 8:22).
   5  |       The livestock of Israel did not die (see EXODUS 9:4).
   6  | The boils and sores struck only the Egyptians (see EXODUS 9:11).
   7  |   The hail spared Goshen, where Israel lived (see EXODUS 9:26).
   8  |                 The locust invasion struck only
      |          the houses of the Egyptians (see EXODUS 10:6).
   9  | There was no darkness in the Hebrews' dwellings (see EX. 10:23).
  10  |    No firstborn died in all the houses which were marked with
      |   the blood of a sacrified lamb (see EXODUS 11:4-7; 12:12,13).

Screen 11

Psalm 91:7,8,10

A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. (...)

No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.

---------------------

Romans 5:9

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

----------------------------------------------------

The people of Israel was protected from the last seven plagues of Egypt.

Likewise, spiritual Israel - God's people - will be protected, through Jesus' blood, from the seven last plagues here on earth.

Screen 12

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

----------------------------------------------------

The story of the plagues of Egypt also teaches us that, after calling rebellious men to repentance, God finally gives them over to their delusion, just as He will do at the time of the seven last plagues.

Screen 13

Pharaoh hardened his heart (# 1 to 6), then God forsook him (# 7 to 10):

Before the 1st plague  | «And Pharaoh's heart grew hard.» (EXODUS 7:13)
Before the 2nd plague  | «And Pharaoh's heart grew hard.» (EXODUS 7:22)
Before the 3rd plague  | «Pharaoh (...) hardened his heart.» (EX. 8:15)
Before the 4th plague  | «But Pharaoh's heart grew hard.» (EXODUS 8:19)
Before the 5th plague  | «But Pharaoh hardened his heart.» (EXODUS 8:32)
Before the 6th plague  | «The heart of Pharaoh became hard.» (EXODUS 9:7)
=======================|=================================================
Before the 7th plague  | «The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.» (EX. 9:12)
Before the 8th plague  | «The Lord says to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for
                       |   I have hardened his heart."» (EXODUS 10:1)
Before the 9th plague  | «The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.» (EX. 10:20)
Before the 10th plague | «The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.» (EX. 10:27)

Screen 14

Exodus 6:26

The Lord said,

«Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.»

---------------------

Revelation 18:4

And I heard another voice from heaven saying,

«Come out of [Babylon], my people.»

----------------------------------------------------

Finally, the goal of the ten plagues of Egypt was to free God's people from the oppression of Egypt, an apostate power.

Likewise, the goal of the seven last plagues will be to free the people of God from the oppression of Babylon, the apostate power of the last days.

Screen 15

1st letter: Revelation 2:7

To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life.

---------------------

1st bowl: Revelation 16:2

A foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

----------------------------------------------------

The seven bowls also remind us of the promises contained in the letters to the seven churches.

So, whereas the first bowl strikes unrepentant men with incurable malignant sores, the first letter promises access to the tree of life, whose leaves are «for the healing of the nations» (Revelation 22:2).

Screen 16

2nd letter: Revelation 2:11

He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

---------------------

2nd bowl: Revelation 16:3

Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

----------------------------------------------------

The second letter promises to save from the second death he who overcomes in Jesus Christ.

On the other hand, the second bowl turns the sea into «blood as of a dead man», and kills every living creature in it, thus making an immense contrast with the message of life and hope in the second letter.

Screen 17

3rd letter: Revelation 2:17

To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.

---------------------

3rd bowl: Revelation 16:4-6

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: (...)

«They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.»

----------------------------------------------------

While the third letter promises to feed the victors in Jesus with the hidden manna, the third bowl gives unrepentant men blood to drink.

Screen 18

4th letter: Revelation 2:26,28

And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations, (...) and I will give him the morning star.

---------------------

4th bowl: Revelation 16:8,9

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.

And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues.

----------------------------------------------------

The fourth letter promises the morning star and power to him who overcomes.

The fourth bowl makes the sun scorching, through the power of God.

Screen 19

5th letter: Revelation 3:5

He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments.

---------------------

5th bowl: Revelation 16:10,11

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.

And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

----------------------------------------------------

The fifth letter promises the victorious ones the white garment of light, which is Jesus' righteousness.

Conversely, the fifth bowl plunges unrepentant men, rebelling more and more against God, into deep darkness.

Screen 20

The promise of the sixth letter will protect us from the sixth bowl:

«Because  you have  kept | «For  they  are  spirits  of | By  persevering
My command to persevere, | demons,   performing  signs, | in  Jesus,   we
I  also  will  keep  you | which  go out to  the  kings | will  avoid be-
from  the hour of  trial | of  the  earth  and  of  the | ing deceived by
which  shall  come  upon | whole world,  to gather them | the devil.
the whole world, to test | to the battle of that  great |----------------
those  who dwell on  the | day  of  God Almighty.  "Be- | Jesus Christ is
earth.  Behold,  I  come | hold,   I  am  coming  as  a | coming soon.
quickly!  Hold fast what | thief.  Blessed  is  he  who |----------------
you  have,  that no  one | watches,  and keeps his gar- | So let's watch,
may take your crown.»    | ments, lest he walk naked!"» | abiding  in Him
    (REVELATION 3:10,11) |        (REVELATION 16:14,15) | until the end.

