Unlike the previous sequence of sevens, the seventh bowl of wrath is not an introduction to another seven. These are the last plagues. In many ways, the first five remind us of the ten plagues poured out on Egypt when Moses pled for the freedom of the Israelites.
When the sixth bowl of wrath is poured out, the Euphrates was dried up. John says it happened to prepare the way for the kings from the east. As I noted earlier, the Euphrates was the boundary between the Roman Empire and the Parthians east of it. Wiping out the boundary indicates that Rome will be fighting these kingdoms in its struggle to survive.
With the seventh bowl, Babylon the Great falls and is split into three parts. It is said that Rome’s demise was because of three things: 1) natural calamities, 2) internal rottenness, 3) external invasion. All of these are portrayed in the seven plagues of John’s vision in this chapter.
John’s readers can take heart that the persecutions being laid on them by Rome will be avenged. The emperor will fall. Rome will fall. Those who have been faithful will be rewarded.
Jesus warned that similar events will occur in the last days when he returns to set things right. In a last desperate attempt to retain his dominion over the fallen world, Satan will pull out all the stops. But his doom is already forecast in this vision. It is as if it has already happened. Like John’s first century readers, we can take heart that the Lord Jesus will prevail.
When the sixth bowl of wrath is poured out, the Euphrates was dried up. John says it happened to prepare the way for the kings from the east. As I noted earlier, the Euphrates was the boundary between the Roman Empire and the Parthians east of it. Wiping out the boundary indicates that Rome will be fighting these kingdoms in its struggle to survive.
With the seventh bowl, Babylon the Great falls and is split into three parts. It is said that Rome’s demise was because of three things: 1) natural calamities, 2) internal rottenness, 3) external invasion. All of these are portrayed in the seven plagues of John’s vision in this chapter.
John’s readers can take heart that the persecutions being laid on them by Rome will be avenged. The emperor will fall. Rome will fall. Those who have been faithful will be rewarded.
Jesus warned that similar events will occur in the last days when he returns to set things right. In a last desperate attempt to retain his dominion over the fallen world, Satan will pull out all the stops. But his doom is already forecast in this vision. It is as if it has already happened. Like John’s first century readers, we can take heart that the Lord Jesus will prevail.
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