Revelation 17, The Destruction of the Babylonian Religion / Worldview

BACKGROUND: Last chapter finished God's wrath and the period of tribulation. The next two chapters describe the detail surrounding the last two judgments against Babylon

Rev 17 (ESV) -- Read entire chapter first

[OPTIONAL] Satan and Babylon in history

• King of Tyre story (Antichrist and Satan description)
• Ezek 28:1-10 - possibly Antichrist (death by foreigner could be original death)
• Prince of Tyre
• Vs 10 death of circumcised would be a shameful death
• Vs 10 hand of foreigners (could reference his actual death in the first half of the tribulation)
• Ezek 28:11-19 - Satan indwelling the Antichrist in the last half
• King of Tyre
• Babel (Great disagreement among scholars on where Babel was originally; good argument that it was in the city of Babylon) (Gen 10:10; 11:9) Nimrod leads a revolt to storm heaven
• First nation to defeat Israel and destroy Jerusalem (Babylon)

17:1 (ESV) Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters,

• One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
• The vision concerns the second half of the tribulation
• "Come and I will show" suggests that this section is in a vision
• Many waters (see verse 15) - every tribe and language - all the people of the earth
• "Great prostitute"
• A prostitute is a way of physically enjoying yourself without a covenantal relationship (no commitment or sense of responsibility, except a payment of cash)
• A prostitute is a way of getting around God's law (and creation) to satisfy one's sexual desire
• Israel was called a prostitute because she forsook God and worshipped idols (overwhelming number of scriptures describe idol worship as harlotry)
• She gave up her responsibilities to do what God's law required
• She controlled God when she made him into an idol (the image of God that she created)
• THEREFORE: The great prostitute wants to pull us away from commitment to God, his rules of life, to pursue our own satisfaction, and to control our own destinies (by controlling our image of God)
• Phrase: "… my God is not like that …" to scripture that is not understood
• Any religion or idea that opposes God's true rule and law
• APPLICATION: What things are idols in our life? Modern society has just as many idols. They are all man-made objects that require our devotion

17:2 (ESV)  with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk."

• Kings of the earth
• political leaders have drank her wine (philosophy) to the point of drunkenness
• Also the "elites" who think they know what is best for you
• Drunk
• You can't think straight (irrational)
• You allow your baser emotions to control your life (live for pleasure)

17:3 (ESV) And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.

• Vision (carried into a wilderness)
• Woman on a scarlet beast
• Woman in scripture, when used symbolically, describe a religion or a nation
• The woman encapsulates any worldview that opposes the worship of the one true God
• Possibly a world religion is established early in the tribulation period to pull all religious beliefs together
• Scarlet (beast)
• Scarlet is seen as a good thing, mostly. Scarlet is used often when vivid color is desired. Scarlet is associated with wealth. Scarlet is used in the tabernacle covering, clothing, and as a color for lips
• Scarlet is used by Rahab first in scripture to identify her house
• Scarlet is used negatively first in Isa 1:18 "… though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; …"
• Jer 4:30 uses it negatively to describe a woman who covers her desolation with clothing and makeup
• Jesus is dressed in a scarlet robe for the soldiers to mock him
• Beast is the description of Antichrist and the false prophet (Rev 13)
• THEREFORE: Scarlet beast can represent religion, wealth, standing out in the crowd, and also sin
• Blasphemous names
• Discussed earlier. Possibly atheistic. Man is the god of his world, but it could be any religious system that is opposed to the true God
• Babel is a two-fold picture
1. What man can create
2. Man tries to storm heaven and conquer God
• Seven heads (Rulers of the world) and Ten horns (regions) describes both Satan and the Antichrist. The diadems are not mentioned, but Satan had seven diadems (probably seven because he wants to be like God) and the Antichrist had all ten diadems (he controls all the regions)
• Again, I think the Antichrist, by this point, is essentially Satan living through the man's flesh

17:4 (ESV) The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

• Woman is wealthy
• Purple and scarlet is also religious
• Woman is corrupt
• Abominations would be things that displease God and are unlawful
• Sexual immorality has been a key attacking point Satan has used to draw people away from God (Example of article about living together. Used opinion regarding divorce which is the opposite of the actual statistics)

17:5 (ESV) And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: "Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations."

