Revelation 16 Study Notes

16:12-14 The sixth . . . bowl of wrath is the preparation for the battle of Armageddon (v. 16). The sixth trumpet judgment also mentioned the great river Euphrates (see note at 9:14-16). It is possible that the phrase, its water was dried up, is intended to recall the parting of the Red Sea since both concern armies (here, armies of the kings from the east side of the Euphrates). The frogs recall the second plague on Egypt (Ex 8:2-13). These armies are moving to join the kings of the whole world for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty (the day of the Lord; see note at 6:12-17) to war against God (see note at 16:16). The demonic spirits perform deceiving signs to influence these kings (see Dn 10:13,20) to do the will of Satan (the dragon, see note at 12:7-10).

The adjective axios describes something that is of comparable value or worth to something else (comparable, worthy), or something that is appropriate to a particular person or activity (corresponding to, deserving of ). In the NT, axios occurs several times in reference to those receiving a punishment of death (i.e., the punishment corresponds to the crime; Lk 23:15,41; Ac 23:29; 25:11,25; 26:31; Rm 1:32). In the Gospels, axios occasionally describes truths about salvation and discipleship (Mt 3:8; 10:37-38; Lk 12:48), and Paul does the same in Rm 8:18 (the related verb axioo occurs in 2Th 1:11; 1Tm 5:17, and the adverb axios occurs in Eph 4:1; Php 1:27; Col 1:10; 1Th 2:12). In Revelation, the redeemed are found worthy of their reward (3:4); God is worthy of glory, honor, and power (4:11); and the Lamb is worthy to break the seals of the scroll (5:2,4,9,12).

16:15 In the midst of the description of the lead-up to Armageddon (see note at v. 16) is the third blessing statement of the Apocalypse (1:3; 14:13; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7,14), warning readers always to be spiritually alert. Coming like a thief echoes Jesus’s parable in Mt 24:43-44 and his earlier threat to the church at Sardis (Rv 3:3). Spiritual nakedness was one of Christ’s indictments of the church at Laodicea (3:17-18).

16:16 Many explanations have been offered for the place called . . . Armageddon. In Hebrew, it appears to mean “hill or mount of Megiddo.” Some view this as referring to Mount Carmel—located some fifteen miles from Megiddo. When Napoleon Bonaparte saw Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley, he described the site as the world’s most natural battleground. Historically, no fewer than thirty-four battles have been fought here for control of this strategic corridor. Egypt’s Pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned 1479-1425 BC) said that capturing Megiddo was like capturing a thousand towns. Others think Armageddon is not an actual place but a symbol for the concluding battle between good and evil.

16:17-21 The seventh . . . bowl of wrath is focused on Babylon the Great, introduced in 14:8. The phenomena poured out in judgment (lightning, rumblings . . . thunder . . . earthquake . . . hailstones) have been “on hold” since being seen in heaven in 11:19. The great city here is not Jerusalem, as in 11:8, but Babylon. The mixing of references closely aligns the ungodly aspects of both cities. In 14:10, the beast worshipers were told they would “drink the wine of God’s wrath . . . the cup of his anger.” Now, Babylon receives the cup filled with the wine of his fierce anger. Thus, each is being equally punished, and it is the punishment that was expected to come upon the “earth dwellers” (see notes at 6:9-11; 8:13). The phrase “Babylon the Great” is taken from Nebuchadnezzar’s boast in Dn 4:30. It could speak of a rebuilt end-time city, though Jr 51:26 makes that unlikely. It could be a code name for Rome, or it could picture any proud society, with the Tower of Babel (Gn 11:1-9) and Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar being classic examples.