Read Genesis, Chapter Eight, and verses 21-22:
"And the LORD smelled a sweet savor, and the LORD said in His heart, 'I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite every living thing as I have done.This disclaimer however does not preclude the fact that the earth and the heavens may be changed in some different way - a fact which is addressed in the book of Hebrews, and in 2 Peter 3.
While the earth remaineth, seed time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease."
Chapter Fifteen presented a short preview of how the angels in heaven go about their appointed work of answering all the prayers of the holy ones beneath "the altar" (whose lives are kept safe under Jesus Christ, in type), and of all those who are truly 'sprinkled' and 'washed' with his blood.
The angels are now preparing to pour out upon the earth the plagues for "the end." Chapter Fifteen began to show how the LORD's wrath was about to be completely poured out upon the ungodly and their works. The chapter probably ought not to be divided off from the text of Chapter Sixteen, since Chapter Sixteen continues on with the details of this outpouring of God's last wrath. Notice, too, that Chapter Sixteen's perspective is projected from the heavenly temple's vantage site, (from above, from Mt. Zion's view).
The hour for the total destruction of the degenerate, the ungodly and their evil work, has come. The gospel of the age has been preached to all mankind as a witness to the justice of the sentence about to be carried out.
With the 1,260 days, (through the 1,290 to the 1,335 days, per Daniel 12), the LORD has saved and has removed His holy ones who have overcome all the evil "works" done toward them by the apostate dragon and its last two beastly forms. Seventy five days are consumed with the judgment between "the end" [of the old order] and the beginning of the new world order. The removed ones, ready for the wedding, to be glorified with the Lord's Name, are now "hidden" under His abiding presence on Zion, Psalm 24. With the removal of the Lord's chosen ones, the Wedding of the Lamb is celebrated, for at the shout of the midnight "cry," all the ready "virgins" waken from sleep and go forth "for a meeting" with the bridegroom, Matthew 25:6,10; 22:11-14.
Therefore, the return of the Bridegroom in his glory and the descent of his "Bride" from "the heaven" of Zion is imminent. The temple (now "the house of prayer") - the King's temporal palace during the 1,000 years - will "open," already prepared for service for all peoples as a house of prayer during his millennial reign.
Please bear in mind that the celestial mechanics of this "short" while - the entire sign of the Lord's apocalypse and coming in glory - were explicitly detailed in Chapter Eight and Nine, and are spoken of in the prophet Zephaniah, and by the apostle Peter in his letter, 2 Peter 3:1-16. Isaiah 2:1-5, 10-21 speaks plainly of this "day" of the Lord. As the LORD continues to use His elements to fight from the heaven - by His "strange work" which is a "strange act" - the final battle with the Antichrist powers is about to take place in the Jezreel valley area around Mt. Megiddo. After subduing the nations round about Jerusalem, (read all of Psalm 83), Megiddo is the last place to which the allies of those nations have been summoned for their total destruction.
The heavenly command is given to proceed with the seven final and full last judgments that pour out upon all of the ungodly among the peoples of the earth.
1 And I hear a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go and pour out the bowls of the fury of God toward the earth.
A directive comes from the Father's house above, a great sound.
"Temple;" naos, 3485. This is the heavenly 'temple' where the Lamb is sitting at the right hand of the LORD until He makes his enemies His footstool. The Father's next "visit" to the earth lasts approximately for seventy five days! His prior "visit" at Sinai was somewhat more than forty days, you may recall...
The Son's own house, the temple in the LORD's sanctuary on the earth in the midst of a new Jerusalem, will not be open until after the Lamb sups at the marriage to his Bride. Zion then, by the grace of God, has "delivered" many sons to his glory, Hebrews 2:9-10, "children" who will populate the holy city of a new Jerusalem, 21:9-10. These, Zion's "children," are brought forth from their heavenly hiding place when the Lord receives his own glorious reign over Israel.
Abraham looked for this city of righteousness, and of holy rulers and priests, Hebrews 11:10, 16; 12:22; 13:14.
In the interim 1,260 days, according to Malachi's prophecy the natural sons of Levi are being made ready for their house-keeping service in the temporal house. See Malachi 3:3-4. In Ezekiel's prophecy of the LORD's sanctuary on the very high mountain of Zion, new laws are given for the cleansing of the temporal house, and the altar, before the glory of the Lord enters to rule - from the sanctuary of the new dispensation - for the Olam.
"Pour out;" ekkeo, 1632. See verse two.
