The judgments that were unleashed during the warning period of the trumpets in chapter eight, are about to be intensified.
     This chapter covers the period of time when the beast has gained complete control over the earth and his mark has been enforced. It also encompasses the same time frame in which Babylon is destroyed in chapter eighteen.
     As we were shown in chapter eleven, the restraining remnant believers have been raptured and we were also shown the martyrs that came out of great tribulation, which would correlate to the time frame in this chapter.
     It is argued that God would not let His church experience His wrath. God’s anger is poured out upon the wicked. The people who are alive and are cleaving to Him through this time of environmental upheaval can experience some of the ramifications of the effects of mankind’s rebellion; but God knows who are His. As He protected His own when His wrath fell on Pharaoh’s kingdom, He will do the same for the ones who have rejected the beast’s mark. There are many that He will also allow to be martyred during this season of horror upon the earth, and we are shown that the reward of these ones is very great. We are again reminded that this life is temporal and the only thing worth holding onto of any value is our faith.
     In the previous chapter we watched with the Apostle John as the angels received their new job assignments. That vision continues and John hears a “great voice.”

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth:” (verse 1).

We can assume the voice we are hearing from the temple is the voice of God releasing the angels to instigate His judgments.

And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image (verse 2).

Here again, we can see that God’s people who are alive at this time are protected from this plague that is seen being directed only upon those who have taken the beast’s mark and worshipped his image. The image of the beast can be translated into the worship of technology. As of this writing there is a church being formed to worship artificial intelligence as god. These people are the specific targets of this particular plague.
     We know that man tampers with climate engineering and that the environment is also affected by his pollutions. Radiation from numerous nuclear experiments, leaks and detonations can cause skin tumors and disfigurations, but these plagues can also be inflicted supernaturally. We see a parallel to the time when God’s plagues fell on Pharaoh’s kingdom. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate some of them. Thus there were twice as many frogs, some from magic, (the devil), and some from the Lord. Likewise as God sends His judgments from above, the fruits of man’s abuse of the environment will be kicking back on them at the same time, multiplying their misery.
     The outward manifestations upon the skin is also a reflection of man’s inward, unrepented sin coming to the surface. As these sores continue to manifest; marking those who have taken the mark, the second angel adds his mixture to the scenario.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the blood of a dead man, and every living soul died in the sea (verse 3).

Here we are again shown the scriptural evidence that the judgments released during the previous warning period of the trumpets are progressive. One third of the life in the sea is destroyed in chapter eight, verse eight. Here we see in chapter sixteen, that now all life has been destroyed from the ocean. The sea has become as “the blood of a dead man.” There is no oxygen in the blood of a dead man who can no longer breathe. The term “dead zone” is used to describe what happens when all oxygen is removed from the water. Nothing can survive there. There are pockets of dead zones in the world’s oceans as of this writing and they are increasing as man’s pollutions increase.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood (verse 4).

The leakage from ineffective nuclear waste disposal and the effects from other pollutions and drought all contribute to the elimination of clean drinking water. The blood red color can be the result of a bacteria called chromatiaceae, which thrives in drought related oxygen deprived water. Again, we see the progression of this judgment that was instigated in chapter eight, verse ten.
     We are not going to exclude a supernatural manifestation of the water turning into literal blood in these descriptions, just as Moses demonstrated before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:19). As man has shed innocent blood on earth, so the Lord can turn the water man needs to survive into literal blood as a reflection of their crimes, as revealed in the following verses.

And I heard the angel of the waters say, “You are righteous, O Lord, which are, and was, and shall be, because You have judged this way (verse 5).

While the people that refused to acknowledge and repent of their sin may view these judgments as cruelty from above, we are shown that God’s ways are righteous and mankind is merely reaping what they have sown.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy” (verse 6).

In other words, they they deserve what is being allowed to affect them because of their crimes.
God’s righteousness in His ways of dealing with evil is reiterated by another voice. –

And I heard another voice out of the altar say, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (verse 7).

This voice is coming from the altar. We were shown in chapter six the martyrs that were resting under it. This judgment on the waters is obviously part of these saints’ promised vindication upon those who have shed their blood. This illustrates for us that God values these ones who loved not their lives unto death – and woe to the ones who have afflicted them!

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire (verse 8).

As we saw in our examination of chapter eight, the sun will be seven times brighter before the Lord returns (Isaiah 30:26). The sudden acceleration described here, shows us the effects of this supernatural igniting of the sun’s radiation upon the earth. The “fire” that is revealed in the next verse is “great heat. “ –

And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which has power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory (verse 9).