• Babylon is a mystery
• Babylon represents more than just a city
• Babylon is the mother of prostitutes (she births new idol worship) and abominations on the earth (she births new ways to sin)
• Everything that is counter to the worship of God
• Everything that exists to satisfy self above obedience to God
• It could very well be a new worldwide religion

17:6 (ESV) And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. // When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, "Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come.  // 9  This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.

• Not only is it a religion (could include atheism since that is also a religion), it fights against everything that is Christian (drunk with the blood of the saints)
• I believe that the Antichrist will go after religion, specifically Christianity, in order to cleanse the world of the "evil"
• Why does John marvel?
• Interesting question. Foolishness of the world or desirability of her wares
• We seem to get ruder, more selfish, more sinful, and we think we are progressing
• Beast (previous depiction of was, is not, and about to rise) -- this is the Antichrist indwelt by Satan
• He fools the dwellers on earth by his resurrection occurring around the midpoint of tribulation
• Seven heads
• Seven mountains which seat the woman (upon which the woman gets her authority)
• The 7 mountains could be literal: Jerusalem -- doesn't make sense; Rome -- as the continuation of Babylon (but that doesn't fit as well with the drying up of the Euphrates or as the historical origin of Babylon)
• Seven mountains could be symbolic of authority (used that way in scripture, example: Dan 2)
• Seven heads are ALSO (double meaning is permitted here because the passage permits its use--notice the phrase "they are also") persons
• 5 (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece) have died, 1 living (Rome), and 1 to come (Antichrist) -- these are historical powers who have attacked Israel
• Ten horns - are the ten rulers who give the Antichrist his rule and authority

11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind and hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful."

• … "the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven …" - this is the Antichrist
• One commentator suggested Antiochus IV Epiphanes (would have to be someone like him)
• The ten kings - the rulers of the ten regions who cede power to the Beast. Three are subdued, but seven become vassals
• One hour could also be translated, "one time" (Adam Clarke's Commentary)
• They make war on the Lamb - the whole second half of the tribulation is a war on believers and Jews
• With the seventh seal judgment, Jesus comes to Bosrah and leads a battle against the Antichrist, resulting in his death, and the defeat of the enemy's forces

15 And the angel said to me, "The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth."

• The waters are the peoples of the world
• The woman is mystery Babylon, she is also called the great city that controls the earth
• The outcome of the woman:
• The ten horns, representing the ten regions and the beast (Antichrist) hate the woman, this new religion
• The destruction of the mystery Babylon by the ten kings and the Antichrist would occur during the middle of the tribulation, possibly during his attack on Christians
• APPLICATION: 

Revelation 16:12-21, Campaign of Armageddon

The Campaign of Armageddon
Rev 16:12-16 (ESV) The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!") 16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.