"Land;" gee, 1093. The discerning reader may realize that this word, although non-specific mostly, has an expansive definition. The arena, following the fury of God, flows from 1) Jerusalem, to 2) the borders of the Promised Land, to 3) the full extent of the ancient domain of Babylon, and 4) then, into all the earth. When this occurs, the work of the angels - work initiated by the blowing of the trumpets - is brought to an end. The angels who held the seven vials now see to the end of each work in the same order as the work began. These angels go forth to pour out each announced wrath.
2 And the first departed and poured out his bowl above the land. And an evil and grievous sore was made upon the men who had the mark of the beast and upon those doing homage to his image.
"Departed;" aperkomai, 565. To go out from, to leave.
"Poured out;" ekkeo, 1632. Uniformly translated in the chapter, except at 16:6 where it is softened to "have shed." The first plague literally pours out upon all the unrepentant and hardened sinners allied with the "beast."
"Over the earth." Epi tee gee; or, likely also, "above the Land" which is being rid of its ungodly inhabitants prior to the settlement of the tribes of Israel., and prior to any inheritance in it by the recently glorified saints.
"Sore;" helkos, 1668. An eruption or ulceration on the skin. Jesus referred to such a skin condition, when he told the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31. The LXX, Deuteronomy 28:27,35, makes the word to mean "the botch" (of Egypt) "with a malignant scab and itch" that shall fall upon the hardened people as a part of the curse for disobedience to His law. The severity of the "sores" is extreme, but equal to the sinner's unrepentance.
The Deuteronomy text also speaks of "the astonishment of mind" that has grasped the people; akin to the wonder and the marveling of the people as revealed before in 13:3. This puzzling amazement reappears in 17:6-8.
"Evil;" kakos, kakon; 2556. Almost always translated as, evil, except in three places other than here.
"Grievous;" poneeros, 4190-91. Painful. Connotes both physical and mental pain. See verse ten and eleven. The Greek root is related to ponos, pain; but the translators point it nevertheless toward "evil" and "wicked."
"Made;" ginomai, 1096. To come to be; it follows. This peculiar plague is poured upon the beast-marked men, and to all icon worshippers.
3 And the second angel poured out his bowl toward the sea; and it became blood as of a dead person; and every living soul in the sea died.
The action of the second trumpeting angel's plague intensifies in the second stage of the destruction of the ungodly.
"Sea;" thalassa, 2281. The oceans are also seas. Usually in the New Testament "the sea" refers to the Galilee or the Mediterranean Sea. The Arabian peninsula is surrounded by seas; the Black, the Baltic and the Caspian Sea to the north; the Red Sea, south; and the sea of Arabia to the east; and by a few gulfs. Recall that the messenger from heaven has his feet placed upon land and sea. These plagues are directed to be poured upon all the domain of great Babylon's mysterious influence.
"Became;" ginomai, 1096. To come to be; it follows; it was made so.
"Blood as of one dead." The blood of one dead does not circulate; it congeals. The water current of the sea ceases. As a consequence, when water stagnates it loses its oxygen content, and is no longer "living" water.
There is the cryptic comment in 21:1, "and there was no more sea."
The celestial mechanics activated in the LORD's "short work" and "strange act" may account for the depletion of the sea. What sea is meant? The Mediterranean? The Dead Sea? The lake of Galilee? Huleh? The seas surrounding the Arabian peninsula? All the oceans of the earth? The earth may be reinstated to its pre Flood climate conditions, when there was no rain but only a mist to water the earth.
A puzzle, hmm? And hardly in tune with the "continuous historical" view of a symbolic sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his bowl toward the rivers and toward the fountains of waters; and they became blood.
The third vial of God's fury is poured toward other water sources.
"Rivers;" potamos, 4215. Rivers begin in the mountains as small streams of water...
"Fountains of;" peegee, 4077. Hebrew: ayin. This is a fountain, a spring, a well, where water comes forth from the earth, from a rock strata beneath the surface of the ground.
"Waters;" hudor, 5204. The harlot, recall, "sits upon (the lands of) many waters." [No commentary has identified these lands of much waters through the natural existence of abundant water sources. The lands are usually identified as those inhabited by a Catholic population, a strange induction.] The texts of Revelation make a play between the natural waters and the living waters, and that figurative mix which the harlot is obliged to drink from the hand of the LORD.
"Became;" ginomai, 1096. To come to be; to follow; were made.
"Blood;" haima, 129. Probably refers to both its color and the potion, like their own blood. The "blood" tainted waters are required to be literally poisonous. See 16:6; 17:6, "blood to drink" and "drunken with the blood of the holy ones." This effect comes as the third calamitous result of the passage of "the great star," named Wormwood, over "the third" of the lands of the rivers and their sources of waters, 8:10-11, (which in its effect began during the first woe).
5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, Righteous are Thou, O LORD, Who is and Who was, even the Holy One, that You did judge these things...
