Dennis Edwards
To go back to Part 1 or Part 2
Revelation 15:1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
If we look at Revelation 15 and 16 we see we are talking about the Wrath of God. We can distinguish the Bowls or Vials of the Wrath from the Trumpets of Tribulation because the bowls or vials bring a more complete destruction on the earth. God's children have been raptured away and now He can justly bring the big guns on the wicked and unbelieving.
The Seven Bowls or Vials
Revelation 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3 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.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 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. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”
7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
Revelation 16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3 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.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 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. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”
7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
As they have tribulated the saints and prophets during that 3 & 1/2 years of Great Tribulation, God in righteousness is tribulating them in hope they come to repentance and faith.
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 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. 13 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. 14 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.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 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. 13 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. 14 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.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
Our garment is the cloak of salvation, the righteousness of Christ, which we receive when we confess we are sinners and ask forgiveness and accept Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Prince of Peace into our life. Jesus is warning us to hold onto our faith, to remain steadfast and unmoveable in the hope of the Gospel, less we end up like these who receive the Wrath of God.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
17 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!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 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. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
We see that the Wrath of God is decidedly more intense and destructive than the Trumpets of Tribulation have been. God had promised to not give us over to His wrath and He kept His promise.
My Pre-Tribulation Friend: A few verses later, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, we can see that the Apostle Paul says, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." The Book of Revelation, which deals primarily with the Tribulation period, is a prophetic message of how God will pour out His wrath on the earth during the Tribulation. It would seem inconsistent for God to promise believers that they would not suffer wrath and then leave them on earth during the Tribulation.
Dennis Edwards: As we have seen from the above careful study of the scriptures, there is, in fact, a difference between the Tribulation Trumpets and the Wrath of God. God will remove the true believers at the end of the Tribulation in the Rapture event. He will then pour out His wrath upon the wicked and unbelieving. God has promised to keep us from His wrath and He will keep that promise. However, we shall go through tribulation under His protection. Perhaps, it is His in immense love for the lost that He keeps us here to be further witnesses of His love and truth during those dire days.
During the Great Plagues of Rome in the 3rd and 4th centuries many of the Christians stayed behind to care for the Romans rather than fleeing to safety. Their sacrificial love brought the Romans to faith and Christianity became the recognized church of Rome. God said we are to be a light to the world. We are to be salt to the world. In His love and mercy for the lost He doesn't just rapture us away when we get saved, but He keeps us here. He refines us through the fire that we may be brighter lights, that our love may be purer, that more may know Him for He would that all be saved and be brought to the knowledge of the King of Kings.
We do not need to fear the tribulation. God has promised to seal His own and keep us under His protection. In Daniel we read: "But the people who know their God will be strong and do exploits. And those who understand among the people will instruct many." [Daniel 11:32b-33a.]
As we can see, how we interpret Scripture depends on what initial assumptions we believe to be true. We need to look back to those assumptions to see their veracity. The big question then is, Can we disregard the beliefs of the early disciples of the Apostles who all with one voice affirmed that the Church would pass through the tribulation period under the Antichrist persecution? [See following post.] Should we accept Darby's revelation? Should we accept Scofield's dividing of the promises of God between the Jews and the Christian Church?
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
17 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!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 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. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
We see that the Wrath of God is decidedly more intense and destructive than the Trumpets of Tribulation have been. God had promised to not give us over to His wrath and He kept His promise.
Revelation 3:10. "Because thou has kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." 
That hour of temptation denotes a very short period. We don't have time to get into a deep study of the length of the Tribulation and the Wrath of God, which I have done in another post. I can say assuredly that the Tribulation period is the second half of the last seven years mentioned in the Daniel 9:27 prophecy.
"And he (the Antichrist) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (a seven year period): and in the midst of the week (at the three and a half year mark) he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
In Matthew 24, Jesus made reference to the prophecy noting that "when we shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place" [Matthew 24:15], that then would begin the great tribulation period [Matthew 24:21]. The Tribulation will be three and a half years, or 1,260 days, or 42 months, or time, times, and half a time, as the Bible often puts it.