• In some ways this is different from the other judgments and in some ways it is the same, how?
• It is not direct (except possibly the three unclean spirits)
• It merely sets the stage for a series of battles
• NOTE: Armageddon is incorrectly referred to as a battle, but is a series of battles, and is better called a campaign
• It is also has some similarities to the Exodus plague
• The Red Sea was dried up to ultimately destroy the Egyptian Army (although different here because it was dried up for Israel to escape). The Jordan was dried up to let Israel pass into Canaan to conquer it
• Frogs are mentioned but are used differently
• What is unique about the "frogs?" Who or what are the frogs?
• They are demons (unclean spirits, demonic spirits)
• There true nature is described first, then what they look like (typically, you would describe what they look like and then interpret their nature)
• They come out of the unholy trinity (they are sent forth from Satan)
• Their purpose is to convince the kings of the East to join forces
• Review: There were ten kings
• There are now seven kings, vassals to the Antichrist
• It does not say how many join forces, only that the ones from the East (the Stans that are part of a strongly Islamic region, possible China, possibly the far East (also Muslim))
• Some interesting conclusions: US and Europe could be one of the three that are subdued. South America would not be able to travel. Also Africa, is either subdued or because of the conditions on the earth with regard to food is too weak to support
• There are dams on the Euphrates for power plants, along with irrigation usages that in part dry up the Euphrates now, but that would only be certain sections. Other parts, before the power plants would be un-fordable. A complete drying up could affect power and food production
• Why is the Antichrist so keen on going to war?
• They see the continued existence of Israel as the reason for their problems
• Initially, Satan wanted to destroy Israel to prevent the redeemer from coming. Jesus says something during his first visit which in many ways sets the stage for this attack
• Matt 23:37-39 (ESV) "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!  38 See, your house is left to you desolate.  39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
• What is the purpose of Jesus' warning to believers?
• Earlier, we saw the sea of glass with all the saints who have gone through the tribulation. This is the near the end and there are very few believers left because of the policies of the Antichrist. A declaration of Jesus coming for the church would seem trivial when few have lived through to this point in history
• On the other hand, if the church has already been saved from the wrath to come (pre-trib rapture), and most of the tribulation saints have been martyred, this could be encouragement for the few who remain to continue to hold on, for the end is near
• Note: slightly supports the notion of a different type of believer (without the Holy Spirit) since you can give up your clothes by getting the mark
• Armageddon
• Phase 1: The nations gather on the plain near Meggido against Israel
• Joel 3:9-12 (ESV) Proclaim this among the nations:
   Consecrate for war;
  stir up the mighty men.
  Let all the men of war draw near;
  let them come up.
  10  Beat your plowshares into swords,
  and your pruning hooks into spears;
  let the weak say, "I am a warrior."
  11  Hasten and come,
  all you surrounding nations,
  and gather yourselves there.
  Bring down your warriors, O Lord.
  12 Let the nations stir themselves up
  and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
  for there I will sit to judge
  all the surrounding nations.
• Phase 2: (Classic backstab), enemies of the enemy shall destroy Babylon.
• (Also in Isaiah 11:5), Jeremiah 50:9 tells of a gathering of many peoples against the city of Babylon:   
Jer 50:9 (ESV) For behold, I am stirring up and bringing against Babylon a gathering of great nations, from the north country. And they shall array themselves against her. From there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed.
• Later, in Jeremiah 50:21-27, there is a more graphic description of the fall of Babylon. The reason this is not the first destruction of Babylon by the Mede-Persians, because it does not fulfil all the prophecies (completely desolate)   
Jer 50:21-27 (ESV) "Go up against the land of Merathaim, and against the inhabitants of Pekod. Kill, and devote them to destruction, declares the Lord, and do all that I have commanded you. 22  The noise of battle is in the land, and great destruction! 23  How the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and broken! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations! 24  I set a snare for you and you were taken, O Babylon, and you did not know it; you were found and caught, because you opposed the Lord. 25 The Lord has opened his armory and brought out the weapons of his wrath, for the Lord God of hosts has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans. 26 Come against her from every quarter; open her granaries; pile her up like heaps of grain, and devote her to destruction; let nothing be left of her. 27 Kill all her bulls; let them go down to the slaughter. Woe to them, for their day has come, the time of their punishment.
• The Antichrist is not there at the time of the attack
• Jer 50:43 (ESV) "The king of Babylon heard the report of them,
and his hands fell helpless;
anguish seized him,
pain as of a woman in labor.
• Jer 51:30-31 (ESV) The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting;
they remain in their strongholds;
their strength has failed;
they have become women;
her dwellings are on fire;
her bars are broken.
31 One runner runs to meet another,
and one messenger to meet another,
to tell the king of Babylon
that his city is taken on every side;
• Furthermore, this destruction of Babylon is clearly associated with the final regeneration and restoration of Israel. Such events never did happen in connection with ancient Babylon. Pertinent to the regeneration of Israel
• Jer 50:4-5 (ESV) "In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come, and they shall seek the Lord their God. 5  They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, 'Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.'
• Third stage: The attack on Jerusalem
• Zech 12:1-3 (ESV) The burden of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus declares the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the spirit of man within him: 2 "Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. 3  On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it.
• Zech 14:1-2 (ESV) Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
• Fourth stage: Attack on Bozrah
• Since the main purpose of the Campaign of Armageddon is the annihilation of the Jews, the armies of the world will move southward from Jerusalem to Bozrah,
• Jer 49:13-14 (ESV) For I have sworn by myself, declares the Lord, that Bozrah shall become a horror, a taunt, a waste, and a curse, and all her cities shall be perpetual wastes."