"Angel of the waters." He, simply put, is the chief angel authorized to do the judgment upon the waters of the earth.
"LORD;" kurios, 2962. As "Who is and who was and who is to come;" ho on kai ho een kai ho erkomenos, 3801, the name was found at 1:4; 4:8; 11:17. Here, the name is "ho on kai ho een kai osios." This last change in the construction of the title agreeably points out that God, the Father, the Most Holy One, in His Holy One, (the only begotten one), is right to make this judgment. The Lord Jesus Christ and his Father are One in name and in the spirit, most holy. The name of Jesus Christ is the only holy name given under heaven whereby men may be saved. The Father made this judgment for the Son's work of execution before the world began.
6 Because they poured out the blood of the holy ones and of the prophets, and You did give to them blood to drink, for they are worthy!
This is the angel's assessment of God's judgment. Since the dispersion of the gospel into all parts of the earth, there has been a place no more hateful to the truth of the gospel and to the people of God than the locality of the nations to the north and northwest of the Land. In the domain of the Babylonish harlot named 'Mystery,' the truth has always been cast to the ground; the 'holy' people and holy men of God violently murdered.
The Serpent's enduring, rampant anti-Semitism has wrought great damage to the people chosen of the LORD. Where this has prevailed, there God will judge those nations after he calls out His people from among them. A clear sign of our times is the exodus of Jews from these lands to 'the Land' conditionally promised to their fathers.
"Blood;" haima, 129. The potion is the water contaminated - mixed - with the fallout from the "great star," as being "blood, to drink."
"Worthy;" axios, 514. The word is used here in the most ironic sense possible; "they" - the persecutors of the Jews - are totally worthless for redemption to eternal life!
7 And I heard another saying from the altar, Yea, LORD, the God Almighty, Thy judgments are true and righteous.
"Altar;" thusiasteerion, 2379. This likely is the heavenly incense altar - from there comes the voice. There the prayers of the holy ones were offered, 8:3-5; from there the voice commanded the loosing of the four angels who were bound above the river Euphrates, 9:13-14; from there comes the command for the harvest season, 14:18. From there a voice further assents that His judgments are honorably done, and rightly so.
"Judgments;" krisis, 2920. From the Greek, from which comes our word of crisis. The day of the Lord is indeed a day of crisis for the earth; for, "except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but on account of the elect those days shall be shortened," Matthew 24:22; Mark 13:20.
Note that the Lord says that the Son of man comes swiftly then - like the lightning - (at the "shout" of the archangel in fact, per Revelation 10:3 and First Thessalonians 4:16). Is it too presumptuous to picture the archangel, who stands by the altar waiting as the trumpets sound, immediately as the seventh trumpet sound ceases, to shout out, "All right, you each know the work we have to do! Let's move out, and pour forth all the vengeance as commanded"?
"True;" aleethinos, 228. Conforming to a predetermined specification or pattern.
"Righteous;" dikaios, 1342. What is just.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl over the sun; and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.
Sun;" helios, 2246. At 6:12 the sun became black; at 8:12 the third part of the sun is smitten; at 9:2 the sun and the atmosphere are darkened; the sun's catastrophic effect is shown here in the fourth stage of Destruction's (i.e., Abaddon's) work. Evidently the sun is no longer blackened, but is scorching hot, like a fire.
"Given;" didomi, 1325. To the sun, to produce the fire which scorches. The power given to this angel to work his work is mind boggling.
"Scorch;" kaumatizo, 2739. To scorch; from the sun's burning emanation, (perhaps the UV or X rays are greatly intensified), a likely effect that might follow after the work of Abaddon's horses.
"Fire;" pur, 4442. From the contact with its "smiting," and from the heat's radiation toward the earth. Is the atmospheric canopy effectively destroyed, no longer having a sufficient ozone content?
Observe that Rev. 7:13 says, of those "who come out of the great tribulation," that they shall not be subject to the smiting of the sun and its heat.Did Peter know about the things whereof he wrote, in 2 Peter 3? Surely, he did!
9 And men were scorched with great heat and they blasphemed the Name of the God who has authority over these plagues; and did not repent to give Him glory.
"Men;" anthropos, 444. Of mankind; those who are suffer evil from the venom of the serpent's bite in the flesh, who are yet natural born brutes; the blasphemers of God.
"Scorched;" kaumatizo, 2739. Heated by the elevated temperature of the atmosphere. Do remember that two volleys of "hail" have fallen already from the "great star" as its "passes over" with the thunderous sounds, adding its "fire mingled blood" to the drinking water; while burning grass and trees. This "scourging" phenomenon is a subject of ancient prophecy, see Isaiah 28:18b-22.
