Revelation 16:1-2 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
Seven angels pour out seven bowls of God’s wrath. The end of the evils of humanity has come. Judgment has fallen on the human race. These bowls reminds us of the 10 plagues that fell upon the Egyptians during the exodus of the Hebrew slaves. The 10 plagues were judgment upon the Egyptian idolatry. The seven bowls are judgment upon humanity’s idolatry to the beast and the immorality that results from that. This becomes clear with the first plague with its consequence of festering sores upon those who had the mark of the beast. This mark shows that they have aligned their lives with the beast in rebellion against God and the Lamb.
This passage continues the warning about worshipping anyone other than God. What mark will we bear? What will be the consequence of that mark? What price will be paid for bearing the mark? In broader application, by what will people know us? Will we be known for our association with Jesus or things of this world? Where do our priorities lie?
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