Revelation 16:10-11 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 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
God’s wrath turns next upon the power of the beast. Verse 10 is not very clear in its meaning. Is the beast dethroned? Is this describing how the beast will lose power and control? Is this literal darkness without light, like the electricity is shut off? There are lots of EMP books available in Amazon about what could happen if the power grid goes down. The loss of light or electricity would be devastating and cause people to cry out in anguish. Whatever may actually happen in this event will be challenging and cause people anguish.
What is significant here is that people curse God instead of repenting. The bowls of wrath are the last sign and opportunity for people to acknowledge God in a way where they turn from their sins. The problem with sin is that it gets so engrained in our lives that it blinds and deceives us. One of the worst illnesses to have is a hardened heart. The remedy is faith leading to obedience. We must pray that God grants us mercy and help in our time of great need. God is willing and gracious to forgive but puts the choice in our lap. What will we do?
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