From Isaiah 34:4 Peter got the word "dissolve," recalling from Acts 2:19-20, the "blood and fire and vapor of smoke" which characterize the scourge. The writer to the Hebrews mentions the changing of the heavens, and the folding up of the earth's covering (the mantle, or its canopy; or both). See Hebrews 1:10-11, quoting from Psalm 102:25-28, or Isaiah 51:6.
"Heat;" kauma, 2738. Warmth.
"Name of the God." They recognize His hand, but do not acknowledge His power to do them good; they remain recalcitrant.
"Glory;" doxa, 1391. The praise due Him.
The amount of heat and fire that is radiated from the smiting of the sun (by whatever element the errant heavenly body 'dissolves') is required to be of very high degree, because of the hint given concerning the sea, which first "becomes as blood of one dead" and then "is no more."
Only a major catastrophic shaking in the heavens can account for this act of "scorching," and for the cataclysmic quaking of the earth which subsequently completely level the hills and mountains. Recall that this was the word spoken by John the Baptist, from Isaiah's prophecy, (Luke 3:4-6) concerning the Lord's coming.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his bowl over the throne of the beast and its kingdom became darkened; and they were gnawing their tongues from the pain.
"Throne of the beast." Thronos, 2362. All the panoply surrounding the actual seat. The prophecy identifies Pergamos as the place "where (is) the throne of the Adversary." At least at the time when John received the Lord's prophecy this was so. The adversity toward the gospel was enthroned in that city. Its opulent location was at the world's cross road for trade between the eastern and the western parts of the Roman Empire. Pergamos was noted for its countless religious cults and temples. The city is a type for the latter day beast's chief city of the "Mystery [of] Babylon, the great,".
"Kingdom;" basilia, 932. A kingdom is composed of all the states over which the king holds his power. The beast rules the seven 'heads' and the 'ten horns.'
"Became;" ginomai, 1096. To come to be; was made.
"Darkened;" skotoomai, 4656. New Testament usage of the word is quite often in the literal sense; otherwise used in a spiritual sense. The same word is found in Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24; Luke 23:45, when Jesus speaks of the actual sign of his coming. There are many, many Old Testament references to the darkness during the day of the LORD. The darkness begins in the fourth trumpet's sounding, 8:12. The earth is only enlightened again when the "new creation" is established.
Take notice!"Gnawing;" massaomai, 3145. From masso: to squeeze. Its closer elated kin are scourge, 3146; 3147; and plague, 3148. The masticating act is probably both literal, as to the bodily pains; and figurative, because the torment they undergo is certain for death. The LORD's "winepress," - trodden by Him alone under the "horses" commanded by Abaddon, the Destroyer - is crushing them.
This is a topical area of the Holy Scripture where the apostate Spinoza spiritualized and symbolized the text in order to smooth the Bible's doctrine of vengeance by [Abaddon; Apollyon] in destruction and for death against the wicked.
The world of the wicked will become dark, with no light, then the water becomes poisoned and the scourges of "hail" from the skies do their damage by the fire and "blood." There is no escape for the wicked, Joel 2:3.
"Tongues;" glossa, 1100. That which they speak with, and blaspheme.
"Pain;" ponos, 4192. Pain, physical pains. Other texts speak of the "torment" of the time, place and situation. This is the living bodily experience which is commonly labeled as "hell." But "hell" in the Bible is merely the grave. These torments plague and clearly precede the death of the unregenerate, and the Grave which follows after the Death.
11 And blasphemed the God of the heaven from their pains and from their sores and did not repent of their works.
"Blasphemed;" blaspheme, 987. Character defamation, evil speaking against His Holy Spirit. With deliberate calculated self serving unbelief.
"The God of the heaven." There is only One God Who rules the heavens, the God who Himself created the heavens, and the earth; Who in the very same manner has created the Second Man in His own likeness and image, and his world on this earth.
"Pains;" ponos, 4192. From the bites and the stings, of the thunderous sounding locust- scorpion- horse- "cavalry" in the skies which emits the fire mingled "blood," from the fire which falls and burns green things, and which also deadens the sea with the brim stone "stars."
"Sores;" helkos, 1668. Ulcerating burns.
"Repent;" metanoeo, 3340. To convert the mind to understanding, and obedience to God.
"Works;" The context of this chapter shows the nature of the
"works" - which are unrepentance, and blasphemy against the God of the
heavens. These are the "works" of which 2 Peter 3:10 says, "the works that
are therein shall be burned (up)."
12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl over the great river, the Euphrates and its water was dried up so that might be readied the way of the kings from the rising of the sun.
