Still Cursing

Rowan Hilsden | Oct 02, 2022

Scripture: Revelation 15:1-16:21

Preparation for the Bowl Judgments

15 Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign[a] in heaven:(A) seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed.(B) I also saw something like a sea of glass(C) mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image,[b] and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.(D) They sang the song of God’s servant Moses(E) and the song of the Lamb:

Great and awe-inspiring are your works,
Lord God, the Almighty;
just and true(F) are your ways,
King of the nations.[c](G)
Lord, who will not fear
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.(H)
All the nations will come
and worship before you(I)
because your righteous acts
have been revealed.

After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony(J)—was opened.(K) Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.(L) Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power,(M) and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,(N) “Go and pour out the seven[d] bowls(O) of God’s wrath on the earth.” The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores(P) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.

The Second Bowl

The second[e] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died.(Q)

The Third Bowl

The third[f] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.(R) I heard the angel of the waters say,

You are just,
the Holy One,(S) who is and who was,(T)
because you have passed judgment on these things.
Because they poured out
the blood of the saints and the prophets,(U)
you have given them blood to drink;
they deserve it!(V)

I heard the altar say,

Yes, Lord God, the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments.(W)

The Fourth Bowl

The fourth[g] poured out his bowl on the sun. It was allowed to scorch people with fire, and people were scorched by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,(X) who has the power[h] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.(Y)

The Fifth Bowl

10 The fifth[i] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(Z) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.(AA) People[j] gnawed their tongues because of their pain 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven(AB) because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.

The Sixth Bowl

12 The sixth[k] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(AC) and its water was dried up(AD) to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs(AE) coming from the dragon’s mouth,(AF) from the beast’s mouth,(AG) and from the mouth of the false prophet.(AH) 14 For they are demonic spirits performing signs,(AI) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them(AJ) for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.(AK) 15 “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed(AL) is the one who is alert and remains clothed[l](AM) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”(AN) 16 So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.[m](AO)

The Seventh Bowl

17 Then the seventh[n] poured out his bowl into the air,[o] and a loud voice came out of the temple[p](AP) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since people have been on the earth, so great was the quake.(AQ) 19 The great city(AR) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations[q] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; he gave her the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger.(AS) 20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.(AT) 21 Enormous hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds,[r] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God(AU) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.(AV)

Footnotes

  1. 15:1 Or and awesome symbolic display
  2. 15:2 Other mss add his mark
  3. 15:3 Other mss read ages
  4. 16:1 Other mss omit seven
  5. 16:3 Other mss add angel
  6. 16:4 Other mss add angel
  7. 16:8 Other mss add angel
  8. 16:9 Or authority
  9. 16:10 Other mss add angel
  10. 16:10 Lit They
  11. 16:12 Other mss add angel
  12. 16:15 Or and guards his clothes
  13. 16:16 Some mss read Armagedon; other mss read Harmegedon; other mss read Mageddon; other mss read Magedon
  14. 16:17 Other mss add angel
  15. 16:17 Or bowl on the air
  16. 16:17 Other mss add of heaven
  17. 16:19 Or the Gentile cities
  18. 16:21 Lit about a talent; talents varied in weight upwards from 75 pounds

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