Morning Bible Study: Revelation 16:1-7

The Bowls of Wrath
16 1  Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, "Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God's wrath." 

2  So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. 

3  Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died. 

4  Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood. 

5  And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, "You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. 

6  Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward." 

7  And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.” NLT 

Commentary

(the following commentary is from www.easyenglish.bible/bible-commentary/revelation-lbw.htm)

"Verse 1 God did not allow anybody to enter the temple in heaven at this time (15:8). The voice that John heard came from the temple. It was loud. And it had great authority. It was the voice of God.

God told the 7 angels to go and to empty the bowls on the earth. The bowls contained the anger of God. In other words, the people would know how angry God was because of the bowls. When each angel poured each bowl, there would be terrible troubles on the earth. It was as if the bowls contained the actual troubles.

The angels went and they poured out their bowls. They went one after another with no time between them.

Verse 2 The angel poured out the first bowl of the anger of God. Those who had the mark of the beast suffered much pain. They had terrible sores on their skin.

At the end of time, all people will have to be loyal either to the beast or to Christ. The anger of God is against those loyal to the beast.

Verse 3 The next angel poured his bowl over the sea. The water became like blood. Nothing that depended on the sea could live. All that was in the sea died.

Verse 4 The third angel poured his bowl on the fresh water. All the rivers and streams became blood. The water was not good to drink. It was bitter to the taste and full of poison.

Verses 5-6 The angel who had power over the water spoke to God. He first declared who God is. He is the holy God and there is none like him. He is the living God and he always was. He is perfect. And all that he does is right.

God was right to send all these troubles onto the earth. The people deserved them all. They had killed so many of God’s people. They had killed the prophets that God had sent to them.

The blood of the Lord’s people had flowed when the evil people killed them. Now God gave to the evil people blood to drink. God was right to do so and they deserved it.

Verse 7 John heard a voice from the altar in heaven. This voice agreed with the angel. The Lord God is the God of all power. He is the judge of the people. He is right to punish them as he did. They were evil people and they were guilty of many crimes."