"The great river, the Euphrates." The river's western head waters begin in the mountains of southeastern Turkey that border on northern Syria. There is already a conflict between the two countries and Iraq about sharing the waters of the river.
"Water;" hudor, 5204. See comment below verse six. The river's literal content, making a dry stream bed, easily fordable.
"Dried up;" xeeraino, 3583. To wither, from lack of moisture; drought. The conditions of the time are applicable here. (Cyrus, king of Persia, once before dried up the Euphrates very quickly by diverting its waters.) By this vial, another barrier is removed; in order to expedite an invasion of the lands west of the Euphrates...
"Readied;" hetoimazo, 2090. In preparation.
"Way;" hodos, 3598. Contrast 15:3. As in 'exodus.' The trail or path is opened.
"The kings;" basilus, 935. Rulers. Jesus becomes the "prince" (the ruler) "of the kings of the earth," 1:5; Acts 7:35, when he comes again to reside with the new Jerusalem...
"From;" apo, 575. Arising from or derived out of (the specific thing).
Again, appeal is made to Peter for clarification. See 2 Peter 1:19. At present the chosen are merely "like a lamp shining in an obscure place until 'the day' dawns." When the Bride is glorified, the "day" has dawned; the morning star (the Light of the Lord's glory; of the new Jerusalem) arises in their "hearts." They become spiritual kings and priests of God. The way prepared for the kings to arrive from the East is simultaneous with the dawn of the "new creation."
"Rising;" anatolee, 395. Designates the helical rising of the sun. But there is some doubt about the word amongst the commentaries. The rulers of the East are permitted to advance across the Euphrates... There shall be warfare: "for a nation shall rise against a nation, and a kingdom against a kingdom, " per Matthew 24:7.
In some way - territorial claims on Jerusalem and Israel seems the likeliest reason - by the dragon's provoking, the beasts and false prophet have placed themselves in a position which no longer hinders but actually readies the way for the "kings" of the Land. During the last hour of the perilous times, the entry is provided by the drying up of the Euphrates waters. It has been suggested that warfare might yet be provoked between the northern nations through which the river Euphrates runs, concerning rights to use the water from the river. Strategically this situation would be an opportune time for Gog to move southward.., and for his armies to be met with the rulers from the East, and for the Lord's swift return to claim his throne. Time will tell.
The dragon, beast and false prophet face the most serious threat from the LORD's ultimatum. They little know that they are about to become parts of the world's greatest battle prize. The modern nations of ancient Anatolia may become involved. The nations of Aram-Naharim, Mesopotamia, too are indicated. The destruction of all the armies of these nations together concludes in the LORD's outpouring of judgments.
13 And I saw - from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet - three unclean spirits, as frogs.
"Mouth;" stoma, 4750.
"Dragon." The dragon's power, of evil knowledge which appeared in the days soon after Earth's creation, is assimilated into every enemy of truth and all adversity toward good. Its last form empowers the beasts and the false prophets of the earth, which support the "secret Babylon, the great." This evil power of the beast's collected peoples, as every figment of the imagination, is destroyed only by death.
"Beast;" theerion, 2342. This is the last form of the "first beast" of Chapter Thirteen and the fourth beast of Daniel 2:40-43; 7:7-8. The "other" beast dominion eventually rules over all 'the trees of the field' before it is at last cut down by God Himself in the last battle.
"False Prophet;" pseudopropheetees, 5578. This is the first real intimation that the "first beast" has sympathetic relations with any other system of religion that is actively antichrist. The false prophet (with the definite article) is aligned with the beast. Also he exists immediately - within the context of verse fifteen - at the time of the Lord's coming as a thief... (an unexpected event, according to the "last days" mockers and scoffers against the Bible's truth).
That the three spirits are separate identities is shown in the assignment of the mouths: each is represented as having its own "mouth."
"Spirits;" pneuma, 4151. That breath which animates a body and mind of flesh.
"Unclean;" akathartos, 169. A, not; kathairo, purged; katharos, pure. Evil, bad breath! The three spirits are not purged; not pure. And, presumably, one impure spirit emanates from each source.
"Frogs;" batrakos, 944. This is the sole reference to frogs in the New Testament.
Upon this one single word alone - frogs - has been built a marvelously beguiling theory; naturally made dependent upon the continuous historical interpretation of The Revelation. Time has proved the utterly ridiculous theory of the continuous historical interpretation of The Revelation to be a product of the serpent's inspiration - which could only suppress the Truth until Israel's rebirth! Many in Christendom now know that every face of "replacement theology" tells the lie.