14  I have heard a message from the Lord,
and an envoy has been sent among the nations:
 "Gather yourselves together and come against her,
and rise up for battle!
• Fifth Stage: National regeneration of Israel
• Rom 11:25-27 (ESV) Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,
  "The Deliverer will come from Zion,
  he will banish ungodliness from Jacob";
  27 "and this will be my covenant with them
  when I take away their sins."
• Zech 12:10-13:1 (ESV) "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11  On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 The land shall mourn, each family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; 13 the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; 14 and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.
  
  13  "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.
• Sixth Stage: The second coming of the Messiah
• Isa 34:1-6 (ESV) Draw near, O nations, to hear,
and give attention, O peoples!
Let the earth hear, and all that fills it;
the world, and all that comes from it.
2 For the Lord is enraged against all the nations,
and furious against all their host;
he has devoted them to destruction, has given them over for slaughter.
3 Their slain shall be cast out,
and the stench of their corpses shall rise;
 the mountains shall flow with their blood.
4  All the host of heaven shall rot away,
and the skies roll up like a scroll.
All their host shall fall,
as leaves fall from the vine,
like leaves falling from the fig tree.
5 For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens;
behold, it descends for judgment upon Edom,
upon the people I have devoted to destruction.
6 The Lord has a sword; it is sated with blood;
it is gorged with fat,
with the blood of lambs and goats,
with the fat of the kidneys of rams.
 For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah,
a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
(Verse 8 ties the passage to the end times)
• Isa 63:1-6 (ESV) Who is this who comes from Edom,
in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,
he who is splendid in his apparel,
 marching in the greatness of his strength?
"It is I, speaking in righteousness,
mighty to save."


2 Why is your apparel red,
and your garments like his who treads in the winepress?


3  "I have trodden the winepress alone,
 and from the peoples no one was with me;
I trod them in my anger
and trampled them in my wrath;
their lifeblood spattered on my garments,
and stained all my apparel.
4  For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and my year of redemption had come.
5 I looked, but there was no one to help;
I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;
so my own arm brought me salvation,
and my wrath upheld me.
6 I trampled down the peoples in my anger;
 I made them drunk in my wrath,
and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."
• Seventh Stage: The battle continues all the way back to valley of Jehoshaphat
• Joel 3:12-13 (ESV) Let the nations stir themselves up
and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;
for there I will sit to judge
all the surrounding nations.


13  Put in the sickle,
for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
for the winepress is full.
The vats overflow,
for their evil is great.
• Rev 14:19-20 (ESV) So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.
• Eighth Stage: The Victory Ascent up the Mount of Olives
• Zech 14:3-5 (ESV) Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4  On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.
• There will also be a number of cataclysmic events occurring as Jesus ascends to the top of the Mount of Olives
• Rev 16:17-21 (ESV) The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. 21 And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.
• The great city may refer to Babylon in this context (Rev 18 gives details on the physical city; Rev 17 gives details on the idea of Babylon)
• In addition to the earthquake the fifth blackout, a worldwide blackout follows
• Matt 24:29 (ESV) "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
• Revelation 19 provides more detail on the second coming
• APPLICATION: Discuss ...

Rev 16:1-11, The first five bowl judgments

Rev 16:1-2 (ESV) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.