Screen 21

7th letter: Revelation 3:21

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

---------------------

7th bowl: Revelation 16:17

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,

«It is done!»

----------------------------------------------------

Finally, the seventh letter promises the victorious ones access to God's throne.

And from this very throne, the voice will proclaim the beginning of God's eternal kingdom, when the seventh bowl is poured out.

Screen 22

Genesis 6:5-7

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

So the Lord said, «I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.»

----------------------------------------------------

A global study of the seven bowls leads us to other amazing discoveries.

Similar to the Flood, these bowls are God's response to men's wickedness.

With these bowls, God will reverse the work He did at Creation, in order to rebuild, afterwards, a new and perfect world for His people.

Screen 23

The seven bowls reverse the work which God did at Creation:

      First day of Creation      |      The work of the seven bowls
---------------------------------|---------------------------------------
«God said, "Let there be light." | «The  fifth angel poured out his  bowl
(...) And God divided the  light | on  the beast's throne,  and his king-
from the darkness.»              | dom became full of darkness.»
                 (GENESIS 1:3,4) |                     (REVELATION 16:10)
=================================|=======================================
     Second day of Creation      |      The work of the seven bowls
---------------------------------|---------------------------------------
«God said,  "Let there be a fir- | «The seventh angel poured out his bowl
mament (...),  and let it divide | into the air. (...)  Hail from  heaven
the  waters." (...)  God  called | fell  upon men,  every hailstone about
the firmament Heaven.»           | the weight of a talent.»
                 (GENESIS 1:6,8) |                  (REVELATION 16:17,21)

Screen 24

The seven bowls reverse the work which God did at Creation:

       Third day of Creation       |     The work of the seven bowls
-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------
«God  said,  "Let the earth  bring | «[He]  poured out his bowl upon  the
forth grass, (...) herb (...), and | earth, and a foul and loathsome sore
(...) fruit tree."» (GENESIS 1:11) | came upon men.» (REVELATION 16:2)
===================================|=====================================
       Fourth day of Creation      |     The work of the seven bowls
-----------------------------------|-------------------------------------
«"Let there be lights in the  fir- | «Then  the  fourth angel poured  out
mament  of  the heavens to  divide | his  bowl on the sun,  and power was
the day from the night."»          | given  to  him  to scorch  men  with
                 (GENESIS 1:14,15) | fire.» (REVELATION 16:8)

Screen 25

The seven bowls reverse the work which God did at Creation:

        Fifth day of Creation       |     The work of the seven bowls
------------------------------------|------------------------------------
«God said,  "Let the waters  abound | «The  second  angel poured out  his
with  an abundance of living  crea- | bowl  on  the  sea,  and it  became
tures (...). Multiply, and fill the | blood; (...) and every living crea-
waters in the seas."»               | ture in the sea died.»
                  (GENESIS 1:20,22) |                   (REVELATION 16:3)
====================================|====================================
        Sixth day of Creation       |     The work of the seven bowls
------------------------------------|------------------------------------
«God said,  "Let Us make man in Our | «Men  blasphemed God because of the
image  (...).  Multiply;  fill  the | plague  of  the  hail,  since  that
earth."»                            | plague was exceedingly great.»
                  (GENESIS 1:26,28) |                  (REVELATION 16:21)

Screen 26

Genesis 2:2

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

---------------------

Revelation 16:17

Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,

«It is done!»

----------------------------------------------------

At the pouring out of the seventh bowl, corresponding with Jesus' return, God will put an end to the destruction of His creation.

In a world where evil is no more, He will make a new Creation, and establish His eternal kingdom.

Screen 27

Revelation 7:13,14,16,17

Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from? (...)

These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (...)

They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

----------------------------------------------------

Then, those who overcame in Jesus will enjoy complete deliverance.

Screen 28

Revelation 21:6,9

And He said to me,

«It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.» (...)

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying,

«Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife.»

----------------------------------------------------

One of seven angels with the seven bowls now invites us to contemplate a distinctly more rejoicing picture: the union of the Lamb of God and His bride.

This wedding will be the subject of the next section of our Bible prophecy study guide.

Don't miss it!

Screen 29

«The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God.» (Revelation 8:4)

Heavenly Father,

The study of the seven bowls has helped us to discover the wonderful richness of the prophetic book of Revelation.

We humbly and sincerely ask You to help us seriously prepare ourselves for the glorious event which will take place at the seventh bowl: the return of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.

In His name we pray.

Amen.

  The test of Lesson 89 is waiting for you!