The ‘bowls’ are poured out as a ‘fistful’. As a result, the worldwide adherents of the ‘beast’ are stricken with tumours (bowl 1), all life in the sea perishes because the water turns to ‘cadaver blood’ (bowl 2), as do the rivers and water sources (bowl 3). The atmosphere offers almost no more filter or protection, so that everything is scorched by the sun (bowl 4), and this reaches also the ‘rulers’, the ‘beast’ and his realm. They have tumours as well, that cause them to chew their tongue in pain. The dramatic events of the ‘nuclear war’ or the ‘extra-terrestrial impacts’ have thrown so much dust into the atmosphere that large areas of the earth are darkened – the rulers’ headquarters, too. Those who preferred darkness to light2 are now living in ‘darkness’, like those in Egypt during the ninth ‘plague’.3 It says that the Israelites had light wherever they lived, however!4 The ‘plagues’ of the Book of Revelation are directed against the demonic world society of the end times. No one knows whether ‘nuclear war’ or ‘cosmic projectiles’ like comets or asteroids will strike earth, coming in from outer space. However, by using these examples, we—living in the twenty-first century—are able to imagine the chaos and catastrophe that can come about. Modern dramatic movies about such disasters produced in Hollywood fill out television screens! These calamities are directed here specifically against that end time leadership and regimes that have become totalitarian. The centres of anti-Christ and anti-God powers is struck specifically in this case but they would rather bite off their tongue, than repent and go to their knees and come to the Lord, than stop doing the godless things they do. Yet that was God’s intention—and still is now—apparently. In the midst of all these ‘bowls’ and darkness, believers can take comfort in what Malachi says: “Surely the Day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the Day that is coming will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty. Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere My name, the ‘Sun of Righteousness’ will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the Day when I act, says the Lord Almighty.”5 Darkness is a horrible judgment. The kingdom of spiritual darkness is now clothed literally in darkness. Imagine being thrown into a solitary confinement cell and staying there for days or weeks. People have come out completely insane, no longer able to get their bearings. Everything becomes paralysed. Government becomes impossible. Trade and transportation come to a standstill. Nevertheless, the folly goes on, because, as the next ‘plague’ shows, the world will continue to wage war, even under these circumstances. Whoever turns his back to God has only suffering upon suffering to expect. But the righteous will shine as the sun in the Kingdom however!6
• The Book of Revelation is a book of comfort for the Church of Jesus Christ. During these terrors of the beast’s dictatorship (that will no doubt be ‘democratically’ legitimised, just as Hitler rose to power democratically) the Church is able to hold fast to the Word in the knowledge that it will not be long before Christ Comes!
• Reading what will be coming upon planet earth makes us realize that apparently He knows about it! That it therefore will not get beyond control of His hands. And that this period will be short-lived.
• What a joy and celebrations there will be when finally the liberation of planet earth has come – just like at the end of the Second World War! But with one great difference: the nations and the world will be free for ever!
Bible References:
1.NIV 2.John 3:19 3.Exodus 10:21–29 4.Exodus 10:23 5.Malachi 4:1–3 NIV 6.Matthew 13:43