• I don't know if this is where we get the phrase, "the tipping point," but clearly God's wrath has reached that point
• The first bowl is clearly a reference to the sixth Egyptian plague
• The first bowl judgment is like the plague of boils but different
• Ex 9:8-12 (ESV)  And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt." 10 So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. And Moses threw it in the air, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. 12  But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
• These have the adjective of ugly and painful sores (similar to germ warfare effects)
• These are directed at only those who had the mark (and worshipped the beast)
• At this point, there are still some who have not got the mark
• These people have already made a choice, they have hardened their hearts
[OPTIONAL]
• Rom 9:14-18 (ESV) What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
• The point of Romans is that God is in control
• God emphases that he chooses to show mercy and compassion
• God raised Pharaoh up to show his power (and to proclaim his name)
• Ex 9:15-17 (ESV) For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. 16  But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. 17  You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go.
• God says he has showed mercy to Egypt -- he could have completely destroyed them already
• Here is the reference to Pharaoh's purpose and God's explanation: Pharaoh is the one who rebelled against God
• Ex 7:13, 14, 22 (ESV) Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. //  14 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go.  // … 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
• Only the KJV translates this verse as God hardened his heart. NET, ESV, NIV, AMP, NASB, HCSB, NLT, CJB, RSV, and NKJV all translate that God foretold ("as the Lord had said" (ESV))
• The first seven references (also 8:15, 19, 32, 9:7, 35) to actual hardening is not God hardening Pharoah, but Pharoah hardening his heart against God
• After this point, the emphasis is clearly on God hardening his heart
• The first two prophetic mentioning's of hardening are God's, but they seem to be prophetic, since they are followed by an active reference to Pharaoh
• Ex 4:21-23 (ESV) And the Lord said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.'"
• This could also be in response to what God knew Pharaoh would initiate
• Ex 7:3-4 (ESV) But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.
[OPTIONAL]

#	Context	God's Action	Pharaoh's Action	Comment
	The call	4:21		Prophecy - "I will harden his heart"
	Pre-meeting	7:3		Prophecy - "I will harden Pharaoh's heart"
	Serpents		7:13	Pharaoh's heart was hardened
	Pre-plague		7:14	Lord: "Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go"
1 (2,3)	Nile to blood		7:22	Pharaoh's heart remained hardened
2	Frogs		8:15	he (Pharaoh) hardened his heart
3	Gnats		8:19	Pharaoh's heart was hardened
4	Flies		8:32	Pharaoh hardened his heart
5	Livestock die		9:7	the heart of Pharaoh was hardened
6 (1)	Boils	9:12		the Lord hardened the heart …
7 (~4*)	Hail		9:34	he sinned yet again and hardened his heart
	Hail		9:35	So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened
	Pre-locusts	10:1		I have hardened his heart
8	Locusts	10:20		But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
9 (5)	Darkness	10:27		But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
	Overall	11:10		the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
10	Passover	14:4		I will harden Pharaoh's heart
	Passover	14:8		the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart
	The chase	14:17		I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians

(#) means similar to Revelation bowl judgment
(~4*) Ex 9:24 (ESV) There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.


• APPLICATION: We choose our destiny. God has a plan for our life, but we are the ones who choose to follow that path, or decline the opportunity, whereby God finds another to fulfill his will


Rev 16:3-7 (ESV) The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.


4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,


"Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!"


7 And I heard the altar saying,


"Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
 true and just are your judgments!"


• Water has been attacked previously in the tribulation, when and what effect?
• Second and third trumpet judgments. One-third of the sea life was destroyed and one-third of the fresh water was ruined
• Now, all sea life is destroyed
• Remaining sweet water is destroyed. Exception is that is does not say cistern, wells, or stored water
• Given what has happened to water, how does this affect timing and placement?
• It would have to be near the end of the tribulation
• People can only survive 3 days without water
• Stored water reserves couldn't be large enough to save people for any length of time
• Measures to distill / clean the bloody water would take considerable time to develop
• All of this places the remaining judgments near the end of the tribulation period
• In this passage, there are some additional clues about this judgment - -what do we observe?
• An angel in charge of the waters (i.e., a guardian angel or the superintendent of God's water department) declares the righteousness of the act
• APPLICATION: I think one of the things we fail to realize is the importance of work and responsibility in God's creation. Even angels have "jobs" and responsibilities. God doesn't do it all, but he gives to creatures authority to fulfill his will
• Second declaration comes from the altar itself. Previously, the souls of those martyred have been referenced here. This could be a loud "AMEN"
• The judgment is in response to the shed blood of the saints and the prophets by the world. Since the world has shed the blood of the saints and prophets, mankind can now drink that blood
• Interesting metaphors: water is life-giving and blood sustains life, but when blood replaces the water it only kills
• APPLICATION: The true lifeblood of the world is its spiritual roots. But men want to destroy any connection to a God of the universe. They need living water, they need a spiritual resource. Man cannot live without God. The same is true for our spiritual souls


Rev 16:8-9 (ESV) The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.