It seems here, as well as in chapter nine, verses twenty and twenty-one, that these plagues could be averted if the people would humble themselves and repent. Their inability to submit to a Being that is so much greater than themselves is the factor that enables their misery to continue.

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast…

The intensity of this plague is reserved for the capital of the beast’s one world government/empire.

…and his kingdom was full of darkness, and they gnawed their tongues for pain (verse 10).

The sun is getting brighter, but the beast’s capital city is in darkness. While this can symbolize the spiritual darkness that encapsulates the empire, correlating this with the sun’s sudden bursts of energy, we could be witnessing here the results of a massive solar storm that fries the electrical grid, plunging the city into darkness, bringing commerce to a grinding halt. Of course this cessation would cause those in charge to gnaw their tongues in pain. When you are chewing your tongue you can’t talk; this symbolism could reflect the ensuing elimination of all electronic communications.
     We can see by these plagues, that even though this evil empire has control of the world, God is not permitting them to enjoy the fruits of their labor and brutality upon mankind. They are going to reap what they have sown, especially for the persecution of the Lord’s saints.

And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds (verse 11).

These people apparently know there is a God and as I have previously mentioned, their pride and arrogance refuses to allow them to repent under the Lord’s correction.

This same condition infected God’s people of ancient Israel before Jerusalem was destroyed. –

O Lord, are not Your eyes upon the truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved: You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock: they have refused to return (Jeremiah 5:3).

The trials that God allows to afflict people are actually a reflection of His mercy. It is the last attempt to reach those He wants to save and bless.
Those who are being afflicted in Revelation’s visions are so infected with their disease of pride they stubbornly refuse to humble themselves. Therefore the judgments of God will continue until their ultimate and devastating conclusion.

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared (verse 12). As of this writing, the Euphrates River is in the process of drying now. What has begun at this moment in time before the beast empire has fully emerged is speeding toward the fulfillment of this prophecy. When the water in this river has evaporated completely, then we know that the time of the invasion described here has arrived.
     Obviously, with today’s sophisticated weaponry, an invasion can take place whether the river has water in it or not. The drying of the river is a sign that we are nearing the conclusion of this present age and the Lord’s return is nearing.
     The kings of the east could be a reference to a union of Islamic warriors with the communist Russian/Chinese army, or the communists alone. In any case, this is the multitude John was shown in chapter nine, verse sixteen. These warriors are being directed by God into one location as we shall see, specifically for the purpose of their elimination.
     They are about to take part in the last battle in the war against God’s people. While many see this as an attack on Israel, the Christian church is grafted into the Hebrew linage and are also called “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16). As this army comes to invade Israel, it is also going to reap what it has sown for the damage it has inflicted upon God’s church.
     After the Apostle John witnesses the water evaporate from the Euphrates, he is shown a disturbing picture of the dragon (the devil), the beast (the one world government) and the false prophet (the antichrist).

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet (verse 13).

What are the mouths of these three monsters? Mouths symbolize communication. Today mass communication is achieved through the media. The dragon, which is the devil, and his puppets, the antichrist, and all those who constitute the beast empire, are in full control of every news media in the world. And out of the mouths of this demonically controlled system that is designed to help control and manipulate the masses, come three “unclean spirits.” In the next verse they and their purpose are identified more specifically.

For they are the spirits of devils working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty (verse 14).

Out of the demonically controlled mouths of the media, the spirits of devils are unleashed to influence the world leaders, “the kings of the earth” and also all the inhabitants of the “whole world” to get behind a major battle in the Middle East. This is the final massive conflict that directly proceeds the second coming of the Messiah.
     In order to understand how demons can influence people through the media, I am going to relate several incidences that happened to friends of mine who were watching television and a movie.
     As one of my friends was watching a made for television film, she felt something slam onto her chest. A few days later she received a telephone call from a friend of hers who operated in the prophetic. My friend was told, “There is a movie going around that is promoting a spirit of murder, don’t watch it.” That was the movie my friend was watching when she felt something slam onto her chest.
     Sometime after that, she and her husband were watching a documentary. It was coming up to a voodoo ceremony when she heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “Turn it off.” She didn’t obey.
     Then the Spirit went to her husband and told him the same thing. He didn’t listen either. They continued watching and they both felt something slam into their chests.
     Another friend of mine who was a speaker and also operated in the prophetic, told me that the day before she was going to minister, she was invited to a movie by her hosts. She went with them, but when a scene in the film became very violent, the Lord allowed her to see demons come out from the screen and begin to “mess with the people.” She left immediately and waited in the lobby until the movie was over.
     From these examples we can see how the devil uses the media to sow demonic influences into the people. We can understand now with the influx and saturation of entertainment today, why so many people are controlled by unrestrained lust and violence. Disobedient Christians are not immune. It is vitally important that we guard our eye gates and ear gates from these influences and separate ourselves from beholding behaviors that God says in His word he hates.

