Things Heating Up
Introduction: Have you ever been sunburned? Oouch! How can you prevent being sunburned? The answer is… put on Sonscreen! Have you applied the One and Only Sonscreen?
Are things “heating up”? This summer’s record temperatures will pale in comparison to what is yet to come. There appears to be a horrendous “Heat Wave” on the horizon. One like we’ve never seen before!
It could be just around the corner. A series of vial (bowl) judgements will be released from the “Judge”—Jesus Christ. These will immediately follow—with rapidity and severity—the other series of seven judgements which will consist of seven seals and seven trumpets (Revelation 6-15).
Here is the forecast of that futuristic event that will be one of the earth’s most severe “heat waves”! The heat is on!!
Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a life without sin and thus be our Savior from the penalty of sin; and through His redeeming blood, we can be forgiven. But do not forget, after He returns someday—He will be the righteous Judge!
1) The First “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!—”And the first went….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” (Revelation 16:2). This angel pours out a bowl on all the men that received the “mark of the beast” along with those who worshipped “his image” (Revelation 13:14-18).
This seems to be a payback (retribution) from the Lord and a consequence for believing the devil’s lies. Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Watch out for the dirty devil! Do not believe his lies. Instead, believe and trust the truth of God’s Word.
2) The Second “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!—”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” (Revelation 16:3). God will judge the earth—even the sea, which He made. This bowl judgement will be more severe than the trumpet judgement, which will only affect 1/3 of the sea. Imagine how repulsive it would be swimming in a bloody sea.
3) The Third “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!— “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood” (Revelation 16:4). Can you imagine how terrible that is going to be with all the drinking water defiled with blood? Today Christians are being martyred in their own blood. But one day, God will avenge His elect by making those who do not repent of their hatred toward Christians to drink blood.
4) The Fourth “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!— “And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory” (Revelation 16:8-9). Here is where the scorching heat wave happens. Although the intensity of the heat from the sun will scorch men, they will not change their ways. Only by putting on Sonscreen (Romans 13:14), will one be prevented from being sunscorched.
5) The Fifth “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!—”And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds” (Revelation 16:10-11). Jesus Christ will hit the very throne of Satan, but still no repentance from those who worship him.
6) The Sixth “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!—“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” (Revelation 16:12). Preparation for Armageddon can be seen in this bowl judgement. The stage is being set.
7) The Seventh “Vial” (Bowl) Judgement!—”And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air….And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great” (Revelation 16:17-18). This final bowl judgement will be a massive earthquake. Jesus forewarned of these “Judgments” yet to come. Can you see that the Bible has been fulfilled in the past—is being fulfilled today—and will be fulfilled in the future? These are good reasons to have faith in the God of the Bible.
Conclusion: This passage of Revelation describes when Jesus Christ will take vengeance out on the devil’s crowd who dwell on the earth. There is going to be a “high price for low living”! “And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments” (Revelation 16:5-7). Jesus Christ is just. We can trust that He will make the wrong turn into right!
The only way to escape the intensity of the coming “sunburn” is to put on the “Sonscreen”! Have you turned from your sin and turned toward Jesus Christ?
Do it today.
For more teaching on end times prophecy visit Until That Day at https://www.youtube.com/untilthatday. Until That Day is an outreach ministry of New Rocky Creek Baptist Church. Every day, more and more people are becoming aware of the significance of Bible prophecy. God’s Word is being fulfilled all around us. Learn to talk intelligently and spiritually with your loved ones about the things unfolding in our world today.