Seven Bowls Of God's Wrath

Are you offended to read that the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, will bring torment with fire and sulfur forever to anyone who worships the beast and has its image on his forehead or hand?

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name." - Rev 14:8-11 ESV

Remember, of course, that these are symbols, not literal descriptions. Remember also that God respects our freedom of will. He does not force anyone to turn to him. If anyone chooses to reject the Lord God in favor of Babylon and the beast, he is not forced with fear of retribution to worship the true God. What he will receive instead is what he has freely chosen, God's wrath, poured out in full strength forever and forever. These somber thoughts lead to the conclusion of Rev. 14 and the image of grapes gathered and thrown into the winepress of God's wrath, with blood flowing out as high as a horse's bridle for 1600 stadia (ca.184 miles; a stadion was about 607 ft. or 185 meters)! - Rev. 14:18-20 ESV

So we enter another of the seven parallel yet ever-progressing panels that display God's plan for the affairs of all mankind. In the next chapters (15-18) the church's conflict with this hostile world reaches new levels of intensity. Earlier we were told of the opening of seven seals, then seven trumpets (How Revelation is Organized). We come now to . . . "another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished." - Rev 15:1 ESV These are the seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (Rev. 15:7).

Before describing these bowls full of God's wrath John's Revelation portrays the security of the 144,000 that have been sealed and given white robes. They sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. In Exodus 14:1-18 are the words of the song of Moses after crossing the Red Sea and seeing their enemies drown in its depths. They sang,

The Song of Moses And The Lamb

"I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name. - Exo 15:1-3 ESV 

That song, together with the song of the Lamb, celebrates the LORD's mighty deliverance of His people at the time when all seemed lost. Now these victorious saints stand beside "the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands" (Rev. 15:2) as they sing,

"Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." - Rev 15:3-4 ESV 

Was this possibly one of the hymns sung by earthly worshippers in John's day? Perhaps. Above all it glorifies God's victory. He is the Savior. He has triumphed. O come, let us worship Him.

I write as we prepare again to celebrate the Birth of the Savior. A favorite Advent/Christmas hymn of many Christians comes to mind,

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.