The frog inhabits marshy, watery places. The frog croaks and is adept at leaping from place to place on nearby land, naturally speaking. However, a frog can also be any (device) that aids passage or is a retaining support for another (device). On clothing a frog is used like a button is used. In this manner it is also used as a restraining device. See a dictionary for the definitions of a frog.! There are other definitions of frog, all of which are just as destructive to the application as used by the "continuous historical" interpreters. This activity, of the unclean spirits which act in some kind of frog like manner, is detailed in the next verse.
The river Euphrates had always been a barrier against invading armies in past ages. But to Cyrus, king of Persia, it was no major barrier when he invaded Babylon circa 540 B.C. Nor will it with any more difficulty bar entry to the armies called forth (by the three spirits which perform like a frog). These three spirits maintain a connection which holds the dragon, the beast and the false prophet together in their last hour. Together they are bound to do evil against Israel!
The implication is that the three unclean "spirits" - the dragon, the beasts, and the false prophet - proceed to work together through mutual channels. The time of their furious "mouthing" is at "the end" of the seven last plagues, when the kingdom is restored to Israel
The hour of the final judgment is upon the dragon, the beasts, and their false prophet; they desperately call for help... Read Psalm 2.
14 Because, they are spirits of demons making signs to go forth over the kings of the land and of the whole habitable, to gather them for a battle of that great day of God, the Almighty.
"Demons;" daimon, 1142. From daio, to distribute; to be divisive. The idolatrous spirits are made angry; mad, full of unclean spirits of a disturbed nature. This view is certainly not the view of the established orthodox doctrine of devils, but it surely is the Scriptural viewpoint! These unclean spirits of the dragon, the beast and the false prophet are seen in the characters of the last three personas wherever we have found them in this study of the Revelation. Their propensity toward idol worship is indicated. See Psalm 2:1-2, etc.
"Making;" poieo, 4160. Working, doing, acting.
"Signs;" seemion, 4592. Signals; indications, actual and perceptual. (Whether the "sign" is a wonder or a miracle depends on context. The word, BEHOLD!, is a signal).
The unclean spirits go through their three channels, but frog like, jumping here and there to do deceptive "signs" (to deceive all the people and nations they gather) to do battle against the LORD. They are showing signs of weakness in their ability to successfully wage their war alone...
"To go forth;" ekporuomai, 1607. To proceed out, to go out, to depart from, to issue out.
"Kings of the land." The rulers of the earth/Land are privately "signified" (shown) the intentions of the dragon, of the beast, and of the false prophet. But do the people of Israel, the remnant in the land - who are already in desperate plight, realize they are being further jeopardized?
"Whole;" holos, 3650. The entire amount; i.e., all. I.e., a world war is called for to aid the rulers of the Land...
"Habitable;" oikoumenee, 3625. The inhabitants of the earth; all humanity. This world is the present habitation of the serpent, but Michael, and his angels, 12:7-9, piercing to "the joints and marrow," Hebrews 4:12, has been warring against the ancient dragon, and his angels. At the end the dragon persona (and his angels) will literally be cast into the earth and bound during the reign of Christ, Luke 10:18; Rev. 20:1-3.
The ancient dragon, (a hateful liar), with the beast and with the false prophet appeal to the rulers of the earth and/or of the land to go to war against the invading rulers of the East.
"To gather;" sunago, 4864. To collect together.
"Battle;" polemos, 4171.
"Great day of God Almighty." The face-to-face confrontation with the glory of the LORD. The three, with their apostate followers and allies, are wholly demented and fail to understand the peril of their own self deception. This indeed is the "great day of the LORD" of which many Old Testament texts proclaim will end in accordance with the accomplishment of all things which are written in the Word of God. It is a "great and dreadful day" per Malachi, a day which burns like an oven...
15 Behold! I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments so that he may not walk naked, and they see his shame.
"Behold." Signal! Flashing red light! This is it! Lo: pay attention! There is no more time.
"I come as a thief." When they say, in that last hour, "peace and security," the Lord comes swiftly. Sudden destruction falls on the rebellious nation, and they do not escape. The Lord arrives; the blessed who have been watching for his appearance and are ready, immediately rise up and go into "the wedding."
"Blessed is he..." This is the reward to the dutiful good and faithful watchman who watches, who guards the premises from subtle penetration or overt attack. Such watchmen do not remove garments in order to "catch a nap" in any "peaceful and quiet" time before his watchman's duty ends. Certainly they (who come) will discover him, if he is sleeping and naked - as Noah's son discovered him to his humiliation and to Ham's dismay.
The "blessed" are rewarded at the end of the 1,335 days time, per Daniel 12:12. They had patiently endured, and waited for Him...
16 And He gathered them together toward the place which is called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
"He." The LORD, as many Old Testament prophecies reveal. This is the LORD's doing and it is rightly marvelous in our eyes.