During this period of time when the world is being manipulated into the final onslaught against God’s people, both Jews and Christians, the Lord inserts another exhortation for His people to remain faithful to Him.

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame (verse 15).

Those garments, as we have been shown, are the righteousness of the saints; the “wedding garments” that have been imparted to them through their faith in the blood atonement of the Messiah Jesus.
     The persecution at this time is intense. And for those of us living in this present hour, we need to remember our Lord’s words here and allow them to reinforce our commitment to Him and be among the blessed ones He is referring to in this verse.

And He gathered them together in a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon (verse 16).

While the armies of the beast think they are assembling for an attack on God’s people, they fail to recognize that the Almighty One who rules the heavens is actually setting them all up for a supernatural ambush.
     As the armies of the world are getting into their positions, the Apostle John witnesses the last and seventh angel release his final plague.

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done” (verse 17).

This phrase matches Ezekiel’s prophecy of this same period of time before the Lord returns.

Behold, it is come, and it is done, says the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken (Ezekiel 39:8).

Jesus cried, “It is finished!” from His blood soaked cross, announcing that the atonement that was prophesied from the beginning of the world has been completed. Now as the angel releases the final judgment upon the rebellious ones who refused to submit under God’s rule, their doom is sealed and finalized.

And there were voices…

Voices can symbolize turmoil and civil unrest, but because this vial was thrown into the air where voices are transmitted electronically, this event could represent disruptions in those communications. I can envision the Lord scrambling the armies’ communications which would cause massive confusion and disruptions if their leaders are suddenly unable to communicate with each other to direct their troop movements. This incident possibly correlates to the blackout in the beast’s capitol just before Babylon is destroyed.

…..and thunders, and lightenings… It looks like at the same time these unfortunate ones are subjected to a lot of really bad weather.

…And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake (verse 18).

Amid the preparations for war, there is a corresponding upheaval in the environment.
     This vision encompasses the time frame when Babylon is destroyed. Apparently the earthquake described here, which is also part of the martyr’s vindication (Rev. 6:12), is located beneath the capital city of the beast’s new world order.

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath (verse 19).

How can one massive earthquake in one central location have the ability to cause “the cities of the nations” to fall? This city, which is the capital of the one world government and also represents the rebelliousness of Nimrod’s Babylon, is also home to the realm’s governing body of United Nations. Therefore, when this earthquake strikes, it symbolically brings down all the representatives of all the cities of those nations that are united under the Babylonian world empire. Therefore shall the strong people glorify Thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear Thee (Isaiah 25:3).

And every island fled away,…

All the islands surrounding this city will be submerged.

…and the mountains were not found (verse 20).

The mountains here can represent the tall buildings and also demonic strongholds that are disrupted by this judgment upon their rule.
     This chapter is giving us a brief summary of Babylon’s destruction, which is continued in the visions of chapter eighteen. It is there we are shown Babylon’s devastation in more detail. In verse twenty of that chapter, we witness an angel casting a great stone into the sea. This massive rock that slams into the water from the sky, could be a meteor or an asteroid. This event would cause a tsunami to flood the land, submerging the islands, the buildings and possibly any surrounding mountains in the area.
Those scientists that have been experimenting with weather manipulation for the purpose of using it as a weapon to subdue the beast’s enemies, harming innocent people with their experimentations in the process, are reaping what they have sown.

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: (100 pounds) and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for the plague therof was exceedingly great (verse 21).

I used to think that the hail could represent massive chucks of concrete falling from the buildings during the earthquake. But as of this writing, there have been weather anomalies happening all over the planet, including incidents of oversized hail. If these anomalies are the result of weather manipulation, or “geoengineering,” then we can see within these judgments upon Babylon, that God is taking the reins of weather control back into His rightful hands.
     No matter how hard evil men try to usurp God’s authority, they will fail. He is the One who rules the universe and He and the Messiah Jesus cannot and will never be dethroned.

Copyright 2018 by H.D. Shively

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