God's Final Warning

If you have your Bibles this morning, please take them and find Revelation 16:1.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “God’s Final Warning.”

 

In our study of Revelation, which is of the end times, we find ourselves at the end of the seven-year earthly tribulation.  Remember, seven-year period will follow the rapture of the church and precede the second coming of Jesus Christ. 

 

So far in the last half of the earthly tribulation, we have seen God’s wrath demonstrated in seven seals of judgement and seven trumpets of judgement.  The seventh trumpet actually begins the seven bowls of God’s judgement that we saw introduced last Sunday in Revelation 15.

 

 

Exposition

In verse 1, John says that he heard a loud voice from the temple in heaven.  Undoubtedly, this is the voice of God as we know that these are His judgements.  His instructions are to the seven angels.  They were to pour out the bowls of God’s wrath or God’s anger on the earth.

 

We saw these seven angels last week.  Look at 15:1 and 15:6.

 

1 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.

 

6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.

 

So here is what we about to see.  We are going to see seven bowls or plagues of God’s wrath or anger poured out on the earth at the end of the tribulation as God’s final warning before Jesus returns. 

 

The first bowl is in verse 2.  It was foul and loathsome sores or ulcers on the individuals who had the mark of the beast and those worshipped his image.  This isn’t two groups but one.

 

What beast is this?  This is the beast of sea of Revelation 12:1. He is the Gentile Anti-Christ. 

 

These individuals took his mark in order to buy and sell in the one-world economic system.  These individuals also worshipped his image that was created at the command of the false prophet. 

 

In other words, these are individuals who have rejected Christ as Lord and Savior.  However, not only will the first bowl and plague be for them, but all of them will be these who reject Christ.

 

The second bowl is in verse 3.  This will be the contamination of the salt-water bodies.  Will it literal blood or blood-like?  Regardless, it will kill every living creature in the seas of the world.

 

The third bowl is in verses 4-7.  This will be contamination of the fresh water bodies.  It will also be blood or blood-like.

 

Verses 5-6 tell us what these individuals will do that will deserve such.  They will kill the saints and prophets and then be forced to drink blood or something like blood that will kill them. 

 

And while you make think this is harsh, verses 5 and 7 tell us about angels speaking of how right this is on God’s part because they will reap what they have sown.

 

By the way, the world calls it karma.  In the Bible, it is called the law of the reaper.  See Galatians 6:7-9.

 

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

 

Here is what else I have learned in life.  Not only do you reap what you sow, but you also reap after you sow, and you reap more than you sow.

 

Moms and dads, here me this morning.  Your parenting right now will bear fruit later if not sooner, both for good or for worse.

 

Mom and dads, here this.  You will reap more than sow.  If you have a casual relationship with Jesus and the church now, don’t be surprised when you children grow up and get out of the house and have no relationship with Jesus and the church.

 

You reap what you sow.  You reap after you sow, and you reap more than you sow.

 

Bowl four is found in verses 8-9.  It will be fire and heat from the son, and if you think that this will cause the lost to repent, think again.  Verse 9 says they continue to blaspheme God and refuse to give Him glory.

 

Look at verse 10 for the fifth bowl.  It will include darkness specifically on the throne of the beast, but it will affect all who reject Christ as Lord and Savior.  This beast is the anti-Christ of 12:1, the beast of the sea.

 

Not only will it include darkness but physical pain as well.  Will this judgement bring them to repentance?  No, they refuse to repent, and they blame God.

 

The sixth bowl is in verses 12-16.  This will be the drying up of the Euphrates River.  Look at these two maps for some geographical perspective.

 

This will happen in preparation for the battle of Armageddon.  Trying to identify these kings from the east will only be speculation at this point. 

 

However, three demonic spirts coming from the mouths of frogs on behalf of the unholy trinity will convince these kings and other nations to be part of this war.  It will immediately precede the second coming of Christ, and like Jesus told us in the gospels, the timing of His coming will be when we least expect it…like a thief.

 

Matthew 24:43-44, 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

 

The seventh and final bowl, God’s final warning, is in verses 17-21.  It involves natural disasters such as thunderings, lightnings, earthquakes and 100-pound hail stones.  That is in verse 21.

 

Cities such as Jerusalem, the great city, and Babylon will suffer and drink the cup of the wine of the fierceness of God’s wrath.  Will this final warning bring the lost to repentance?  Look at the end of verse 21.

 

 

Conclusion

How can the wrath of God be avoided?  Look at the blessing tucked away in verse 15.

 

Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.  Of what garments or clothes is Jesus speaking?  Look at Galatians 3:26-28.

 

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

Jesus is talking about putting on Himself.  How do you do that?  You do that putting your faith in Him.  When you do, there is no shame because He is the perfect, sinless Son of God.

 

Would you put on Christ this morning?