"Gathered together;" sunago, 4864. Assembled the kings and their armies.
"Toward the place;" topos, 5117. Area, quarters, room, coasts. They (dragon, beasts and false prophet) are gathered together in the position where the three "spirits" expect to meet together with the kings from the East...
"Armageddon." The western approach into the land of Israel is best taken from Mt. Carmel, via the river Kishon toward the plain of Megiddo, going down the valley to the Jezreel that opens onto the Jordan somewhat below the sea of Galilee. From this position, any land forces that come across the dried-up Euphrates may be well met prior to their approach against Jerusalem. Allenby, in 1917, came this way...
This staging for the battle indicates something about the point from which the armies gathered by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet originate. The dragon, beasts, and their false prophet already have claimed and occupied the lands to the south of the Euphrates.
What will happen to Syria and Lebanon which clearly are in the path of the converging armies? Whatever befalls them, it is plain that Jerusalem and Israel at the last shall be no more "trampled by the nations." Of the last "little horn" Daniel says, "Tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him, therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many; and he shall plant the tabernacles of his [palace] * between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him," 11:44-45.
* This is a curious word: [palace]; affedien. It seems to transliterate to fedayeen. It is never elsewhere used as palace. (In my copy of the Hebrew text the word is pointed differently than by Young, in Analytical Concordance, who deciphers it as appenden...) There is no break in the prophecy of Daniel 11. The "king" who rules over the Land during "the last days" is a "vile person," an epithet which nicely fits Yasir Arafat. Only he commands the intifada; an irregular army of the fedayeen.
17 And the seventh angel poured out his bowl toward the air and a loud voice came from the temple of the heaven from the throne, saying, It is done.
"Air;" aeer, 109. The atmospheric space above the earth/land, where the final "strange act" of the LORD takes place. The reader is invited to review 1 Thess. 4:17 concerning another activity of the judgment which also takes place in "the air."
"Voice...throne." One of the LORD's ministers reports concerning the work of the Lord, as written in the seven-sealed book. Until this event, the Lord has been sitting on the right hand of the Father, until His enemies are made his footstool! Now the kingdom is truly, fully restored, with a king and his fellow-ruler priests...
"It is done;" ginomai, 1096. Fulfilled; and, come to pass. The work of the LORD's outpouring of judgments is finished. The hateful dragon is now bound and cast into the earth. The beasts will live somewhat longer yet. The final earthquake will remove all the remaining things that offend. (Perhaps, it is the one which beautifully elevates the Mt. of Zion on the north side of the new Jerusalem).
18 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, so great.
"Voices;" phonee, 5456. Voices and sounds of activity amongst the angels.
"Thunders;" brontee, 1027. Noises in the skies.
"Lightnings;" astraphee, 796. Flashing lights in the skies.
"Great;" megas, 3173. Of exceptional magnitude.
"Earthquake;" seismos, 4578. The earthquake's magnitude is much greater than any earlier or measurable quake; an earthshock.
"Such as was not since men were upon the earth." Such magnitude has never before in the history of men been experienced. Worldwide in application.
"Mighty;" teelikoutos, 5082. Telekinetic; movement of an object without any apparent outward cause. "So mighty" is the definition of "such as was not since men were upon the earth;" by comparison or in company with any other catastrophe or cataclysm that ever has happened.
"Great;" megas, 3173. The magnitude of the earthquake exceeds any "great earthquake" ever. The next verse explains some of the magnitude.
Recall that this event is what John the Baptist proclaimed prior to the appearance of the Christ the first time, Luke 3:2-6. The severity of the earth-shaking event is a strong point made in Old Testament prophecies where the word declares the severity of the vengeance of God upon all the ungodly. Do not underestimate the severity. See Isaiah 40:3-5; 52:9-10; 61:2-11.
Peter says that "scoffers" will dispute that any event of such catastrophe shall ever happen. They, in effect, deny Christ, the resurrection and the judgment to come upon the world for sin.
19 And the great city became into three parts and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.
The time is the last hour of the end of the present world order.
"Great city." "Old" Jerusalem, always known historically as the city of God, but never before as a "continuing city..." Old Jerusalem must be removed in order to make place for a "new" Jerusalem as prophesied by Ezekiel, and other ancient prophets of the LORD.
"Became;" ginomai, 1096. Was made; i.e., it became.
"Three parts;" meros, 3313. Parts, portions, or divisions. This is the fulfillment of Zechariah 14. The greatest quake ever splits the city off from the Mt. of Olives. One part of Olivett inclines northward, the remaining part southward. Notice the extent of the elevation and the length and breadth of the elevation. The terrain will conform to that described in Ezekiel's prophecy, in Chapters 40 to 48. Be mindful of the context of the chapter of Zechariah's prophecy. The "valley of the mountains" that is then created will reach to Azel, which today is known as a village, Yasul. The wadi of Yasul is presently a branch of the Kidron.
