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Welcome to the conclusion of this section! Let’s pray:
Lord,
The prophetic series of the seven vials, 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.
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Revelation 15:7,8
And one of the four beasts gave to the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power.
And no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
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In our last few lessons, we studied the seven vials of God’s wrath, and the nature of the seven plagues which will strike the world when these seven vials are poured out.
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Revelation 11:18
The nations were angry, and Your wrath is come.
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Revelation 16:1
Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God on the earth.
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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 vials (chapters 15 and 16), which punish the rebellious nations at the end of the world.
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Revelation 15:1-3
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God.
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In addition to corresponding with the seven trumpets, the seven vials 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.
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Exodus 8:22,23
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am the Lord in the middle of the earth.
And I will put a division between My people and your people.
Tomorrow shall this sign be.
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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.
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Psalm 91:7,8,10
A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you behold and see the reward of the wicked. (...)
There shall no evil befall you, neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
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Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
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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.
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2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, (...) even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all delusion of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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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.
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Exodus 6:26
The Lord said,
«Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.»
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Revelation 18:4
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
«Come out of [Babylon], My people.»
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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.
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First letter: Revelation 2:7
To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life.
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First vial: Revelation 16:2
And the first [angel] went, and poured out his vial on the earth.
And there fell a noisome and grievous sore on the men which had the mark of the beast, and on them which worshipped his image.
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The seven vials also remind us of the promises contained in the letters to the seven churches.
So, whereas the first vial 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).
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Second letter: Revelation 2:11
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.
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Second vial: Revelation 16:3
And the second angel poured out his vial on the sea.
And it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
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The second letter promises to save from the second death he who overcomes in Jesus Christ.
On the other hand, the second vial turns the sea into «the blood 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.
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Third letter: Revelation 2:17
To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna.
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Third vial: Revelation 16:4-6
And the third angel poured out his vial on the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, (...)
«They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.»
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While the third letter promises to feed the victors in Jesus with the hidden manna, the third vial gives unrepentant men blood to drink.
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Fourth letter: Revelation 2:26,28
And he that overcomes, and keeps My works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations. (...) And I will give him the morning star.
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Fourth vial: Revelation 16:8,9
And the fourth angel poured out his vial on the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which has power over these plagues.
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The fourth letter promises the morning star and power to him who overcomes.
The fourth vial makes the sun scorching, through the power of God.
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Fifth letter: Revelation 3:5
He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.
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Fifth vial: Revelation 16:10,11
And the fifth angel poured out his vial on the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.
And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
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The fifth letter promises the victorious ones the white raiment of light, which is Jesus’ righteousness.
Conversely, the fifth vial plunges unrepentant men, rebelling more and more against God, into deep darkness.
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Seventh letter: Revelation 3:21
To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.
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Seventh vial: Revelation 16:17
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
«It is done!»
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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 vial is poured out.
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Genesis 6:5-7
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
And the Lord said, «I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.»
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A global study of the seven vials leads us to other amazing discoveries.
Similar to the Flood, these vials are God’s response to men’s wickedness.
With these vials, God will reverse the work He did at Creation, in order to rebuild, afterwards, a new and perfect world for His people.
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Genesis 2:2
And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made.
And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.
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Revelation 16:17
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
«It is done!»
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At the pouring out of the seventh vial, 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.
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Revelation 7:13,14,16,17
What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And from where came they? (...)
These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (...)
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the middle of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
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Then, those who overcame in Jesus will enjoy complete deliverance.
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Revelation 21:6,9
And He said to me,
«It is done! I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.» (...)
And there came to me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying,
«Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.»
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One of seven angels with the seven vials 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!
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«The smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God.» (Revelation 8:4)
Heavenly Father,
The study of the seven vials 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 vial: the return of Your Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and our Lord.
In His name we pray.
Amen.
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