Cecil A. Fayard

Elliott Baptist Church

September 5, 2004

 

The Great Judgments of the Seven Vials

Revelation 16:1-21

 

INTRO:  With the seven vials, we have the last series of judgments to come upon the earth.  Chapters 16-18 are dedicated to these last judgments.

 

The vial judgments are great. In chapter 16, the word great appears in the following places:

 

1. “Great voice” vs 1

2. “Great heat” vs 9

3. “Great river” vs 12

4. “Great day” vs 14

5. “Great voice” vs 17

6. “Great earthquake” vs 18

7. “So mighty an earthquake, and so great” vs 18

8. “Great city” vs 19

9. “Great Babylon” vs 19

10. “Great hail” vs 21

11. “Plague...exceeding great” vs 21

 

“A world that demands ‘great’ events and things, will get them now, but not for pleasure, but rather for displeasure” (Tucker 318).

 

The Seven Vial Judgments, Their object and outcome:

 

Vial

Vss

Object “upon”

Outcome

One

1-2

The Earth

sores upon men

Two

3

The Sea

became as blood

Three

4-7

Rivers and Fountains

became blood

Four

8

The Sun

scorching heat

Five

10-11

Seat of the Beast

darkness & pain

Six

12-16

River Euphrates

waters dried up

Seven

17-21

Into the Air

great earthquake

 

I. VSS 1-2, THE FIRST VIAL

 

A. Vs 1, A great voice comes out of the heavenly temple. God’s holiness demands judgment upon a world that is wicked and apostate.

 

1. This voice gives to the angels a commission: “Go your ways, and pour out the vials of wrath of God upon the earth.”

2. The New Testament has a commission: “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15).

a) We are to offer the cup of salvation to every creature.

b) When we come to Rev 16:1, grace is withdrawn and the cup of God’s wrath is poured out.

3. “Go your ways”– each angel has a task; each one has a target.

 

B. Vs 2, The first vial is like the sixth Egyptian plague (Ex 9:8-12) which was the first to afflict the body of the Egyptians.

1. The Greek word used for “sore” is elkos which means “an ugly ulcer that oozes and stinks.”

2. These sores will not heal (16:11).

3. These sores come upon the worshipers of the beast, upon those headed to hell.

 

II. VS 3, THE SECOND VIAL

 

A. Under the second trumpet (Rev 8:8), only a third part of the sea becomes blood; but here, the destruction is not partial.  It is complete.  Sea water is almost identical in composition to blood.  The angel adds a substance from his vial, and the water is blood.

B. Sea creatures by the millions will cover the sea shores.  The stench will be almost unbearable.

C. This will be the ultimate red tide.

 

III. VSS 4-7, THE THIRD VIAL

 

A. Vs 4, the sources of the sea re now polluted by blood.  The Mississippi, the Ohio, the Pascagoula will all be blood.

B. Vs 5, God’s judgment is righteous.  To reject grace is to invite judgment. Trust today in our righteous God who sent His Son to save the lost.

C. Vs 6, Blood has been shed.  Innocent believers have been slain.  Now their killers must drink blood.  They shall get the due reward of their deeds.  A gruesome physical death which foreshadows the second death (Rm 6:23).

D. Vs 7, The angel and the altar represents the fact that all of heaven agrees with God’s righteous judgments (Rv 6:9-10).

 

IV. VSS 8-9, THE FOURTH VIAL

 

A. Vs 8, God intensifies the heat and light of the sun.  This is literal not symbolic.  The sun gets closer to the earth as the heat is turned up.  Think of the agony and pains of this.

B. Vs 9, Trees and green grass were burned up under the first trumpet (8:7).  “Now God applies His scorched earth policy to the bodies of men” (Lockyer 235).

1. Ice caps will melt; cities will flood (Job 38:22-23).

2. Just as Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, even though he saw the power of God over creation; so will men’s hearts be hardened during the tribulation. Heed the Word of God NOW!

a) They do not cry for mercy; they curse God.

b) It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance (Rm 2:4).

c) William R. Newell said: “If men are not won by grace, they will never be won.”

 

V. VSS 10-11, THE FIFTH VIAL

 

A. This vial is poured on the throne of the beast, a mockery of God’s throne.

1. Satan’s man is condemned and tortured.  He will feel the stroke of divine vengeance.

2. William R. Newell said many years ago that the throne of the beast would be rebuilt.

3. This darkness is as that of the Egyptian plague.  This suggests the darkness; the beast will endure forever.  Men love darkness; now they have it.

4. “Gnaw their tongues.”  This speaks of intense pain and agony.  Pain over defeated plans.  Pain– physical anguish.

B. Vs 11, The piling up of wrath fails to bring about a change of heart.

 

VI. VSS 12-16, THE SIXTH VIAL

 

A. Vs 12, The drying up of the Euphrates will allow the great Asiatic armies to march to Israel.

1. “Kings of the east”– Japan, China, India, etc.

2. “East” means rising of the sun pointing to the people of Asia.  The Euphrates goes through Iraq.

 

B. Vs 13, These frogs symbolize the filthy works of the unholy trinity.

1. Frogs were regarded by the Greeks as the proper inhabitants of the Stygian lake or river of hell.

2. Just as frogs croak out in the march; there unclean spirits will croak out their lies.

 

C. Vs 14, The unholy three will use their powers to bring the nations of the world together to battle against God.

1. This is the final effort of hell to overthrow heaven.

2. They seek to destroy Israel and to destroy God.

 

D. Vs 15, This verse is a parenthesis.

1. This is a message to the tribulation saints, and it is a good message for us as well.

2. Blessedness is associated with watchful and careful living.  Shame is associated with careless living.

3. They are to keep their garments clean.  So are we.

 

E. Vs 16, Armageddon is the place of slaughter.

1. The nations of the world will forma coalition to crush Israel.  The Euphrates and the Nile will be dried up to make a way for these armies (Rev 16:12; Isa 11:15).

2. God will intervene and save Israel (Psa 83:1-5).  Their prayer will be heard.

 

VII. VSS 17-21, THE SEVENTH VIAL

 

A. Vs 17, This vial commences a destruction greater than anything ever witnessed.

1. The vial is poured into the air.  All men breath, so here we have divine judgment upon the life breath of people.

2. Also, Satan is known as the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2).  And this judgment will end his power over the air.

 

B. Vs 18, This verse is expressive of God’s power in judgment.

 

C. Vs 19, Jerusalem will be divided into three parts.  Babylon (Iraq) will be destroyed (Jere 51:62-64).

 

D. Vs 20, What happens here adds to the tenor of the tribulation.  The smoothing out of the earth is preparation for the millennium.

 

E. Vs 21, Hail is a sign of God’s wrath (Isa 28:2).

1. These hailstones will weigh about 100 lbs each.

2. These judgments result in blasphemy not repentance.

 

CONCLUSION: Friend, now is the day of salvation.  Tomorrow may be too late.

 

For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:

Elliott Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com