The Wrath of God is a shorter period approximately 30 to 75 days and is in between the rapture and beginning of the Millennium kingdom. How we arrive at the length of the Wrath of God, I have written about in another post.
The Wrath of God is a shorter period approximately 30 to 75 days and is in between the rapture and beginning of the Millennium kingdom. How we arrive at the length of the Wrath of God, I have written about in another post.
My Pre-Tribulation Friend: A few verses later, in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, we can see that the Apostle Paul says, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." The Book of Revelation, which deals primarily with the Tribulation period, is a prophetic message of how God will pour out His wrath on the earth during the Tribulation. It would seem inconsistent for God to promise believers that they would not suffer wrath and then leave them on earth during the Tribulation.
Dennis Edwards: As we have seen from the above careful study of the scriptures, there is, in fact, a difference between the Tribulation Trumpets and the Wrath of God. God will remove the true believers at the end of the Tribulation in the Rapture event. He will then pour out His wrath upon the wicked and unbelieving. God has promised to keep us from His wrath and He will keep that promise. However, we shall go through tribulation under His protection. Perhaps, it is His in immense love for the lost that He keeps us here to be further witnesses of His love and truth during those dire days.
During the Great Plagues of Rome in the 3rd and 4th centuries many of the Christians stayed behind to care for the Romans rather than fleeing to safety. Their sacrificial love brought the Romans to faith and Christianity became the recognized church of Rome. God said we are to be a light to the world. We are to be salt to the world. In His love and mercy for the lost He doesn't just rapture us away when we get saved, but He keeps us here. He refines us through the fire that we may be brighter lights, that our love may be purer, that more may know Him for He would that all be saved and be brought to the knowledge of the King of Kings.
We do not need to fear the tribulation. God has promised to seal His own and keep us under His protection. In Daniel we read: "But the people who know their God will be strong and do exploits. And those who understand among the people will instruct many." [Daniel 11:32b-33a.]
God promises us in Isaiah 43:2 that, "When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walks through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Jesus also told us, "And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."[Matthew 28:20] Amen.
As we can see, how we interpret Scripture depends on what initial assumptions we believe to be true. We need to look back to those assumptions to see their veracity. The big question then is, Can we disregard the beliefs of the early disciples of the Apostles who all with one voice affirmed that the Church would pass through the tribulation period under the Antichrist persecution? [See following post.] Should we accept Darby's revelation? Should we accept Scofield's dividing of the promises of God between the Jews and the Christian Church?
Yes, the Pre-Tribulation doctrine is the most accepted within the Protestant churches today, but does that mean it's right? Jesus Himself warned: "Take heed that no one deceives you." [Matthew 24:4] "And many false prophets will arise, and will deceive many." [Matthew 24:11] Just because something is widely believed doesn't mean it's true. Jesus said, "Enter in through the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets." [Matthew 7:13-15a]
The Proverbs remind us to "Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set up." [Proverbs 22:28 & 23:10] In Jeremiah 6:16 we read, "Thus says the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and seek, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." I don't think we should so easily abandon the assumptions that the Fathers of the faith had. It's like removing the ancient landmarks that they have set up. We shouldn't remove the theological landmarks or guideposts of how Bible prophecy should be interpreted.
That's why we see so much repetition in the Bible. Moses repeats and repeats. Apostle Paul repeats and repeats. Jesus in His prophecies to Apostle John repeats and repeats. Daniel also repeats and repeats. In Hebrews 2:1 we read, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
It seems to me that with the "Secret Rapture" before the tribulation trumpets, we have accepted a doctrine that tickles our ears as Apostle Paul warned: "For the time will come when they shall not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts (or desires) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." [2 Timothy 4:3-4] Wikipedia defines "itching ears" as "a term used in the Bible to describe individuals who seek out messages and doctrines that condone their own lifestyle, as opposed to adhering to the teachings of the apostles."
