Revelation 16:1 - Meaning and Application

In the previous chapter, we saw the great and solemn preparation for the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. Now we come to the carrying out of that work. Even though everything had been made ready beforehand, nothing was put into action until God gave a direct command. He spoke from the temple, answering the prayers of his people and avenging their cause.

As soon as the command was given, it was obeyed at once. There was no delay and no objection. Some of the best people, such as Moses and Jeremiah, did not respond so quickly when God called them to their work. But God’s angels excel not only in strength, but also in willing obedience. When God says, “Go and pour out the bowls,” the work begins immediately. We are taught to pray that God’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Now we enter a series of very severe acts of providence, and it is hard to know their exact meaning or to apply each one in detail. Still, in general, several things are worth noticing. First, these judgments echo the plagues of Egypt, such as the water turned to blood and the boils and sores. Their sins were alike, and so were their punishments. Second, these bowls clearly refer back to the seven trumpets, which pictured the rise of antichrist, a great enemy of Christ. This teaches us that the fall of the church’s enemies will resemble their rise, and that God can bring them down by the same kinds of means they used to lift themselves up. That fall will also be gradual. Rome was not built in a day, and it will not fall in a day either, but step by step, and it will fall so completely that it will never rise again.

Third, the downfall of the antichristian system will be total. Everything that belonged to it, or could help it in any way, is marked for destruction. Its earth, air, sea, rivers, and cities are all handed over to ruin and cursed because of the wickedness of that people. In this way, creation itself groans and suffers because of human sin. Now we come to the first angel.

The first angel poured out his bowl on the earth (Revelation 16:2). Some think this means the common people, while others think it means the body of the Roman clergy, who formed the base of the papacy and had an earthy spirit, always working for earthly goals. What happened was that painful and harmful sores broke out on all who had the mark of the beast. They had marked themselves by sin, and now God marked them out by judgment. Some think this sore points to the first signs of God’s opposition to their power and influence. Those early signs caused great distress, because they showed that something was badly wrong inside and that worse trouble was coming. The warning signs of the plague had appeared.

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. Some say this means the authority and power of the papacy. Others take it to mean the whole system of their religion, including false teachings, twisted explanations, superstitious practices, idolatrous worship, pardons, indulgences, and many other evil inventions and rules. These kept a profitable trade going for them, but harmed everyone who dealt with them. What came of it was that the sea turned into blood, like the blood of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. God showed not only the emptiness and falsehood of their religion, but also how harmful and deadly it was. What they claimed was the sure way to salvation actually poisoned people’s souls.

The next angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. Some very learned men think this points to their messengers, especially the Jesuits, who acted like streams carrying the poison of their errors and idolatries from the source out into the world. The effect was that the waters turned into blood. Some think this means God stirred up Christian rulers to take just revenge on those who had been the chief troublemakers in the world and had caused the shedding of the blood of armies and martyrs. The song of praise that follows supports this view (Revelation 16:5, Revelation 16:6). The angel of the waters, the one who speaks for this judgment, praises God’s righteousness in this repayment: “They shed the blood of your saints, and you have given them blood to drink, because they deserve it.” Another angel fully agrees with this statement (Revelation 16:7).