The Wrath of God
Many ask, “Why is there so much injustice in the world?” Skeptics say, “If God is good, why does he allow human trafficking, or persecution, or suffering?” The truth is, sometimes people commit horrible acts and the think they will get away with it.
This is the subject of Revelation 16, a passage which offers an answer to the question of injustice. Why does God appear to allow evil to go unpunished? Revelation 16 tells us he won’t. One day, justice will be served. Do you want justice for anything today? The good news we find in Revelation 16 is this: God’s wrath was poured out on the cross and if you know Jesus the blood of the lamb covers you. But there is also a warning of bad news: if you don’t know Jesus, one day you will experience God’s wrath for your sin.
The Song of the Righteous
So, first, John shows us the song of the righteous. Multiple times in the book of Revelation, the saints are portrayed as breaking out in worship as God’s justice comes to the world. Now, his justice will come in full with the bowls. As a reminder, there have been 3 Sets of Judgments in Revelation. First, the SEALS. Second, the TRUMPETS. Finally, the BOWLS. The intensity progresses through each set of judgments. Some scholars have called this PROGRESSIVE PARALLELISM. The views argues that the book of Revelation is meant to be divided into seven recapitulations of the era between Christ’s passion and the introduction of the “age to come.”[1]
I tend to believe the language is symbolic for actual events but the bowls point to an intensification at the end of the age. Only the bowl judgments impact the whole world. The bowls are about God righting injustice in this world. The symbols find their background in the ten plagues of Exodus. They tell us about a purification, a new exodus, that must happen before the entrance of the new heavens and new earth.
How should we respond to God’s justice and wrath? Perhaps you read a passage like this and you think, “God is cruel. God is unfair. This is not the God I believe in.” But is he just? Remember, these judgments are poured out on those who did not worship God, and those who persecuted the church, those who rebelled against their Creator. Is he JUST in his judgment? John pauses and shows us the response of the righteous. The altar, where the martyrs sit, breaks forth in worship:
And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Revelation 16:7, ESV)
The response of the righteous is WORSHIP. They sing of God’s glory and justice. They affirm God’s just actions. This verse mirrors what happens in Revelation 6:9-10 where we see the martyrs crying out from below the altar. What was their plea? “How long until you avenge our blood?!” Here, in Revelation 16, God’s justice is done.
The War of The Wicked
The bowls are a warning. God is patient, God is kind. And yet, even when he extends a measure of grace the wicked go to war with him. Now the fourth bowl.
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. (Revelation 16:8-9a, ESV)
Friends, that is a heck of sun burn. No manner of SPF will protect you from the scorching heat of God’s judgment and wrath. This bowl may have it’s background in the Greco-Roman world of John’s time. In Greco-Roman mythology, the god Apollo was worshipped as the god of healing and the god of the sun. There was also a god of the sea, Neptune. John is showing that neither Neptune nor Apollo can heal if the true God wounds. These false gods cannot save them! So much of Revelation is a battle between worship of the true God and the false god. Who will you worship?
Again, God’s desire is that more people repent and worship him. He is holding back the full extent of his wrath, he is holding it back for repentance. But the wicked do not see God’s mercy and forbearance; instead they curse his name. And then we get the indictment:
They did not repent and give him glory. (Revelation 16:9b, ESV)
Wow. This is a window into the human heart … and it is so sad.
Now, you might say, if God sent fire on me, I might curse him to! If God allows suffering in my life, I don’t run to him for help, I curse him with disdain. Notice, though, that verse 9 points to the posture of their heart. They did not give him glory. Again, this is all about who they will worship. They are with beast! They are marked by him! They will not give their lives to God, they will not repent, they curse and blame God.
Friends, have you considered that when suffering comes in your life, it might be an act of God’s mercy? Suffering exposes our need for God. God allows it so we can come to end of ourselves and trust him! It’s been famously said, “God’s address is at the end of our rope.”
Or consider, when we are confronted with our sin, why do we not repent? Has someone ever pointed out a sin to you? What was your response? Often it is defensiveness. Blame shifting. Self justification. Blaming God. Friends, I say this in love; we do not repent because it makes us look bad. It makes us look like we are not perfect. God’s judgment in the bowls is an act of mercy at the end—a final call to repentance. And yet, at the end of time, even when people see Jesus in all his glory some will not turn to him.
The Completion of Justice
Now the seventh bowl is poured out. Similar to the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet, this seems like and intensification at the end. But this goes even further. I think it points completion at the end. Justice is done!
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” (Revelation 16:17, ESV)
It is done! This is the culmination of all the judgments. God has been holding back his full wrath. Yet, here all the wrath that has been stored up is being poured out on the earth! Notice that the bowl is being poured pout into the air—it is a direct assault on Satan, “The Prince if the Power of the Air.” As this happens what do we see?
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. (Revelation 16:18, ESV)
This is a similar, repeated scene from the previous judgments. However, this time is seems like the final earthquake. The empire of the beast crumbles. We’ll see in Revelation 17-18 that before the empire falls and Jesus returns, all the people of the earth will lament the fall of their earthly empire.
It Is Finished
How should we respond to God’s justice? With worship. If you are experiencing pain and suffering from injustice be of good cheer. Justice will be done no matter how long it takes.
What do we do with Revelation 16? Let me speak to two groups right now.
First, if you are not a Christian … Revelation 16 is a warning. God wrath has been storing up against you for your sins. But God is patient. God is kind. He wants you to repent, place your trust in his son. Come under his protecting covering. But if you refuse, your deeds and rebellion with not escape God’s justice and wrath. Friends, I don’t want the bowls for you! The message of Revelation 16 is this: REPENT!
Second, if you are a Christian … your deeds and rebellion have not escaped God’s wrath. They were paid for at the foot of the cross. The wrath of Revelation 16 is NOT for you, but it is a challenge: you must call others to repentance so they can escape this final justice. Does your heart break for those in rebellion? I pray that it does.
In the end, Revelation 16 is a reminder that God is purifying this world to make something brand new. A new heavens, a new earth. When Jesus comes, he will bring his final kingdom. On the cross at his first coming, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” His blood overs our sins. That is good news! His works saves us from the wrath of God. It has saved us from the bowls! When he returns at his second coming, he will say, “It is done!” This is good news church! God’s wrath will be done. Injustice has met its end! The new world is here!
Until that time we pray … Come Lord Jesus.
[1] https://salvationbygrace.org/current-qa/progressive-parallelism/