No one likes persecution. Having an interpretation of prophecy that gives the Church an escape hatch seems to me is a desire of our own hearts and not what Jesus, the early apostles, their followers, and the rest of Scripture teaches. For example, Jeremiah, speaking by the word of the Lord, predicted the destruction on Jerusalem if the people did not repent and surrender to the King of Babylon. The false prophets prophesied falsely and predicted God would protect Jerusalem and the Babylonians would retreat. The people didn't like the words of the Lord through Jeremiah. They believed the words that tickled their ears, or that appealed to their pride and desires. The Babylonians came and destroyed the city and the temple as a result. Could the Pre-Tribulation doctrine be a deception we desire?
The Lord also said that there shall be no private interpretation of the Scriptures. [1 Peter 1:20] But "precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." [Isaiah 28:9-10] That means we use Scripture to interpret Scripture. We use the greater predominance of the Scripture. We do not use some isolated item with no or very little Biblical support and or is contrary to the overall Biblical narrative. We make sure we start with Biblical assumptions that are in line with the Biblical narrative and worldview. We should be dubious of accepting assumptions that are extraneous from the Bible or contrary to the general predominance of Scripture.
Speaking to the church in Thessalonica Apostle Paul wrote, "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." [2 Thessalonians 2:3-8]
We will suffer tribulation, but God will trouble those that trouble us even during the tribulation trumpets of Revelation 8-10. Then, after our rapture at the end of the tribulation, He will pour out His wrath on the wicked in His righteousness. "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." [Psalm 19:9b] Tribulation-Rapture-Wrath-Millennium is God's chronology. To read another study on the coming of Christ click here.
The Proverbs remind us to "Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set up." [Proverbs 22:28 & 23:10] In Jeremiah 6:16 we read, "Thus says the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and seek, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein." I don't think we should so easily abandon the assumptions that the Fathers of the faith had. It's like removing the ancient landmarks that they have set up. We shouldn't remove the theological landmarks or guideposts of how Bible prophecy should be interpreted.
That's why we see so much repetition in the Bible. Moses repeats and repeats. Apostle Paul repeats and repeats. Jesus in His prophecies to Apostle John repeats and repeats. Daniel also repeats and repeats. In Hebrews 2:1 we read, "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip."
It seems to me that with the "Secret Rapture" before the tribulation trumpets, we have accepted a doctrine that tickles our ears as Apostle Paul warned: "For the time will come when they shall not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts (or desires) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." [2 Timothy 4:3-4] Wikipedia defines "itching ears" as "a term used in the Bible to describe individuals who seek out messages and doctrines that condone their own lifestyle, as opposed to adhering to the teachings of the apostles."
No one likes persecution. Having an interpretation of prophecy that gives the Church an escape hatch seems to me is a desire of our own hearts and not what Jesus, the early apostles, their followers, and the rest of Scripture teaches. For example, Jeremiah, speaking by the word of the Lord, predicted the destruction on Jerusalem if the people did not repent and surrender to the King of Babylon. The false prophets prophesied falsely and predicted God would protect Jerusalem and the Babylonians would retreat. The people didn't like the words of the Lord through Jeremiah. They believed the words that tickled their ears, or that appealed to their pride and desires. The Babylonians came and destroyed the city and the temple as a result. Could the Pre-Tribulation doctrine be a deception we desire?
The Lord also said that there shall be no private interpretation of the Scriptures. [1 Peter 1:20] But "precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little." [Isaiah 28:9-10] That means we use Scripture to interpret Scripture. We use the greater predominance of the Scripture. We do not use some isolated item with no or very little Biblical support and or is contrary to the overall Biblical narrative. We make sure we start with Biblical assumptions that are in line with the Biblical narrative and worldview. We should be dubious of accepting assumptions that are extraneous from the Bible or contrary to the general predominance of Scripture.
Speaking to the church in Thessalonica Apostle Paul wrote, "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other abounds; so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." [2 Thessalonians 2:3-8]
We will suffer tribulation, but God will trouble those that trouble us even during the tribulation trumpets of Revelation 8-10. Then, after our rapture at the end of the tribulation, He will pour out His wrath on the wicked in His righteousness. "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." [Psalm 19:9b] Tribulation-Rapture-Wrath-Millennium is God's chronology. To read another study on the coming of Christ click here.
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