• The fourth bowl affects the sun (or the ozone or the atmosphere). Previously, the fourth trumpet judgment had affected one-third of the light source. What is the result here?
• People are scorched by fierce heat. Suggests the light source is greater or something again has happened to the atmosphere or climate
• It is possible that the boils and water problems have affected electricity, eliminating A/C as a relief
• Interestingly that with the great heat there is also a lack of water! And the scorching heat (and potential sun burns) doesn't help the boils. Each of the plagues seem to make the previous plagues worse
• We have to remember that at this point, most believers have been martyred or are probably in hiding. Some unbelieving and believing Jews are protected in Bozrah (or Petra). Majority of the world does not believe in God
• Recognize God as the source (power over the plagues)
• They curse him and blaspheme him
• They do not repent
• They do not give him glory
• APPLICATION: this is in accordance with the point of no return that was entered when they pledged their loyalty to the Antichrist. There is no repentance or forgiveness


Rev 16:10-11 (ESV) The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.


• This is the fourth blackout of the end-times. Last blackout was in the fifth trumpet judgment (the smoke from the abyss blackened the skies)
• A difficulty is the specificity of the judgment: it is poured out on the throne of the beast and affects his kingdom
• Fruchtenbaum believes that three trans-Jordanian nations will still have light
• Probably Bozrah as well since it is in those areas
• Hermeneutically,  we should take this literally because the statement can be interpreted literally and the response also fits a literal fulfillment
• One argument would be that it seems to contradict the previous judgment as well as what follows (scorching heat and a military campaign), but that would be solved by a temporal blackout
• If figurative, then the Antichrist's government plunges into chaos. Communication, power, transportation -- all being affected. Arguing against this is the blaming of God
• We have one more indication of the timing from this passage
• The people of the earth are still cursing God for their pain and sores (indicating that the effects of the first bowl are still being suffered)
• They still do not repent (but they have no ability to repent because of their choice). In a sense, our ability to repent is God-given. The Holy Spirit convicts, our consciences argue against us. After the mark, God now longer helps us against ourselves. We are left to our own devices and refuse to repent
• APPLICATION: Even for a believer, repentance is a gift. Never give in to sin. Never stop repenting. Use 1 John 1:9 (but of course, you need to mean it)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUjC5ahSMrM
better: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gur8ccqrQ9c


Hebrew Children
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
(I will sing to the lord for he has triumphed gloriously)
A-shir-ra la-do-nai ki ga-oh ga-oh
(I will sing to the lord for he has triumphed gloriously)
Mi-cha-mo-cha ba-elim adonai
(Who is like You, oh Lord, among the celestial)
Mi-ka-mo-cha ne-dar-ba-ko-desh
(Who is like You, majestic in holiness)
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
(In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed)
Na-chi-tah v'-chas-d'-cha am zu ga-al-ta
(In Your Love, You lead the people You redeemed)
A-shi-ra, a-shi-ra, A-shi-ra.......
From <http://www.allthelyrics.com/lyrics/prince_of_egypt_soundtrack/the_prine_of_egypt_when_you_believe-lyrics-203895.html>


This is the Biblical poem Shirat Hayam שירת הים "Song of the Sea" from Exodus 15. 
They sing parts of verses 1,11,13: 
אָשִׁירָה לַה' כִּי-גָאֹה גָּאָה 
מִי כָמֹכָה בָּאֵלִם ה' מִי כָּמֹכָה נֶאְדָּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ 
נָחִיתָ בְחַסְדְּךָ עַם-זוּ גָּאָלְתָּ 


ashira laadonay ki gao gaa 
mi chamocha baelim adonay mi kamocha needar bakodesh 
nakhita vekhasdecha am zu gaalta 


I will sing unto the LORD, for He is highly exalted 
Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the mighty? who is like unto Thee, glorious in holiness 
Thou in Thy love hast led the people that Thou hast redeemed


From <http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090321172037AAAr3zv>


Hebrew version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBgV0DK_FP4