Judgment Day Comes to Planet Earth:Armageddon Has Arrived

In contrast to the first three bowls, which were poured out on the earth, the fourth angel pours out his bowl on the sun. People are scorched with fire, “by the intense heat.” This is in contrast to the fourth trumpet (the judgments are not concurrent), which darkened the sun, moon, and stars (8:12). MacArthur says, “Searing heat exceeding anything in human experience will scorch men so severely that it will seem that the atmosphere is on fire” (Revelation 12–22, 155).

The specifics of exactly what will happen are not revealed to us. We need not speculate. However, the human response is crystal clear: they cursed God and “they did not repent and give Him glory.” What an undeniable and sad commentary on the depravity and wickedness of Adam’s sons and daughters. Knowing full well from whom these plagues come and why they come, they do not repent; they revile. They do not bless God; they blaspheme God (see also 16:11,21). God has been longsuffering and patient with sinful man (2 Pet 3:9). Multiple opportunities have been given for people to repent and run to the redeeming Lamb. Repeatedly and with willful disregard for the grace of God, men and women refuse to repent (see 6:16-17; 9:20-21). They refuse to give glory to the only God deserving of glory. They turn away from Him. He rightly brings divine, retributive torment to them.

The fifth bowl judgment is reminiscent of the ninth Egyptian plague (Exod 10:21-29). It starts locally but extends worldwide. The throne of the beast, the antichrist, is the object of this judgment. He and his kingdom are “plunged into darkness.” We do not know precisely in what way this happens. It could be economic, physical, political, spiritual, or any and all of these (but see Mark 13:24-27). What we do know once again are the results: “People gnawed their tongues because of their pain,” they “blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores” (16:2), and “they did not repent of their works.”

The phrase “God of heaven” is from Daniel 2:44. It speaks of the God who sovereignly destroys the false kingdoms of this world and establishes His own rightful kingdom. Daniel 7:13-14 tells us this kingdom is given to the Son of Man! We know this refers to Jesus.

This is the final time we are told that mankind would not repent. The day of grace is at an end. God’s deadline is now past. Neither mercy nor judgment changed the heart of sinful humanity. They loved their idols too much. They loved their sin more than the Savior who would have set them free from their bondage and slavery. It is hard not to weep.

The sixth angel pours his bowl out “on the great river Euphrates,” a river designated this way five times in the Bible (Gen 15:18; Deut 1:7; Josh 1:4; Rev 9:14; 16:12). It runs 1,800 miles from Mount Ararat to the Persian Gulf and was seen as the eastern boundary of the land God promised to Israel. It continues as the lifeblood of what is called the Fertile Crescent. The river is dried up to prepare for the coming of an army, “the kings from the east” (16:12). Who they are and why they come is not revealed, but there certainly seems to be a relationship to the army from the east when the sixth angel blew his trumpet in 9:13-19. Ultimately, they come as God allows and directs.

Coupled with the coming of these kings are three unclean spirits, or demons, who spring from the mouth of the unholy, counterfeit trinity of the dragon, beast, and false prophet (16:13). These demons are said to be like frogs, an unclean animal (Lev 11:10,41). Once more they act with spiritual deception via the miraculous, which reminds us again that not every miracle is a miracle from God. Their goal is for “the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty” (16:14). I believe they think they are gathering to battle earthly powers, perhaps Israel (Ezek 38–39; Zech 14), or the people of God as a whole. Actually God is the One who has bought them there to do battle with Him (see 19:11-21).

Almost parenthetically, verse 15 interjects the third of seven beatitudes in Revelation:

“Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame is blessed.”

Christ can come any moment on any day. “Coming like a thief” means many will be caught by surprise, unprepared, not ready (see 1 Thess 5:2). Do not find yourself in that camp. Be alert; “stay awake.” There is a blessing for those who do! Have your spiritual clothes on at all times (see 3:18). Do not allow your spiritual vigilance to flag or wane so that you are found naked or exposed. On this day everything will be made plain. The “deceptive propaganda” of the false trinity will be fully exposed.

That day, verse 16 tells us, will happen “at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.” Har-Magedon is probably a reference to the hill of Megiddo, “the ancient city lying on the north side of the Carmel ridge . . . between the coastal plain and the valley of Esdraelon” (Mounce, Revelation, 301). It is a famous battlefield with many strategic conflicts having occurred there. Armageddon has taken on the idea of the place and time of the war that ends all wars as history draws to a close. I believe history will end in cataclysmic world war. I think Armageddon will serve as the focal point (14:14-20; 16:10; 19:17-21; see Joel 3:2; Zech 14). Still I am in full agreement with Mounce, who clarifies that

geography is not the major concern. Wherever it takes place, Armageddon is symbolic of the final overthrow of all the forces of evil by the might and power of God. The great conflict between God and Satan, Christ and antichrist, good and evil, that lies behind the perplexing course of history will in the end issue in a final struggle in which God will emerge victorious and take with him all who have placed their faith in him. This is Har-Magedon. (Ibid., 302)

There are similarities between the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl, even the seventh seal, because in a telescopic and spiraling manner each brings history to a close. The seventh angel pours out his bowl in the air, the space encompassing the earth. Again a “loud voice” comes from “the sanctuary,” and specifically from “the throne.” God speaks, saying, “It is done!” “It is completed” (see 15:1). Like the seventh seal (8:5) and the seventh trumpet (11:19), there is lightning, rumblings (sounds or voices), and thunder. There is also an earthquake that is unprecedented in human history (16:18).

Verse 19 says, “[T]he great city split into three parts.” Good arguments can be made that this is historical Jerusalem (see Zech 14:8). Context, however, would seem to point to spiritual Babylon, the subject of chapters 17–18. Some would identify the city with Rome, and also with good reason in light of the first-century historical context and chapter 18. I believe it would certainly include Rome, but it is more. Babylon in Revelation is the city of man that stands in opposition to the city of God, the new Jerusalem (Rev 21–22). Babylon falls completely, and all the cities of her world fall with her. God remembers her; she is not forgotten. She will drink in full measure “the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.” What Jesus drank for His own (Mark 10:38-39), she will be forced to drink herself.

Verse 20 is a simple statement of cosmic upheaval and eschatological trauma. It recalls the cosmic disturbance of the sixth seal in 6:12-14. Here is a snapshot meant to leave a lasting impression of a world now experiencing in totality the fury and wrath of its Creator.

The cosmic storm of God’s wrath reaches its climax and culmination with great hailstones of one hundred pounds falling to earth and on people (16:21). We have seen this before (Josh 10:11; Ezek 38:18-22). The heaviest hailstone on record in modern times was a mere 1.93 pounds! The earth, what little remains, will be pummeled and pulverized. Tragically, but now expected, men curse God for His righteous judgment (16:9,11). Beaten, they again blaspheme. Conquered, they curse. One last time they shake their fist in God’s face and curse His name. Judgment day has come. The results are certain. The response of humanity is stunning. So great is their hatred for God, they curse His name with their final, dying breath.

At the cross God demonstrated His wrath and poured it out on His beloved Son. His great love for sinners was on full display. In the great tribulation He will pour out His wrath on rebellious and unrepentant sinners who curse His name. There will be no middle ground in that day. There is really no middle ground today. What will you do?

Will you believe in Him or blaspheme Him?

Will you confess Him or curse Him?

Will you repent or continue to rebel?

The choice is yours, and the choice is mine. The time to make the choice is now. Time will soon be gone for all of us. Judgment day is on its way to planet Earth.