Mt. Zion, on the (valley) side of the north, becomes the site of the city of the Great King. After this final earthquake, "her bulwarks" and "her palaces" which are built on the very high mountain, are "beautiful for elevation," Psalm 48.
"Cities of the nations." The time and event demands that the cities of the whole world are meant. This statement includes all the cities of the nations of the world which were influenced by the dragon, the beast and the false prophet.
"Fell;" 4098. To fall down into ruins.
"Babylon, the great." The combined spiritual and economic system dominated by the dragon, the name and number of the beast, and under influence of the false prophet. See 18:5! Babylon sinks into the sea, which later is "no more."
"Was remembered..." All the prayers that were offered up to God on behalf of the prophets and the holy ones, the servants of the LORD, were recalled to His mind and now acted upon. This the Father did for His own son, in order that 'the Son' might inherit all the things that were created for him from the beginning of the world.
20 And every island fled and no mountains were found.
The verse confirms John the Baptist's proclamation of Isaiah's prophecy, 40:3-5, concerning the Lord's coming. The words of other holy prophets of God are thereby affirmed, see John 1:29-34.
"Fled;" phugo, 5343. To flee; to rapidly disappear from sight, to run away from. Islands disappear. Mountains are removed. Physical removal is strongly indicated...
"Found;" hurisko, 2147. To discover by search. The mountains are leveled, to reconfigure the earth's surface to new dimensions of physical stature.
The smiting by the LORD with this earthquake exceeds all other 'quakes, but may compare, in some small way, to the damaging violence of the earthshocks experienced during the years prior to King Uzziah's reign, Zechariah 14:5; Amos 1:1. That time of earthquake was accompanied by horribly unnatural phenomenon, which was visible in the heavens throughout the earth (according to ancient astronomical records).
Read the Hebrew "Oral Tradition" concerning Zechariah 14:10-15.
21 And a great hail as of a talent weight comes down out of the heaven upon the men, and men blasphemed the God from the plague of the hail, for its plague is exceeding great.
"Great hail;" chalaza, 5464. An exceptionally great volley of hail stones falls from the skies. This is the third instance of the falling "hail;" first it was like a locust invasion that darkens the heavens, then another "hail" came when the temple was opened, making the ark of the covenant visible. Now the final volley of "hail" brings an exceptionally great plague of brimstone, fire and smoke.
"Talent weight." A talent weight is about 120 pounds. Any object falling from the sky is not required to be of dense material or of any great size in order to strike and kill a man.
This "hail" is both heavy and dense, and comes in an exceeding greater mass in order to procure its destructive purpose. Refer to the closing verses of Psalm 83.
"The men;" anthropos, 444. The remaining ungodly; the men of the world who are marked for Death, and whose graves are about to be filled.
"Plague;" pleegee, 4127. The word plague means to strike, to wound. Such striking and wounding over an extensive area of the earth is called, in a medical sense, an epidemic.
"Exceeding;" sphodra, 4970. From sphodros, violent.
"Great;" megas, 3173. The hail falls down from the heavens upon the men, even the men who blasphemed God, 16:11. The plague does great violence upon their numbers for their total elimination and destruction. The last plague of the hail is both extensive in area, and greater in the physical dimension of the stones than the two previous hails. Bear Zechariah 14 in mind in this context too.
The "dayspring from on high," Luke 1:78-79, returns. The True Light dawns from the heaven, unlike "when at the first" affliction the people saw a different "great light" visible in the heavens in Uzziah's day. The last and greatest earthquake ever experienced upon the earth will be what is defined as an "earthshock." The last mighty earthquake of the LORD's day "as in the day of Midian" brings the end to the old world's system. Read Isaiah 58:8-12.
The Cloud is over Zion: the great light of the LORD, in Jesus Christ and his anointed ones, shines forth over the redeemed people and nation of Israel. The throne of the LORD is "raised up" for God and for David's true seed. The remnant of Israel rejoices in His deliverance of "the sons" of Zion.
At this point in the prophecy, the narrative again digresses. First, to show the background scenes pertaining to the judgment of the harlot, the mystery of Babylon, which is both pantheistic and catholic. How this affects the remaining people of the earth is described, second. These things are explained in the following two chapters.
Thereafter, in Chapter Nineteen, the background scenes show the heavenly activity which occurs after all judgment is completed.
What happens to the beast when the last battle of the beast and his confederacy is over with is shown as the Word of God - with his armies all riding white horses - triumphs in his glory at last!