The Seven Bowls. This chapter shows the practical execution of the pouring of the bowls. 1. Issuing of the order for the execution 1. 2. The practical execution 2-21. 1- ISSUING THE ORDER FOR THE EXECUTION “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and power out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!’” [1]. The order came out to the seven angels to go, and pour out the bowls, characterized by the following: First: These bowls coincide with the plagues which happened in Egypt, yet the first agrees with the spirit of the book, which is symbolic. As for the plagues that happened in the past, they were real. Thereby, we do not find it difficult that what is brought in the bowls can be realized. We have to understand it in the spirit of the book. The first bowl conforms with the sixth plague. The second bowl conforms with the first plague. The third bowl conforms with the fifth plague. The fourth bowl conforms with the ninth plague. The fifth bowl conforms with the second plague. The sixth bowl conforms with the seventh plague. The seventh bowl conforms with the seventh plague. Second: They agree with the seven trumpets except that they are more severe, and more harsh. Third: His saying, “bowls of the wrath of God,” does not mean by “wrath” revenge without mercy, but as we noticed before, the wrath of God is in reality love. Perfect love of God directed to human beings, for God is never concerned for taking revenge on us, in the general meaning that we understand, but out of His love, He allows punishment, or abandons us for our repentance, or the repentance of others1. 2- The practical execution The First Bowl: “So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and a loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped his image” [2]. The first bowl was poured upon the earth, the second on the sea, the third on the rivers, the fourth on the sun, the fifth on the throne of the beast, the sixth upon the Euphrates river and the seventh into the air. Some scholars think that these are symbols of the punishment of God, which befalls man through history: 1. God's menace to the wicked Jews, (the earth; for they were people settled in the knowledge of God). 2. God's menace to the pagan Gentiles, (the sea; for they were troubled people 1 See this concept in our book of “Brotherly Love,” (in Arabic) in more details. (1963). 6 who do not know God at all). 3. God's menace to heretics, (the rivers; for it was rather that they overflow with the water of life). 4. God's menace to the wicked Christians, (the sun; for it was suitable for them to enlighten the world). 5. God's menace to the Antichrist. 6. God's menace to his followers, (River Euphrates; and it was the old region of Babylon that opposed God, and it is said that it will raise and struggle with the Antichrist). 7. God's menace just before the Judgment (the air, as it is immediately followed by the coming of the Lord on the cloud). Let us go back to the first bowl to find a plague full of stench, for sores and ulcers will happen as a result of the pouring of the bowl. God allows this plague for His opponents, and the usurpers of His right (1kings 5:6,9). As the earth points to the Jews,. God who gave them the Law and the promises, and bestowed on them countless blessings, returned and stanched their odor, because of their wickedness and their refusal of the Messiah, the Savior. As we say that, this plague happens during the time of the Antichrist, we can perceive that God will allow punishments, that the stench of the teachings, and the false proclamation of the Antichrist may appear. THE SECOND BOWL: “Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died” [3]. This bowl is poured on the pagan Gentiles, who did not know God, and were confused in knowing Him. The sea is much mentioned in the Holy Bible to point to the world and its troubles. If we accept the principle, that these bowls concern the time of the Antichrist, we will say that this plague occurs to the peoples who are submitted to him, and worship him as a God. They die spiritually. Not only their odor becomes stench like the first plague, but it becomes like the blood of a dead man, and it is the most repugnant scene that mankind cannot bear. That will be their state! THE THIRD BOWL: “Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: ‘You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets. And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due’. And I heard another from the altar saying ‘Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments’” [4-7]. Those represent a dangerous and deadly category, to whom God entrusted the springs of life, and it was suitable for them to present heavenly living water to the thirsty mankind, to drink. But after they got to know the Lord, drank from His springs, and 7 received positions of service, preaching and work in the Church, they deviated. These are the category of heretics whose springs became blood. Thus the angels who are full of love and mercy desire that God disciplines and besiege them, not for revenge, but for the sake of the simple souls, that drink deadly blood from their hands. It is also a plague which happens at the time of the Antichrist. It happens to those to whom the Antichrist gave leading positions to serve and preach. Among those we find some who were once preaching the truth, and proclaiming the truthful uncheated word. THE FOURTH BOWL: “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory” [8-9]. God has said to us, “You are the light of the world.” And also he says to us that in the kingdom of our Father, we will shine as the sun (Matt. 5: 14) The Christian, and particularly the pastor, who deviates, not from faith, but who shows a deviant behavior, stumbles those who are around him, forgetting his mission. Such a pastor is the object of this punishment, when the fourth bowl is poured upon him. The symbolism of these bowls appears from his saying, “men were scorched with great heat.” If they were scorched in a literal manner, he would not continue to say, “And they blasphemed the name of God...” and there would be no room for later plagues as long as men were scorched. Here, he illustrates to us the ferocity of the punishment of man, who knows much, and is entrusted as an ambassador of Christ, but does wrong to his mandatory! If we apply this bowl on the Antichrist, we could understand that the sun symbolizes the high governing authority, where the Antichrist establishes for himself an earthly kingdom, and will have a temporal harsh dominion, but for a while, as we have said before. THE FIFTH BOWL: “Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throe of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues, because of the pain. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds” [10-11]. Here the plague is poured upon the Antichrist himself, thus his kingdom becomes spiritually and ethically dark. Men were filled with doubts and confusion about him, but unfortunately they did not repent of their deeds, instead they blasphemed the God of heaven. When God says, “they did not repent of their deeds,” He uncovers the purpose of pouring this bowl, even during the dark period of the Antichrist. He aims at their repentance! This bowl shows heavens’ challenge to the Antichrist and his followers, who say, “Who is like the beast?! Who is able to make war with him?!” (Rev. 13:4) And still they did not repent. 8 THE SIXTH BOWL: “Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great River, Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared” [12]. In this place, Babylon, which points to the opposition to God, is established the kingdom of the Antichrist and his assistants, who make of Babylon a center of their domination, their planning, and their management. The dryness of the Euphrates indicates the dryness of the civil kingdom of the Antichrist, and its harsh authority. Fr. Hyppolitus thinks, that God allows this dryness to the kings, the followers of the Antichrist who live there, that they might come to him, and assemble to help him; but they turn against him. Ibn-el-Assal thinks, that these kings are against the Antichrist, and God facilities their way to destroy him. PROTESTING VIEW “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon” [13-16]. The sixth bowl, as well as the sixth trumpet, show the intensity of the last war between the unclean trinity, i.e. the dragon, the beast of the sea (the Antichrist), the beast of the earth (the false prophet) and the Church. The three agree to wage a devastating war against the Church, in one spirit. And out of their three mouths come out three unclean spirits like frogs. If they are like frogs, it is because: 1- They are evil unclean spirits, who cannot bear the Holy Spirit of God working in the Church. 2- They go out in the dark, for they do not bear light. 3- They live in muddy places, as they mislead with the unclean desires. 4- They fill the people's ears with uproar, urging all to resist God. These evil spirits are: 1- Devils' spirits, working clandestinely and using many human tools. 2- They use satanic wonders and miracles, for misleading and deceiving. 3- They use violence, as the Antichrist deceives many kings, and gathers them to fight God, and this war will take place in Armageddon. It is a symbolic site, as it is one of the famous battle fields, whose name is associated with blood shedding and grief (Zac. 12:11). In this field, Gideon conquered the Medianites. The Palestines conquered Saul. Barak and Deborah conquered Jabin the Canaanite king and Jehu killed Ahaziah with an arrow. St. Jerome thinks, that the meaning of “Armageddon,” is the mountain of the thieves, for the Antichrist and his denomination are thieves, who usurp God's right and glory. Ibn-el-Assal thinks, that it means “the lowly place.” We return to hear God's warning “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he 9 who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” [15]. This warning from God is addressed to every man at every time. He will come suddenly as the kingdom of God does not come with anticipation. Maybe God did not want them to be possessed by searching for times and dates. And through these six bowls they think that the time of the Antichrist is not near yet, so they become negligent of their duties. Thereby, He declares that He is coming as a thief, without appointment known to us. Thus it is worthy for us: 1- To obtain the blessing of being watchful and persevering. 2- To keep our garment; which means that we should not take it off during our sleep; to be awake even in our sleep, and to say, “I sleep but my heart is awake.”(song5: 2) By that, man does not get up suddenly to find himself naked, and be disgraced. The garment points to the grace of God working within us, and God's virtues that He bestows on us, to practice it, and as we proceed they guard us, and beautify us. The Seventh Bowl: ”Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’” [17]. This last bowl as in the last plague displays to us how He uses the events which were immediately before the resurrection as a last chance for disciplining. The time of judgment has come, therefore the Apostle heard a loud voice coming out of the temple in heaven, from the throne saying “It is done.” The last possible thing to offer to human beings for their salvation is done. The Apostle summarized the seventh bowl by saying: “And there were noises and thunderings and lightning; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on earth. Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found” [18-20]. All these events were explained before in the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12-17). The fall of the great city points to the holy city, Jerusalem, which became no more holy, because of the Antichrist who uses her as a satanic center, to spread his misleading. As for the fall of the great Babylon, and the cities of the Gentiles, will be spoken about in chapters 17 and 18. Finally he says, “And great hail from heaven fell upon men, every hailstone about the weight of a talent. And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great” [21]. This heavy hailstones coming from heaven is but a metaphor, to reveal the severity of Gods anger which destroys the world. As the Law commanded the stoning of those who blaspheme God (Lev. 24:16), so heaven stoned them with the divine anger, for the Antichrist spread the blasphemy to a great extent. And in spite of that, they will not repent even at the moment of their death, but they blaspheme and resist the more.
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